Dreams are like traces of mist in the early morning sun. They disappear before you realise they even existed. But some dreams linger like expensive fragrance, and I realised it when I boarded the luxury liner Costa Fascinosa at Palermo, in Italy. The dream would last five days and four nights and take me to Barcelona—a carnival through the seas, a feast of sights, sounds and smells.
Ships always fascinated me from the time I saw my first one on my way to my mother’s hometown in Vypeen, a densly populated island in Kerala then. It is no more an island, thanks to an ambitious project involving three bridges connecting the key islands of Kochi to the mainland. The ships, and the people whom they carried, played a significant role in the evolution of Kochi, which is, according to a recent list, one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the world. The culture, the food, the couture, the language... everything bears traces of the visitors who made Kochi their temporary home.
A gamut of emotions twirled inside me as I entered Costa Fascinosa, the travelling township. Like every planned township, there are places where you can spend hours relaxing, taking in the deep blue of the sea, or, in the privacy of the balcony of your room, counting the folds of the waves, and marvelling at the beauty of the expanse. Or looking straight ahead and admiring how the ship parts the Mediterranean sea ever so gently, like a hot knife through butter.
This is when you truly understand hygge—a Danish concept, it denotes the feeling of mindfulness and contentment that you derive from the smallest pleasures in life. In the Nordic countries, hygge is a way of life, a road to happiness, and a means of survival through abdication.
Sun and shade: A traditional house in Sant Carles de Peralta village, Ibiza.
Those who enjoy nodding off in moving vehicles should feel the hygge of lying face down on a soft mattress, submitting your life and soul to the movement of the ship. Lose yourself to sleep, then wake up and dream with your eyes open, drink in the festivities of the cruise liner, and then again embrace the sweet silence of the night with equal fervour.
On the second morning after we set sail from Palermo, I opened the balcony door to welcome the day and a cold gush from the Iberian sea said good morning. There was a blush of red on the horizon. I checked the location on my handset and discovered that we were not far from the coast. I squinted at the red globe that rose from the sea and filled my vision. Time stood still as the sun rose steadily and majestically. The mountains on the shore stood bathed in molten gold. So near, yet so far. It took us a few more hours to drop anchor at Ibiza, the party capital of the world.
Taste, no haste: The streets of Old Town are lined with charming restaurants.
The closer we got, the more we realised that Ibiza is not just a land of mountains, but of beaches, too. It has a 210km-long coastline, with over 50 beaches. Ibiza, the most prominent among the Balearic Islands, is a 24-hour commercial and tourist place.
After breakfast on the ship, it was with a sense of excitement that I took my first step on to Spanish soil and its culture which I knew intimately, thanks to football. There were no hassles while entering Ibiza. The Costa Fascinosa identity card was our passport. While handing us the card upon boarding, we were asked to flash it on demand. Or give the ship agent’s number, if it got worse.
Some of the passengers ridiculed the idea of a morning touchdown in Ibiza. It was a city of nightlife and going there during the day was a crime, they reasoned. The more adventurous among us had other plans. We rented a four-wheel drive, and traversed the beaches, the hills and the forests, raising dust in our wake.
Those looking for rural Spain had to be satisfied with some post-harvest fields. More obvious were the vacation homes of the wealthy and the celebrities. Ibiza is a favourite holiday spot for movers and shakers. Football maestro Lionel Messi flies in every year. Cristiano Ronaldo held a private beach-side party for friends and family last year. This year’s visitors include Paul McCartney, Alessandra Ambrosio, Liam Gallagher, Cesc Fabregas and Kylian Mbappe. Shakira and Gerard Pique, Calvin Harris and Alicia Vikander are all frequent visitors. Paris Hilton, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, among others, have vacation homes on the roads that lead to the beaches. But, the gate posts do not have nameplates. Privacy is key, see!
In an hour, we descended the hills and reached a beach that appeared as if it was suspended from a cliff. It was 11am, and it was deserted. The approach to the beach was through clefts in the rock. When some of us tried to be adventurous, the guide told us that we were there neither to bathe nor sunbathe, but to see Es Vedra island from the vantage point. From where we stood, the surface of the sea resembled the folds of a bride’s gown with its tiny, friendly waves.
Making waves: Es Vedra island.
The first view of Es Vedra was that of three hills emerging from the blue expanse, one big and the others relatively smaller. Like a small family, of a mother and her kids. From a certain angle, Es Vedra looked like a partially submerged dragon, with only the head and the tail visible. A few yachts could be seen moored near the island.
Stories abound about Es Vedra, which is steeped in mystery. Most of them can be attributed to the earth’s magnetic force, which gives Es Vedra its character. The magnetic force could cause not just ships, but even flights to behave erratically when they near the island. Strange sounds have been reported at nights and there are stories galore about stranger lights lighting up the sky and disappearing in a trice.
Costa Fascinosa
When people were still in the dark about what was there on the island, a story was circulated in the last century about a guru who went there, alone. He meditated there and, finally, a search party found him out of his mind, taking in the magical atmosphere of the island.
Stories apart, there have been convincing accounts of how compasses would go jumpy near Es Vedra, before ceasing to function altogether. Not just compasses, but all electronic equipment, including mobile phones, stop functioning closer to the island. The legend is that Es Vedra, which has a 2,500-year history, is home to the Phoenician Lunar goddess Tanit, and on full moon nights sacrifices would be offered to her on the island. By whom? Don’t even ask. Those who have been there have talked about being filled with a certain energy. This is apparently the third most magnetic spot on earth after the North Pole and the Bermuda Triangle. The island has been declared a national reserve area to protect its biodiversity, and tourist entry has been prohibited. But, the adventurous rich take pleasure in going around the island in their yachts.
The night is young: People dance at Privilege Club in Ibiza | Getty Images
We drove to the beaches from the cliff, through the pine forests. The sea presented itself occasionally, luring us. The beaches wore a carnival look with their crowded hotels, restaurants and dance clubs.
Post lunch we headed towards Dalt Vila, the Old Town where history and heritage glow like a shining brass lamp. Many of the houses, most of them old, are two- to three-storeyed. They are packed like sardines. The front doors open on to cobblestoned alleys. You have to be extra careful when you walk over the cobbles, smoothened by a million footfalls before yours. Dalt Vila residents are experts at negotiating the smooth surface. Practice makes perfect. One of the houses in this congested area has been converted into a kind of home-stay, and the guest list includes the who’s who of Europe’s creative world. Many of them have left their stamp on the outer walls of the hotel, by way of signature or hand impression.
Seafood central: Paella, a Spanish delicacy, at a restaurant in Ibiza.
A walled city, Dalt Vila is a UN World Heritage Site since 1999. Which means the owners of the houses cannot alter the structure. They are free to make alterations inside; some do let out rooms with the permission of the municipality. Other sell out to big hotel chains and celebrities whose bucket lists feature a guest house in the Old Town, apart from a beach house.
Along the slopes of Dalt Vila are several restaurants that jut into the pavements, offering music for the soul, apart from food. As the night sets in, candles are lit at every table. Lights also come alive in the moored boats. Diwali at sea, Diwali on land. You can blend in with the night, sipping sangria, watching Spanish martial arts, and getting caressed by the gentle breeze from the sea.
Chilling on deck: Football star Cristiano Ronaldo with family | Getty Images
The summers in Dalt Vila are reserved for music. It is one of the venues of the International Music Summit. This year, IMS was held from May 22 to 24. The themes included ‘Politics of Dancing’ and ‘Ghost Production’. The 2020 event is also likely to be held in May. The main venue has not been fixed yet, though it could be near the Ushuaia beach. The other venues are scattered, with seminars, networking, parties and performances by some of the biggest names in world music. The lowest ticket rate—for students and those under 25—is 99 euros. And that will ensure entry only to the parties. To take part in seminars and other activities, you have to register separately. There are separate passes for delegates and invitees. If you love music, you know where to head next May.
At around 9pm, Ibiza lived up to its name as the party capital. At that time, people left Dalt Vila for the Ushuaia beach and the club houses. Each club in Ibiza has its own character. Be it the interior design or the way guests are welcomed... the smells, sights, music and flavours—each of these clubs is remarkably different. It is no wonder that Ibiza is the superstar among the world’s party destinations. And the experience is beyond what words can capture.
Glitz blitz: Socialite Paris Hilton performs at Amnesia, a night club in Ibiza | Getty Images
As the all-night party reaches its crescendo, the sun steps in like an unwelcome umpire to remind you that time is up. You get up feeling that dawn has come too early. The breeze that fills your lungs chases away what remains of the night. An unforgettable and refreshing experience, be it the Pacha, where the DJs make even the statues groove, or on the terrace of Amnesia, the club room of Hi Ibiza or the basement of Sankeys.
Not all clubs start operating at nightfall. The fun starts at midnight in some places. Some are open 24 hours, especially on New Year’s eve. The land is not the only place for partying. You can hire a yacht and party, if your wallet is fat.
Like in sports, in partying, too, there is warming up before the big event. It starts in the small cafes of the clubs that open the dance floor by midnight. You can listen to music, shake a leg, taste the local food, and generally get ready for the big P.
In our part of the world, people get up, have a morning cuppa, breakfast, head out to earn a living, come back home, watch television, have dinner and hit the sack. In Ibiza, people party in the afternoon, evening, night and early morning. A late lunch is the ‘breakfast’, and then it is party time again. Ibiza sleeps in the morning. Government offices open only after 11am, and the there is siesta. A few more hours of work in the evening, and they are ready to rock.
Ibiza is also a great place for seafood. Once the party mood sets in you may not think about food, nor the money you spend. You will start regretting that when you wake up in time for lunch, when your head clears and you realise the cost of the food!
We take pride in being an emerging economic superpower, but here is a word of caution for Indians heading to Ibiza. Not all clubs may welcome you, and you may have to wait for your turn after the clubs have admitted their preferred guests. Why, you may ask. I should confess that I did not get an answer, but I can hazard a guess: We are prudent with our wallets and not so prudent with our behaviour. Indian-origin people with another country’s passport are preferred, I was told.
Costa Fascinosa left Ibiza for Palma de Mallorca, which felt like a big bedroom after the night out in Ibiza. A place to rest after all the partying. But, Ibiza... is still alive in my mind, like a haunting melody.
