If someone asks you about Mallorca’s hotspots and a fabulous beach springs to mind, your favourite glitzy bar or even a picturesque bay, you have probably never been to the workplace of Joaquin Martinez. He has spent the past 36 years of his life in one of the hottest spots on the island. He is a master glassmaker and one of Mallorca’s finest.
In temperatures of around 45ºC and above, Joaquin and his co-workers at the glass factory “Menestralia” in Campanet, have proudly followed the time old tradition of glass production since 1950. Funnily enough, glassmaking was here long before the arrival of tourism; in fact records show its presence in Mallorca some 2000 years ago.
Such a world away from modern day factories, it is definitely worth paying these true artisans a visit. Not only can you purchase unique hand crafted glassware, you can see their talents first hand. Adjacent to the sales area, visitors watch from a viewing area in fascination, as Joaquin and his co-workers pull dripping molten glass from the furnace and cleverly shape it into a myriad of products, from vases to lamps to fabulous ornate goblets, all in a rainbow of colours.
Joaquin stoops to pick up a metal rod and twists it into the furnace. He turns around brandishing a fiery blob as hot and bright as the sun. As he blows down into the tube, the shape starts to expand like a balloon, taking form and becoming almost translucent. Quickly turning it around again and again, it changes form once more before he dips it into a vat of water, steam hissing. “We have to shape the glass very quickly as it cools so fast. We then have to cool it in different ovens very slowly over a couple of days so that it will not break. I love this trade because it is always changing. We are always creating different things”.
Matias Gaona has only been there for a few weeks. “I wanted to learn a real trade that was different and interesting. Luckily we recycle all of our glass so I can afford to make a few mistakes whilst learning!” Mallorcan craft traditions such as glassmaking are still surviving well in Mallorca. Menestralia take special orders from individuals and companies alike and also hand paint plates and lamps in their art room. You should visit what is literally the hottest spot in Mallorca from January to December! Why not take home a small souvenir made especially for you as you watch; a small swan perhaps, which will be cooled for you as you browse in their fully air-conditioned shop!
See www.menestralia.com or visit them at the Campanet exit on the Palma-Alcúdia Motorway