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.

CHURCH AND ALTARPIECE OF NUESTRA SEÑORA DE JESÚS

CHURCH OF NTRA. SRA. DE JESÚS

A few weeks ago I had the chance to pay a visit to the Church of Jesús, very near of Ibiza City and then, i could enjoy the magnificent of the altarpiece, a unic and most appreciate art piece in the island. It´s considered " the jewel of the crown " in art.

the Annunciation, Birth and Adoration of the three Kings, I want to take them as my personal Christmas Card and with them to wish you a Merry Christmas and to wish you the best for the new year 2010.

It seems to be that is not known certainty who is the author of this altarpiece but "is suspected" that it was realized by Osona in Valencia. It is not known neither when, but it is believed that between the XV and XVI century.

The style is indeed a mixture of styles, predominating over the Flemish style and the Renaissance, but with Gothic clear shades that also are present in the altarpiece.

The central body as we see below it is centralized in the figure known as Ntra. Sra. de la Llet, that is the Virgin feeding the child.

This temple was raised as Convent by the Franciscans in the 15th century, though today it belongs to the municipality of Santa Eulalia, this church in her origins was using as a religious temple for the people specially fishermen and familys living out of the walls of Ibiza, since this zone belongs to the called " pla of Vila ". The convent in 1.580 passed to the Dominicans, who founded a confraternity in honor to The Virgin Mary. This Order (Dominicans) went due to the insecurity of the frequent assaults to the Pirates' island indoors part of the walled zone of Ibiza City, in the Building that today is the church of Santo Domingo, and that still people knows popularly as "the Convent" (today the cloister belongs to the City hall).

The interest of this church in art continues with an interesting linen of Saint Clara that is dated on the XVIth century.

Also the image of the Virgin Mary is a work of Antonio Saura realized in the XVIth Century (image down).

This church, totally in white front as a rural church from Ibiza´s architecture, it was raised to the degree of parish by the first Bishop of Ibiza in 1.785.

Detail of the Calvary (up) and of the porch or "porxo" in the image of below that as in some of the churches in Ibiza it is not at the main entry but aside. It consists of four round arches and is a construction of the XIXth century.

SES FEIXES

SES FEIXES & THE "PORTALS DE FEIXES "

This is the second most important humedal of the island (after las salinas) called "Ses Feixes" that translated would be something like " bench-covers ". A variety of flora and fauna very typical of this zone that is in full process of conservation. The location is closely together of the Beach of Talamanca and of the Avenue on August 8, just behind that we might name the "mile of gold" of the City of Ibiza.

Ses Feixes was a former marsh that was occupying great part of the acquaintance as "Plà de Vila", which was formed by marine alluviums, with a level of very equal water to that of the level of the sea, where for this motive were a great level of sedimentation. It was an area gained the sea, to dedicate it almost exclusively to the agriculture devices.
Though it is not this the Ses Feixes's unique zone since there is one in the zone West that today it is named " Is Pratet " (though practically eliminated as humid zone), near to the Ibiza Harbour.

This zone of ses feixes with enough humid zones is in the zone of "plá of Vila" named as "Prat de ses Monges" (Nun´s Meadow). A curious system of the unique irrigation was in use in these lands, taking advantage of the great quantity of not salty water. When strong rains, and there was threatened of floods, a kind of hatches of wood (generally pine) they were opened to regulate the whole water towards the nearby sea.
The canes are one of the most numerous shrubs plants in this place. Their golden tonalities in the early morning it gives us a few golden almost surrealistic and even romantic sights.

The "portal de feixa" was a distinctive entry to these gardens. There became so popular that the first airport that was done in Ibiza, was constructed imitating these portals and still today At the Airport d'Es Codolar can meet perfectly preserved in the old terminal today´s general aviation little terminal building of the Airport. I remember in my childhood when departures or arrivals to or from the planes it was necessary for all passangers to pass through them.

Today already neither the level nor quantity of agriculture on those days exists anymore, but still some of them can be seen. And though the zone as already I have said it seems a bit abandoned, still there are people who lives in ses feixes and this way it is testified by the numerous houses that exist in the zone and that are inhabited.


A relaxing walk along this zone is advisable, to see this site that has turned into a kind of natural reserve, closely together of the City of Ibiza.