I can't say exactly why, but I didn't feel as excited as I thought I would have been knowing that I was on my way back to Ibiza. After all that day dreaming that I did about the place on an almost daily basis back in Vancouver, one would have thought I would have been way more excited as I boarded the plane with Alok. Ibiza is Alok's home and so he was excited to be getting back to his life there. I, on the other hand, was starting to realize that I didn't know exactly why I was going back to Ibiza. I checked in with myself. "Is it because of the parties?" No, that's not the reason. Even though the night clubs and the music (and therefore the parties) have always been a fun aspect to the island, I'd always maintained that one of the nicest times to be on Ibiza is when the night clubs have all closed, and there is a more relaxed and quiet feel to the island.
Was is the endless variety of beaches, each with a different essence, and the warm, clear blue Mediterranean? Well, if it was only about that then I guess I could have stayed in Barcelona for two weeks, couldn't I have? Or I could have gone to any other number of places along the coast of Spain for that matter.
Was it the fabulous shopping and the cutting-edge fashions that seem to always start right there in Ibiza and then branch out into the rest of Spain, Europe, and maybe a couple of years later, Canada?
Or maybe it was those cute little restaurants and beach bars like no other place on the planet, all serving fresh seafood, and cold, fruity cocktails? Perhaps it was the sunset, and the famous west-coast cafe's (like Cafe Del Mar or Cafe Mambo) where the entire island seemed to gather during the last hours of the day, everyone applauding the sun as it dips and dissolves beyond the horizon? What was it that was really dragging me there?
As soon as the wheels of our Iberian Airlines flight touched down, I realized that going to Ibiza on my own, this time, had nothing to do with all those things that I love about the island. With a sinking feeling, I realized it had everything to do with the memories of the times when I had travelled there several times with my ex. It had everything to do with memories. As I smelled the familiar, unique scents of the island - the salty sea air mixed with sage brush and sun-baked Balearic grass - my stomach dropped. I realized that I was going to have a tough time here over the next four days, no matter how great all of the above were, if I didn't work this one little kink out of my reality and quick!
A planted a kiss on both of Alok's cheeks and off he went to his continue his life, his own path. Me though, I continued to look for signs that suggested that I should not have come. Like for instance, I knew that if my suitcase had gotten lost then I definitely shouldn't be there. No luck with that one - my luggage appeared as rapidly and seamlessly as it had on all my other flights across the Atlantic and around the country. Hmmm. "Okay, I've got it!" I thought. If I have difficulty at the car rental agency, then I will definitely KNOW FOR SURE that I shouldn't be here! Alas, five minutes after arriving at the meeting point specifically detailed in my car rental voucher, along came the shuttle van to take me to the rental agency which was adjacent to the airport on the other side of the highway. I was really searching for a quick answer to my gut feelings, trying hard to compartamentalize the nagging problem so I could just get on with having a good time and really start getting exciting about being back in a place that I had dreamt about every night. Maybe it was the humidity? Yes, that's it, the humidity is making me feel all off! It was about 30 degrees in Ibiza, but with the humidity it somehow made it feel hotter and harder to handle than 43 degrees in Sevilla. Oh, I so just wanted to blame it on the humidity!
But I couldn't. As soon as I got to my hotel (which wasn't completely ready for me when I got there... Oh! It's a sign!), and layed down in the simple but cozy apartment I would call home for 4 nights, the cute little place on the west coast of the island that had views of the blue Mediterranean sparkling up at me and should have made anyone smile, and I rolled myself into a tight ball on my bed and had myself a good cry. I chastised myself, wondering when I was ever going to get over the memories of the fun times I used to have when I visited the island, con espouso. Well damnit, I'd come this far after all this time, and I was damned if I was going to let those old visions of my married life, and all the pain that came afterwards, ruin my trip! No way! I kicked the bed and pounded the pillows! Then I stepped into the ring and fought that demon right there on the spot I did! That demon had me in a good head lock and was threatening to choke the life out of me when I made a lightning decision to tackle it, flip it on it's back, and beat the crap out of it myself instead!! Well, at least I was able to get it into a position where I could tie it up in a ball and shove it back in the closet where it came from! You are not ruining my trip here, damn demon! So there!
And with that little inner quarrel out of the way, I jumped back into my little 6-speed, two door, Alfa Romeo, and took a long drive around the island, getting familiarized with the energy there again, the roads, the exits, the ronda's, and all the sights. I was actually quite amazed to realize how second-nature the place was to me. Almost like I'd never left.
My friend Ries from Holland, who you will all remember, at the last minute was able to re-arrange his work week to meet me on the island, and his flight was coming in at midnight. I was really happy to see him again and excited that we were going to be taking in the Tiesto Closing Party at Privilege the next night! Ries was dressed wayyyy too warmly when he got off the plane, and happilly stuffed his scarf and jacket away in his carry-on luggage, and unrolled the windows of the Alfa Romeo, taking in the the essence of the island as we drove back towards the west coast.
Ries was going to have only one day on the island, and so I knew I had to choose our activities well. One thing about Ries will never change: the very first and most important thing for the day is to find a good cafe solo! As we sat sipping our cafes, we giggled and gossiped and got caught up on all that had gone in one another's lives since the last time we'd seen one another - dinner in Amsterdam back in February, remember? I told him about the things that I thought he should experience while he was here on the island, and ran the day's itinerary by him. Luckily a good majority of the day involved beach time and sunshine, and he was game for that! I took him to one of my very favourite beaches on the west coast of the island, Cala Carbo, where we rented two hamakas and a parasol, sipped cervezas, ate paella for lunch, and swam in the beautiful and warm Mediterranean. I even took him on a short climb up the hill onto the cliffside that overlooks the beach, and I think he loved the sights of the twinkling Mediterranean, the magical rock called Es Vedra, and the Balearic cliffside as much as I did and always have.
A little video clip just to show you the scenery:
After a lazy few hours at this very pretty beach, I decided it was time to change to something a little more upbeat and Ibizenken (sp?): Ses Salines and Sa Trinxa Beach Bar. We drove across the island to the southern most tip, and found rock star parking just outside the packed parking lot - apparently there were tons of people on the island for the closing parties and the number of cars parked in the bushes and along the road way proved it! Because we arrived relatively late in the day (4:00ish), the beach was full with hardly any room to walk let alone lay out. But we managed to squeeze out enough room for two more towels, and then layed down to watch all the people and listen to the funky beats that the resident DJ was spinning. Funnily enough, another friend of mine, Ralf, who I met when I was in Ibiza two years ago and who I have stayed in touch, also happened to be at the same beach not too far away from where we layed our towels. I waved and walked over to him, the both of us laughing as we greeted one another with a warm hug, saying that the island was just too small of a place!
After a few more hours of laying out and talking about everything under the sun (literally! Ries and I never run short of things to talk about), I asked Ries if he felt like watching the sunset. I had just the perfect place in mind - the cliffside above Cala D'Hort. I knew exactly the little dirt road to get there too, so off we went in my little Alfa Romeo. Dang, I had a lot of fun driving that car!
I had shared the same cliff top with my ex a few years ago, and even though I knew it was our special place then, I analyzed the situation very unsympathetically and came to the conclusion that that cliff and the view that comes with it wasn't just "our" special place. This fact was proven to me as Ries and I walked through the sage brush across the cliff top, and said "hola" to a several different people who had also found that little dirt road and decided to take in the sunset in the exact same spot. A group of Germans who wouldn't stop talking stood several meters away, while a Spanish couple had brought their folding chairs and had seemingly gotten there early, perched in the best location for the sunset. Another couple further along the cliffside towards the point were eagerly snapping pictures. Certainly this place is my place now as much as it was "our" place then, and it belongs to everyone else who comes here now, too. I took a quiet stroll by myself, leaving Ries to sit and contemplate his own journey, and I once again battled a little demon who I actually knew would be waiting for me there. I found him quite easily, gave him the respectful nod that he deserved, and then wound up and round-house kicked him over the cliffside, nice and hard!! I sniffed, wiped away a tear, and then went back to sit with Ries. We both sat in meditative silence together and we watched the sun go down, heard the wind whisper it's love for us, and felt the calm of Es Vedra wash over us both.
By the time the sun set we were STARVING! Fortunately for me, and being the Aquarian that I am, I had thought ahead and had called to reserve a table for two. Even then the restaurant was so busy that we had to wait a half an hour for our table. I wonder if they didn't do that on purpose, because inevitably it made our eyes bigger than our stomachs, and we ordered several yummy dishes and drank several yummy cerveza's (Ries) and rose vino's (me). The food was, as always, amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant if you ever go to Ibiza and you only have one night there. This place is not to be missed!
That evening, and since Ries had flown over especially for it, we attended Tiesto's Closing Party at Privilege. We were very much looking forward to shacking our asses and having a fun evening, but alas, I have to report that the closing party SUCKED! There, I said it. It's true. Our dear wonderful DJ Tiesto is very talented and creative indeed, and has been trying a new type of trance music out as of late, and I was horrified to discover this. You can't even dance to it. It was crap. Privilege, the world's largest night club, is a sight to see for sure, with amazing light shows and dancing girls, acrobats and streamers exploding from the sky. But the music? S.U.C.K.E.D. Sorry Tiesto. If you're reading this then "Bravo" for branching out and doing what is your right as an Artist. But BOOO for not making it dance worthy. Shame!
Two years ago when I went to Tiesto's Closing Party it was such a great time! I danced all night and met tons of great people (remember the two guys from Argentina?). This time though it was a definite downer. Wow. Don't worry - I got over it. :)
For my last night there, I took a well-needed siesta and woke up again at 1:00 a.m. By 1:50 I had arrived at "Space", one of Ibiza's hottest clubs and host to the "BE" Closing Party, featuring Markus Schultz and Armin van Buuren, two of my favourite DJ's. I had been to a Closing Party at Space two years agao and it was an absolute slop fest. This year though, while it was jam-packed, was pretty dang civilized and enjoyable. By 2:00 a.m. Markus was on and I had my rum and coke in hand and was eagerly pushing my way towards the front of the Main Room. Hey look, if you ever want to feel liberated, just fly to Ibiza and vacation on your own and go to a massive night club on your own. Add a little Spanish language to the mix and then you'll realize how friggin' cool you really are! :)
Was is the endless variety of beaches, each with a different essence, and the warm, clear blue Mediterranean? Well, if it was only about that then I guess I could have stayed in Barcelona for two weeks, couldn't I have? Or I could have gone to any other number of places along the coast of Spain for that matter.
Was it the fabulous shopping and the cutting-edge fashions that seem to always start right there in Ibiza and then branch out into the rest of Spain, Europe, and maybe a couple of years later, Canada?
Or maybe it was those cute little restaurants and beach bars like no other place on the planet, all serving fresh seafood, and cold, fruity cocktails? Perhaps it was the sunset, and the famous west-coast cafe's (like Cafe Del Mar or Cafe Mambo) where the entire island seemed to gather during the last hours of the day, everyone applauding the sun as it dips and dissolves beyond the horizon? What was it that was really dragging me there?
As soon as the wheels of our Iberian Airlines flight touched down, I realized that going to Ibiza on my own, this time, had nothing to do with all those things that I love about the island. With a sinking feeling, I realized it had everything to do with the memories of the times when I had travelled there several times with my ex. It had everything to do with memories. As I smelled the familiar, unique scents of the island - the salty sea air mixed with sage brush and sun-baked Balearic grass - my stomach dropped. I realized that I was going to have a tough time here over the next four days, no matter how great all of the above were, if I didn't work this one little kink out of my reality and quick!
A planted a kiss on both of Alok's cheeks and off he went to his continue his life, his own path. Me though, I continued to look for signs that suggested that I should not have come. Like for instance, I knew that if my suitcase had gotten lost then I definitely shouldn't be there. No luck with that one - my luggage appeared as rapidly and seamlessly as it had on all my other flights across the Atlantic and around the country. Hmmm. "Okay, I've got it!" I thought. If I have difficulty at the car rental agency, then I will definitely KNOW FOR SURE that I shouldn't be here! Alas, five minutes after arriving at the meeting point specifically detailed in my car rental voucher, along came the shuttle van to take me to the rental agency which was adjacent to the airport on the other side of the highway. I was really searching for a quick answer to my gut feelings, trying hard to compartamentalize the nagging problem so I could just get on with having a good time and really start getting exciting about being back in a place that I had dreamt about every night. Maybe it was the humidity? Yes, that's it, the humidity is making me feel all off! It was about 30 degrees in Ibiza, but with the humidity it somehow made it feel hotter and harder to handle than 43 degrees in Sevilla. Oh, I so just wanted to blame it on the humidity!
But I couldn't. As soon as I got to my hotel (which wasn't completely ready for me when I got there... Oh! It's a sign!), and layed down in the simple but cozy apartment I would call home for 4 nights, the cute little place on the west coast of the island that had views of the blue Mediterranean sparkling up at me and should have made anyone smile, and I rolled myself into a tight ball on my bed and had myself a good cry. I chastised myself, wondering when I was ever going to get over the memories of the fun times I used to have when I visited the island, con espouso. Well damnit, I'd come this far after all this time, and I was damned if I was going to let those old visions of my married life, and all the pain that came afterwards, ruin my trip! No way! I kicked the bed and pounded the pillows! Then I stepped into the ring and fought that demon right there on the spot I did! That demon had me in a good head lock and was threatening to choke the life out of me when I made a lightning decision to tackle it, flip it on it's back, and beat the crap out of it myself instead!! Well, at least I was able to get it into a position where I could tie it up in a ball and shove it back in the closet where it came from! You are not ruining my trip here, damn demon! So there!
And with that little inner quarrel out of the way, I jumped back into my little 6-speed, two door, Alfa Romeo, and took a long drive around the island, getting familiarized with the energy there again, the roads, the exits, the ronda's, and all the sights. I was actually quite amazed to realize how second-nature the place was to me. Almost like I'd never left.
Me and my Alfa Romeo
such an effin' cool car
My friend Ries from Holland, who you will all remember, at the last minute was able to re-arrange his work week to meet me on the island, and his flight was coming in at midnight. I was really happy to see him again and excited that we were going to be taking in the Tiesto Closing Party at Privilege the next night! Ries was dressed wayyyy too warmly when he got off the plane, and happilly stuffed his scarf and jacket away in his carry-on luggage, and unrolled the windows of the Alfa Romeo, taking in the the essence of the island as we drove back towards the west coast.
Ries was going to have only one day on the island, and so I knew I had to choose our activities well. One thing about Ries will never change: the very first and most important thing for the day is to find a good cafe solo! As we sat sipping our cafes, we giggled and gossiped and got caught up on all that had gone in one another's lives since the last time we'd seen one another - dinner in Amsterdam back in February, remember? I told him about the things that I thought he should experience while he was here on the island, and ran the day's itinerary by him. Luckily a good majority of the day involved beach time and sunshine, and he was game for that! I took him to one of my very favourite beaches on the west coast of the island, Cala Carbo, where we rented two hamakas and a parasol, sipped cervezas, ate paella for lunch, and swam in the beautiful and warm Mediterranean. I even took him on a short climb up the hill onto the cliffside that overlooks the beach, and I think he loved the sights of the twinkling Mediterranean, the magical rock called Es Vedra, and the Balearic cliffside as much as I did and always have.
soaking up some rays
Cala Carbo
A little video clip just to show you the scenery:
After a lazy few hours at this very pretty beach, I decided it was time to change to something a little more upbeat and Ibizenken (sp?): Ses Salines and Sa Trinxa Beach Bar. We drove across the island to the southern most tip, and found rock star parking just outside the packed parking lot - apparently there were tons of people on the island for the closing parties and the number of cars parked in the bushes and along the road way proved it! Because we arrived relatively late in the day (4:00ish), the beach was full with hardly any room to walk let alone lay out. But we managed to squeeze out enough room for two more towels, and then layed down to watch all the people and listen to the funky beats that the resident DJ was spinning. Funnily enough, another friend of mine, Ralf, who I met when I was in Ibiza two years ago and who I have stayed in touch, also happened to be at the same beach not too far away from where we layed our towels. I waved and walked over to him, the both of us laughing as we greeted one another with a warm hug, saying that the island was just too small of a place!
Ses Salines
Sa Trinxa
a very happenin' beach bar at Ses Salines
a packed beach
After a few more hours of laying out and talking about everything under the sun (literally! Ries and I never run short of things to talk about), I asked Ries if he felt like watching the sunset. I had just the perfect place in mind - the cliffside above Cala D'Hort. I knew exactly the little dirt road to get there too, so off we went in my little Alfa Romeo. Dang, I had a lot of fun driving that car!
I had shared the same cliff top with my ex a few years ago, and even though I knew it was our special place then, I analyzed the situation very unsympathetically and came to the conclusion that that cliff and the view that comes with it wasn't just "our" special place. This fact was proven to me as Ries and I walked through the sage brush across the cliff top, and said "hola" to a several different people who had also found that little dirt road and decided to take in the sunset in the exact same spot. A group of Germans who wouldn't stop talking stood several meters away, while a Spanish couple had brought their folding chairs and had seemingly gotten there early, perched in the best location for the sunset. Another couple further along the cliffside towards the point were eagerly snapping pictures. Certainly this place is my place now as much as it was "our" place then, and it belongs to everyone else who comes here now, too. I took a quiet stroll by myself, leaving Ries to sit and contemplate his own journey, and I once again battled a little demon who I actually knew would be waiting for me there. I found him quite easily, gave him the respectful nod that he deserved, and then wound up and round-house kicked him over the cliffside, nice and hard!! I sniffed, wiped away a tear, and then went back to sit with Ries. We both sat in meditative silence together and we watched the sun go down, heard the wind whisper it's love for us, and felt the calm of Es Vedra wash over us both.
The view of Es Vedra, and the beautiful sunset on Ibiza
The place I go to in my mind when I need to relieve stress
Destino's Tapas Bar, San Jose, Ibiza
The best restaurant on the island for tapas
By the time the sun set we were STARVING! Fortunately for me, and being the Aquarian that I am, I had thought ahead and had called to reserve a table for two. Even then the restaurant was so busy that we had to wait a half an hour for our table. I wonder if they didn't do that on purpose, because inevitably it made our eyes bigger than our stomachs, and we ordered several yummy dishes and drank several yummy cerveza's (Ries) and rose vino's (me). The food was, as always, amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant if you ever go to Ibiza and you only have one night there. This place is not to be missed!
OMG! Destino's!
If Ries wasn't already happy, he sure was after our meal at Destino's!
That evening, and since Ries had flown over especially for it, we attended Tiesto's Closing Party at Privilege. We were very much looking forward to shacking our asses and having a fun evening, but alas, I have to report that the closing party SUCKED! There, I said it. It's true. Our dear wonderful DJ Tiesto is very talented and creative indeed, and has been trying a new type of trance music out as of late, and I was horrified to discover this. You can't even dance to it. It was crap. Privilege, the world's largest night club, is a sight to see for sure, with amazing light shows and dancing girls, acrobats and streamers exploding from the sky. But the music? S.U.C.K.E.D. Sorry Tiesto. If you're reading this then "Bravo" for branching out and doing what is your right as an Artist. But BOOO for not making it dance worthy. Shame!
It was cool to be there with the rest of the island though...
... and we did really like the light show...
... and the Las Vegas Show Girls...
... and the acrobats...
Two years ago when I went to Tiesto's Closing Party it was such a great time! I danced all night and met tons of great people (remember the two guys from Argentina?). This time though it was a definite downer. Wow. Don't worry - I got over it. :)
After Ries flew home to Holland the next day, I let myself coast without a watch or a schedule of any kind. Over the next couple of days I had time to visit my friend Alok another time, strolled through Ibiza town and did some shopping a couple of times, found new little out of the way places that had popped up there in the last two years, and finally got back in sync with the energy of the island. I explored roads that I'd never been down before, continued to speak Spanish all day long and read Spanish newspapers whenever I'd stop for a cafe solo or Tinto de Verano. I also spent another day beach hopping, watching people, and I did get a chance to meet with Ralf back at Sa Trinxa for a lazy afternoon with some of his friends who also live on the island. I made friends with the owners of the hotel I was staying at, I got really good at driving a stick-shift again, discovered my cocky, aggressive, fast-paced Ibiza style again (you better move fast to keep up with the traffic on Ibiza, or get honked at by six different cars for simply pulling a Vancouver U-ey), chatted with several women who owned boutiques in Ibiza Town, sat by the hotel pool and ate melon, fresh croissants, and ripe figs for breakfast, and generally gave myself the right to be a leisurely tourist for a change! At the end of my four days there, I am happy to report that the place I thought I knew so well hasn't changed all that much, and I still, thankfully, feel right at home there. I am a part of that island. I knew it all along I guess. Maybe I just needed to go back and figure it out for myself?
For my last night there, I took a well-needed siesta and woke up again at 1:00 a.m. By 1:50 I had arrived at "Space", one of Ibiza's hottest clubs and host to the "BE" Closing Party, featuring Markus Schultz and Armin van Buuren, two of my favourite DJ's. I had been to a Closing Party at Space two years agao and it was an absolute slop fest. This year though, while it was jam-packed, was pretty dang civilized and enjoyable. By 2:00 a.m. Markus was on and I had my rum and coke in hand and was eagerly pushing my way towards the front of the Main Room. Hey look, if you ever want to feel liberated, just fly to Ibiza and vacation on your own and go to a massive night club on your own. Add a little Spanish language to the mix and then you'll realize how friggin' cool you really are! :)
MARKUS! droooool...
Both Markus and Armin had this really psychedelic light show going on
a very happy crowd at Space
(No red-necks here, bar brawls are unheard of)
Okay here is another video I took, this time of Markus Schultz!
I admit that the music is a little warped and loud at the beginning, but JUST DEAL WITH IT, ok?!
It's a cool show. You'll wish you were there...
And of course no trance party is complete without AVB!
Why does he always have to be so darn cute?
I went to the club by myself, it's true. I was having a completely good time mixing with people from all over the world, and was reminded very quickly that if you get too close to a Spaniard he'll stick his tongue down your throat! Not sure how, but I found myself gravitating towards the Dutch again. I know them by their height, the mischief in their eyes, and by how friendly and inviting they are when you bump into them. And do the Dutch ever know how to party! Two thumbs up for the BE Closing Party, 2011!
After getting home in the wee hours of the morning and sleeping in till late the next day, I sat by the pool one last time before catching an evening flight back to Barcelona. I stomped around The Ramblas for a bit before heading back to the hotel room I'd rented for a night, just off of Plaza Catalunya. I was bagged! Early the very next day I was back at the airport for my flight to Frankfurt, and then Vancouver. My two weeks in Spain went by way too fast! But I'm glad I did end up going back to Ibiza, and I'm glad that I made my peace with those demons. I realized what I already knew: that I really do love the place and a piece of it belongs to me and will always remain in my heart. And this time I realized I love it all for my own reasons.
My memories are my own. So is my reality. :)
Charleen xo
