THE
BALEARIC ISLANDS
by Steve Arnozy
In the western Mediterranean, just 85km
east of the Spanish mainland, lies a group of four islands
known as The Balears: Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera.
In addition to being the top vacation destination for
Spaniards on summer holiday, these islands are home to
one million residents whose sunny dispositions match the
impeccable weather throughout my visit. The relaxing atmosphere
of the beautiful beaches, the exciting nightlife, and,
of course, the fresh, delicious seafood attract more and
more travelers every year. When asked how accepting this
culture is of gays and lesbians, our Mallorcan tour guide,
Alex, looked a bit perplexed and simply said, “Of
course, who loves who doesn’t matter—we all
love each other no matter what. Is this not how it is
where you’re from?”
My trip to these paradisiacal islands
begins with the largest of the four: Mallorca. We arrive
in the capital city of Palma and check into the wonderful
Punta Negra Hotel (Ctra. De Andratx, km12 on Costa d’en
Blanes. Tel: 680-762). When I get to my room and walk
out onto the beachside terrace, I’m incredulous:
the view is like those postcards of utopian beaches
with a diamond-like shimmering sea; add to this a recently
blossomed fruit tree just outside my window with white
and pink flowers that smell like jasmine tea.
Dinner that night is at the King of
Spain’s favorite restaurant in Mallorca, Flanigan’s
(Puerto Portals, Local 16, Tel: 676-117). I order the
house special, Mallorcan roasted chicken, and eat myself
into bliss. Post-meal, my traveling companions aren’t
exactly ready to head back home and call it a night,
so we decide it’s time to see the nightlife of
this island. We head to Hotel Rosamar (Avenida Joan
Miro 74, Tel: 732-723), a gay hotel ten minutes west
of Palma. Upon our arrival at the sexy, courtyard bar,
we’re greeted by the owner of the hotel, Bill,
who welcomes us with a round of drinks. The Rosamar’s
location is an ideal spot for checking out the gay scene—we
have only to cross the street to reach our next destination,
Aries Bar, one of about a dozen bars and clubs within
walking distance. Also the bar of a hotel, Aries is
an intimate space with a crowd of local 20-something
guys. As the night goes on and the DJ spins hits in
English and in Spanish, the already cozy floor gets
packed to the point where you can’t help but dance
with the person standing next to you.
 The
next morning, I pack in a hurry and head for the ferry
that will take me to the infamous island of Ibiza. A
distant pulsing rhythm is calling my name…yes,
the stuff of college campus legend, this pinnacle of
popular techno and trance club life beckons. Somewhat
like Alice after having fallen through the Technicolor
rabbit-hole, I find myself standing, bewitched and bewildered,
on the other side of the mirror.
“Welcome to IBIZAAA!” shouts
a drag queen sporting a rhinestone-encrusted head-piece
and little else, waving, dancing, and throwing flyers
from an audacious float as a crowd of cheering onlookers
waves back and catcalls. This is part of a parade of
gay parties, a weekly spectacle during the summer season
in Ibiza, where the biggest clubs on the island compete
to put on the flashiest show to draw the masses to their
particular dance floor.
We’re lucky to even get a hotel
on the island during this, the busiest time of year.
The Ibiza high season lasts from June–September.
If you’re a party person, this would be the time
to go, as many clubs aren’t even open the rest
of the year…but book early. If you’re interested,
instead, in exploring all the beaches and secret coves
that this island has to offer, it is recommended that
you come just before or just after tourist season.
After settling in at the Hotel S’Argamassa
Palace (Urbanizacion S’Argamassa, Tel: 330-271),
we head to the very top of Ibiza and take a cultural
tour where we learn that a lot of the island is protected
from development as a U.N. World Heritage site, and
that during the off-season, Ibiza abounds with artists
who are here to enjoy the island’s pleasures without
the distraction of hordes of tourists.
Almost everywhere along the highway
there are drooping, sweet-smelling fig trees. Adventurous
people use these fig trees, whose leaves surround the
tree and touch the ground because of the weight of the
fruit, as makeshift abodes. Later we visit traditional
Ibizan shoe-weavers who weave footwear out of dried
palm leaves, and learn about the thriving hippie culture
of the 60s that lives on today in the popular “hippie
markets.” These markets are run by the hippies
who moved here in the 60s, and they generally take place
from Wednesday through Saturday across the island in
smaller cities like San Jordi and Es Cana; as times
and locations are subject to change, you’d be wise
to inquire of the locals for information on the markets
during your visit. At a hippie market you might find
beautiful clothing, jewelry, and trinkets, all handmade
by the people selling them, as well as leather moccasins,
silver dishes, and home furnishings.
Continued
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