|
|
Ibiza (The second time)
Well, we enjoyed it so much last year, 1998, we took the opportunity of returning when it was offered to us on a late deal. This year we went to Trent Bridge Travel , spoke to a very helpful young lady named Penny who got us in at the TAGOMAGO APARTMENTS in ES CANAR. This was a week before we were due to go, me, lyn my wife, alex my 13 year old son and nicola my 24 year old daughter. Three days later Lyn's mum and dad mention they would like to join us and a word with Penny and they are coming too. Turns out they are stopping in the same apartments, two floors below and the lucky devils get an earlier flight. We're both flying from East Midlands the following Friday. Friday starts early for me, up at 4 am to take Marian and Eric to aiport, luckily we only live ten minutes from the airport. I don't bother returning to bed when I get back 'cos it's off to work at 5:30. My friend Keith, in the trusty Transit mini-bus delivers the four of us to the airport at 8:30 pm. We are almost 1st to get checked in so it's relax with a beer in the departure lounge. The flight leaves on time via Brittania at 11:05 and a two hour uneventful flight delivers us to Ibiza 2:15 am. The heat hits envelops you like a blanket as we step of the plane. We get the cases and go for a taxi. A few minutes and we are bound for Es Canar. The taxi delivers us to exactly where we want to be, although we didn't realise it at the time, i.e. on a side street directly beside the entrance to our apartment. Tip: If you are going somewhere different and not being transferred by a holiday company, make sure you arrive in daylight and trust the local taxi driver as to where he delivers you. I only make this comment 'cos we, whether it be through tiredness and not reading the map properly we humped the cases back and forward to the main road until it dawned on us that we were in the right place the first time. Horror of horrors: Nicola discovers she is missing her purse with her credit cards and £15ish. Either the plane or the taxi. Two patrolling policeman are very helpful and manage to catch up with the driver on his way back to the airport, to no avail but they take all the details, because by this time we have found the caretaker who tells us we are in 39 (fourth floor), a bit of a trek and in the apartment there are only three beds and no kettle or teapot. You think to yourself, WHY ME and HELP. We decide to just crash out and deal with it in the morning, Al and Nic take the twins and we snuggled as best we could on the one remaining bed/settee.
What a difference daylight makes. We 'awake' (didn't acually get any sleep) to the view.
The
view from our apartment 
Nic at the front of Tagomago apartments
We look out and walking near the white wall in the foreground is Eric, and after hailing him, Marian shouts from below. We all go to their apartment below for tea. Eric tells us to see the caretaker, Bartello, and he will get things put right. Bartello is indeed very helpful, new 2litre kettle, teapot and apologises for lack of fourth bed and assures us it will be installeed later that morning (it was). Nicola washes all the plates and utensils and we have some breakfast, bacon and egg English style (we brought the bacon 4lb of it separately shrinkwrapped in 1lb's in a cool box). A walk to the sea at the rocks in the foreground of the picture, plenty of places to go swimming in the crystal clear water from the rocks. The ladies and Alex stay by the rocks sunbathing as Eric and I make our way to the nearest bar with a tv to watch Liverpool v Man United. I get fed up by half time with Man utd winning 3-1 at half time so we rejoin the ladies and I go for a swim, the water is so warm.
Is
the water clear or what?
One job to do before evening meal and that's for Nic to cancel her cards by phone, she feels better now and we go for tea at an old favourite, Bull's Head Restaurant.Malcolm, our genial host, recognises us from last year.
Malcolm,
host of The Bull's Head
The
four of us in The Bull's Head
A walk after tea, the amazing street painters are still plying their trade as are the portrait and caricature.artists. A pint or two at Popeyes watching a hypnotist act. Plenty of room here, always lively with entertainment every night. Midnight comes and I suddenly realise Lyn and I haven't had sleep for 44 hours. Soon as our heads hit the pillow we were gone.
Full English breakfast Sunday morning and all of us take a walk to CALA NOVA via the marble coastal walkway. Forgot to take a pic here but trust me lovely sandy beach and for those who like a few breakers this is a beautiful spot. All of us go for a swim and for dinner we walk 100 yards inland to the supermarket where we pick up a few of litres of lager (same as mentioned on my other Ibiza page and still as cheap), a couple of large, filled baguettes, called GRANDEES and a couple cans of 7up for under a fiver. Thanks to Dave from London, whose lived in the area for 10 years for pointing us in the right direction. After our Al Fresco lunch we take a walk back to 'our rocky beach' as the 'kids' want to go snorkelling and besides I need a tele to see Foggy clinch the world superbike championship.
Alex
and Nicola snorkelling.
Next day the return to SANTA EULALIA 125 Pesetas on the bus (STILL the best way to travel in Ibiza) MEL'S still there on the front giving great value. Walked the promenade, the fountain actually working this year and all in for a swim although we didn't think the water was as clear as at Es Canar but hey, you gotta keep cool and we liked the beach showers. We decide to return via boat and near the harbour we spy Harry Enfield complete with film crew filming. Very pleasant and patient man with autograph hunters, went up in my estimation.
Cooling
off in the fountain.
Enjoying the boat trip on the way back
Up at 8:30 Tuesday, bike ride planned. We go to see MARGALIDA at AUTOS SOL and hire four bikes. Amazingly, Lyn and I remember the way to CALA MASTELLA and Nicola is well impressed as we knew she would be. We swim, sunbathe and dine here on fish caught a couple of hours before. MAGICAL place.
A few pics of CALA MASTELLA.
Continuing our ride around the coast for a mile and we came to a lovely cove called CALA BOIX (Pronounced BUSH) No pics I'm afraid, we'd used it all at Cala Mastella. We veer inland and find our way to SAN CARLES and the rest is easy as the trip back to Es Canar is basically downhill all the way. We were glad though that there had been a certain amount of cloud cover, I would not relish doing the same thing when the sun is out so here's a BIG TIP FOR CYCLISTS. THE SCENERY IS GREAT BUT IT IS VERY HILLY IN PLACES, THE HILL THAT LEADS IN AND OUT OF CALA MASTELLA IS SOMETHING ELSE BUT IF YOU HIRE BIKES FOR A RIDE IN THE COUNTRY MAKE SURE YOU TAKE PLENTY OF WATER WITH YOU, JUST IN CASE YOU TAKE A WRONG TURNING. After our exertions we all decide to have 'a night in' so a few baguettes, selection of fresh meats and beer and a couple of cartons of DON SIMON *Good Buy wine and a quarter of scotch and we all 'chill' on the balcony and are treated by a fantastic light show in the form of an electric storm, better than Guy Fawkes night.
Last year I said never again bike ride due to Raw Hide the following day. I'll never learn. However, full breakfast, couple of mugs of coffee and it's better. Today's Wednesday and Wednesday in Es Canar is HIPPY MARKET. The whole island seems to appear, the main street is like the M25, a mobile car park. Although many of the stalls are selling similar gear the market is a must see, the atmosphere is great and the 'street theatre' is worth the visit in itself, muscisians, artists and the living statue pictured below.
Thursday and the sea is like a millpond and it is hot, snorkelled and sunbathed all day, hard life. On the main street opposite the sandy part of Es Canar we ate for the first time at MAR VENT 10 OUT OF 10 special recommendation to the home made chicken and mushroom pie, brill (pics to follow). We decide to check out a new Irish pub that had opened since we were here last called, would you believe MURPHY'S. Don't go too early as we did i.e. before 10:30 when the live music starts. I walk home with Lyn and Alex who are tired and return with Nicola who had met Viv from New Zealand and Timmy from Dublin. The band were good. Every night the live music starts at 10:30 to 2:30 then it's DJ until 6am.
Friday and after a morning of swimming and sunbathing we decide to have lunch at EDDIE & ROSIES a couple of laid back cockneys and friends who have lived in Ibiza for twenty years. Food was good and the beer AND the company especially if you like Sinatra, Dean Martin, Patsy Cline and performers of that ilk that are constantly playing. Surprising how many people you witness mouthing the words to the songs.
Ibiza town today via the ever reliable bus service. We 'do' the walls of D'ALT VILLA and the tiny streets.
This year we eat near the harbour where there is a plethora of restaurants, take your pick. We ate at CAFETERIA EL PORTO we could not fault it at all good value, well cooked and tasty. Back 'home' on the boat. I take a walk 'up the hill' after tea looking for THE DO DROP INN, that I had spotted on the net before I went. Met Llorent the owner who tells me I am the 2nd in a week to mention the web page. Very cosy and friendly bar that is bigger than it looks from the outside with four different areas inside. Nic and I return later for a late beer 'til three and then we go to Murphy's 'til six. Life in the old dog yet, the lads back home will never believe me.
Yours Truly outside
the Do Drop 
Nic and barman Chris 
Sunday lunch had to be at the Bull's Head and off to Do Drop Inn to watch Nottingham Forest draw 1:1 with Wolves ( Eric's a Forest fan )
Monday swim, sunbathe most of the day until Lyn and I decide to walk the short distance to S'ARGAMASSA & CALA PADA. Sorry, not impressed by either. Scruffy. Will know not to book in here in the future. We meet Chris at the Do Drop Inn later who is going to the closing down party at MANUMISSION in San Antonio.
Hello to the two cockneys, Richard and Mick, I had a few beers at Eddie & Rosies luntime. Tuesday night we have a splendid meal at RED DRAGON chinese restaurant on main street.
To the RED LION next, what I would call a friendly dive. The music is good and the staff are friendly and something that Nicola and her grandad enjoyed was the table ludo ( that's your street cred' gone now Nic ).
Just Nic and her Grandma go to the Hippy market today and Nic returns with a Kashmir top she had her eye on the previous week. Lyn and I go on a pedalo for an hour, the water is SO calm. We eat at the only genuine 'Fish and Chip' shop served in paper,like at home. OK I suppose but once is enough. Up to the Do Drop again to watch Arsenal in Europe. Eric likes his football and he and Marian stay to watch the whole match as Arsenal win 3:1. Pics show me and Lyn by the pedalos we used earlier in the day and me standing beside a motorised train that goes for 3 and a half hour sight seeing trips.
Hope this helps anybody who is contemplating a holiday in Ibiza and possibly Es Canar. To sum up Es Canar is a beautiful location, ideal for families but enough life in it to keep young ones happy although out and out clubbers would be better served by San Antonio or Ibiza Town. You have easy access to all the island via a reliable public transport service that is quick and cheap.