Due to its position on the coast, Menorca - Son Bou in particular - is a paradise for an activity that everyone can enjoy while on holiday; the simple fun of flying a kite. There are many types of kites; whether it's a 'heavier-than-air' kite (the usual type you'll see decorating the Son Bou skyline), or even a rarer 'lighter-than-air' kite, also known as a kytoon, which may be filled with hot air, helium, or hydrogen in order to stay aloft. Flying a kite is definitely a timeless holiday activity, whichever type you choose.
History of Kite-Flight
Kites were originally used in ancient China over 2000 years ago, where the materials for building them were readily available. Silk fabric was used for the sail, finer, stronger silk was used for the line, and bamboo was used for the kite's frame. They were originally used for measuring distance, and even communication for military operations - a far cry from the kite-flying on holiday in Menorca's Son Bou! Some kites were also used for scientific purposes - Benjamin Franklin famously proposed an experiment to prove that lightning was indeed an electrical discharge by flying a kite in a storm. It's best not to try that one when on holiday at Son Bou or anywhere else!
The Makings of a Kite
Typical kites consist of one or two 'spars', to which a fabric or paper sail is attached. Classical kites (like those in ancient China) use bamboo, rattan, or some other flexible wood for the spars, and silk for the sails. Today's kites, the most widely available on holiday, tend to use modern material such as nylon for the sail, and fibreglass or carbon fibre for the spars, as well as tough dacron for the line. Modern kites around the world are designed in many kinds of shapes and styles and it's no different on Menorca; Son Bou's skies can often be decorated with a selection of kites resembling flying insects, birds, aeroplanes, and even UFO's!
Practical Uses
As with their historical uses, kites have a wide range of uses beyond being flown on holiday. While you're practicing your kite flying skills at Son Bou, Menorca may well be using kites for all sorts of other things too. Kites are being flown to carry radio transmitters, to provide fast movement in sports such as kite-sailing and kite-landboarding, and a German company has even begun developing kites capable of pulling cargo ships - in favourable conditions, the kites can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30%.
Cultural Kites
Kite flying is enjoyed all over the world, in different forms. In many Asian countries, kite flying takes the form of 'kite-fighting', where competitors try to cut each other's kites down, or tangle them up. Fighter kites are usually smaller and diamond shaped, in order to make them more manoeuvrable. In Vietnam, kites are made a little more musical by attaching small flutes to the spars, allowing the kite to 'hum' a musical tune as it flies in the wind. A little music might make a nice addition to flying a kite in Son Bou! In Bermuda, kites are flown at Easter to celebrate the holiday, while in Greece and Cyprus, you'll see kites flown to celebrate the first day of Lent.
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