Photo of The week: Yes this is still summer!

Platja des Bot, Menorca, Spain

Summer is not only sun, beach, vacations! Generally people are happier in better mood... September is normally a month of changings and despite the summer has not ended yet you see that most of the people is already changing its wardrobes, leaving the beach till the next summer and also changing their humour... So keep the positive energy, spread it through your friends and family!

A calendar to remember...

One of the main dilemmas and perhaps the biggest disadvantage of digital photography is that most of the photos that we shoot, often end up "forgotten" in memory of a hard disk or any CD or DVD ...

The more we advance in the digital era, the greater is the trend to replace the photo albums for digital photo frames, (which we frequently forget to watch)  or simply by folders often lost and disorganized in our computer.

A picture is worth a thousand words, the magic of photography allows us to travel back in time, remembering experiences, emotions, friends ... And let us imagine, flying, dreaming of places we've never been or may never be ...

Today I share with you an idea that started 8 years ago and just as Steve Jobs would say it's about "connecting the dots". The idea began with a calendar with family photos. Then, connecting the dots picture, past and experiences the question arose Why not to remember my previous trips and share it? And by this way was born the calendar that I invite you to visit, done with photos I shot in my trips...

Do you enjoy Sunset?

Jimbaran - Bali, Indonesia

Sunset is definitely one of the special moments of de day, that's why in lots of guides there are tips about the best places to watch it. 

If you think about it can be a perfect scenario for completely opposite situations like being alone meditating or for a sunset party in the beach...

It can be a very romantic ocasion to be with that special person, or just grab your camera spend this moment with her shooting thousands of photos. Like most of the best things of life, just let your instinct guide you and enjoy it...

I must confess I love sunsets, if possible with a good cocktail, but always with my camera! 

These are some of my photos, and I would challenge you to share yours on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/FoodDrinkTheGoodLife

Jimbaran - bali, Indonesia



If you go to Bali, you must try fresh fish barbecues at Jimbaran's beachfront seafood warung, so my advice is that you go a bit earlier and enjoy this amazing sunset...


Cavallería Beach, Menorca, Spain

On my previous post about Menorca beaches', I've shared other photo of Cavallería Beach. Below you can find other precious sunset in Menorca. Just 5 minutes away from ciutadella, on Maxi's bar you can eat&drink some appetisers while enjoy the sunset... (just the appetisers, as this place is one of those that you shall never see a local eating and it's not because it's expensive...)

Maxi's Bar, Cala en Blanes - Ciutadella, Menorca, Spain

Despite the sunset is behind the mountain, in Troia you can enjoy a very special and also unique sunset... with a 180º view you can get different effects with the sea and Arrabida Mountain outlines...



Troia, Portugal

Accept the challenge and share your photos on our facebook page! www.facebook.com/FoodDrinkTheGoodLife

Restaurant C'an Olga, Es Mercadal - Menorca

If you are fed up of the touristic restaurants along the coast, C'an Olga is a really interesting option. I must confess I have a special atraction for gastronomy in the interior, I think it's common sense: if you don't go for the views you will only return by the greatness of its gastronomy...

The truth is that our dinner at C'an Olga was the easiest thing in our vacations... Gabriel, who recommended us to go there, suggested also two starters, so we only had to choose the main dish, grilled John-dory with garlic Sauce.

Despite the main dish was very good, for me the stars of this restaurant are the starters! We tasted an excellent onion stuffed with meat and one kind of Spanish sausage called Sobrasada and a marvellous aubergine millefeuille!

Where? 

Pont Na Macarrana, Mercadal, 

Menorca, Spain

971 37 54 59

How much?

Average price 40 €

Menorca from Caribbean to lunar landscape beaches

If you are addicted to beaches I would risk to say that you will surely enjoy Menorca... Why? Because you can go from reddish gold sand and pink rock beaches, (most of north), to white, fine sand and turquoise water (mostly on south).

Below you can find the beaches where we've been, in our 5 days trip this summer... Despite I think its a good mix of north and south beaches, as one Menorquin told us: just follow your instinct!

Tips & Notes:

• We stayed in Ciutadella, reason why all the routes start there
• Most of the beaches We've been don't have any infraestructures so it is fundamental that you take your beach survival kit: snacks, enough water & sunshade
• If you rent a car in the airport try to borrow them a sunshade, they usually have plenty that tourists leave there
• Check the wind direction to choose the "perfect beach" for the day, mainly if it is south or north.

Macarella

Macarella, together with its little sister Macarelleta, are two beautiful coves with fine, white sand where the turquoise water of the sea is more calm than a swimming pool. Sheltered by hills covered in pine trees and holm oaks, it was so warm that we spent almost all the time floating in the water...
Unfortunately, despite the "oversized"car park, was not full, the beach was completely overcrowded and there was almost no space to put the towel. To enjoy the best of this beach and its precious landscape, you may want to go  in spring or autumn. If you go in this time of the year it may be a good advice to go in the afternoon it is much more calm.

Macaralleta, known as a nudist beach, can be reached by walking a few minutes from Macarella.

Tips:
- There is a paid car park (5€), less than 5 minutes walking  and a free car park about 15 minutes walking from the beach.
- There is a restaurant (Susi), where you can eat/grab a snack and buy cool drinks.


How to get there?
From Ciutadella it is impossible to miss the way, just follow the signs to macarella. It is about 20 minutes from there. 

En Turqueta

As in the morning the car park was already full, in the middle of the day we decided to take a 40 minutes walk from Macarella till En Turqueta.
As you may guess by its name it's another precious turquoise water beach similar, but a bit less crowded than Macarella. 
As in all the island is frequent to see everyone with snorkelling equipment whatching the fishes in the crystalline waters. 

Tips:
- If you go walking from Macarella don't forget to take enough water with you for to go and for the way back
- If you go spend the day don't forget your beach survival kit (water, snack & sunshade)

How to get there?
From Ciutadella it is impossible to miss the way, just follow the signs to Turqueta. It is about 10 minutes driving from there.

Cala Pilar

A great contrast with the previous day, Cala Pilar is the perfect example of the difference between southern and northern beaches. As It is one of the virgin beaches with a more difficult access, you have to walk about 30 minutes from the car park (first among centenary old oaks and then without any shadow), It is less frequented and a perfect alternative to the overcrowded southern beaches.
As it is an area maritime protection, fishing is forbidden and especially here may result spectacular to get your goggles and go snorkelling in these crystalline waters.

Tips:
- before you go check the weather, if the wind is north you may have a very disapointing experience after walking for almost 40 minutes.
- there are no infrastructures in the beach so don't forget the survival kit. 
- As there is no trees where you can hide yourself from the sun, don't forget the sunshade otherwise in a hot sunny day you will have to create it by yourself as we did with the help of some sticks.
- I must confess the only thing I didn't like in this beach is the orientation, almost all the morning if you are in front to the sea the sun is on your back...
- It is frequent to see people covering themselves with clay as there is the mith that it is good for the skin...

How to get there:
On the road that connects Maó to Ciutadella take take the detour that says cami de pilar (aprox Km.34) and follow the road till the carpark. then enjoy the walking till the beach.

Son Saura

We went there in the afternoon after Cala Pilar.
Other of the "virgin" beaches, this may be one of the most spacious beaches. When its water is clean may be one of the most similar to Caribbean beaches in Menorca. Unfortunately when we went there the weather was very windy and too many algae, reason why we just went for a walk... 

Tips:
- Despite there is a lifeguard, no other services are available on the beach.

How to get there:
From Ciutadella it is impossible to miss the way, just follow the signs to macarella/turqueta/Son Saura and after leaving the main road, when you reach the first crossroad go to the right following the sign Son Saura, (opposite to the one that indicates Macarella, Macaralleta, Turqueta).


Cala Pregonda

On the third day the kind receptionist of our hotel suggested us to go to this beach, that was one of her favourites and we discovered why... from the parking till the beach you have to go through a small but nice humid area and then a kind of lunar landscape , that must be precious on both sunset/sunrise... it's about 20 minutes walking, but it deserves it! its precious! just a pitty that in the middle of the day the quantity of Yachts increased a lot and we felt a bit of oil in the water...

As in Cala Pilar it is protected maritime area which associated with the small islands that surround it and that you can easily reach with your snorkelling equipment is a perfect spot for this activity.

Tips:
- A restaurant is available next to the car park

How to get there:
From Ciutadella, take the road to Maó and on Es Mercadal, take the road to Fornells. on the exit of Es Mercadal you will see the sign to Cala Pregonda / Cavallería. Then on the secondary road there are small yellow signs indicating the way.

Cavallería

This was really the perfect way to end up our third spectacular day in Menorca... To let our bodies rest a bit from the sun we w

ent for a little bit of tourism among the area of Cape of Cavallería and Fornells. 
That was when, following the main tip I've told you in the beginning of this post: follow your instinct, we decided to go to Cavallería Beach. 

More than a precious large and golden sandy beach this is one of the perfect spots to whatch the sunset in Menorca. I must confess this was the only ocasion I missed a bar on the beach, or better a nice G&T...

How to get there:
It is just by Cala Pregonda, (see directions above), and follow Cavalleria Beach signs.

Algairens

Known as Algairens or La Vall, this composed by two completly different areas: Els Tancats (first photo), and walking about 10 minutes "Platja d'Es Bot" (second photo).
Unlike other northern beaches this beach has also white and fine sand...
We went directly to Es Bot beach, where just arriving the beach you have a small humid area with lots of fish and some freshwater turtles...
As the majority of the beaches that you have to walk a bit this paradise was almost desert, what made me thinking that this same scenery in spring shall be incredible...

Tips:
- No infraestructures are available so don't forget to take the beach survival kit

How to get there:
From Ciutadella take the road to "Cala Morell", and then follow the signs of "Platjes d'Algairens".

Trebalúguer

On the surroundings of Cala Galdana, a typical touristic "terrorist attack" of the seventies, you can find Cala Mitjana and Trebalúguer.
This was the perfect spot to end our vacations, it was almost like imagining Macarella with 2% of the people, (the photo was taken when there was more people in the beach). 
Like Cala Pilar this beach may be the best description of Menorca beaches: Paradise, touristic & relaxed...

Tips:
- No infraestructures are available so don't forget to take the beach survival kit

How to get there:
From ciutadella, pick the main road to Maó and before ferreries take the road to cala Galdana. Arriving Cala Galdana you will see the sign to Cala Mitjana. Park here and when you arrive the beach pick the track that leaves from the left side of the beach (looking to the sea). After about 20 minutes you will arrive Trebalúguer...

Can Bep, Like dining in your Grandma's home...

Once more we could confirm one of our travelling rules: always look for a restaurant out of the turistic area...

After the disappointment of the dinner in the port on the first night, fortunately we found Can Bep on Tripadvisor and as it was just by our hotel we decided to try it...

Unless you have any allergy its very easy to choose what to eat here. As a starter you must taste the grilled mussels. If you doubt read it in trip advisor  foursquare or 11870.com tips and the restaurant staff won't forget to suggest this magnificent, exquisite starter...

Despite all the suggestions I must confess I doubted to choose it as till then I didn't like mussels... It remembered me a lunch in an Indian Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, as till then I wasn't able to digest spicy food and I ended that vacations eating spicy fried rice for breakfast...  

Other interesting starter onions filled with dusky sea perch and shrimps, and as main dish we shared a very good fried monkfish with garlic sauce, you can also ordered it grilled if you want to... 

To end another must try: Condensed milk pie, like the mussels you will remember it till the next time you come to this restaurant that in our case was the following day!

It was not possible to end this review without commenting the sympathy and attention of the restaurant staff that make you feel like eating in your Grandma's home...

Hope to come back soon!

Where to find it:
Can Bep
Passeig Sant Nicolau, 4
07760
Ciutadella de Menorca, Menorca Island, Spain
Tel: 971 48 78 15

How Much?
Average Price 30 - 45€