SAINT GEORGE´S CHURCH - SANT JORDI

PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT GEORGE (SANT JORDI)

Small but strong, not in vain was one of the few that were built thinking about worship and the protection of the population in the past, where Berber incursions were abundant on the island, a dangerous place to frequent looting and kidnapping of people who were sent to other lands as slaves

Small but strong, not in vain was one of the few that were built thinking about worship and the protection of the population in the past, where Berber incursions were abundant on the island and so it was a dangerous place for living due to frequent looting and kidnapping of people who were sent to other lands as slaves.

But along the Christian faith that built this church is the important work of protecting that some churches performed in the past. Here in this church is quite clear, to see the crenellated roof, which made ​​my delight imaginative picturing small battles between good ones(who were inside trying to defend themselves) and bad ones who were trying by all means go inside the small fortress

The roofs of some of its chapels contrasting with the bright white of the walls which in turn are contrasting with the blue sky, all in a very typical architectural vision in old buildings on the island. These chapels are from the eighteenth century when the church was not anymore a fortress and turned exclusively to worship.

Nowadays, as more peaceful time, this building is dedicated solely to the Christian worship. Its simplicity is its greatest feature like most churches on the island. Its three crosses (indispensable in the field churches) are located very close to the front door protected from strong midday sun by a magnificent and large porch that shelters and shade at the entrance of the temple, where voices echo of the assistants to the church service and after they greet and chat themself for a while.

In the western part this building can be seen in a less pleasant side, since instead of the calm white walls from the other side, so here we are aware of the more hard evidence of the previous stone fortress stage.

Below the image of St. George, a saint almost mythological faces a fierce dragon who kills in order to save a beautiful maiden (hence on the island to the inhabitants of Sant Jordi are known by the nickname of "matacucas" kills bugs ) And is venerated especially in former Soviet or Anglo-Saxon countries (eg the flag of England is simply the cross of St. George) that is repeated in countless flags of countries, including Georgia, Sardinia, and the former republic of Genoa among others, and is present in the coats of many places, including London, Milan, Aragon, Catalonia or Barcelona, Freiburg, Batalha in Portugal, Bologna, Montreal ... and even more places. The Moscow coat of arms bears the image of the saint.

CALA SAONA

CALA SAONA - FORMENTERA -

The last paradise in the Mediterranean as it is called to Formentera is now gorgeous in the spring, but from now on the small number of visitors every day grows as season advances toward the middle of the hot summer months. But still they have not arrived yet (although they are about to do so) the masses of Italians who with their "motorinos" will change the face of this island.

The turquoise waters reveal that we are in Formentera, which enjoys a spectacular colors and worthy of the best images of the Caribbean, which together with the blue sky as a set of several shades of blue and turquoise that really impress a lot.

From the beach you can access several trails that lead us down the coast of the island and, close to the coast there are some interesting piers or docks houses made ​​of wood and used to keep small boats from Formentera fishers keep them there while their boats are on standby awaiting the return to the sea.

This beach is the only one in the West side of this island, and there is no one around just rocky coast. Its white sands and calm waters make them highly recommended for families and people who love snorkel. Being situated on a bay waters are usually pretty quiet sea.

TYPICAL COSTUMES DETAILS IN IBIZA

TYPICAL DETAILS

Ibiza was a great unknown place in the world few decades ago, and then was gradually discovering the world and the first tourists enjoyed an island where everything was virtually unchanged for centuries. Among other things the costumes of their inhabitants. The arrival of tourists made things become different for their people, maybe in forty years has been brought forward a few centuries on the island, but thanks to some people efforts in maintaining the traditions nowadays we can still see how our ancestors were dressed and how it was their life style.

Ibiza and Formentera in its folklore and costumes are unique, as the folklore of the rest of the Balearic Islands is totally different, like the architecture of Ibiza which is sober and simple, the folklore of this island remains at the same rate as architecture although perhaps with many colorful touches. For example, in their musical instruments (always played by men) we can see that in their hands they use large castanets made ​​of juniper (some sources say are the biggest in the world) and elaborate for relief and different designs surfaces.

In the women's dresses we see that there are two types. That of "gonella" (a kind of long skirt pleated narrow) and usually wore headdress, or a hat or a long veil on her head with which covered the head to attend religious services. Women even in the twentieth century (at the end of this century began to disappear) always had covered the head with at least one tissue (picture below) and very rarely left her head uncovered. Hats (pictured above) but very sober always wore colorful ribbons as decoration, like those held the jewelry (on holidays) that carried the girls chest and marked their economical "status". The oldest were coral and silver jewelry and the most modern ones (XVIII century) were made by gold.

Usually these gold beads on the chest, they would inherit and enlarging over time from mother to daughter. Usually use at least two or more large beads in rhomboid shapes called "collarets" and then a finer accounts thick gold chains that used to take nine or thirteen strings (moon numbers), although for reasons of superstition they turned in twelve. They carry a large gold cross and sometimes below a jewel of gold with a religious image. Complete the collection of gold jewelry a large number of buttons and rings on every finger 3 (24 total) except on thumbs.

On the other hand, men of Ibiza in the folklore does not leave out the details. Curious the Phrygian cap (also called barretina) with curved top cap (the bottom black was the hallmark of the maritime areas) and has a curious history, as the origin of this piece would be in ancient Phrygia (now Turkey), in Roman times was the hallmark of the freedmen. In the nineteenth century, symbolizes freedom and the republic. In the shield and/or flags of several countries in Latin is present as a symbol of freedom such as Argentina or shield their former flag of 1,840 and shields that are on the flags of Haiti, Paraguay, and El Salvador, and in the shields of Bolivia, Cuba and the seals of the Senate and the U.S. Army among others. As a curious note regarding this cap is that only used in Pitiusas and is totally absent in the rest of the Balearic Islands, although used in several Mediterranean areas (sailors places), and is widely used in rural areas as Sicily, Sardinia, Catalonia, Valencia, Naples and even the Balkans.

SAN JOAN DE LABRITJA CHURCH

CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN (Sant Joan de Labritja)

On hot summer afternoon the church square of San Joan is a cool and shaded place by leafy trees shadows. In my particulary case this church is where I have had more family events. Baptisms, communions, weddings and of course some funerals, a church that has marked many of my memories. So come back here (which I usually do not do much) is like coming back home. My mother was born in this town that also is said to be one of the villages where people have the greatest life expectancy in Spain. It is very common to see people who is over one hundred years in this municipality
En las calurosas tardes de verano la plaza de esta iglesia se encuentra fresca y con sombra gracias a los frondosos árboles que cobijan este lugar.

This church is dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and is curious how the bell is said (and totally true), which is equal to the towers that exist on the Asturian churches, and so, although reminds its neighboring town church of Sant Miquel Balançat. Anyway as a whole has an amazing aesthetic typically Ibicencan. whitewashed walls lend an air of white refreshingly its surroundings

Vicent Ferrer Guash was a beloved priest for 26 years and the nearby parishes of San Lorenzo and San Vicente and was also priest of distant churches as San Rafael and San Telmo this one in the city of Ibiza. Born in 1906 and died in 1,986

In 2,007 some neighboroughs and several institutions have dedicated this monument of modern styling but that is perfectly suited to the architecture and outline of this place. A plaque recalls as a memorial for this beloved priest.

In all churches of the rural Ibiza, there's something not missing. These three crosses together known as Calvary. In this case three large crosses with grand staircases access the form in this church, which like everything that surrounds this place have simple and sober lines.

As in most rural churches a small chapel forms outside a kind of little dome, in this case also rural style. Surrounded by white walls are the tiles covering the chapel and when it rains the water droplets leading to a nearby well.

The porch of the church of Sant Joan is placed in one side, like for example the church of Our Lady of Jesus or the nearby San Vicente (Sa Cala)or Sant Antoni de Portmany (although is not usual) from here it can be see the trees in the square and in summer they protect us from the heat and stays cool to the porch.

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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MILL IN SA PUNTA DES MOLI

MILL IN SA PUNTA

It is believed that the Arabs were who introduced windmills and water wheels and other those days mechanics systemshere on the island. As a child I visited Formentera on a day where I saw that there was something in Ibiza had passed into history, were the mills with blades. Many years after, probably at the initiative of a political culture, became the restoring of few remained standing mills. As a curiosity always amazed me that Ibiza and Formentera´s mills had six blades, two more than those showing in the books from La Mancha (Castille), where Don Quixote attacked those giants. Also those nice ones on pictures surrounded by tulips. The famous Dutch windmills.

The beauty of Ibiza ones had a more primitive, but rough looking. The Ibiza and Formentera mills are similar but not identical to the rest of the Balearic Islands, although in Menorca and Majorca are very similar to each other and have a home below the mill itself.

To talk about these mills in Ibiza, we must refer to the Puig des Molins in Ibiza Town. There are most mills (although only one restored with the blades), there is also one in Puig den Valls, near the city, Puig means mountain and was above the mountains where the wind blew over. But today the mill I propose is the one located in Sa Punta in Sant Antoni de Portmany that unlike the previous ones is located at the coast at the edge of the sea, and when the west wind blows I guess I was rolling and rolling. When was made nothing was around but today is blended into a tourist coast full of hotels and tourist attractions.

They were used to grind wheat and then make a good bread, very important in the island long ago. It seems that some mills in the island date from the thirteenth century and therefore I consider it an asset to be protected ...

ES AMUNTS AND TORRES D´EN LLUC

DEFENSIVE TOWERS LOST IN TIME AND NORTHERN CLIFFS

Further the previous entry (the next in this blog) regarding the tour on January 2 in the north of the island, we saw the rural Ibiza and the magnificent countryside of this island of Aubarca and Corona area. Today we look towards the sea and other impressive places we saw that day... the cliffs.

This area called "Es Amunts" (The highs) extends from Cala Salada at the west of the island to Cala de Sant Vicent at the northeast, provides a visual spectacle full of nature. Es Amunts area is not only limited to the coastal zone but also a very important part of the whole mountain area north of the island, where there are numerous valleys and streams.

One of the most characteristic sites in this area are the islets called Ses Margalides. Today we were further north and could only see one leg of those rocks with the fall of the cliff in front of us.Una de las estampas más características de esta zona es la de los islotes Ses Margalides.

SES TORRES D´EN LLUC

Although the name of "Torres d'en lluc" is concerning to some archeological remains that appears to be an ancient wall, among the fishermen is customary to refer with that name that peninsula towers rocks that abruptly appear in front of us and that can be mistaken as small islands, although its real name is Punta de ses torretes. The real Torres d'en lluc towers are other towers that are very different but very close...

The real towers d'en Lluc are lost back in time. So much that even the experts are unable to locate them back in the time. A former defensive fortification that today we can only see their remains and is considered the oldest existing building on the island. Its defensive function is also difficult to determine, although it must deal with the remnants of a larger construction including walls and towers. A historical mystery to solve and may never find the answers.

Should be note that all this entire area "Es Amunts" (The Highs) is located at least 100 meters high and in some areas reaches 400 meters, very important for this island.

The last image already belongs to another area of Es Amunts and belongs to the area of Aubarca (San Mateo d´Aubarca) viewed from the way to go to the torres den lluc. But that area is another story and another day we will talk about it...

TOUR AROUND "ES AMUNTS"

ES AMUNTS THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ISLAND

Es Amunts is the most rugged mountainous area of the island of Ibiza, located at the north side of the island. And endless lush forest and spectacular cliffs above the sea are the best known landscapes of this place, mixed with sea views and the most rural area of the island.

So we organize an excursion around Es Amunts, so we were celebrating the starting of a new year.

A part of the landscapes were very rural and countryside, offering a spectacular green, full of vegetation.

We took chance to search mushrooms, during the walk, although not lack at all of good humor all day long prevailed during the first site of the day, because the second part of the day fatigue takes hold of some if not all on us.

While walking along the paths in the forest, we saw some old buildings that were used by shepherds to keep the herd at night in case they had to sleep out in this area. At least they could have a place to spend the night down a roof.

Although we are in the north of the island, if we look from the top of mountains, the view extends to the south, and we can even see the top of the famous island of "Es Vedra" due its 382 meters above sea level.

Such a large area of forest in summer requires constant vigilance to prevent forest fires or other natural misfortune. Unfortunately as we experienced during last summer we still have some of them, those awful events affects the flora and fauna of this island.

Despite the threatening weather of the previous day, it changed to cloudless skies and the day let us enjoy a magnificent sunny day that filled the landscape on green, very green, mainly because the big amount of mediterranean pine and the island's native flora.

Another thing we can observe, is the holes on to rocks, they were used as a place were animals and herds could drink. Here we call them "es cucons"

Thanks to the cooperation of this lovely lady, we kneew we were in the right direction of our walk. The people of "Es Amunts" is really nice. This lady called Antonia is a neighbor of this place.

And here comes some of the hikers. Loli from Cadiz and Toni from Ibiza.

Carlos from Colombia
and Christina she comes from Denmark.

José and Pedro both locals from Ibiza and here below Conchi show us the two other hikers Luna and Snowy.

The way was not much difficult... and let us enjoy the nature.

In some places the great green offers great views surrounded by olive trees, specially during the afternoon is ending..

The green turns up to yellow due the sunlight.

As we continue the landscape changed a bit, offering pale colour plants that made contrast with the green carob trees.

Just before sunset the vinyeards turn into a landscape with orange colours. These plants still have no leaves, but in future will be green again

The landscape in this area turns impressive with the olive trees with gnarled trunks.

The sunsets in Ibiza are famous, but onto the sea. Today we see a different one, between olive trees. Very nice also.

The part of the cliffs in this excursion will come in another entry very soon.

Below a picture with all the excursion members, except one... That´s me.