SUMMER MEMORIES: IBIZA

In July, my friend Sonia and I went to Ibiza to visit our friend Isabel. We were lucky to stay in Isabel's house for five days and, as I really enjoyed the trip and took many photos, I decided to show you some places you could go if you ever decide to visit that island. 

Ibiza town (known as Vila)

First of all, you must know that Ibiza (in Catalan, Eivissa) is a little island located in the Balearic Islands, in Spain. It is famous because of its beaches and parties, but I would like to show you the other side of this beautiful island. Beside the clubs and the parties (which, yes, they were great), Ibiza is a peaceful and elegant island with a large historical background. As you can see in the picture above, Vila is set up with white houses around the church and some walls of the old part of the town (Dalt Vila).

Our first breakast in Talamanca.

Ses Salines.

As our flight arrived at 7.30 in the morning, we headed directly to have some breakfast at Talamanca beach. We had a toast with tomato and some cheese (which, definitely, you need to taste) and then drove straight to Ses Salines, another beach near Vila, which had warm and crystal water. We needed to be very careful because of the sun and the heat. In the afternoon we went walking in Vila and saw the little shops and street decorated with peace symbols because of Pacha's party.

REMEMBER: If you ever go to Ibiza, always drink cold water to stay hydrated and wear sun cream so you won't get burn.

Later that night we dressed up and put on our make up trying to look like the 60s to go to the Flower Power party, on Tuesdays in Pacha (the prize to enter to this club is around 60-80€, depending on the day). We were actually tired because we haven't slept yet after being awake the whole day but we couldn't miss that famous party. Inside the club it was all decorated with flowers and peace symbols, and 60s, 70s and 80s songs were played.

Dalt Vila.

Flower Power party, Pacha.

Waking up in the morning the second day, we had breakast and went to visit Dalt Vila, the old part of the town. We took pictures of the stone walls and cannons built during the XVI century to protect the island against the attacks. On the top of the hill we found the town hall, the church and the old-faculty of the University of the Balearic Islands.

In the afternoon, we went to Cala de Benirràs, another small beach with crystal water. I absolutely loved that about Ibiza: crystal water. We could see the white sand at our feet and swim with many colorful fishes. It felt magical. This beach is also famous because of its twilights, where a group of hippy boys play music with their guitars and bongos while you see the sunset.

At night we took a Disco Bus (which is how the call the buses at night, as they go around the island to take people to the clubs) and went to Privilege. On Wednesday there is a party called Life In Colors (the prize to this party is about 35€), where they play house, dubstep and electronic music and you get paint by colour paintings they throw with cannons.

TIP: wear clean clothes in your bag (believe me, you will feel better if you do so)

Dalt Vila.

Life in Colors, Privilege.

On Thursday we actually woke up very tired, and as it was very hot that day, we decided to skip the mountain-hiking-excursion-plan and went to Platja d'en Bossa. This beach is well-known for being next to two famous hotels in the island: Ushuaïa and Hard Rock Hotel. The beach is also surrounded by many apartments you can rent during the summer.

That afternoon we dressed up and put on our make up once more to go to the Hard Rock Hotel party (the prize, I think, was about 30€ that day). We wanted to go to that party because Juan Magan, a Spanish singer of electrolatino, goes there every Thursday afternoon. It is a party that starts at 7pm and ends up at 12am (so once is finnished, you can decide going to another club or go to the beach or just go home).

On Friday we went to Formentera, another island in the Balearic Islands, but I decided I would talk about this trip in another post.

Saturday was our last day and there was something we couldn't miss: Las Dalias. Las Dalias is a hippy market located in the town of Sant Carles de Peralta which opens on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. You can find there many things as jewerly, decorations, books, shoes... And most of them are handmade!! You will need to take your time to visit all the stands.

Hard Rock Hotel.

Our flight took off at 10.30pm that night so we just said goodbye to our friend Isabel and to the island and went back to Barcelona.

I hope you enjoyed this post and the photos. If you have any question or doubt you can also send me an e-mail (yaizasjournal@gmail.com), I would be glad to reply. I promise to be back soon!

Thank you. Lots of kisses!

Yaiza

DISCOVERING FINLAND: PYYNIKKI, TAMPERE

Saturday, 5th of September. It has been two or three days since we have met Erika, a Finnish blonde girl who said she would be very glad to make us a tour around the city of Tampere, Finland. As I felt excited about the idea of getting to know a little bit better this beautiful city (excuse me if I use the word city instead of town, but I think it is big and industrial enough for me to call it like that), she surprised us by taking us to Pyynikki, a natural park located not so far from the city centre.

Pispala, Tampere.

We walked for twenty minutes (let's say it was not a big walk!) and finally arrived there. As I have already said, Pyynikki is a natural park surrounded by many kinds of trees and flowers (let me call itlike a green paradise if I compare it with my hometown in Spain which would absolutely need a little bit more of green), and you may even find some small fruits in the plants such as strawberries or blueberries (despite that, by this time of the year, they are already too small to even try to pick them up). You can walk through a lot of paths and stairs there in the park, so people usually go there for a walk or running.

Pynnykki is mostly known for its observation tower and the doughnuts and coffee they sell in the cafe downstairs. You must pay to enter the observation tower (if I remember right, it was 2€ per person) and you can see some amazing Tampere views from there. What you may find curious and beautiful (because I did) is that the observation tower is standing right in the middle of the two big lakes of Tampere: Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi, so you are able to enjoy the views of these two.

Curiosity: It is said that when you order a doughnut and a coffe in Pynnikki, you must eat the doughnut without washing your face until you have finished. The first to give up must pay the doughnuts of everybody.  

If you feel like walking a little bit more, you can go for another ten or fifteen minutes so you can find Pispala, one of the richest neighbourhoods in Tampere. Surrounded by those amazing views, we found the big, cute and colourful houses we all have dreamt about at least for once. 

I hope you liked this first view of Tampere and may want to find out more about Finland during the next months. I will be back with more Discovering Finland posts as soon as I visit more amazing and beautiful places. If you have any doubt or question, feel free to ask or send me an e-mail (yaizasjournal@gmail.com). I will be glad to reply.

Thank you. Lots of kisses!

Yaiza

WELCOME TO FINLAND

Thursday, 20th August. Carrying two heavy bags, smiling and crying at the same time as I was saying goodbye to my parents and my sister. That was me at 6 in the morning just before I took a flight from the airport of Barcelona and flew through Europe to arrive in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Alone, afraid and excited. Those three words could perfectly describe me. As I took off the plane and walk my first steps in that new (and not so cold by then) country, I could already feel the blood running through my veins, my body asking me to start living a completely different life surrounded by nature, cold air and new people.

My first day was actually not as good as it seems. I had to struggle to carry those two heavy bags from Helsinki to Tampere by train. All I really wanted to do was to cry and sleep, and I did none of them. My body was shaking, I was so nervous that I didn't even realise yet where I was. I took a deep breath as I arrived to Tampere, my city. Reetta, my student tutor from university, was already there waiting for me with a smile in her face and two kisses, which I really appreciated as I felt like home for few seconds. She showed me my way home and there I stood: new flat, new room, new flatmates, new people, new language, new city, new experiences, new way of life. I couldn't ask for anything else to start my life all over again. Just from the beginning. It is not going to be easy, but it is going to be worth it.

Yep, so this is me. Looking forward to exciting things to happen to me. And that's it for today. Welcome to my life!