The ending of an escapade

Formentera, June 2021

Having stayed over four month now, it’s more than evident to leave Formentera behind.

Although Deborah stayed only two, it is clear for her aswell that there is no more space left for us, given the fact that tourism has begun invading our tiny paradise. We have nowhere to live anymore as housing is being rented for much highter pricing. Neither are there empty beaches left to chill, nor relaxed places to hang out. Its getting hot and packed - farewell to sweet solitude.

Many of our friends have started their busy seasonal working life, becoming stressed and tired. Traffic police has arrived from the mainland for rigid controlling - as every summer - and one can hear the ambulance horn in higher frequency.

Deborah was lucky to watch two dolphins during her friend Alex’s routine check in the waters, who is the surveillor of the protected marine nature park, and sighted the slightly week and sick animals who had gotten strayed away from their crowd. After a few days in the shallow waters they recovered and escaped on time before the yates coming from Ibiza, took over the shores.

The sea is being invaded day after day by yates and sailing boats in all dimensions and price range, coming from everywhere. And I have started spotting the first paparazzi in search for their catch of the day-the celebrities on boats and in beach restaurants. Business as usual….

I had the chance, a couple of weeks earlier, to spend some time in the sea with Bill on a rough and windy day. And because Formentera’s port has the most expensive boat docks of the entire Mediterranean during summer, and the cheapest during winter months, Bill removed his boat from the port to the lake, where it will be ankered until the fall, like every other resident does so too. We spent great quality time talking while cutting shrimp bait for the hooks, drownding the rods and, after two hours, realizing that it had not been the appropiate day for fishing. We did not talk about the fatherly speech he gave some time before, when shouting I should get my act together and return to reality. Formentera can be a paradisiac escape for some, and a comfort zone for others who do not getting their shit together. Not many people outside my small and close family speak and critize openly but Bill has been a father figure all my life. That’s why he was the person who gave me away when getting married. And has the full right to give me his honest opinion upon my choices in life.

May the summer season be good for everyone who suffered from economical loss as a consequence of the pandemic. See you back in the fall. I am off to other adventures and places out of season.