Last day in Ibiza

20th-21st June

Next morning was so quiet. No Alistair. no Gill, and most of all, no Eva. I had decided that we would make it a 'special' day: catch up with internet, go into Ibiza town and finally, dinner out.

Of course, the day started late and it was nearly lunchtime when we got into town. No matter, we combined a sandwich lunch with some wifi and then it was time for a stroll round town. We had wandered around the lower town with Eva, now it was time to hit the steps and head for the cathedral. Again, we were amazed by how attractive Ibiza town is... in fact, the whole island (or what we saw of it) was surprising, well-run, attractive, plenty to do and see. It certainly is a far cry from the reputation of night clubs and rowdy crowds.

We wandered slowly up the hill, winding through narrow streets, looking in shop windows, enjoying an ice-cream. The cathedral and battlements look over the town and the sea, dominating the landscape in much the same way that the cathedral is the first building the seafarer can distinguish as he approaches Palma. We couldn't go in... we keep forgetting siesta time and the cathedral was closed when we got there. However, we were quite content, investigating the battlements, looking out on to the town, to the sea, picking out Cala Talamanca, where Ganymede was at anchor, looking in the other direction towards Formentera. In days gone by it must have been an excellent spot to keep watch for potential invaders. But did it keep them out, I wonder?

That night we dined overlooking the beach. Paella. Tony, having listened to me rave about paella for days, decided that's what he would like. Of course, it needs two people to order so I had to join him. It wasn't as good! But okay... perhaps we will have to become paella connoisseurs?

Next day it was time to move on: a night in Puerto de Roig which Tony wanted to visit, for some reason. So our last night on Ibiza was spent at anchor in an almost deserted bay, tumbledown fishing huts on the shore, houses on top of the cliff, precariously balanced - a recent landfall had brought the edge of the cliff dangerously close, or so it appeared. We suspected some fishermen's huts had been buried in the fall. A steep road led up from the beach to we know not what. It was another of those occasions when we were content to sit in the cockpit and watch.

Early next morning we set sail for the mainland.