Ten Quirky Facts About Ibiza

• If you want to live forever or at least through a nuclear war then Ibiza is the place for you.  According to Nostradamus due to the prevailing winds experienced on this gem island, it will be the only place in the Northern hemisphere that will be able to sustain life after a nuclear fall-out.
• Up for a bit of mystery and intrigue..... Then make the little island of Es Vedra your playground.  This enigmatic limestone 'isla' rises a dramatic 380m from the calm waters of Cala D'Hort and has a magnetic field that rivals that of the Bermuda triangle rendering compass's completely useless.  Some say that is was the island of the sirens in the Homer epic and the fisherman who have seen the unexplained glow that emanates from the water will attest to this fact without hesitation. 
  
• Ever wonder why the earth in Ibiza is such an incredibly rich orange? The culprits responsible for this amazing hue are the imposing Pine trees that swathe the hills and valley's.  Their pine needles contain tannin - just like tea - and when they fall to the ground the tannin leaches out and dyes the earth a vibrant orange.
  
• Ibiza has no water.  To be more specific, no running rivers.  The islands one and only river -Santa Eulalia riu - all but dried up in the late 70's and now only runs for a meagre half a kilometre. The Fresh water on the island does not flaunt her presence, opting instead to remain well hidden under the ground.  The origins of this water is as exotic as the island itself.  A large underground river flows beneath the Balearic Islands all the way from the Pyrenees under the sea bed.
  
• Ibiza and the rest of the Balearic islands are not so much islands as they are mountain tops.  When the Mediterranean basin flooded some 5 million years ago, during the Zanclean flood, the Atlantic ocean came pouring in through what is now the straits of Gibraltar creating the Mediterranean Sea we all know and love today.
  
• One of histories most secretive explorers is famed to be from the Island of Ibiza. The great Christopher Columbus' birth place is a hotly debated issue with Italy, Spain and even Portugal claiming to be his mother country.  New evidence has emerged though through the study of Columbus' correspondences.  They show that, while he may have written primarily in Spanish, it was clearly not his mother tongue. Closer studies have revealed that his writings are actually scattered with Catalan words that are native to only the island of Ibiza.  But let's keep all this new information on the down low because we don't want to upset the Italian's, who till this day till claim Genoa as the rightful birthplace of the illustrious man who discovered the Americas.  
  
• Ibiza is a safe haven.  There are no animals, reptiles, insects or any other form of wildlife native to this Island that can harm you in anyway.  The fauna here is more of the passive variety giving you freedom of mind when attempting one or more of the many gorgeous trails the Island has to offer. 
  
• White gold - more commonly know as salt to me and you - has been harvested here for over 2600 years making it Ibiza oldest commodity.  Through the ages salt had played a very important role in history, sometimes exceeding its weight in gold and this accounts for often brutal battles that ensued for control over this docile little island.  The pans play home to many species of wild birds and flamingos and was finally granted National Park status in 2001.
  
• In Ibiza, all men are equal.  If you don't believe me, then I offer you the tale of El Bigote. This little restaurant is nestled in Cala Mastella, famed for its incredible snorkling.  If you want to experience the fares on offer here, then you will need a reservation.  To add to this quaint experience you will need to make this reservation in person at least 24 hours prior, as they have no telephone.  This little fact was obviously unbeknownst to the King of Spain, who's yacht was docked in the bay, when he was turned away for not having made the appropriate reservations. So if that does not convince you, nothing will.
  
• The island was originally christened Ibossim by the Phoenician in 654 BC in honour of the god Bes.  Bes is a guardian god.  Protector of the living and the dead but he is also the god of dance and music and strangely enough the tutelary of cosmetics and female adornment. It seems that perhaps the name Ibossim is even more relevant now than ever before.
  

 Written by: Chantal Azevedo

September 2010