Sunbed wars have erupted in Majorca with German tourists sneakily trying to one-up Brits.
According to locals in Majorca, they have now gone on step further by getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve their straw-covered beach umbrellas on the first row, just inches from the sea.
Many foreign holidaymakers, said to be predominantly German, are marking their territory in the early morning, with dozens of umbrellas being taken way before the crowds arrive.
“While half of Majorca is still asleep, the towel war is already beginning in Playa de Palma,” says the Spanish press. “Not only have German holidaymakers “reserved” their sun loungers at the hotel pools at dawn but have now also moved this habit to the beach. With towels hanging on the parasols in the early morning, the tourists secure the best spots right by the sea.”
Photos, provided by Inselradio Mallorca to Mallorca Magazin, were taken at the weekend near a leading hotel in Playa de Palma much favoured by German tourists. By early morning, just over a dozen parasols had been ‘occupied’. Towels can be seen hanging from almost all the poles, many of them belonging to nearby hotels.
“The holidaymakers’ strategy is probably to “reserve” the best spots and then go to have a leisurely breakfast,” reports Ultimahora.es.
Palma city council provides the rental service for sun loungers and parasols on this stretch of beach through an external company, which maintains the service, which is subject to a daily fee, between 10am and 7pm.
As a rule, employees are on site from 8.30am, opening the sun loungers and distributing them. In the evening, they are stacked and closed.
A German resident who has lived in Playa de Palma for years said: “You don’t just see this here. You can even find it all over Playa de Palma.”
And responding to the report by Inselradio, others said “I would throw these towels into the sea!” and “I am embarrassed by something like this.”
“A totally bad habit,” said another. “Securing sun loungers with a towel in the early morning is absolutely inconsiderate and absolutely not acceptable. If no one blocks sun loungers with towels in the morning, everyone can have one. After all, we all want the same thing: a relaxing holiday.”
Another incensed local said: “This has been happening all my life in Benidorm. What surprises me is that it has taken so long to reach Palma.”
And injecting some humour into the situation, a resident posted this deviant message: “They are looking for their perfect selfie in the front line. Then a Mallorcan like me arrives and I put my Decathlon umbrella, a Chinese lounge chair and even my mother-in-law in front of them, if I can, blocking their view of the shore!”