ORCHIDS IN IBIZA

 

WILD ORCHIDS OF IBIZA

Although the name of these beautiful flowers, reminds faraway tropical places such as Costa Rica or Thailand, Ibiza has more than 20 species of native orchids, which are not easy to find. These first three images in this entry, belong to the species of "ophrys fusca" and they found in Mediterranean areas and reaches places as Turkey, Sicily and southern of France. 

 They are wild and protected orchids, so it is totally forbidden to tear them, cut them or to take them,  anyway it's impossible that these beautiful plants can be planted at home because they need the land where they were born, which is almost always the island´s forests.

The kind of "Orphrys Balearica" (picture above and below) is a species found only (as the name suggests) on the Balearic Islands.
Colors vary but not the size, rarely are just over 20 inches high. Interestingly one of the petals resemble the wings of bees and find it much easier to be pollinated. They all bloom the first months of the year, one more reason for visiting Ibiza in winter. In addition to these green and white colors, exist others in yellow, pink, violet and different colors, but they are not easy to find.

FIG TREES IN FORMENTERA

FIG TREES OF FORMENTERA

This entry is dedicated to these trees that exists in big number in both Ibiza and Formentera. But it´s in Formentera may be, due to that dry land that the size of these tree have huge dimensions and is easy to see it. Not only the size of the tree will draw to the traveler attention but also with which careful dedication of the land owners care the tree branches in order to not reach the ground, placing them props for the branches not to fall and rise above ground level.

The fig tree is a tree biblical, which already is an example of resurrection, as in winter the tree looks died, and only we can see their bare trunks during its rest, but in summer lives again, from the spring, where suddenly transforms into a green plant with its huge green leaves covering the tree and also offers its delicious fruits, the figs..

winding brunches are visible to those who will approach these trees, although not need more care than those whose owner don´t want them their branches are off the ground (so it will be much easier to be picked up the fruit), for this tree so resistant that also will offer some delicious figs and also a welcome shade in the countryside, while all around exists the burning sun of summer season, here both people and animals usually rest under the tree shadow, where often many sheeps and goats grazing on the island have their rest on midday.

Some centenarians fig trees became very popular on the island. Some of them were underpinned by over 200 braces, in this case would be the famous fig tree, of Formentera, a tree that some decades ago became a legend, and although I have searched I have not found it (yet), or maybe I've seen it and did not know it was that one; the truth is that in any of the roads of Formentera is located with authentic giants specimens of figtrees. In any case it is hard to understand how the most famous icon of Formentera are the lizards (which are beautiful and very abundant) and has put aside this tree that is a true symbol of this island.

A WALK IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF IBIZA

A WALK IN CORONA

Winter is one of the most beautiful season to enjoy the countryside of the island. It´s True that sometimes the weather is not really nice but in few days the weather changes for good and no rain or wind, and in numerous occasions we have an anticyclone above that gives us sunny days like these last days and where walking through the countryside is a delight. One of the most amazing things are these isolated houses of the island countryside. Although local architectural canons bet on the white following a Phoenician tradition of whitewashing the house, some are stone. The green countryside contrasts with these houses with stone colour.

The traditional Ibiza´s house starts with a relatively small building of one room and as the children born, or depending on whether the new marriage had to stay living with the parents or parents in law, the house become bigger and usually adding new rooms when needed with the growth of the family. Some had two floors.

Although most houses like the image above itself is whitewashed, some of the side walls were left unlimed. Sometimes the traveler will be able to watch when unlimed walls, that the doors and windows have a white frame around them, or even some with a white cross, which was used to ward off witches and evil spirits, due to when a few decades ago Ibiza was still an island with many superstitions.

This one on the image could be an example of a house starting to be a home for a newlywed couple who lived alone, and still without any children. Just with an inner porch that served as a living room, a kitchen and a room.

Further, they were adding more units at the house; rooms, corrals, barns and whatever was needed. Sometimes the whitewashed area of the house, tells over the oldness of the building respect to the not whitewashed area, that was generally the newest. .

Special features of typical houses were that they were usually surrounded by trees, olive trees, carob trees, prickly pears, or even (as something exotic but very common) a date palm. Another essential element formerly were the cars, a mule or horse(depending on the capabilities of the family) always was in a separate place from the main house. The car carrying the seed from the fields to the barn to the house during the work week, and on Sunday the carriage was used for the family for transportation to go to town (usually at some distance) to hear Mass and meet the village people. It was the rural Ibiza, on a very different times...

THE HOUSE OF LAVENDER PLANTS

 

WHITE AND LAVANDER COLORS

 

Walking through the countryside of Ibiza we may find amazing surprises for those who love lavender (allow me, to dedicate this post to a wonderful girl who loves these plants). This shrub grows wild only in the western Mediterranean and is a symbol for an area of ​​France (The Provence), where fields are covered all over with its lavender flowers of this lilac characteristic color of this plantation. Besides culinary uses also has its place in pharmacies devices, and also as medicinal plant as well as decorative.

 

But surprisingly also in Ibiza this plant is present in forests, and in many gardens or decorating in some roundabouts and public gardens. Also in this house is tastefully completely surrounded by lavender, and everywhere seem to have adapted well to the dry land, to the strong summer sun and to the damp winter of the island. Besides the lavender, the white walls of the rural house made a nice contrasting.

 

this house is in the rural north of the island. Its small size makes it a simple house and even increases their beauty. this house is located between forests, and with its white walls, green forests and lavender flowers make this place a beautiful and unique in Ibiza.

 

With its simple houses and buildings, the evergreen fields, make this island a unique island in winter and summer, perhaps in summer many people forget that the rural Ibiza interior also exists, to the detriment of the beaches and coasts which are full of people, that makes that we opted for the inside Ibiza for enjoy more the solitude of these beautiful spots.

AGAIN THE ALMOND TREES FLOWERS

ALMOND FLOWERS IN SANTA AGNES


They came on delay this year, but have arrived. I do not know if it's true or not but I heard from some farmers of Santa Agnès de Corona, that the almond trees in very cold weather purposely can delay flowering, and do not know if this is so, but the truth is I've never seen a long-delayed flowering as this year.

In fact I believed that this year would not see the white explosion that often create these trees during flowering, and although we could saw some isolated flowers, this year noway is at all as used to do so.

The big cold waves (in fact two), are over, and the white colour that the snow brought, was replaced in days with the white colour of the almond flowers, giving a chance to enjoy those Ibiza fields full of them.

The white colour of the flower, combined with the white cottages, green meadows and the deep blue sky. In this intense winter flowering, the spring starts showing the face, in few days begins. we barely twenty days begins.

SA SITJA

SA SITJA DE SA ROTA D´EN COCA

A sitja (now totally obsolete) was made to obtain coal in the island. It´s a complicated process that just 70 years was a daily method for which the coal was obteined after a long process. Nowadays you can see some old sitjas spread in some forests of the island, completely abandoned. The wood is placed with pine blogs with the heaviest and largest below, and filled all the interior with the rest of the tree logs. After all trunks, it is covered with dry pine needles and it´s surrounded by stones, all in a kind of an oval form oven as we see in the pictures. A sitja like this on the images, burns for about three days non stop. Once the coal is made, the coal is used in the area and the rest was carried to "Vila" (the name that is used to Ibiza town by the locals) to sell it. Annually in Santa Agnès (where these photos were taken) there is an exhibition about the sitjas and one is made and burned within the program of the village fiestas. It is one of Ibiza's traditions that have been recovered.

IBIZA´S SHEEP

OVEJA IBICENCA (SHEEP OF IBIZA)
Some time ago I took these pictures, I think they are quite appropriate to start the year. They are like a postcards that everytime is more difficult to find them on Ibiza, but if we going out to the countryside and their fields we have many chances to find them. I have found these photographs left in a corner and so I have now the chance to pass a small tribute to a girl of "vila" that enjoy a lot her visits to the countryside of the island.

When I visited other Mediterranean islands such as Malta, Sicily or Sardinia I realized that sheep are different from Ibiza. It turns out that the sheep is a breed native Ibiza in the Balearic Islands. It has several characteristics, but it strikes me that the forms of their wicks are called pyramid schemes. Often with small reddish or black. Although they are generally white wool. This breed was mixed with others from others areas and the peninsula, but thanks to the breeders and its commitment to this breed, this breed of the Ibiza´s sheep has been achieved.

GREEN VINES

GREEN VINES IN LA MOLA

Ibiza and Formentera are gradually popular due to wines made on both islands. Before that the locals inhabitants did their wines in relatively small amounts at own homes in a totally traditional ways. Ibiza wine is often referred as "Vino de la Tierra" (land´s wine). It has strong flavor and dark red color, while there is another variety of white wines. A long time ago the Phoenicians made wine, so it´s a long tradition. Currently there are four wineries that are responsible for making wine commercially in large quantities. Do not forget that in the northern town of Sant Mateu de Aubarca is celebrated during December annually a festival dedicated to the wine of Ibiza.

little by little are appearing more vineyards on the Pitiusan fields such as these photographed in the area of ​​La Mola in Formentera in the highest part of the island of Formentera and where I walked for a few narrow dirt roads that made ​​me discover some planted areas with vineyards.

These vines with green leaves and twisted stems, contrasting with the stone walls or the many junipers in the islands. The red soil where these plants grow very well resisting the great summer season with little rain and as it is known, when less rain, more fine wines.

It is a pleasure to stroll through the upper part of Formentera surrounded by vineyards and the background of the famous lighthouse of La Mola on the verge of some impressive cliffs.

DAY OF DOGS

IBIZA ON 4 LEGS

A happy idea someone had. About Ibiza excursions in the company of these friends. They also like to walk. And at all times behaved very good behavior. Everyone enjoyed a sunny day and a walk in the woods and shores of Ibiza.

To contact them here is their website:
http://www.ibiza4patas.com/

Nature in winter is at its zenith. Green forests, blue sea. Including carob (such as the image) and the pines were with us all around and all way.

The tour went through the north of Ibiza, the site chosen this time was the Port de Sant Miquel, and from there we went to the tower des Molar. A tower that I was lucky enough to visit for the first time and enjoy the fantastic view from there.
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A country can be judged by how it treats its animals. A wise words of Mahatma Gandhi which unfortunately if we apply to Spain, we would not be in very good place in view of the bloody bullfighting spectacle made ​​up with people who claim that this is a national holiday par excellence ... But the thing does not end there, Spain traditions still pulling goats from bell towers in some parts of the national geography among other niceties. Recently however Catalonia banned bullfighting, which seemed a arrival to the third milenium times, although it is clear that it was for other reasons far to prevent animal suffering, and other traditions as cruel as the bulls were not banded, therefore it was just a very hypocritical attitude
Un país se puede juzgar por la forma en que trata a sus animales.

I must say that in Ibiza fortunately the bull fighting arena was demolished many years ago and it doesn´t exists anymore of this "fiesta".
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With all this national view of suffering animals abuse it is happy to see someone having this type of initiative for dogs and people where they both can enjoy together ...

Both, perhaps in this case people more than the animals enjoy the magnificent views over the Mediterranean which gave us the Torre des Molar ... Later in another further entry will enlarge the pictures from that place and the tower.

Cala Truja became a meeting place for pets and companions, a great day to enjoy the sand and some brave dogs went to into the cold sea water for having a nice bath...but chilly as well

Like the school childs when hiking, dogs were attentive to the games, and his own enjoyment including the bravest dogs with bathing in the sea, where the ball was pull out from someone. The way back was through a path beside the sea where the island's natural lush green colors mixed with pine trees and the blue Mediterranean sea.
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