GREETINGS SEASONS

Merry Christmas

Again Christmas... the winter is back and in the island the streets are getting emptier and the families more united.

In these dates of greetings the Christmas trees are all over, and also here are very often to see the Christian Nativity scenes.

In these case, I took the angel´s picture from the Nativity´s scene in Saint Elmo´s church in La Marina of Ibiza and the second one from the street market placed at Vara de Rey´s square where I could find this one that´s really original and costumed as the old local´s island people, and the scenary belongs to the Sant Mateu village.

I take chance to greet all the visitors of this blog during 2010, and wish you a very Happy Holidays and a great year 2011.

ES MERCAT VELL - OLD MARKET

Es Mercat Vell - THE CITY´S OLD MARKET

The appearance reminds one of those roman temples surrounded by columns and gabled roofs.
There is still here, after all these years, the place where different generations have been doing their shopping there more natural products, especially fruit and vegetables

Here, time passes very slowly, no long lines of people to pay as in bid department stores or supermarkets. Also not long from this market, we find very close the most modern fashion stores waiting for us.

The flowers smell like flowers, but these do not come from the Netherlands, but from the sellers own houses to display their products, sometimes even from their own gardens, very fresh and they smell like freshly harvested fruit farm, nothing do with these fruits without taste of some big shopping malls.

Household containers, household products that coexist with others that are manufactured in factories, but the top products of this place are fruit and vegetables themselves. Ibiza homemade herbal oil, made here, olives on the island, biological products, natural flavored salt....

Just a few meters from the portal de ses taules, main entrance to the walled city of Dalt Vila, and while some tourists buy, others are visiting the city's Historical Heritage

Prices are reflected on the blackboards, making more real this place and avoiding plastic labels or tickets onto the regular grocery, and here in the city, we have an extremely natural and genuine trade ...

But the important thing is that we can buy here as we were in the country, and very close of the most historical place of the island outdoors of the walled city and also in neoclassical style building that seems eternal and will continue now and where future generations will continue buying here as time goes by...

S´ESTANYOL

S´ESTANYOL BEACH

Again, when winter arrives, the island is embraced by a blanket of calm that surrounds leaves steeped in a deep sleep, where silence and solitude is the traveling companion for some months.

The visitor may well rediscover the places he knew from a summer, but without the pressure of time and now alone and meditate or simply enjoy a calm landscape where the silence and deep contact with nature is a constant thing in his visit to Ibiza.

The sun's reflection into the sea are just as spectacular now than in summer or perhaps more brilliant as the sun is closer to earth now. The sunsets more beautiful than in summer and the island is waiting to be rediscovered, but this time without the rush, few traffic and without the stress of summer.

In very specific cases this calm will be broken by something, this time by a boat coming from the neighboring Mallorca, an event that is repeated in summer at all times but now it is something to celebrate. The fishing boat is quiet for a moment the uproar by the pass of the giant ship, but within minutes the calm in which they were immersed will back again.

And while S'estanyol with sand covered by posidonea seaweed, sand will remain protected until next summer which will be held again elitist celebration place for weddings where the white clothes is mandatory and the calm will be over.

IBIZA FROM THE AIR

A VIEW FROM ABOVE IBIZA

Few weeks ago I showed some images of the seabed of the island, now I can show some from another perspective, from above, from the air.
It is interesting to see how Ibiza as a really mountainous island, very green with many pine forests, and how combined the green pine trees with the stunning blue Mediterranean Sea

Ibiza from the air show many mountains. As the most mountainous island in the Balearics. While height is not much important, so highest point is only 475 meters high. It is also easy to see the steep costs as we see above are the beautiful forms of large cliffs and large islets.

Just after take off from the airport to the west, we are immediately over the sea and looking back we see the long pebble beach which is "is Codolar".

One of the most impressive sight is the islet of "Es Vedra" that highs climb untill 382 meters above sea level, and remains proud and vigilant at the southwest coast of the island. Magic point of the island which is famous for the alleged extraterrestrial contacts and bases in that area. It´s said that this is a point with mesmerizing to the island where a lot of energy flowing from there.

Another famous islet is located at the west is conejera (not be confused with the namesake island that is located near the island of Cabrera) and according to one legend attributes the birth of the conqueror Hannibal in it. Currently it is famous the silhouette of the islet in the magnificent sunsets looked from the San Antonio town.

Sant Antoni is a town that is visible from the air, where we have a small overview of the port and vessels.
From the air we can see also the island of Formentera converted into a full scale map but viewed from afar. Are visible the two ponds, the largest "S'Estany Pudent" belonging to their salt and the smallest is a large natural harbor for small boats called "S'Estany des Peix"

THE HIDDEN IBIZA

UNDER THE SEA OF IBIZA

One of the greatest treasures of the island remains beneath the sea, the Mediterranean sea that surrounds the islands of Ibiza and Formentera. The meadows of oceanic posidonea are displayed in the World Heritage Site by Unesco for "Ibiza biodiversity and culture", where they appear as such: Dalt Vila, the necropolis of Puig des Molins, Ses feixes, the Phoenician site of Sa Caleta, the "salinas" of Ibiza and Formentera and the area of "Freus" (exactly where I took these pictures) and oceanic posidonea meadows and natural formations on the seabed.

These meadows of posidonea are certenly oxygen lungs for the Mediterranean around the islands and between them have held a variety of animal and plant life.
This marine plant is also responsible of the spectacular blue colors of the sea in some sea areas of the island.

Esta planta marina también es la responsable de los colores insultantemente azules del mar en algunas zonas de la ísla.

Where there is no posidonea, there are large sandy or rocky terraces covered with other marine vegetation. The fishes are swimming around, from one place to another and sometimes accompany us on our vistis underwater

Rocky reefs are home for a number of fish and other marine life. There are many around Ibiza, and colorful views of these areas make us spend time forgetting the everyday routine. There's nothing like being like a fish for a while.

A relative of the last character in the global media, octopus Paul did not hesitate to choose the Spanish team as a winner in the last footbal worldcup, is easy to found on the seabed, but amazed at the great facility with changing their color to camuflate itself.

Some of these octopuss like to play, this one played with my fins (of course, chose not know why the right wing, extending its tentacles in it, completely ignoring the left one). Once tired of playing with her flaps moved away quickly.
Anemones also exist in many parts of the coast of Ibiza. Some of them with spectacular colors and shapes that they move following the waves movements. To jump down the sea, is to go to other site of the island.

SANT CARLES DE PERALTA

SANT CARLES DE PERALTA

One of the Secrets of the island is the small town of Sant Carles, a town with character. In summer is a cross of roads leading to the best beaches at the eastside of the island. Located just four miles north of the capital of the county (Santa Eulalia) council to which it belongs. As the small white villages of the island its center is the church and in this case we find one of the most beautiful white churches of the island. The church porch is one of the most beautiful and includes a well whitewashed at the entry area.

The church interior is marked under Ibicencan styles. White not only outside but inside, although in this case after the war and destruction of all their altars, part of the population were recycled timbers and built small but beautiful little altars in each chapels, making in this church something remarkable compared to the other but simply that characterizes religious temples on the island.

On the main altar the image of Saint Charles Borromeo, Milan Bishop stands majestically in a completely white background. Facing it many couples, some very famous who have chosen this sober setting to swear eternal love, even in some celebrations German´s punk singer Nina Hagen has dared to sing a religious piece

Beside its white church, at parish hall has served as a stage for classical music and piano, having been born here a strong tradition that has become an international event that has even come to be a spectator of such an event, the sister of the Queen of Spain

But if there is anything that characterizes the people is its bar, which, like his church have been the subject of films & T.V. serials that were set in the sixties.

A bar with great hearth, which holds an annual photo contest has become one of the most famous of the island. The bar retains the air of those sixties / seventies and where you can take herbs typical Ibizan made entirely by hand.

This site is the meeting point of the village. In the picture above the mailboxes are still in use, this bar where in addition to exercising the functions of makeshift post office.

DUSK IN CALA CONTA

SUNSET IN CALA CONTA

One of the most famous attraction of the island are their magnificent sunsets. The colors, the silence and stillness that one can feel in this magic moment when the sun says goodbye to illuminate other areas of the planet is evident at this time.

Adding as well the sea and sky as background, we have in front of us a wonderful background unable to forget for long time. These ochres, oranges and purples colours that arise from the sunsets are colors that make the end of the day a great performance.

The sun is hiding between islets, playing with boats and the sea that is cutting it as it approaches to the horizon line making the sea a veil where hides the sun.

No doubt at all that Cala Compte is one of the best places to see that moment where the day changes to the night. To feel that magic moment that turns day to night.

YACHTS AT THE HARBOUR

YACHTS IN IBIZA

The summer comes to the end, and the days get shorter and the nights longer... Still is possible to enjoy the Mediterranean Sea that still retains an excellent temperature for bathing and enjoying to swim, also is a good time for navigation.

Still the marinas on the island are at the top of yachts and sailing boats, luxury yachts are a major lure for people walking near them as there are some of them that are truly impressive. The best yachts in the world meet on the Island sometime in the summer. There are also sailing boats, some of them luxury. Where these sailing boats dock together there is a chaos of ropes, spars and sails. The navigation of these is more sport than luxury boats.

Which one most impressive, sheltered harbor. During the day time they are visiting the famous beaches of Ibiza.
At dusk, the golden sun stains the environment, making with reflections from the sea with gold, particularly gold, which makes it more impressive the ships and all over the port.

The parade of boats continues, new boats arriving each late afternoon to fill the port where a mooring is rarely empty. Boats of different countries and different colors, competing to see which arouses more admiration from passersby.