Day 9 & 10 – Spain: Formentara, Pacha & Lio
Our alarm went off at 8am so we had time to eat breakfast downstairs and get ready for our catamaran boat excursion to Formentara. I was very excited for this activity because we didn’t get to experience Formentara last time we were in Ibiza.
We took a 30 minute taxi to Beso Beach, where the boat would be picking us up. I had booked a small group boat excursion with 12 people max, and it was the 4 of us and a group of 8 women from Switzerland and Belgium. Our captain Ramiro picked us up in a dingy to take us to our boat. He told us the plan was to stop at Ses Illetes, a small beach at the tip of Formentara where we’d spend some time and then get back on the boat where he’d dock at a restaurant for lunch on the mainland of Formentara. Everyone on the boat was friendly and kept referring to us as “the Americans” which I thought was funny.
Stelios wanted to swim to the island, but the captain said the current is very strong and they convinced him to swim back to the boat instead of from the boat to the island. Once we got to the beach, the water was crystal clear and slightly warmer and then it felt back in Ibiza. The sand was pillowy soft, it felt like I was walking on clouds.
After laying out on the beach for a couple hours and swimming in the water we made our way back to the boat, and got picked up by the restaurant dinghy to take us to lunch. We decided to go all out and ordered the Formentara lobster and a specialty fish baked in a salt bath. The lobster was too dry to my liking but the salted fish was moist and delicious. Overall the restaurant was incredibly overpriced, but the staff was very accommodating and overall we had a fun time. At one point a song came on and there was a conga line going through the restaurant which Jen and mom got pulled into joining. After lunch we waited for the restaurant dinghy to take us back to our boat but he was nowhere to be found. We texted our captain and he ended up having to pick us up from the restaurant himself – very odd.
Back on the boat we cruised on the water and returned to Beso beach around 6pm. It was an incredible day on the water, time to nap before the nighttime festivities. We were all worn out from the sun and day drinking so we decided to take a nap. I slept for 2 hours which did not feel like enough and was very tired but I had to power through because tonight we got a table at Pacha, my favorite club in Ibiza. We ended up ordering room service for dinner – croquetas and jamon de bellota and cheeses. Neither me or stelios were that hungry but we knew we need some sort of sustenance before we went out. After munching, we went to the lobby bar and ordered 2 espresso martinis while we waited for mom and Jen. We ended up making friends with the British couple sitting next to us – they said they come to Ibiza ever year and used to have a condo here but then sold it. They regret it because now it’s “bloody expensive!” But still their favorite place to vacation. Apparently mom and Jen’s room service never came so we didn’t end up leaving the hotel until midnight. I felt like I needed another espresso martini at this point.
We arrived at Pacha around 1am and the host led us to the table. The club was PUMPING & I did not expect it to be this packed – last time Pacha didn’t get crowded until 2am ish. We ordered a bottle of Don Julio Cristallino, the bartender made our drinks and we cheersed – time to party! I swear they must be pumping oxygen or something into the air in that club because suddenly my second wind kicked in – I was awake and ready to dance! The headliner for the night was Robin Schulz but I actually really liked the opener – Tita Lau. We danced the night away and mom was having so much fun she didn’t want to leave the club! It also helped that the Don Julio Cristallino goes down like water. At 3:30am mom caught a second wind when Calabria came on and didn’t want to leave. She would’ve kept going but it was my turn to be the responsible one and I knew if we stayed out all night we would sleep the day away tomorrow and tomorrow was our last day. So by 4am we called it a night and hopped on the taxi line which moved fairly quickly, to get back to our hotel.
———
Oh Pacha, the energy in that club never escapes me and I will hold onto it until next time. Listening to house music and picturing myself in Ibiza is what has been getting me through my morning commute.
Day 10: S’Escalinata & Lío
I woke up at 11am and laid in bed for another 30 minutes. I’m happy to report I was not feeling left over at all, just a little tired and my legs were a little sore from dancing. Mom and Jen wanted to lay and relax by the pool but Stelios and I were on a mission to get our favorite sandwich from S’Escalinata before we left the island. We grabbed coffee from downstairs and took a taxi to Ibiza town for lunch and shopping. We walked 5 minutes to S’Escalinata for our favorite sandwiches and juices to detox. We grabbed two beanbag chairs at the top of the steps sat back, relaxed and enjoyed our lunch. This restaurant is perfect for relaxing and people watching. We also saw a couple of Ibizan lizards chasing each other.
While we were at lunch, Lio, tonight’s dinner spot, called confirming our reservation and also told us there is a dress code for men that they have to wear pants. Stelios did not pack any pants for this trip, but luckily we were already in town so time to go shopping! We tried Mango and Banana Republic but everything in Europe was slim fit. Just when we were about to give up we went into Benibeca, a men’s Ibiza clothing line and luckily they had pants that fit Stelios perfectly. We took a taxi back to the hotel and met mom and Jen by the pool to relax for a bit. Jen and I found a swinging bed chair and enjoyed rocking on that for awhile.
After relaxing by the pool we went upstairs to shower, change, and get ready for dinner at Lío. Lío is a cabaret/burlesque type dinner show that originated in Ibiza, but now also has locations in London, Las Vegas, Mallorca, & Mykonos. We pulled up to the port where Lío was located around 8pm which was the suggested arrival time. When the lady called about the men’s dress code I asked if there were any requirements for women and if sandals were ok and she said yes. However, everyone else was in heels so I felt slightly underdressed, but oh well. The venue itself is glamorous with full waterfront views of the marina. We ordered a bottle of white wine to start, some sushi rolls for appetizers, and then each ordered our entree. I ordered the pacheri pasta with vodka sauce and king crab. It was not vodka sauce at all more of a white cream sauce but still tasted good. Overall it was a really fun night – the food was tasty but incredibly overpriced – the main draw for Lío is the show itself, singing acts, and professional dancers.
I was not expecting the show to be Rated R, one of the dances was veryyyy sexual and mom goes “that was a bit much” LOL. Also the host of the show was giving Caesar Flickerman energy from the hunger games, which I enjoyed. The most impressive act was the pole dancers who literally performed a duet dance while the pole hung from the ceiling and swung around in the air. The amount of core and arm strength needed to do that act was insane. After the show they opened up the dance floor and the DJ played Latin house hits. We danced and stayed until 1:30am, wrapping up our final night on the magical island of Ibiza.
