It would seem that winter has finally caught up with us. Although, Ibiza winters are not really the same as anywhere else. They basically consist of a few days of storms, a bit of wind and a chill in the air once the sun goes down! However, this week brought some overcast weather and even some rain over the weekend. A welcome respite from all the dry weather we have encountered over the last few months. The island desperately needs rain before the summer heat arrives and islanders tend to worship and respect the few dull days that we get oh so rarely. We tend to see bad weather as a bit of a gift, and an excuse for a couple of guilt-free days in front of the TV, but there are still the usual get-togethers over food and there is always somewhere we can go for a dance!
Monday - Walk along the sunset strip
Meetings take me over to the other side of the island - namely San Antonio. After a day of work, I decide to take a leisurely stroll along the Sunset Strip. In the height of the summer, this walkway is teeming with holiday-makers waiting for the sun to go down, Mojito in hand, whilst Balearic rhythms pulsate from the fronts of the famous sunset bars. However, in the winter, there is barely anyone around, save for a few dog walkers, and although the weather is blustery, I find myself a bench and watch the utterly stunning sunset in my own solitude. Winter always gives us time to reflect, and as I sit there, I can't help but feel grateful to call this island my home.
Tuesday - Yoga on the roof
It's a busy week for me so I spend most of the day in front of my computer. The clouds part temporarily, and I take the opportunity to go out onto my roof terrace for half an hour of yoga. I live in the port which, in the summer, is a hive of activity, noise and bustle pretty much around the clock, but this afternoon, the only sound is some building work in the distance as the shops and bars get ready for the season. I meditate and stretch and enjoy the peace for that short time and go back to work feeling fresh and with a clear mind.
Wednesday - Can Pilot
Some clients of mine ask to be taken for dinner and request a true Spanish experience. I immediately think of Can Pilot in San Rafael. This family run grill restaurant is a firm favourite, not only amongst me and my crew, but also with practically every Spanish family on the island! Booking is essential and when we arrive at 20:30, the place is heaving already. We are guided to our table in the back room which is positively buzzing and the smell of BBQ'd meat hangs heavily in the air. We order plates of the buey or ox, which is presented to the table raw and then a charcoal BBQ is placed in the centre of the table. We cook the meat ourselves and eat it accompanied by simple roasted potatoes and tomatoes and some gorgeous red wine. Open all year round, this place is the ultimate spot for a massive meat binge!
Thursday - Work!
More work and training. Luckily the weather holds and I don't get rained on whilst being made to do uphill sprints by my personal trainer. At one point I almost consider doing a rain dance. She is one hell of a whip-cracker!
Friday - La Taberna and Teatro Pereya
Weekends in Ibiza usually mean a post-work debrief over wine with the girls. We meet this week at the recently opened La Taberna in Plaza Del Parque, where we commandeer a table and order plates of tapas to nibble on and a bottle of crisp Verdejo. Soon, we are joined by some friends for an aperitif before they go off for dinner, and then a few more arrive too. Before we know it, we are a 10 strong crowd, and fueled by wine, take the party to the nearby Teatro Pereyra for a change of scenery. All of a sudden the house band come on, belting out a slew of popular covers and we take to the floor. Shots of tequila appear and the dinner group return, and we dance the rest of the evening away in a blur of booze and banter...
Saturday - Duvet Day
Post-tequila pain means very little movement.
Sunday - Cubar British Sunday Takeover
This Sunday, the team at Cubar have invited Darren, who used to feed us every Sunday at his Playa d'en Bossa establishment JDs, to takeover the kitchen and provide us with a traditional Sunday lunch. Not digressing completely from the Cuban theme, their regular chef cooks up the starters of chicken wings and prawns in garlic, which we wash down with a Mojito, before we are presented with a generous platter of meat, veg, roast potatoes and a huge Yorkshire Pudding. The Kaiser Chiefs and The Verve blare from the speakers, and the owner Steve has hung Union Jacks from the ceiling. The football is on in the corner and we spend the whole afternoon there, chatting, eating and getting slowly merry. The perfect antidote to a rainy day anywhere in the world is an afternoon down the pub with a roast!
WORDS | Leena Sharma
