FORMENTERA - SANT FERRÁN DE SES ROQUES
This is the scene in Sant Ferrán de ses Roques (San Fernando) one of four villages on this island.
The hippie market plays out along the walkway with artists selling crafts. At one end you have the legendary Fonda Pepe, which is were we usually end up
FONDA PEPE Calle Mayor 55, Sant Ferrán de ses Roques, 07871 Formentera +34 971 328 033
This is the heart and soul of the island. There is usually music just yards away most nights and a market of artisans some of whom we know well and were at the Fonda where I first discovered it back in 1973.
This is where the hippies, including me, hung out in the early seventies and now remains a heartstone of the island.
German tourists and Italian models walk by
Moroccan hashish sellers sit on the one side in the back waiting for a sale, but they are harmless.
It borders on the church plaza where the oldest church on the island was built in the 1700's.
Here is where the music is performed and it is a great place to people watch and connect with friends.
You can sit outside with everyone else and quaff a beer and gorge on calamari Andalusian style with a great garlicky aioli and watch the evening parade.
You are guaranteed to meet old friends you haven't seen in decades as Bernadette does all the time or acquaintances from the week before. The constant parade is like a scene out of William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac or Ernest Hemingway.
Down the street, mere yards away, is the best pizza place on the island at
PIZZARIA MACONDO Calle Mayor 67, Sant Ferrán de ses Roques, 07871 Formentera +34 971 329 069 www.macondoformentera.com
At the other end to Fonda is Macondo which boasts a damn good pizza and where you mostly sit outside at tables and under canopies. The waiters are very friendly and fast and the pizza is bursting with interesting combinations and fresh ingredients. This is one of the best pizzas I have eaten of the thin crust variety.
You sit here listening to street music and performers, drinking Hierbas (the local drink made out of herbs from the Islands, originally by monks 200 years ago) and eating a great pizza made with thin slices of excellent Jamón, buffalo mozzarella and a great amount of fresh mushrooms and walnuts. Simply fantastic.
A lot of the restaurants bring over a shot of Hierbas on the house after the meal. In this case an over zealous waiter brought two shots much to my initial joy and later my subsequent detriment and utter ruin….
In the crowd shot are friends of ours, Luka and Sandra and their hippie children. They are craftspeople from Barcelona. Sandra is holding her young son Hortus, who we always hang out with.
You get a fantastic huge thin crust pizza with fresh ingredients for €13.50.
Or if you want something cheap and quick
KEBAB FORMENTERA (K BOB) Calle Joan Castelló 47, Sant Ferrán de ses Roques, 07871 Formentera +34 971 321 992 You can opt for a kebab at K Bob for €5.
Across from K Bob is
SA PANXA RESTAURANT Calle Joan Castello Guasch 48, Sant Ferrán de ses Roques, 07871 Formentera +34 971 329 106
Which has an open air stage and restaurant where you can catch a rising band from the island or visiting from the Mainland with no cover. A clara (shandy, half beer and half lemonade) is €2 here and you can sit as long as you want.
There is also the Moroccan grocer from whom you can buy a sweet watermelon or some spices.……
Words and pictures © Jonathon Lipsin
All of Jonathon's restaurant reviews can be found by clicking here
You can find Jonathon's Formentera hippy music picks listed below
If you wish to read more about Jonathon's travels and adventure's please go to his constantly updated blog at www.jonathondlipsin.com
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