Well, my girlfriend and I got back from the white isle on Sunday and im back at work today so I thought I should write a review of our time there. If im going on a bit then skip to the bottom for a summary, my memory is a little hazey on some days but it went something like this......
Saturday 4th - Got to Newcastle airport a bit early for our 10.30pm flight (check in wasn't even open yet!) but no matter as it gave us time to do some shopping, grab a bite to eat and have a couple of pre holiday pints. Probably the busiest ive seen Newcastle airport for a night but everyone there was in good spirits (friendly banter between Geordies and Mackems is always entertaining), the flight was delayed by an hour at the last minute but no one seemed to care . Landed just after 3 local time, had to wait nearly an hour before the luggage started to appear but I was just happy to get them and get on the coach. Checked in and in bed by half 4, didn’t really sleep but had to try.
Sunday 5th - Woke up way too early and decided to have a walk around and get a feel for the place again, everything seems to be just as I remembered it! As a bonus Plastik has moved to the egg roundabout just down the road from our hotel! Good times. We had a bite to eat (cant remember where) and decided to get the bus over to Space for We Love.
Now this was our first time going to We Love and her first time at Space so we weren't sure what to expect but I have to say it was one of the highlights of the holiday and an experience we WILL be repeating. We got in there at about 1.30pm and the place was bouncing, we expected it to be good but not this good . Spent the next few hours going between the terrace, premier etage and another small room which my girlfriend loved to bits (its like a club within a club), red room/red box something like that. The most miraculous thing about it was the fact that I was sober as a judge and dancing like a crazy person (which doesn't happen to me often!). Left just before 6, got back to San An and decided we were hungry for Chinese so tried the one on the 2nd floor on the same street as the burger king. For the price we paid it was great 10e for starter, main, side, desert and a drink. Cant go wrong. Got the first disco bus back to Space and arrived just after David Guetta started. Lets be fair to him it was commercial and it was a bit cheesy but he really got the crowd up for it and I enjoyed myself. After we had enough cheesy goodness we went inside to see Claude von Stroke and then back onto the terrace for a bit of Tiefschwarz. Amazingly we got a legal cab home and only waited 5 minutes! Quality day and night.
Monday 6th - We went on a bit of a walkabout when we got up to work up an appetite (not necessary for me as I was sooooo hung over!). We ate dinner at a place called Pepe Caribe near the west end - by far the worst place we went to and the only place I would warn people away from. Nothing wrong with the place or the service but the food was awful. Spent the rest of the day spent shopping, sunbathing and relaxing in a holiday like fashion. Decided to try Tijuana for our evening meal and was very impressed. I had a shrimp salad (which was big enough to be a main meal) served in an edible crust bowl and she had tortilla soup, both of which were delicious. For our main we had a sort of platter thing to share (cant remember the name) which had a big strip of beef, cold flavored rice, black beans, mini quesidias, enchiladas and loads of sour cream, salsa etc again big portions - it was lush and I would recommend it to anyone.
Our night out led us to the west end for a couple of cheap drinks then off to Cocoon at Amnesia. We spent the first couple hours mingling in the terrace, as luck would have it the first people we sat and talked to were from just down the road and are Shindig regulars like ourselves! Small world. We spent the rest of the night in the main room with Ritchie Hawtin and Sven Vath, what a night. Truthfully this isn't the sort of music I normally go for but it was amazing. We Love the day before was probably one of the best nights (and days) ive ever been to..... Cocoon was better! I feel lucky to have been there. Left just before 7am and got a dubious taxi back with a worker couple who worked for the zoo project (cant remember your names, sorry!).
Tuesday 7th - Considering the wrongness of the previous night we felt ok on Tuesday, spent most of the day being beach bums. Oh and the re-tox smoothies at Plastik and Bar M are life savers, highly recommended! Tuesday was supposed to be our 'night off' but we felt like going out, we toyed with going to Carl Cox or Armada but for some reason that we now cannot explain we decided to go to Gatecrasher at Eden. Food wise I cant remember were we ate but I think it was good
Went round a few bars and did a lap of the west end before heading into Eden just before dangerous Dave Pearce came on for radio 1. We tried to stand it but after hearing him play 'Destination Calibra' then listening to the ear drum violation that is Lisa Mafia we took a seat upstairs. Although the music was kack im glad we went cause we met some really good people that night. A group of Geordie lads that were having there last night and a Cardiff lad called Reese. Now Reese (bless him) was on his own, his group had gone home ill, he didn’t know which hotel he was staying (somewhere in san an bay next to an Irish bar) and he was a bit mashed so at the insistence of the missus we 'adopted' him . Left Eden at about 5.30am and back to our hotel for a bit. Everything from this point onwards it all got a bit messy, I remember asking for the time and being told it was 11.30am .
Wednesday 8th - After 2 hours sleep we awoke sometime in and it wasn’t a pretty sight let me tell you! Our new found welsh mate decided that now was his chance to escape, made his excuses and went, he took our number but we never heard from him (I think we scared the poor boy, isn't it fun corrupting young minds ). We tried the previous days ritual of beach, food and re-tox smoothie to no avail and admitted defeat. We were going to do Subliminal at Pacha but decided that sleep was a better idea tonight!
Thursday 9th - Woke up still feeling canny rough which I thought was strange but these things happen. Today was our big shopping day so we had a look around the shops of San An (every shop I think) and picked up a few bits and pieces. Walked past a little place called Ricon de Pepe and remembered reading about it on Spotlight so decided to eat there for lunch. We had an assortment of tapas (peppers, mushrooms, squid, meatballs, pork steak and a salad) and a jug of sangria (came to about 40e I think). All delicious and just thing while out shopping, not too much to get you stuffed but enough to keep you going.
After more shopping and lying on the beach for a bit we were both knackered so went back for a nap, woke up on the evening still feeling rough and tired. Not a good sign! We decided to go for a some more Chinese from the same place as the other day this time we just ordered our own rather then getting one of the cheap specials but it was still only about 35e for both of us and a bottle of wine. Went round the west end to top up on cheap alcohol and get into the mood for our night out. We ended up going to Cream at Amnesia but after about an hour and a half of trying to get up for it we both had to admit we still weren't feeling well enough to be out. In bed by 3am.
Friday 10th - Today was not a good day. When waking up and feeling worse than ever we then realised this was not a naughty come down but that we were in fact ill . The day consisted of breakfast then sleep, went to Tijuana again for dinner to try and make us feel better (it succeeded in making us feel rounder!). This time we had stuffed peppers and quesedias to start followed by fajitas and enchiladas. All very very good particularly the fajitas and again huge portions. It made us feel a bit better but we were still shagged so back to bed. Woke up about 10pm and although we had tickets for Manumission we just couldn't get out of bed. Its **** being ill on holiday .
Saturday 11th - Felt a little better but still took it easy. Managed to get a late check out till 6pm which was nice (for an extra 30e) as we weren't leaving for the airport till midnight. Did a little shopping and slept most of the day. On the evening we decided that we should go to Kanya for some food and maybe hang around for the Cream pre party (plus due to the previous days illness we hadn't been to sunset strip yet). Well we got there, sat down and waited. No one came over. We asked a waitress for 2 menus.... which didn't appear. Then 2 people sat next to us and the same waitress was there before there arses hit the seats with menus and taking drinks orders. After asking again and waiting again I decided enough was enough and walked out. Maybe just a bad day/waitress as Kanya seems to have a good reputation but I wasn't amused! We went for a quick drink to decide what to so instead then we decided to head over to the highly recommended Es Ventall restaurant for our last meal.
Well thank god for the dodgy Kanya waitress cause Es Ventall was pure quality all the way. Really nice looking, great atmosphere, first class service and the food..... we had appetisers of fresh olives, bread with garlic butter and a very refreshing melon soup, starters I had a goats cheese salad with Ibizian cured ham and honey dressing (I kid you not probably the best plate of food ive ever tasted) she had fried mushrooms stuffed with goats cheese with a summer fruit sauce, for our mains I had monkfish and prawns in a seafood sauce and she has a huge t bone steak ten we finished off with some cheese cake for desert. Big portions, great taste. I haven't got a bad thing to say about the place. 3 courses each including desert and a nice bottle of wine came to just over 100e but well worth it At the airport every drinks machine was out of stock and even though we arrived before 1am for a 3 am fight we had to rush onto the plane as check in took so long. Shrek 3 on the plane home though, happy days.
Well all in all it was a great holiday that ended badly due to illness. We were definitely ill though cause im still feeling it now. Shame but at least we had those 4/5 days of good stuff Sorry for going on and on but just wanted to share the experience! Summery below:
Hotel: Pacific Hotel in San Antonio (7/10) - Air Con, not too noisy, clean and tidy. I would stay there again
Clubs: We Love (9.5/10), Cocoon (10/10), Gatecrasher (3/10) & Cream (7/10)
Places to eat (that I remember): Chinese (6/10), Tijuana (8.5/10), Pepe Caribe (1/10), Ricon de Pepe (7/10) & Es Ventall (11/10)
Overall: Even with the illness I would still give the holiday a 8/10, were already planning next year (2 weeks next time me thinks). See you there
Saturday 4th - Got to Newcastle airport a bit early for our 10.30pm flight (check in wasn't even open yet!) but no matter as it gave us time to do some shopping, grab a bite to eat and have a couple of pre holiday pints. Probably the busiest ive seen Newcastle airport for a night but everyone there was in good spirits (friendly banter between Geordies and Mackems is always entertaining), the flight was delayed by an hour at the last minute but no one seemed to care . Landed just after 3 local time, had to wait nearly an hour before the luggage started to appear but I was just happy to get them and get on the coach. Checked in and in bed by half 4, didn’t really sleep but had to try.
Sunday 5th - Woke up way too early and decided to have a walk around and get a feel for the place again, everything seems to be just as I remembered it! As a bonus Plastik has moved to the egg roundabout just down the road from our hotel! Good times. We had a bite to eat (cant remember where) and decided to get the bus over to Space for We Love.
Now this was our first time going to We Love and her first time at Space so we weren't sure what to expect but I have to say it was one of the highlights of the holiday and an experience we WILL be repeating. We got in there at about 1.30pm and the place was bouncing, we expected it to be good but not this good . Spent the next few hours going between the terrace, premier etage and another small room which my girlfriend loved to bits (its like a club within a club), red room/red box something like that. The most miraculous thing about it was the fact that I was sober as a judge and dancing like a crazy person (which doesn't happen to me often!). Left just before 6, got back to San An and decided we were hungry for Chinese so tried the one on the 2nd floor on the same street as the burger king. For the price we paid it was great 10e for starter, main, side, desert and a drink. Cant go wrong. Got the first disco bus back to Space and arrived just after David Guetta started. Lets be fair to him it was commercial and it was a bit cheesy but he really got the crowd up for it and I enjoyed myself. After we had enough cheesy goodness we went inside to see Claude von Stroke and then back onto the terrace for a bit of Tiefschwarz. Amazingly we got a legal cab home and only waited 5 minutes! Quality day and night.
Monday 6th - We went on a bit of a walkabout when we got up to work up an appetite (not necessary for me as I was sooooo hung over!). We ate dinner at a place called Pepe Caribe near the west end - by far the worst place we went to and the only place I would warn people away from. Nothing wrong with the place or the service but the food was awful. Spent the rest of the day spent shopping, sunbathing and relaxing in a holiday like fashion. Decided to try Tijuana for our evening meal and was very impressed. I had a shrimp salad (which was big enough to be a main meal) served in an edible crust bowl and she had tortilla soup, both of which were delicious. For our main we had a sort of platter thing to share (cant remember the name) which had a big strip of beef, cold flavored rice, black beans, mini quesidias, enchiladas and loads of sour cream, salsa etc again big portions - it was lush and I would recommend it to anyone.
Our night out led us to the west end for a couple of cheap drinks then off to Cocoon at Amnesia. We spent the first couple hours mingling in the terrace, as luck would have it the first people we sat and talked to were from just down the road and are Shindig regulars like ourselves! Small world. We spent the rest of the night in the main room with Ritchie Hawtin and Sven Vath, what a night. Truthfully this isn't the sort of music I normally go for but it was amazing. We Love the day before was probably one of the best nights (and days) ive ever been to..... Cocoon was better! I feel lucky to have been there. Left just before 7am and got a dubious taxi back with a worker couple who worked for the zoo project (cant remember your names, sorry!).
Tuesday 7th - Considering the wrongness of the previous night we felt ok on Tuesday, spent most of the day being beach bums. Oh and the re-tox smoothies at Plastik and Bar M are life savers, highly recommended! Tuesday was supposed to be our 'night off' but we felt like going out, we toyed with going to Carl Cox or Armada but for some reason that we now cannot explain we decided to go to Gatecrasher at Eden. Food wise I cant remember were we ate but I think it was good
Went round a few bars and did a lap of the west end before heading into Eden just before dangerous Dave Pearce came on for radio 1. We tried to stand it but after hearing him play 'Destination Calibra' then listening to the ear drum violation that is Lisa Mafia we took a seat upstairs. Although the music was kack im glad we went cause we met some really good people that night. A group of Geordie lads that were having there last night and a Cardiff lad called Reese. Now Reese (bless him) was on his own, his group had gone home ill, he didn’t know which hotel he was staying (somewhere in san an bay next to an Irish bar) and he was a bit mashed so at the insistence of the missus we 'adopted' him . Left Eden at about 5.30am and back to our hotel for a bit. Everything from this point onwards it all got a bit messy, I remember asking for the time and being told it was 11.30am .
Wednesday 8th - After 2 hours sleep we awoke sometime in and it wasn’t a pretty sight let me tell you! Our new found welsh mate decided that now was his chance to escape, made his excuses and went, he took our number but we never heard from him (I think we scared the poor boy, isn't it fun corrupting young minds ). We tried the previous days ritual of beach, food and re-tox smoothie to no avail and admitted defeat. We were going to do Subliminal at Pacha but decided that sleep was a better idea tonight!
Thursday 9th - Woke up still feeling canny rough which I thought was strange but these things happen. Today was our big shopping day so we had a look around the shops of San An (every shop I think) and picked up a few bits and pieces. Walked past a little place called Ricon de Pepe and remembered reading about it on Spotlight so decided to eat there for lunch. We had an assortment of tapas (peppers, mushrooms, squid, meatballs, pork steak and a salad) and a jug of sangria (came to about 40e I think). All delicious and just thing while out shopping, not too much to get you stuffed but enough to keep you going.
After more shopping and lying on the beach for a bit we were both knackered so went back for a nap, woke up on the evening still feeling rough and tired. Not a good sign! We decided to go for a some more Chinese from the same place as the other day this time we just ordered our own rather then getting one of the cheap specials but it was still only about 35e for both of us and a bottle of wine. Went round the west end to top up on cheap alcohol and get into the mood for our night out. We ended up going to Cream at Amnesia but after about an hour and a half of trying to get up for it we both had to admit we still weren't feeling well enough to be out. In bed by 3am.
Friday 10th - Today was not a good day. When waking up and feeling worse than ever we then realised this was not a naughty come down but that we were in fact ill . The day consisted of breakfast then sleep, went to Tijuana again for dinner to try and make us feel better (it succeeded in making us feel rounder!). This time we had stuffed peppers and quesedias to start followed by fajitas and enchiladas. All very very good particularly the fajitas and again huge portions. It made us feel a bit better but we were still shagged so back to bed. Woke up about 10pm and although we had tickets for Manumission we just couldn't get out of bed. Its **** being ill on holiday .
Saturday 11th - Felt a little better but still took it easy. Managed to get a late check out till 6pm which was nice (for an extra 30e) as we weren't leaving for the airport till midnight. Did a little shopping and slept most of the day. On the evening we decided that we should go to Kanya for some food and maybe hang around for the Cream pre party (plus due to the previous days illness we hadn't been to sunset strip yet). Well we got there, sat down and waited. No one came over. We asked a waitress for 2 menus.... which didn't appear. Then 2 people sat next to us and the same waitress was there before there arses hit the seats with menus and taking drinks orders. After asking again and waiting again I decided enough was enough and walked out. Maybe just a bad day/waitress as Kanya seems to have a good reputation but I wasn't amused! We went for a quick drink to decide what to so instead then we decided to head over to the highly recommended Es Ventall restaurant for our last meal.
Well thank god for the dodgy Kanya waitress cause Es Ventall was pure quality all the way. Really nice looking, great atmosphere, first class service and the food..... we had appetisers of fresh olives, bread with garlic butter and a very refreshing melon soup, starters I had a goats cheese salad with Ibizian cured ham and honey dressing (I kid you not probably the best plate of food ive ever tasted) she had fried mushrooms stuffed with goats cheese with a summer fruit sauce, for our mains I had monkfish and prawns in a seafood sauce and she has a huge t bone steak ten we finished off with some cheese cake for desert. Big portions, great taste. I haven't got a bad thing to say about the place. 3 courses each including desert and a nice bottle of wine came to just over 100e but well worth it At the airport every drinks machine was out of stock and even though we arrived before 1am for a 3 am fight we had to rush onto the plane as check in took so long. Shrek 3 on the plane home though, happy days.
Well all in all it was a great holiday that ended badly due to illness. We were definitely ill though cause im still feeling it now. Shame but at least we had those 4/5 days of good stuff Sorry for going on and on but just wanted to share the experience! Summery below:
Hotel: Pacific Hotel in San Antonio (7/10) - Air Con, not too noisy, clean and tidy. I would stay there again
Clubs: We Love (9.5/10), Cocoon (10/10), Gatecrasher (3/10) & Cream (7/10)
Places to eat (that I remember): Chinese (6/10), Tijuana (8.5/10), Pepe Caribe (1/10), Ricon de Pepe (7/10) & Es Ventall (11/10)
Overall: Even with the illness I would still give the holiday a 8/10, were already planning next year (2 weeks next time me thinks). See you there
IBIZA FLU!
