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Monday June 20, 2011

Holidaymakers to be fined for flaunting the flab


It’s been a long time coming but after years of patiently enduring the sight of tourists strolling through its streets in a state of undress, Barcelona’s city council has issued a ban on exposing the flesh.

Residents and local businesses in the historic Catalan Capital have grown increasingly irate with holidaymakers who stray from the beaches in wholly inappropriate clothing and refuse to cover up when entering public and historic buildings, shops and restaurants. So frustrated has the city’s council become that it has created street signs at historic sites, including Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia cathedral, depicting a stick couple in swimwear scored through with a huge red cross.

The city’s El Periodico newspaper has for the last year been campaigning for a by-law to be introduced and has received backing from the Catalan political party CiU, whose spokesman, Xavier Trias, said, “It is time people are told it’s not okay to walk our city streets virtually naked.”

Barcelona’s urban police force will issue on the spot fines of between €120 and €300 to those in a “semi nude” state, and €500 to those exhibitionists letting it all hang out. In preparation for the thousands of Britons flocking to the city for summer holidays and stag and hen party weekends, the council has produced a flyer for use by hotels clearly stating that beach wear will only be permitted on the seafront and in adjacent streets.

Aside from outlawing nudity, naked torsos, and bare midriffs, the council has been rather vague about what else constitutes breaking the rules. So, to aid it in its task, I asked Majorcan locals and expats in my mountain town what they might suggest banning on Barcelona’s streets. Here goes: bikinis, swimming costumes, Speedo miniscule trunks, lewd tattoos, board shorts, exposed belly button studs, big wobbly bottoms in tight shorts, mini skirts, translucent wraps tied about the waist (which fail dismally to mask white blubbery thighs) boob tubes, orange fake tan, multiple nose, eyebrow and ear piercings, men in three-quarter length trousers, Crocs, and the carrying of an open lager can by many an English “yoof.”

Perhaps Majorca might be encouraged to take a leaf out of Barcelona’s book and issue similar fines to those exposing excessive flab in the capital of Palma and the island’s main towns. Some times, even for patient and easy going Majorcans, the naked truth can be just too much to bear.

First appeared http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/annanicholas/10143442/holidaymakers-to-be-fined-for-flaunting-the-flab/



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  1. Hallelujah! We live in Palma Nova and often wonder why some holiday makers find it acceptable to walk down the main street in nothing but ‘budgie rustlers’ (mostly grossly overweight men) or women (particularly in their later years) in miniscule bikinis and nothing else. They wouldn’t walk down their own streets at home like this.
    Perleeeese, cover up people, your spoiling the beautiful scenery! (and our lunch)!

    * by Dee | Sep 23, 12:50 pm