Menorca - Son Bou: Travel Guide

Summer holidays are different from any other holiday, you can spend the majority of your time lounging around the pool and strolling along the beach without feeling like you've wasted valuable time. Having mostly traveled around Asia for my summer holiday, this year was my second european vacation and my first time visiting Spain.

DESTINATION: 

Menorca is part of the Balearic island's which include Ibiza and Mallorca. It's smaller than Mallorca but there is still plenty to see.  Son Bou is located on the south of the Island and about a 20 minute bus journey from the capital, Mahon.

Since Son Bou was home to the largest beach on the island, I spent many of my days watching the waves crashing down and breathing in the salty ocean air. Avoid straying too far down the beach unless you plan on seeing some full frontal nudity, as the end of the beach I can only described as being unexpected. Although the sun is scorching hot just be warned that the water is much colder then you think between the months of May and June. 

FOOD: 

The town of Son Bou is reasonably small so it isn't hard to explore everything it has to offer in a couple of days. With a wide range of restaurants to visit, from traditional Spanish Paella and Tapas to Chinese Quizen and everything in-between. 

A little tip about Paella is if you are going to order the meat one, it is traditionally made with bones so it's better to choose the vegetarian option if thats not your thing. 

My favourite restaurant was a cute beach bar called "Es Corb Mari"  right on the beach, which not only did a selection of delicious drinks but had a fantastic menu to choose from.  

You can also find a Hawaiian bar located in the middle of the town where they welcome you with a Hawaiian necklace and a hammock on every table to really get you in the holiday mood. 

ACCOMMODATION: 

My home for the 10 day trip was Son Bou Garden's Apartments which contained over 500 separate houses spread out beautifully over the gardens. Im going to be honest here the entire of the apartment was nothing special but you'll never be inside for very long apart from sleeping to see it. The resort itself had 3 separate swimming pools, 2 restaurants and a supermarket so if you didn't feel like walking the 10 minuet trip to town, you don't have to.

TRAVEL: 

Since the island is small it's quite easy to get around and explore if you think you've had enough of tanning and swimming all day. Having a rental car would make traveling much easier but busses do run to all parts of the island for reasonable prices. Just be aware that most trips require you to travel to the capital, Mahon, first before getting a second bus to your final destination. 

DAY TRIPS 

THE CAPITAL: 

A trip to the capital, Mahon, is a must on your holiday if you want to get a real sense of what Menorca is like, with beautiful pastel coloured houses lining the streets, cafe's and bars around every corner and the best shopping you'll do on the island. They also have bakery's filled with fresh and delicious treats to satisfy your taste buds after a day of exploring. Just remember most places closed between 2pm and 4pm for the fiesta but are open again until late into the evening.

BOAT TRIP: EL BARCO ROJO 

There are many beautiful beaches on the island that you can only access by walking or by boat such as Turqueta and Macarella. The El Barco Rojo boat trip is a wonderful day out on the water and includes a hearty lunch of paella, which you can watch them cook fresh on the boat and cupfuls of Sangria to keep you going throughout the day. Although lunch is inclusive in the price any other drinks or snacks such as soft drinks and ice-cream you must pay for separately on the boat so bring plenty of extra change or your own drinks if you don't want to be stuck with nothing to drink. The boat docks at certain locations to allow you to explore the beach or cool off in the crystal clear ocean for a few hours.  Depending on where you book this trip will cost a little less than €50 per adult. Make sure you arrive at the port of Ciutadella within plenty of time as you don't want to have to run to catch it before it leaves at 9:15am (As I may have had to do..) 

BIKE RIDES:

Through the resort we stayed at you can hire out bikes for the day for about €20 each with a €50 deposit. Just be warned that biking to Sant Thomas is difficult to bike to and pretty much impossible to bike back, as it is extremely rocky and mountainous around that area. But if you wish to bike around for the day I'd advise you go in the direction of the town or towards a cove between Son Bou and Sant Thomas. 

FORNELLS: 

On the opposite side of the island from Son Bou a peaceful and seaside town is located. With a few tasteful shops dotted around and many fancy restaurants it is the perfect place to escape the busyness for the day. We decided to have a meal at Es Mosset de Fornells as the seats were located right on the waters edge and they had a special lunch deal of 3 courses for €12. The food was beautifully presented with a wide choice, my only complaint can be that there wasn't many traditional Spanish options. 

Although there are no beaches in walking distance, there are 2 subtle coves with steps climbing into the ocean where you can swim and cool off. The first cove which is located closest to the town is very shallow and in view from everyone walking past, but if you venture up a little further you will discover a secret little one in amongst the rocks. 

I was definitely sad to leave this beautiful island and hope this travel guide helps you around a little bit. If you have any questions about Menorca or Son Bou please comment below.

Happy Holidays xx 

Summer Outfits- Espanya Style

When I think of summer fashion I picture bright colours, flip-flops, tassels for days and all the glamorous things that come with it. But in reality summer is about sweaty hair, sunburns and the permanent smell of suncream. So I thought i'd show you some real summer outfits which you can wear without sweating them through but still make you look like a summer goddess. 

The Tourist

You're going out for the day and need to wear something casual yet socially expectable to go out to eat in because you never know what's going to happen. Style wise, adding a pop of colour to your outfit gives you a summer vibe without going to over the top with neons. Don't be scared about wearing a crop top If you're a little on the pear shape side of things because the top half of this outfit is mostly white it helps to even out your curves.  

 Bum Bag: River Island, Shorts: H&M  

Carrying a bag in the summer can be extremely tidious because you want to relax and use your arms and hands freely without having a bag in the way. A bum bag may make you think of 60's roller discos but if you style it well it'll give off the festival vibe instead of an embarrassing mum vibe.

Sandals: Primark 

 Opt for sandals instead of flip-flops if you're heading out for the day as they have a lower risk of breaking, better safe then sorry! I always buy a pair of cheap sandals and flip-flops before going on holiday for days out or on the beach so if they break i'm not too bothered. 

 Sunglasses & Top: Forever 21, Hat: Market Stall 

I've never really been a fan of hats but after one to many headaches from the sun I decided to go for this one. A big floppy hat and big round sunglasses makes you feel like a celebrity hiding from the paparazzi,  but most importantly it saves you from sunburns. 

The Beach Bum

 

Sunglasses: Ray-Ban, Shorts: H&M 

For a day at the beach less is always more, the more you wear the more you have to carry throughout the day. Sometimes it can be a bit too much to strut around in a bikini, so a swimsuit and some shorts gives you a beach look while being socially expectable to go into restaurants. Braids are also my go to style in the summer because when I tie my hair up my ears burn and when its down I get all hot and bothered, so it's the perfect happy medium. 

 Swimsuit: Forever 21, Necklaces: Miss Selfriges

I'm certainly not one to go onto the beach thinking its a fashion show but I thought these necklaces gave the look a more beachy vibe because they are only small and since the swimsuit is quite low cut I thought it needed something to fill in the extra space. 

Shawl: Cotton on,  Flip-Flops: Primark

When you need a bit of extra cover from the sun a shawl is always a good idea, it's light weight so you don't get all hot and sticky and when you've had enough of it you can just shove it in your bag. 

The Keeping It Casual 

 Dress: Forever 21, Sandals: Primark 

Most days when you're on holiday, fashion and style is the last thing on your mind and you just want to throw on something over your bikini and head to the pool. I was going to put a maxi dress in for this one but to be honest they are just so inconvenient, so I opted for a short casual dress with a cut out in the back to keep you cool and it's got palm trees on which just wins it for me. This look is so effortless that you'll look cool even with a shiny forehead. 

Bag: H&M 

A cute backpack makes up for the lack of all handbags on your holiday, not only is this really practical for carrying all your beach essentials but although its black the tassels give it a really summery vibe. 

Sunglasses: Fake Ray-Ban (cheap bitch and proud!) 

As I was saying in the first outfit about having a pop of colour, these glasses made this outfit go from simple to pretty damn cool if I do say to myself. Although these one's are fake you can get real one's from Ray-Ban called the Cyclamen Mirror. 

Here are some holiday snaps of these outfits in action! 

Happy Tanning xx 

What People Don't Tell You About Nose Piercings

Your piercer pretty much picks your nose

Rather than feeling the pain of someone sticking a needle through your skin, your brain gets distracted by the awkwardness of someones finger up your nose. 

You get a pimple when it's first pierced

Instead of people noticing your cool new bling, everyone just see's the giant pimple that appears right next to your piercing. It's pretty much your body rejecting the metal but don't worry it will go away within a week or 2. 

When you're sick, all your snot will get stuck around it

When I first wanted a nose piercing I was told all these stories about when you get sick and that you won't be able to blow your nose. The only thing you have to worry about is giving it an extra clean. 

Everyone will ask how it fits in your nose

And usually a demonstration of how you take it in and out will happen where everyone cringes. But that can be said for every "unusual" piercing people have. 

65% chance it will hang out when you sneeze

It doesn't happen every time but it can be a bit embarrassing when you don't realise it and everyone mistakes the metal bar hanging out your nose for a sneaky bogey. 

People either love it or hate it and will tell you their opinion

This one really surprised me, I happily take the complements people give me about it but the negatives were a bit unexpected. Would you tell someone who wore something you didn't like "That looks horrible I would never ruin myself like that"? Didn't think so..... 

And the good things......... 

It's the best conversation starter 

whether that is with other people with nose piercings, creating a bond of piercingness or with people who are curious about it, a total ice breaker! 

It's an excuse for having a cheeky pick

This is probably way to much info, but I'm just being honest if you ever get caught you can just say you're playing with your stud. 

You won't be able to imagine your face without it

It's the first thing you notice when you look in the mirror and it's a part of your life now. As well as looking totally gorgeous. 

It will change your life... a little bit

You now have something different from the norm, it's your tiny way of rebelling against the world without going too over the top. Not everyone can pull it off either, so if you can, flaunt it!

All Time Favourite Makeup Products

These products have helped me survive through college, 2 prom's and 2 years of university, making me look and feel like a flawless goddess so I thought i'd share them with you so you can add to or start a collection of holy grail products. 

MAC Studio Fix Power in NC 20 

This was the first face power I ever tried and I remember saving up for it in year 12 and getting so excited to purchase my first MAC product and feeling like a total makeup guru. Let me tell you, this power can survive some serious humidity and it has very good coverage so if you're feeling a more natural look without foundation this power is the one. 

Bourjois Delice de Poudre in shade 51 

Bronzer has the tendency to go very wrong, whether it's too dark or just way too shiny, bronzer is difficult to master. This bronzer makes everything so easy, it's simple to blend into the rest of you makeup to gives you a natural glow, has a matt consistency and it smells like chocolate, seriously who doesn't want their face smelling like chocolate? 

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in shade 02 + 03

This was my first benefit purchase as it came in a set called "How to look the best at everything". As you can tell I use the lighter shade far more because it works so well under your eyes. It's relatively thick so rubbing it in is a little bit of a challenge but once its on you can be sure it's not going anywhere. 

The Body Shop- Tea Tree Concealer Shade 02

What I like about body shop makeup is that as well as giving you coverage it also treats your skin which is exactly why i've brought this product about 3 times. I always apply it to spots because unlike other products which would make your spots worse, the tea tree oil treats it and you can be sure that after a day of wearing this your spot situation will be much less dramatic. 

Celia Creamy Makeup Pencil in Black

I remember stealing this from my mum when I was about 14 because all the other eye pencils I used made me poke myself in the eye. This pencil applies so beautifully smooth that you barely need to even touch your eye and it's super duper black that you only need to draw one line to have a noticeable affect. 

Collection 2000 Extreme Black Felt Tip Liner  

I think a lot of people will agree that this a drugstore treasure, once I discovered this 3 years ago I have never looked back. It is so thick, smooth and easy to apply compared to gel liners and such. I aways use this to create a winged liner look because it's just like colouring in a picture, a few lines and you're done. 

Chanel Rouge Coco shade 21 

When it comes to red lipstick it's either the best or nothing at all. I felt like a total makeup brat when I first purchased this but it's my go to red lipstick for any occasion. The deep red makes it look extremely classy and the hint of shine it bring to your lips is subtle and doesn't trash up your look like some red lipsticks. 

Estee Lauder Lip Conditioner 

After my mum finally got sick of me continuously using this she brought me my own. Now it may not look like it makes much of a difference to your makeup but if you put this over the top of a lipstick it stops the horrible cracking from happening....magic. I also like to use this overnight before going to sleep so it keeps your lips in tiptop condition. 

What are your all time favourite makeup products? xx