Well what can I say about January so far? Whilst the rest of Europe is witnessing epic levels of snowfall, and Facebook statuses from the UK claim to be experiencing the coldest January in ages, we here in Ibiza are still basking in beautiful sunshine on cloud-free days. In fact, the island's famous Almond Blossom is already making an early appearance - a show usually saved until February/March at the earliest! So we continue to make the most of this lovely time, spending afternoons rambling and exploring, and the chillier evenings engaging in frivolous indoor activities too...
Monday - Portinax Walk
On Monday we head right ‘Oop North' to Portinax for one of my favourite walks along the cliff tops past the lighthouse, and around the surrounding coves. It's a gentle stroll, if a little rugged, interspersed with tons of photo breaks. The views are simply stunning and the day was so clear we could even see Mallorca in the distance! The lighthouse is a striking black and white liquorice Blackpool Rock styled affair and we carry on along the path to the ruins of an old hotel rumoured to have once hosted one of the most famous of illegal raves back in the day. On the way home, we stop at the fruit and veg stall on the Santa Eulalia road and make a huge organic butternut squash soup with fresh baguettes from Croissant Show on our return back to civilisation. Proper winter fare!
Wednesday - Bowling
With a lot of the crew now back from their winter jaunts, Wednesday's Vila Parc weekly bowling outing is getting busy, and very competitive, again. Although many were claiming to be trying out for a ‘Dry January', the few of us who still are taking advantage of the cheap beers prove that mild lubrication does indeed help our bowling prowess. Charles Vexenat, French cocktail-making extraordinaire, and proprietor of one of our fave watering holes, Bar 1805 in Ibiza Town, manages to get 3 impressive strikes in a row and thus a fashionable free T-Shirt. Excellent work.
Friday - Hateful Eight
Every now and again, the cinema in San Antonio shows a blockbuster in English, and these particular events have become somewhat of a team night out! The new Star Wars film on Christmas Eve was a huge success and was more like a private party - wine and hierbas included! Tonight, they show Tarantino's new offering the Hateful Eight, and a group of at least twenty of us revel in the extreme gore and the usual excellent soundtrack. A great way to spend a Friday night!
Saturday - Peeta and Anna's 'Healthy Gut Talk' and Pacha
My Personal Trainer Peeta has started doing a series of talks with her friend Anna who's a Nutritional Therapist, and this week, at the beautifully cosy Open Space near Santa Gertrudis, they are talking about digestion and nutrition and how it can help your health. Following my binging of cheese and wine at Christmas, I am keen to learn more and am treated to a most lovely afternoon with a great and interesting mix of people gaining some top tips. Peeta and Anna's entertaining camaraderie and how they bounce off each other makes the whole thing so much more fun, and I come away with lots of fabulous foodie advice and a willingness to be much more healthy when it comes to my eating habits!
That night, the Electric Ibiza crew are back for their monthly residency at Pacha and have got some of the island's stalwart DJs in tow. With free entry for all island residents, the dance floor is packed from the world go and is still going off at 7am! Joyce Muniz takes to the decks and provides us with the tunes next to some of our local heroes, namely Bones, Manu Gonzalez (winner of the Best Ibiza DJ 2015 at the DJ Awards) and the wonderful Simon Morrell from FINA Records. The crowd is a colourful cosmopolitan mix of Spanish and foreigners all getting down together shoulder-to-shoulder. A perfect representation of how winters in Ibiza are now a marvellous blend of all cultures and nationalities, all with a passion for music and love of dancing.
Sunday - San Antonio Fest
The weather is once again belting so we head over to San Antonio again for their Patron Saint's Day. We love the fact that the island still embraces its traditions and the San Antonio fiesta is a great example of that. Perhaps the biggest of the island's celebrations, Sunday's mass is followed by folk dancing in the square and a ‘blessing of the animals' in which people take their pets to church to be blessed by the priest! There is, of course, much merriment over food and drink, a procession and we leave feeling satisfied that we have made the most of our weekend.
WORDS| Leena Sharma
