Last night several of us took an excursion to a beautiful beach that lies to the north of Ibiza. It's called Benirras Beach, and apparently in the 60s it was made infamous as a place where hippies came and gathered and had some crazy drug-fueled parties...
Each and every Sunday evening a community of hippes can be found dancing to the beat of their drums and bongos and ushering in the evening sunset. It's a magical place, as the scenery is perfectly stunning, and you get to marvel at God's creation as you drive down the hills to the beach. It's also quite a sight to see all the hippies playing drums, and people dancing and moving to the sound of simple drum beats. The drums sound great too, lots of big bass drums being banged in unison. There's something quite tribal about it all, and very stripped back. It's a totally striking contrast to the other side of the Ibicenco dance scene of today, with the huge profit driven clubs, playing beats from DJs on their turntables. Here, at Benirras, it feels like you're stepping back into time. You get a feel for how it was before all these large super-clubs began to steal these gatherings and hide them away and make them commercial. There was no entrance fee to get to this party - you just need to turn up, dance, beat your drum (if you have one), and connect. It's exciting to think this is what humans have been doing for centuries, in many different cultures and people groups; people dancing to the same beat, connecting with one another, with the sound, with...life? I've still got to get my head around it all...it was great just to watch people, both children and adults all dancing. I eventually stopped watching and just joined in. Sometimes you have to just try not to figure it all out and get involved. I like that phrase...'Get Involved'.
It was also great to watch the sun set down at this marvelous beach. I can never get bored with sunsets. Sunsets are synonymous with the name Ibiza. It's not just here at Benirras beach where you sense an appreciation of creation and the earth that we live. Where i live, in San Antonio, can be found a strip of beach known as 'Sunset Strip'. Uber-trendy bars line the coast and play the famous 'chill-out' music that Ibiza is known for. Bars such as 'Mambo' and 'Cafe Del Mar', sit side by side and create a special atmosphere to watch the sunsets. I'll put up some amazing photos of the sunsets that i get to watch here. You'll be jealous, i know.
