Highlights
Sitting under the stars with the boat next to us full of singers with a guitar
First dive for a swim off the boat
Arrival to Croatia
Trying the traditional cake of Slovenia (I feel like this is a trend of sorts but they are all so different and delicious - I think I’ll just need to try them all)
Learnings
Even in the ‘coldest’ moments on this trip I’ve been fine in a T-shirt and I’m glad I went ahead with all 4 bathing suits even though I thought that was crazy.
Jeremy - sailing gloves would have come in handy
I should make an invention to apply sunscreen to the mid back ...
We didn’t spend much time in Izola in the morning, just enough time to catch a coffee and mail some postcards. I may be asking for your addresses...
This was our first true full day on the boat, we had some ‘business’ to attend to in regards to borders and crossing them at the correct points which was going to take up much of our day. I’ve become pretty good at jumping off this boat and tying in the lines. I’ve learned a few knots as well, I’m pretty much a sailor now. Which I’ve been happily boasting to anyone who will listen from home (because I know I’m far from being a sailor - somewhat similar to how close I am to being a great fisherman - have you seen my first fish? I caught him just before I left... I’ll show you sometime if you ask)
So we stopped to leave Slovenia, stopped again to enter Croatia (these points we were not allowed off the boat so I don’t really recall the names) and then from there we were free on the open sea. We put the sails out and stopped to ‘open the swimming pool’ in this cute little cove. Jose needs to remove the dingy from the back for us to swim so we now dub this action as ‘opening the pool’. I forgot the water was salty - which made me laugh hysterically. Wish someone was here to understand my humour and laugh with me, instead of blank stares I usually get. That has been a real interesting part of the trip, I’ve been doing quite a bit of self evaluation because of it.
The swim was amazing, refreshing and all the things I was needing that day. I had purchased a slice of the cake before leaving Slovenia since we didn’t have time while there and share it with the girls. It had many layers and a nice orange fragrance in some. Light and delicious I’m happy I brought this moment for everyone. We continued on to Rovinj to port for the night. Here we did not go to a Marina, we simply attached to a buoy in the ocean and actually caught a water taxi over to the mainland for dinner.
Rovinj was a treat. So untouched by time in many ways especially the cobblestone streets. We walked all the way up to the main church and explored the history of the main saint here - Caitlyn and I were more in tune with this and we learned that St Euphemia is the protectress of Rovinj. The sarcophagus is kept within the church and protected since about the year 800 - being a woman she was scrutinized and tortured and martyred on the wheel of a carriage which is forever with her in the statue of her within the chapel.
This all happened around sunset, and what a beautiful time of day to be looking out over the city from the church.
We made our way back down towards the sea and our dinner spot. Another amazing dish tonight with my first Pivo (Croatian beer). The girls I’m travelling with are all teachers - two of them specializing in American history - and they are well travelled. They are great with languages and Antonia actually travelled through Croatia a little previously so she knows a few Croatian words, but overall the group knows little Cro. I’ve been trying to extend the language lessons I’ve received from my grandparents prior to travelling. The one thing I learned is that our family cheers we always say Gee-vio, but actually here they say it with an ‘L’ more like Gee-vialo. In Slovenia they also said thank you a bit different but now in Croatia it’s similar to what I was taught being Falah. In Slovenia it was a ‘hv’ sound instead of the f, more of a throat noise lol
I wish I had been better with language growing up like my sister was. It has been the biggest struggle along my journey as I like talking to people. Have I ever told you about my childhood nightmare? It’s similar to this... ask me sometime.
Dinner behind us, we still had time to explore before the taxi was to come so the ladies and I walked through a market where I stocked up on some fresh fruit for the boat and a handful of Pivo (which came in handy... prelude to another post since I’m now three days behind.) we all had a drink in the main square by the pier where it seemed every corner you turned had live music.
The girls left and I remained on the pier. Sitting with my feet over the edge I noticed the moon had a bright star beside it (the moon will be full on one of our days out at sea - this is incredibly exciting to me - I knew the first day that this would align lol) so I have this really crazy app called ‘OSR’ basically if you have it on your phone it becomes a window to the sky you are looking at and highlights the names of stars and constellations. It’s amazing. Turns out, this ‘star’ was Jupiter - if you didn’t hear there was a collision of sorts on this night which made it very bright in the sky. (Jeremy - a new goal - learn to photograph the night sky)
Another fun moment on the pier was a small group of children beside me throwing crumbs over for the fish - a team effort as another held a light over the edge so they could see the fish come nibble. I think I had
just as much excitement watching as they did.
Water taxi arrived and we went back to the boat. It’s always so hot inside that I’ve been finding it hard to simply go to sleep, even though I’m exhausted. So I laid out on the front of the boat for a bit (typical evening now) and was greeted by the drifting melody of guitar and friends singing on a boat nearby. With the moon above and the hymns below I drifted to sleep, and a little later on made my way into bed.
Another day avoiding being burnt - life is good.
Coffee in Izola before departing I will miss these views of my morning coffee.
Rovinj at night in the square where there was a fountain and the water was for drinking - this is common in small towns apparently. I of course drank from it if you were wondering
Hey mom! I’m not burnt! My swimsuit is a different color from my skin now - this is a highlight for me at least and I haven’t put many pictures of me up.
The view from the church during sunset
The view from the Pier where we had dinner
Breakfast- well more like lunch - on the boat - yup that’s another croissant and another roll on the belly lol!
The streets of Rovinj
A lovely moment in a Izola on the pier beside my coffee stop - these flowers are everywhere
Dinner! Traditional potatoe and I had a craving for something savoury so I went with a Gorgonzola chicken - so much food!
Inside the church!
The swimming pool is open!
This is the cake! It’s called Izolanka
Since my main was literally meat and potatoes I figured I should have something healthy. Tomatoes here are like candy - and I should have only ordered this really - I was already full. Must be the two beers I had for appetizers
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