Don’t blame it on the sunshine…

No-one is one dimensional. Radio and media has been my life since before leaving school, but it isn’t all that I am or care about. That would be very dull.

If all I blogged about was radio and media, whilst that might be very interesting for some, it would be a very one dimensional view of me. Don’t get me wrong, I have done that before and some readers of this may remember I had a fairly successful blog a few years ago now with posts on radio and media and there is nothing wrong with doing that- many I read now and are excellent.

Occasionally though its good to open a different box, look in a different drawer or out of another window. Radio and media is my passion but I have a few other things which interest me too.

Anyone who has met me in the last 17 or 18 years will probably have heard me at some point talk about holidays. One destination in particular… IBIZA.

I think it was 2003 or 2002 when we first went as a family and the love affair began. I have spoken about it so much and been there so much that people think I have a property out there- I wish!

We were due to go again this year, but of course Covid ended that as a plan and so roll on 2021.

I’ve been trying to analyse what it is about Ibiza that captures the imagination and that I love so much. I know many people have the same issue- what is the magic and special thing about that island in particular that makes it so different from the other Balearic destinations? Right from the moment you get off the plane, it just feels different from the others. The air, the vibe, the expectation, the light and the mood.

When we first visited we stayed in S’Argamassa– which is just outside Es Cana and not all that far from the Hippy Market (although we didn’t know that at the time). Its on the other side of the island from San Antonio which we visited to watch the sunset of course. Somewhere I have a photo taken by a Cafe Del Mar photographer of us actually sitting on the rocks outside. Today I wouldn’t recommend sitting on those rocks without some form of heavy duty sanitisation afterwards. Times change. If you visit, then make sure you go to the slightly more authentic Hippy Market, or enchanting Night Market at Las Dalias at Sant Carles De Peralta.

We have stayed in Ibiza Town and more recently in San Antonio, having been drawn to the sunset and the vibe on the rocks outside Mambo and Cafe Del Mar. Cala Comte is also a pull if you ever fancy a really magical view of the sunset in a chilled setting.

I’ve only ever done one 3 week holiday in my life and that was in Ibiza- it rained for the last week and so might as well have been 2 weeks in the end! I also managed to put petrol into a diesel rental car too, after helping out a confused German tourist at a petrol pump and distracting myself in the process. That was the also the moment when I learned that the word “incompetent” is pretty similar in Spanish… “incompetente”.

In the last month or so, since having more time, and since our holiday was cancelled, I have indulged my love of Ibiza in a few ways, which you might also find interesting if you feel the same.

The Cafe Del Mar webcam is a daily visit. I used to look a few times before lockdown too, but just getting a live snapshot of that view, and if you time it right, the sunset, makes it worth every visit.

There are a couple of Vlogs which I have followed too which paint an interesting picture of the island and life during lockdown and beyond. Dwayne Muffin on YouTube and Instagram posts regular vlogs from around the island and occasionally interviews with passing people of interest- Judge Jules and Norman Cook to name but two worth of a view. I have not met nor do I know Dwayne and found his vlogs as a result of the YouTube algorithm serving up his work and I’m glad it did. Give them a watch and subscribe if you you long to be on the White Isle right now!

More recently that same algorithm took me to M&T and their daily vlogs “Moving To Ibiza” and subsequently their podcast and vlog of their podcast. I have watched a LOT of these and its a fascinating and honest look at what it is like to move to Ibiza and get your life sorted. They are brave, funny and engaging and very much worthy of a view and a subscribe. Again, I don’t know Matt and Tiff (hence M&T) at all- although I thought I recognised them but don’t think we have ever met. Probably I feel like I know them from watching their material to be honest- which shows how good it is. In another life perhaps I would have done what they are doing or certainly would have wanted to. I probably still want to actually!

One last thing, drink like an Ibizan (18+). When we first went to the island I kept seeing a drink in bars and shops- Hierbas Ibicencas. Its made only on Ibiza and is a liqueur made from herbs and botanicals which grow around the island (“hierbas” being Spanish for herbs)- in fact it has protected geographical status meaning if you want to call your drink Hierbas Ibicencas then it HAS to be made in Ibiza. Over ice, at the end of the day or meal it is a perfect nightcap should you be in the mood. I tend to drink it like I would a bourbon or a whiskey but there are many drink recipes. It has been described as being slightly aniseed but not like an Ouzo. It can also be quite sweet too. A “Seco” variety is less sweet I’ve found but there are many varieties and secret recipes sold all over the island as well as the more commercial ones. Below is my current collection at home- withered slightly as I was anticipating a summer refresh this year. I’ve been known on summers when I’ve not been going to Ibiza (there have actually been some) to have asked my good mate Andrew Wilson, when we worked together, to bring me back a bottle – actually even after we worked together we arranged a rendevous for a drop off!

If you love Ibiza and the magical pull of Es Vedra or just want to sample the drink, then I hope the links and info are interesting. If you have never been, then put it on your list- I doubt you will only go just the once. You don’t need to be a clubber or want to dance- the island has so much more to offer besides that… but it does do that really, really well too!