 WINNER BEST IBIZA BUSINESSMAN OF 2003
(Story and fotos courtesy of Ibiza Heute: ibiza-heute.de).
Translation by Bob Rounkle.
Who doesn´t know the small Taxi-boat from Talamanca to La Marina (Ibiza
harbor)?
And who doesn´t know the owner and Captain, Aniano, who always has
a smile and a freindly word for his passengers.
But almost no-one knows the story.
This small family business started over 71 years ago as an idea of the
Grandfather of the family.
It is a fascinating story, of perserverence from the hardships during
the Spainish Civil War to the success of today.
Christophe Ubbelohde (of Ibiza Heute)interviews the family and not without
reason: Aniano and his company were elected the best run business on Ibiza-2003.
"....I remebr one day as Aniano Costa Martiné, while he steered
his boat, pointed to a small hill, stuck bewtween the rocks of D'Alt Vila,.
He told me that is where his grandfather, Xico Pujol, int the difficult
days of the civil war, used to bring his goats there and milked them to
provide his family with cheese and milk.
Aniano is now 48 years old and the head of the 71 year old familty boat-taxi
business. It is hard work, but he still does it all with enthusiasm.
And finally, the payoff-"Best Businessman of the Year"....
The story goes back to the year 1932. During the early thirties Anianos'
Grandfather, Benjamin Costa Bailach, owned the bar "Estrella"
in the harbor. It was a meeting point for intelelctuals like Just Tur, poets
like Raphael Alberti and many more.
(Editor's note: Albertis biography explains that this was probably so because
the "Bar Estrella" had a radio).
In an case Benjamin (grandfather) built his "Llaud"-fishing boat
in 1932, so that he could transport passengers and goods across the harbor.
The idea of a Taxi-boat was born!...However it closed in 1934.....when Fascism
began to take a grip on the island. And Bemjamins opinions molested the
powers that be. There was nobody to help in depression times....Ibiza was
just an isolated island, and reprisals were the order of the day.
However, before the war broke out Benjamin sailed over to Valencia home
of the 'Republicanos'......burning enemies of Franco and Fascism.
When he returned he was arrested and sentanced to 14 years prison....where
he sat for seven years. Two of his 7 children fled to Algeria, Daniel and
Arcadio (the father of Aniano).....and even Aracdio (18 yrs. old at the
time) made the mistake of coming back to Ibiza too soon and was sentenced
to a year in prison as a deserter.
Benjamin, Anianos father became a friend of the poet Raphael Alberti.
who himself was a declared enemy of Franco and even though he was only on
the island a few weeks, he was witness to Francos's bombing of the city....and
escaped to Valencia. Anianos' mother sought protection in a cave on Tagomago,
and from there they could see the explosions and fires.
The island of Tagomoago in those days was owned by the Pujol family, but
during the civil war was confiscated by the state and sold to private Germans.
Many Ibicencan familes who owned large plots of land, but were not in agreement
with Franco, had their lands confiscated during these years.
The state sold the Pujol families island to the Germans for 8 million Euros.
In 1945, Benjamin starts all over again from nothing with his boat-taxi
idea. His boat "Virgen del Mar" was a former crab fishing boat
which was rebuilt by Juanito de N'a Cansia, known as 'maestro calafates'.......not
for his paintings but for his skill at boat rebuilding
During the 50's, Benjamins business blossomed...he hauled coral rock and
gravel from San Antonio to Ibiza and expanded to carrying passengers to
and from Formentera.
This view of the humble pier of the Taxi-boat in 1970 is taken from the
spot which is now Marina Botafoc, and the boy in the red t-shirt is Aniano.
Does anyone rememebr the former name of the hotel Ocean-Drive"?.....Right!---"THE
HOTEL BEMJAMIN" built and owned by Anianos grandfather.
Benjamin died in 1970. The family business passed to the two older brothers,
and from them to Aniano and his sister Lourdes.
Through the years the business had its ups and downs, and settled into
a regular rythim as taxiboat from Easter to the end of October.
It is gruelingwork from sun-up to sundown and the family now runs 3 boats.
Anainao says, "There are a lot of really hard working people on Ibiza.
That they single me as the business man of the year makes me very proud."
Ibiza before Botacoc (circa 1973). The Hotel Benjamin (now the Ocean-Drive)
in the lower left corner. | 