Formentera 2

The hostal served breakfast from 0830 to 1200, as compared to previous places I stayed in that started at 0700. They expected you to be an indolent guest. I didn't mind, I had adapted by this time already but it meant that I couldn't start touring until 0930. By about 1400 it's time for lunch and after that it's too hot. So you get about 4.5 hours of touring and maybe an hour or two in the evening. Incidentally the buffet was the best I'd encountered so far, with several choices of everything. But I can't be the glutton I used to be, sadly.

My first destination was the lighthouse Far de Barbaria. It featured prominently in Julio Medem's 2001 film Lucía y el sexo (Sex and Lucia), a stylish love drama which was a breakout role for Paz Vega. A sign outside the ground acknowledges that the film generated tourist interest in this lighthouse. It also said that the lighthouse was remote controlled by technicians on Eivissa.

The terrain around Far de Barbaria is even more barren than that at Mola. It is the southernmost point of the Balearic islands. From here it is possible to see Eivissa as well as a remarkable island off Eivissa called Es Vedrà.

From there I retraced my path to the turn off to Cala Saona, the most accessible west coast beach. The cove has a large hotel, there is beach furniture and the sand is tidied by a vehicle every morning. However it was very uncrowded, with only a few late season tourists, mostly German it seemed, some sunbathing in the nude.

I stopped in the central town of Sant Francesc. There were stalls selling colourful new age clothing and accessories. Eivissa and Formentera have attracted hippie types for a long time. I felt like a gelato. But there was no such shop. How can that be allowed?

North of La Savina, a long peninsula, which, looking at a map, is obviously a geologic continuation of Eivissa, has many good beaches on both sides. There was that incredible clear water again. There is an upmarket restaurant where I had an expensive beer. But the views were worth it.

On the way there are disused salt pans.

I lunched at La Savina before calling it a day's touring due to the heat.