Commentary by Samuel Strait – December 10, 2023 The trip to the "White Island", Ibiza, was not without drama. A lost Valencian Taxi driver, a medical emergency en route, a sleepless night and some wet stuff…..rain. For certain upon leaving the ferry in the harbor at Eivissa, Ibiza's main town, the party was over sometime ago. Popularly known as the "clubbing capital of the world", this island plays host to thousands over the course of the year. What is not widely known is that the party only lasts from mid-May until the first week of October. Sound familiar? At which point the party crowd packs it's proverbial bags and bids goodbye until the following Spring. Arriving in the early morning hours of last Wednesday, not a soul was seen, nor the sound of music and dancing was heard or experienced. Much of Eivissa was in for the long winter's nap. Many of the tourist oriented businesses were either closed or scaled dramatically back, only making preparations for the return of the party the following May. I am staying in an apartment rental whose balcony looks out over the harbor. The weather has turned into to being fabulous once again. Miles of white sandy beaches extend to both the south and north of the city with few but the birds to keep me company as I stroll along the shore. Eivissa has a fourteenth century fortress with the old part of town safely enclosed within its walls. I spent most of the second day scaling the narrow road to within it's walls. The cathedral located near the top of the hill is a mix of Gothic and Baroque architecture, truly spectacular. Viewed from the top, Eivissa is laid out for as far as the eye can see. The town itself is a mix of new and old, something quite common in most of southern Europe. Narrow streets around where I am staying, and much wider ones in the newer parts of town. I've had a chance to slow down a bit after the frenetic pace of Barcelona and Valencia. Still there is plenty to see and do here even in the off season. Sure wouldn't hurt if Crescent City figures that one out. The Christmas season appears to be one those in Spain hold near and dear. A small Christmas market has sprung up with all kinds of goodies to buy in one of the main squares. I've taken to the Spanish habit of an evening stroll from 6 pm to 8. This is followed by an hour or more in one of the local eateries. For me, the older crowd and those with children it is a bit like an old time get together. The streets have been transformed by thousands of colorful lights, particularly here in the old section of the City. No ice skating here as in the cities on the mainland, but plenty for the children to get excited about. The broad Avenue facing the harbor is especially festive and shopping for the adults is in high gear.. Something that will in all likelihood be lost in Crescent City when the current City Council butchers Front Street in the name of their current $30 million chase of fantasy. I have my bags packed and will be starting my journey home in the morning. Ferry to Barcelona, then flights to Munich, San Francisco, and finally to Medford. Ibiza has given me a parting gift of warm weather and blue skies. Sorry to leave, but I will always have with the experiences of travel to near and far and not have to just dream about it.