Autographs for fans, a friendly smile for photographers: Michael Douglas, one of the island's regular visitors (with his wife Diandra and lawyer Josep Meliá in the photograph), cheerfully showed up in Valldemossa last Tuesday to settle his debt with the town council. First of all, after years worth of dealings with the authorities regarding illegal construction on his estate, S'Estaca (ten new rooms, a swimming pool with built in grotto, a barbecue, and two guest houses) the Hollywood star managed to get off pretty easily, all things considered, paying a fine of $ 60.000 (just recently Doña Pilar, King Juan Carlos' sister herself, was given no choice but to demolish the second floor of her house in Porto Pi, which had been added on without the necessary permits). And secondly, in spite of all the gossip about their divorce, the Douglas' couple appeared at their judicial summons looking very much in love, reminiscent of their honeymoon, years ago by now. Michael answered nosy journalists' questions with a complement: "I have the best wife of the century".

No less than seven German macro-companies are behind a project to build a new tourist complex of almost 150.000 2m in Cala Brafi, near Portocolom, one of the few unspoiled spots left on the eastern coast of Mallorca. Headed by West LB, the group of companies formed by Deutsche Bahn (German railway), LTU, TUI, ITS, Hapag Lloyd and the Thomas Cook Group, plans to make an investment of some $24 mio. The project includes a five-star sports hotel with 500 rooms, 42 bungalows as well as various restaurants and leisure installations for at most 1,100 clients. Authorities of the Felanitx area approve, claiming that it won't affect the protected natural area directly alongside the complex and that it will be a major step ahead for the tourist infrastructure of the area.

The great success of the series of concerts held in early June celebrating the "Fiesta del Corpus Cristi" was the beginning. Thanks to Palma's City Council, from now on the most beautiful courtyards in the old quarter of the city , near the cathedral, will be open to the public year around. All landlords who agree to open their doors to the inquisitive eye's of the passers by will receive generous subsidies to put towards the upkeep and guarding of these inner courtyards. Anyone who would like to get a preview of these beautiful historical buildings should visit the exhibition at the Casa Consistorial, on the Plaza Cort (our photographs show the courtyards of Calle Morey No.9 and Can Savella No.4).

So, are they coming or not? For weeks now there has been talk of three super-shows which will be held at the Palma bullring, but it seems like confirmation is still in the air. The Kelly Family is programmed for July 27th. August 31st is the date for the famous boxer, Thorsten May, to fight for world championship. And the renowned tenor, José Carreras, is scheduled for the 21st of September. Who, what, when, will it really happen? We'll keep you informed.
P.S. The outdoor concert by hardcore band Los Heroes del Silencio, scheduled for June 25th in El Arenal, as we had announced, was cancelled due to bad weather (yes, even here these things can happen, but only every now and then). The concert has been put off for the time being. Fans of Los Heroes, please accept our apologies!