Arrived in Ibiza and the first day was exactly what I needed after Madrid: no rush, no agenda, nothing to prove to anyone. The hotel is Vibra Algarb at Playa d'en Bossa, and the room has a direct view of the pool and the sea. It's not the Four Seasons, but it doesn't need to be. It's comfortable, clean, well located, and when you open the window the first thing you see is water. For what I came here to do, it's more than enough.

The continental breakfast was exactly what you'd expect from a continental breakfast: bread, cheese, ham, fruit, coffee. Standard. Functional. This confirmed something I'd been suspecting since Madrid: Europe has a very serious relationship with cheese. Every type, color, texture and smell imaginable. But regular drinking milk is scarce. And lactose-free milk? Not a chance. If you're lactose intolerant and coming to Europe, I'm warning you now: bring your own strategy because nobody here is going to solve that problem for you.

I spent the day between the pool and the beach. No plan. No schedule. I needed that reset after the transatlantic flight and the Madrid layover. Playa d'en Bossa has this strange vibe where families, tourists from all over the world, people who haven't slept in days, and people who haven't even started yet all coexist. All in the same square meter of sand. Ibiza is that: a place where everyone fits even when it doesn't seem like they should.

The hotel pool has its own atmosphere. Daytime DJ, people in the water, drinks, the Mediterranean in the background. It's not hard to understand why this island has the effect it has on people. There's something in the air, literally, that brings your RPMs down whether you want it to or not.

Then night came. I went out for a walk with no destination, just to explore the area around the hotel, feel the pulse of the island before the big events coming this week. In less than 30 minutes of walking at night I met more dealers than everyone I know in Mexico combined. Not exaggerating. It's part of the ecosystem here, not surprising, just part of the Ibiza landscape like the beach bars and club posters. I say it without drama or judgment: it's just the reality of the place.

Good first day. Body rested, head clear, Mediterranean in my eyes. Tomorrow the real reason for being here begins: Cocoon at 528 Ibiza. That's what I came for.

Me on my hotel balcony in Ibiza

Me on the beach in San Antonio