Ibiza, Ibiza, Ibiza!!!

When we were first planning this summer Rob asked me if I’d be interested in going to Ibiza for the last couple of days that I would be in Spain.  No, I told I didn’t think so.  I had the idea that Ibiza was nothing but the kid’s party island and I just didn’t think I’d be up for that at the end of the summer.  But after giving it some thought I changed my mind and I’m so happy I did!

Our original flight on Vueling Airlines from Barcelona to Ibiza was scheduled for 7:25a, early but we wanted a full day after landing so we agreed to go for it.  Then sometime in June Vueling advised us they had reschedule the flight for 6:05am……….what, the middle of the night!  We had completely packed the night before so when the alarm went off at 3:45am we were up and moving immediately.  In the dark of the night we glanced about the flat for the last time to be sure we weren’t leaving anything, tossed on the backpack, grabbed the last bag of trash for the bin downstairs and said good-bye to the now famous for a variety of reasons flat.

There was only one taxi waiting in Placa Sant Jaume at that time of morning but fortunately we only needed one.  The ride to the airport was fast, I guess they don’t care much about speed limits at 4:30am.  After check in and security we were finally about to get our first cups of very badly needed coffee.  This is something Rob and I have in common, we are morning coffee drinkers.

The plane ride was easy and we were in Ibiza before the sun was up!  Our hotel turned out to be a short taxi ride from the airport but of course there wouldn’t be a room ready for us for hours, we understood. We placed our luggage in the luggage room and asked how we could find a bus into old town.  Rob is giving me this trip to Ibiza as a thank you for his time in Barcelona so he has made the arrangements and at first he’s having second thoughts about the hotel. It’s at the far end of the beach and a little bit funky but I like it and assure him it will be fine…….it turns out to be even better than that!

We catch the local bus (during the day, at night it becomes the ‘disco bus’) and eye the sights of Ibiza Town along the way until we get off at the city center bus station.  But there is no bus station.  There is simply a three block area on one street they call the ‘bus station’.

We can see the old castle, cathedral and other places of interest atop a very steep hill that neither one of us thinks would be any fun to climb so we seek out a tourist information office and learn for $1.65E we can take a special bus to the top.  Money well spent if you ask us.

The views from the top are vast and impressive but not necessarily magnificent.  The town is interesting and diverse but not necessarily beautiful.  But there is something about Ibiza, maybe it is the energy, or playfulness but whatever it is something makes this place light hearted and joyful.  We both like it already.

Rob is into Trance music and knows all of the clubs here that I have never heard of before.  Rob can’t believe that I have somehow never heard of these clubs.  Each of the clubs has a retail local in the city center where they sell club items and tickets to the clubs.  If you buy your ticket here and are in the club before 1:30am the price is only $53E instead of $67 at the door.  What a deal that’s all I have to say!  Rob has come with the idea he wants to go to the most famous and the original of these Club Pache but has second thoughts when he hears the cost and times. He buys a cool hoodie at the souvenir shop and then we go have a beer at an outdoor café so he can think about it.  He really wants me to go with him but that is just not going to happen.   It would be torture for me in every way. Finally he decides it is his one and only chance to do it so he’s going for it and we return to the store so that he can buy his ticket.

All summer long I have wanted to buy silver or gold lame jeans.  The only time I have seen them is when Sue bought some in an Italian store in Barcelona.  The ones Sue bought didn’t fit me well at all and if you’re going to wear flashy jeans they had better fit perfectly.  As we were making our way back to the ‘bus station’ to return to the hotel we did a little window shopping.  The clothes here are very flashy, sparkly and expensive but absolutely exquisite.  I am especially attracted to a woman’s clothing store called the ‘Accompaniment of Men’.  I’m still thinking about the name as I drag Rob in.   And there they are dark gold lame jeans that look great on me!  Yes, I paid way too much for them but I don’t care I am going home with my hot new jeans from Ibiza!  I couldn’t be happier. 

We spent a couple of hours sunbathing by the pool while Rob tried to sleep so he would be able to stay up for his big night and dug into a new book called ‘The Perfectionists’.  Around 4pm our hotel started playing what I think is called ‘chill out music’.  But we could music that sounded better coming from somewhere down the beach and went to see if we could find it.  What we found was our dream come true place called the Nassau Beach Club.  A beach bar and restaurant to die for. 

I haven’t had a beach drink all summer but today I’m going to have a Pina Colada.  We sit at the bar and watch the bartender made the drink from scratch…..nice!  Rob tries the local Ibiza beer Islena.   His beer comes in a white aluminum can with flowers and ‘Flower Power’ written on it, it’s a happy look not manly like most beers.  He likes the beer, I will too before the trip is over.

I came very close to missing Ibiza, I’m really glad I didn’t!