Nostalgic Tribute to Catalan TV Gem 'L’illa del tresor' in Bon Dia Column
Whimsical *Bon Dia* piece channels the spirit of the 1998-2007 Canal 33 show with surreal holiday vignettes, local riddles, jokes, and light-hearted.
Key Points
- *L’illa del tresor* aired 124 episodes on Canal 33 (1998-2007), blending humour, wordplay, and commentary.
- Column features surreal scenes: dancing nativity figures, colour-shifting Santa, republican Wise Men.
- Local La Seu d’Urgell riddles and cheeky priest-dog communion joke add whimsy.
- Celebrates simple joys like winter sun, *sopa de galets*, and quirky resolutions like croquettes over grapes.
# Nostalgic Nod to Catalan TV Gem 'L’illa del tresor' in Bon Dia Column
A whimsical column in *Bon Dia* has paid tribute to the beloved Catalan television programme *L’illa del tresor*, which aired from 1998 to 2007 on the now-defunct Canal 33. Hosted by journalists Joan Barril and theatre director Joan Ollé, the show ran for 124 episodes, blending humour, wordplay, and cultural commentary.
The piece, titled "L’illa del tresor" and tagged with "Plaça Patalín", opens with vivid, surreal vignettes of holiday figures disrupted by Andorra's recent drizzle. Nativity scenes scatter from fine rain, only to dance pasodobles once it clears. A Santa Claus, in a sponsorship twist, swaps his red suit for blue—courtesy of a sugary drink rival—prompting his reindeer to strike and refuse international flights. The Three Wise Men turn republican and rebrand as Western Magi, but find few believers. A struggling log from the Catalan *cagatió* tradition gets laxatives to meet expectations, while a fallen angel and helpful devil depart arm in arm. An writer douses fires, and a firefighter plants a forest of fresh words.
Shifting to La Seu d’Urgell, the column offers playful local riddles. A monumental cow's expression becomes "museum". A desire to rest in an empty spot yields "seuré" (I will sit). Odysseus dreams of settling there, ending his wanderings. An invitation to grab a baguette from someone else's shop prompts "passeu" (come in). Mockery from Eliseu awaits its moment. From La Seu, Perseus outshines other constellations.
A cheeky joke follows: a well-dressed woman asks a priest for her dog's communion. Offended, he refuses, citing blasphemy. She boasts her wealth; he warns of backlash. She reveals the neighbouring rector baptised it for €500,000. "If he's a good Christian, that's different," the priest concedes.
"Good things" celebrate simple joys: winter sun and summer shade, *sopa de galets* anytime, laughter in company, lingering chats, children's awe at the *tió*'s gifts and passing Kings, unalarmed wake-ups, fresh bread crusts en route home, first sips of beer, coffee, or seasonal ice cream.
New Year's resolutions skew light-hearted: skip the gym but walk everywhere, carrying groceries upstairs sans lift; swear colourfully but never offensively; swap grapes for 12 croquettes or polvorones to avoid Port Aventura trips; attend Midnight Mass on-key; wish merry holidays to all, even non-readers.
The column evokes the programme's spirit, delighting Andorran readers with festive absurdity amid winter's quirks.
Original Sources
This article was aggregated from the following Catalan-language sources: