PLAÇA DE VILA

VILA´S SQUARE AT LATE AFTERNOON

Located within the walls, once passed the Portal de ses Taules and the main square, we get to what was the undisputed center point in the walled city now known as Dalt Vila and in 1999 was declared by UNESCO "World Heritage Site".

Sunset is a good time to get to the Plaza de Vila, where the hues of the walls take on a strange ocher color and contrasts of sun and shade are obvious.
In this gate called Portal de ses taules starts the "Dalt Vila" area and from here one can take several alleys that lead us to different areas of the upper area of Ibiza old town.

When sunlight goes down, the restaurants in this historic area, are decorated and in a few hours you will be able to dining by candlelight. With calm, the place will fill up with people from so many different countries as culinary offers exists in this area.

Despite the many restaurants in this area should be better to book a table in some of them, since there is large demand. Besides the restaurants are also plenty of trendy shops, art galleries and antiques. A place with character that could be defined as the "center" of Dalt Vila.

BALL PAGÉS, COUNTRYSIDE DANCES OF IBIZA.

IBIZA´S TYPICAL DANCES

It is Fiesta in Ibiza, and therefore give the opportunity to witness the folklore of this island, we are lucky to have preserved and is not even similar to any other within the Balearic Islands. The folklore of Ibiza and Formentera is something unique and the origins are lost in time, probably keeping Punic and Arab periods or even more primitive.

It consists especially of three major dances. Sa Curta (The short one) slow moving and dancing people over age, then ends with Sa Llarga (the long one) and is the main dance.

Sa Llarga is a vigorous and joyful dance and rapid leaps by men about women. Perhaps she represents the moon, so the woman turns around the man, trying not to turn away.

The bridal dance was called "the thirteen turns" 13, is a number that refers to the moon. Over time was changed to 12 and in some versions is called "the nine turns", number nine which also has links with the satellite of the moon. Going from 13 to 12, was due to superstition and the bad reputation of number 13, for the twelve (apostles number and a very appreciated in the old Ibiza). Necklaces closer to the "emprendada" (set of necklaces, and religious images, buttons and rings of gold) will pass nine or twelve times (once thirteen).

On the dance the nine or twelve turns come with the main characters at a wedding, elbows touched first and then her hands with rings and castanets him, and while they play spinning. After ses nou rodades dance the music makes a crescendo and change to sa llarga frantically playing and all those attending the wedding were incorporated back into the dancing and dance making great leaps around the couple.


The way to call the girl by the male should not surprise or roughing the assumptions to do so by ringing the castanets with a bang. There is contempt by either the man or submission by women. Worse was to long ago where tradition marked the best compliment for the girls in Ibiza was the flash of gunpowder that the boy threw to the foot of the girl with his blunderbuss, leaving the mass, once outside the church shaking the foundations of the church and place but that was a great honor for the girl.
Throughout the dance, the woman has no expression in her face, not surprising, it may even appear submissive, going round and round the man, looking downcast and meditative as if oblivious to everything that happens. Ignore the man jumps and had only made a small bow to the man, when at the end of the dance the man kneels with a gesture of respect towards her, ending the dance for the couple.

HOLIDAYS BELLS

CATHEDRAL BELL TOWER

It is the tallest tower in the city, thanks to a friend, one morning I could make reallity a wish that I had a long time ago.To go up for the second time in my life to this place. The first was loooooooots years ago when I was a child.

This time I was accompanied by the attractive blonde girl. Keep in mind that the potentially dangerous blondes (and this was). While she climbed difficulty the road by car with I had the nonsense idea to tell her how to do it and suddenly I was in the driver place, driving up the car to through the narrow roads of Dalt Vila. Anyway I did it OK.

It must be said that the girl of this story never got to this place before, but I must recognize that it did in excellent company (mine), with the typical complaints of a modern girl in heels and handbag, and a little frightened by the pigeons.But I must admit she enjoyed the "adventure." One of the things we see is the status of works in the hostel in future in Dalt Vila, the "parador" the very first "Parador" in the Balearic Islands.

There are five bells. The smallest of them is called dels "quarts Xica" and dates from 1680, one of them is called Sant Sagrat even older, dating from 1565, one third is called the Santa Creu and 1,583, another is called the Santa Barbara and dates from 1630 and the last is the Sanctus Major from 1680.

The next August 5th, these bells will touch as it is the feast day of the Patron Saint of Ibiza, Our Lady of the Snows, a curious name that evokes the cold but in a very hot month.
Undoubtedly the view is more impressive than the steeple of the Cathedral. Practically is visible most of the island.

Especially beautiful is the view of Talamanca, the port and other areas of Dalt Vila, including the former Dominican convent of Ibiza town, today´s Town Hall of the City.

It is always nice to see the roughness of the roofs of the main temple of the island, with its pigeons around.

Down we can see a image of the tower clock from inside. Not a very usual point of view.

AIGÜES BLANQUES BEACH

S´AIGO BLANCA BEACH - (WHITE WATERS BEACH)

Located on the northeastern coast of the island between the towns of Sant Carles and Cala San Vicente, receives the first rays of sunlight. It's official nudist beach as Es Cavallet beach at the south of the island, and it has wild corners and also has a part with all facilities and services that you can find on any town beach.

In some parts of this narrow beach sand strip you can see giant cliffs that make this a spectacular site. Some places are like small caves, but beware of possible landslides.
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On this beach you can find both fine white sand and rocky areas, although the bathroom is very safe. Large amounts of white foam that makes the waves hitting the reefs or rocks, are perhaps the reason of the name of the beach. Aigües blanques or S'Aigua blanca.
In the background we can see the island of Tagomago.

There are areas where there are plenty facilities, such as sunbeds and colorful umbrellas, and in other areas where the beach is almost wild.

The view from the caves that are formed due to the cliffs are seen as above, where the trees cling to any land, making real balances to avoid falling down.
A quiet beach and bustling at the same time, nudist and textile and where the waves hit the shore and rocks protruding from the sea a few meters from the sand are those huge amounts of white foam color that is the origin of the name of this beach, beach where you can walk pretty far from the shore. The problem for the lazy ones who do not like much walking is the access due need to walk enough to get there.

PROCESSION IN TO THE SEA

our lady of Carmen on Ibiza streets

On July the 16th is celebrated Our Lady of Carmen patroness of seafarers. Ibiza is like a beautiful coastal city, is no stranger to this celebration as the whole island the sea is around and each year as the image of Our Lady of Carmen wandering around the narrow streets of the district of La Marina in the lower part of the city on her way to the port.

The image passes between the balconies and the street called of the Virgin, where the whole street is decorated with many flowers. Every year the image leaves his house, the Carmelite convent church of San Telmo.

One of the most beautiful moments when they have to go down some steep stairs into the final stretch leading up to the image to a boat. This image is preceded by their banner and some monks of the Carmelite monastery in Ibiza that just have this image as their saint patron.
Many people accompany the image. Ibiza town is not living back to the sea, but the contrary. Whenever both the dangers and the various forms of subsistence were always by sea. So not only Ibiza town is very important the harbour but also in the whole island.

Sant Antoni de Portmany, Es Cana, Portinatx, Es Cubells, Formentera ... and some populations also maintain its traditional maritime procession, although in some localities are held next Sunday 16th.

The image arrives at the ship that will take her to sea. This time it is a tug named with a beautiful town of Gran Canaria. "Arucas." This tug in red, this year will be in charge of carrying the image to his walk through the waters of the Ibiza´s bay. In his way a laurel wreath will be thrown into the sea, as a tribute to all those who lost their lives at sea, as an example let me say my own grandfather and paternal great-grandfather, fishermen and sailors who found their death in the Mediterranean as them so many men who left their lives in to the sea.

AWAITING THE SPANISH VICTORY

During these days plenty Spanish flags are located on to the balconys of the island supporting this way the Spanish Team in Sudafrica to win the World cup. Even Paul the English octopuss living now in Germany has decided that the victory of the world cup belongs to Spain.

Its simple, just go around the city, watch up and you´ll see a lot of flags in yellow and red of the Spanish Kingdom.

Hope that bull soon will be free. All countrys have good and bad things, and I am not proud at all of the famous bullfighting. Hope soon we will enjoy into this country to not have them anymore and that it will be definitely history.

Hope the Spanish team will be luck this time.

If we can not win, we will be in second place, which is no bad at all, but we must try to win.

As we can see below, in Spain there are supporters of both sides, so is not unusual to see diferent flags of another countrys, including Holland our rivals. So that´s mean that if Holland wins the game not everybody will be sad on the island. But hope to see a lot of happy people and Spain gets the cup.

IBIZA´S NEW HARBOUR, BOTAFOC LIGHTHOUSE AND CRUISE

IBIZA´S NEW HARBOUR

LIGHTHOUSE OF BOTAFOCH

CRUISE IN IBIZA

Although the construction of new port of Ibiza was controversial, at the end was not so bad. I must say it has much more charm before anyway. As a large payment to all this cement one of the well know Ibiza beach disappeared, A very lovely place for the inhabitants of which was the famous Ibiza Playa D'es duros, replaced today by a section of the promenade.

The advantage was obtained from the construction of a dam than a kilometer long was that people could go for long and pleasant walks or do "jogging" but one day for unknown reasons an institution of those who command and "cut the cod"(as we say in Ibiza) decided close to the public. I am sharing some time if something has hurt (much) this island are its political leaders deserve no doubt regarded as enemies of the earth and its inhabitants.
Anyway the city views from here are great and you can see the east side of the Renaissance walls.

Overlooking this point is the outline of the guard, the lighthouse Botafoc, formerly located in the small namesake island. Without doubt the most beautiful on the island.

Although its function is as sea signals, it is curious that also the planes flying overhead in its short end before landing on the island.

One of the reasons for building this such big harbour, was undoubtedly the possibility to enter into the port the large vessels that were previously outside as the large cruises so common on the island, especially in summer.

Cruises are common in this city, as part of their Mediterranean routes. Ibiza as World heritage Site by the UNESCO and has very attractive for this type of crafts.

And while the port day and night will be monitoring the entrances and exits of the ships the lighthouse Botafoc (named for the cannons on board of the boats that greet in the past an image of a nearby church when entering or leaving the port) greeting the boats all night with his winks in the form of light.

This entry is dedicated to two bloggers. Both blogs are relating with shipspotters: Sebastián Petroantoni & Alberto from Mallorca.