M/VGratitude

Montenegro (for winter)

The Beautiful Crane in Porto Montenegro as seen from the bow of Gratitude. I have come to LOVE this piece of history symbolizing this special place

We arrived for the first time back in May and we loved it so much, we stayed for a month (when only planning a week). For those of you who know us, you are thinking “nothing new there”. And you would be right – we often change our plans when we arrive somewhere new, and I fall in love. But this was different. I wasn’t sure if that “difference” was born from open restaurants and shops after months of lockdown in Sicily or was there something special here? …

Our Lady of the Rock in the very distant background

Back in May, we did some of the standard touristic things such as Kotor, Perast, Our Lady of the Rocks, Budva, Stari Grad etc and if you came to this site to read about them, refer to our post in May 2021. We have some info there on some of the cool must-see spots if you are only here for a week or less.

But this post is going to be about wintering in Montenegro in general and specifically Porto Montenegro Marina. Our priorities when choosing a place to stay for the winter include:

1) The ability to stay in one place for 6 months and get caught up on schoolwork for Jack,
2) The presence (or promise) of a strong live-aboard community
3) The availability of maintenance and yacht care facilities to help facilitate winter maintenance and long-term care jobs.
4) Ample restaurants, shops, groceries, and diversions to keep us entertained all winter long tied to the dock.
5) Nice to have, and unfortunately lacking in PMontenegro is the availability of train service to connect to other cities/countries in Europe.

The non-EU status of Montenegro is itself a big consideration, but additional reasons to come and stay here are the outstanding facilities offered in Porto Montenegro – including yacht care businesses, and the extent of winter activities to enjoy.

If you are considering becoming a temporary (or permanent for that matter) Montenegrin citizen or resident, you probably already know that Montenegro is not in the EU or the Schengen area. For everyone except citizens of the EU, this is of particular importance since we Americans are only permitted 90 days out of every 180 days to travel within the EU and Schengen area. This restriction not only makes our summer cruising challenging, but it also makes our overwintering nearly impossible within the EU. We have been managing with extensions and in particular, extensions due to covid, but it is hard to plan for and count on in any event. One may not request an extension until they are nearing the end of their 90 days, and at that point, getting refused an extension makes it difficult to scramble and find alternative winter accommodation – especially when traveling by boat at 7 knots in potentially inclement weather in the winter.

While Montenegro has their own version of the 90/180 day immigration allowance, they are lenient in offering temporary residency to berth slip holders in the marina. Not only will the government permit a longer stay with proof of contract, but the marina also goes the extra mile in supplying an agent, at no personal cost to the berth holder, to obtain this residency card. The one hiccup we had aboard Gratitude is that, as Jack was too young to be considered “crew,” we had to hire an agent to handle just his paperwork. It was, unfortunately, 2500.00 Euro but knowing that we were legal and all paperwork in order, the money was well spent. I have no doubt that many have forgone the paperwork for the children, but we are attempting to gain citizenship here, so it was important for us that everything be done legally and carefully. So, for the first time since we arrived in Europe, we have been able to simply relax and not worry about our immigration status.

Not only are we free to relax in worry free enjoyment all winter, but the abundance of yacht care facilities is also impressive. Based upon the recommendation of other boat owners in the marina, we hired a Turkish company to install solar panels on our hard top, and we also purchased and installed new Victron Lithium Iron -phosphate batteries. We had a few small canvas jobs done and finally, as if by mutual agreement of each room/stateroom ceiling panel on board Gratitude, the headliners from the bow to the stern, from the port to the starboard all began separating. This is a job that we knew was coming. We had a couple of panels in the wheelhouse which needed to be done before we left in 2019 so we replaced them all there. We knew that the rest of the boat was on “borrowed time”, but I never would have expected that they would all decide, at the same time, to just let go. Such is the situation we find ourselves in today. But we are so fortunate that we are in a locale where this type of work is done routinely, and we can have it done before our departure in April. I say this whilst knocking on wood as the work has not yet even begun.

Alec has done a great deal of winter maintenance aboard, including oil/fuel filter changes, oil changes, fire extinguishers checked and recertified, and the emergency ditch bag contents inspected and replaced. Of course, he has also overseen the big solar power upgrade.

A view at night down to Kotor on the right

SCHOOL

Jack and I have been busy with schoolwork and he is soaring through with 94% of 5th grade math done! Highlights from this year’s curriculum have included events leading up to and including the American Civil War, the Gettysburg address which he has memorized, and the events of reconstruction. This was all a very timely segway into the Martin Luther King holiday. He has learned about Polk and the Westward Expansion as well as the 49ers and the California Gold Rush. In Science he has learned about energy, the transfer of energy, we have gone further in depth into Newton and the laws of motion. Jack and Alec have conducted a couple of experiments involving electromagnetic forces. We have studied various scientists, biology, reproduction in humans, plants and animals and cell division. In writing we have worked to develop our outlines and to write cohesive paragraphs and he is continuing to work in Spelling Connections and Grammar books. So, we have had a terrific success on the home-schooling front. I only mention this here because it has not always been this way. But this is a terrific achievement for us aboard Gratitude and one that must be celebrated!

THE MARINA

The Porto Montenegro has a lovely Crew Club which, though probably designed more to accommodate the crews of the large yachts in the marina, is lovely for the lowly owner operated boats also. This crew club hosts various events throughout the season, and these events facilitate connections and meetings with others. The liveaboard community is perhaps not quite as strong in terms of children as the previous 2 winters spent in Lagos, Portugal and in MDR, Sicily, respectively, but we are well and making friends and Jack has made a few local friends through the sailing center. An example of some of the trips the Crew Club have arranged, paintball -which Jack absolutely loved! the monthly trip to a different spa which I love, and a few bowling, beer, DJ type events for the people who don’t have an 11-year-old waking up to do school the next morning. We have made friends with hikers who arrange the odd hike which I’m hoping will result in a better understanding of the amazing country in which we find ourselves. There is nothing like a hike in the mountains to clear the head and warm the heart.

PM is a short 3-hour drive from the 1450 and 1600 Ski Centers in Kolasin and berth holders in the marina are treated to free accommodations at the ski lodge there. Additionally, the cost of the lift tickets is so reasonable 15-20 Euro per day, one can go every weekend. There is a nice mix of “green” and “red” (the equivalent of our blue in the US) slopes and a couple of Blacks which none of us explored. We were all delighted with the slopes, and we all took advantage of lessons. Alec and Jack together with Kim and Steve went to the bunny hill and after a small skills test, I went up the mountain with my instructor to tackle the mountain. We were all rusty, the last ski trip we took was probably 5 years ago, but we all survived with nothing more than sore muscles and fantastic memories of a wonderful adventure. I never knew that there was any decent skiing here in Montenegro but there is an effort afoot to improve the facilities and build more ski in/ski out accommodations. Westin is even putting a hotel right at the base of the slopes. I continue to marvel at how much there is to see and do in this amazing country – and yet it was a place I had hardly ever even heard of before beginning this trip! But if you do book travel – based on our short time here, we will not recommend arriving in December! It rained nearly every day during the month. January has been far sunnier, and rumor has it that the sunny days will continue to outnumber the rainy ones from this point forward.

THE RESTAURANTS/SHOPS

In Porto Montenegro Marina there are 2 small grocery stores but another slightly larger grocery store approx. 5 km away. There is development happening which promises a larger grocery store, more shops and even a cinema but that is 2 years away. For now, the shops which are here are very high end with most boaters like us taking a pass. The restaurants, however, are another matter and we love nearly all of them. Within a very short (5-10 minutes’ walk) one can find pizza as delicious as what we enjoyed in Italy, a good steak, a Mexican kind of fusion restaurant, lots of local places and tons of bakeries. We have been having an amazing time enjoying eating out and socializing in a way we were unable to do last year in lockdown in Sicily. As residents we are permitted vaccines when we are due to have them, and we are very kindly received in the medical facility. We have taken Pratt to the vet for some weird behavior (thank God he is just fine) and the exam and blood tests cost 50 Euro. We have had our own blood taken and tested and it cost 18.00 Euro. This in contrast to the several hundred dollars we spent getting our blood tested in the US. I’m due to have a mammogram this year and a regular checkup is behind schedule so Ill update the blog when I’m able to accomplish this, but I have begun asking around and heard that it is a simple and inexpensive matter to take care of. Which is to say, if you are considering wintering here, I have found no reason thus far to indicate you should not. We have loved our time here immensely. On a slightly more indulgent note, there are a few spas very nearby and each priced reasonably. Also, there are people easy to come by who will wash the inside or outside of your boat and watch and maintain your boat while you are absent. The prices for these services vary so best to inquire before you book. So that is all for now! Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year!!

This hot chocolate was so think you could “eat it” Amazing!!

AMERICA!!

Downtown Cleveland, Browns’ stadium and Lake Erie in the back ground

AMERICA!!!!

After 3 years of living aboard and 2.5 years since we left Florida to head East for Europe, we finally flew “home” for a visit. We certainly would have made the trip sooner if not for Covid, but our trip last year was cancelled, due to being unable to return to Europe. As restrictions were easing a bit and our need was increasing – we made the trip back to the US for a 6-week visit. Not certain how much time we would need, the 6 weeks was an arbitrary time limit we booked, but hindsight 20/20 – we barely accomplished all the items on the “to do” list before boarding the plane to return.

We were in heaven with all of the English books and comic books! We love Barnes and Noble!

Most of the time spent in the US was overwhelmingly happy. We shared precious experiences with family and friends, we enjoyed worship in our favorite Church, we went to our nieces wedding, and we ate like kings! But we also had some “admin” tasks to take care of. Below are some of the details:

Our priest, Father Christian in the middle between a Rabbi and an Imam One thing I love about our church is the constant bridge building Fr. Christian and the congregation of St. Marys do with not only other communities but also other faiths. It was a fantastic discussion.

One of the crucial items on the “return to the US list” was to obtain documentation necessary for our citizenship request in Montenegro. This is a huge item and worthy of its own post, so I’ll leave it there except to say, one of the documents we needed was original Social Security cards – which of all the items we needed, this was the most difficult to obtain. Rarely one to complain and having spent the past 3 years wading in the bureaucratic quagmire of several other countries, I can only say that what is passing for acceptable in our Social Security system right now in the United States is deplorable. For us to merely get a copy of our cards, we had to mail, (not drop off in person) our passports, together with their forms obtained online, and pray that these documents (which we needed to return home to Europe) were received in their office and wait patiently, with no assurance that the documents were received, or that the cards would be forthcoming, or when this may happen. We went to 3 different offices, in person, praying that someone would give us any assurance or information at all, and each place only responded that we needed to call or write. They wouldn’t even let us in the front door, citing Covid. At what point are we going to stop using a virus as an excuse. I am all for requiring masks, even requiring vaccines if that is what is needed to ensure the health and wellbeing of your staff. But to refuse entry into a government building that I have paid for with my taxes for 40 years, while EVERY other business and government office in town is operating as business as usual, is an excuse. We did call – on hold for hours at a time, only to be disconnected to try it all over again. We Fed-Ex’ed the documents a couple of days after we arrived in the US and by some- not so small miracle, we got our documents back to us 3 days before we left. Phew… 6 weeks to obtain duplicate copies of our social security cards… But I digress… on to happier news…

Nobody can match Disney for Star Power!!

Anyone who knows us, knows that Jack is a huge Star Wars fan. Disney bought George Lucas films and as only Disney can do, they turned a huge parcel of Disney Hollywood Studios into a Star Wars themed extravaganza. While this big change happened after we had already left the US, our friends Kay and Ron have been planning to show Jack this fantastic wonderland of imagination and fantasy. No detail has been overlooked to transport the visitor into many of the Star Wars movies, whether one is on the ride or walking through the park. Wanting this to be a memorable experience for Jack, Kay booked him into everything from the “build a light saber” and “build an R2Unit” to getting us fast passes to all our favorite rides. Certainly, together with our time with Kay and Ron, this would have been more than enough to make the trip completely unforgettable, but Kay and Ron also treated us to a VIP tour for the day whereby a cast member takes you through the parks and magically transports you to the front of the line for your favorite experiences. While lines are a part of Disney life – we were treated like royalty as we enjoyed the attractions in a completely unforgettable way. We love you Ron and Kay and we are so grateful to have had the opportunity to be together for those few days. Thank you for a positively unforgettable experience.

Maura (our niece) and Michael were married on October 6 in Cleveland, OH. We have been planning to attend this beautiful celebration and as they are the first grandchild wedding, it was not only a special family milestone, which we were so pleased to attend, it was a great chance to be with so many other family members who had traveled for the same event. Knowing that the wedding was going to be a busy time for the bride’s family, I decided to travel up for a weekend before the wedding to spend with them for her shower. It was the perfect solution- giving me some “one -on -one” time with my sister and her family – totally apart from the typical wedding frenzy.

But the bonus of these 2 trips, which I had not anticipated, was the opportunity to play “tourist” in my own hometown. While I was reared in Cleveland OH, I left just a month after my 18th birthday. When I return for visits, it is solely to see family, in fact, I rarely carve out time to even spend with childhood friends since my time there is so limited. The last thing I plan is time to explore the city of my birth, despite the wonderful changes that have taken place there in the past 30 years.

These 2 trips back afforded me the chance to do all those things, while enjoying family. We had the celebration of the wedding, I enjoyed a terrific time reconnecting with a friend whom I have known for nearly 5 decades, but hardly ever see, – and have our children meet (I love you Peggy). I spent time getting to know my sister’s friends in a very cool island town called Put-In-Bay, about 35 miles East of Toledo. Put-In-Bay, OH, boasting a year-round residency of 138 according to the 2010 census, was the locale of a famous battle in the War of 1812. High on Jacks wish list was to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, known simply as “The Rock Hall” to Clevelanders, and finally, I was looking forward to seeing the very popular exhibit, The Van Gogh Experience, which has been making the rounds on both sides of the Atlantic, both were terrific activities, which we shared with my mom and Stepfather (Thanks Mom and Craig).

The Van Gogh Experience and The Rock Hall – Thanks Mom and Craig!

Finally, the nicest memories will certainly be our re-connecting with our friends back in Stuart, FL, where we live. While I was going through photos for the blog, I was surprised at how few I have – but I remembered the moments as though they happened yesterday. While we were home, the trip back was far less about documenting an event or keeping a memory for later, but more to be in the moment and truly re-connect in a meaningful way with friends. The phone was tucked away, and I probably spent 3 minutes in total on any social media the entire 6 weeks we were in the US. I sat and talked with neighbors and friends, and it felt as though the miles and time between us evaporated. In so many ways, it was shocking how easily we slipped into old routines and navigating around our town felt as though we had never gone. We are changed – and even though we see things through a different lens, the landscape is familiar and comfortable. I have spoken of the “stickiness” of and inertia of our lives and how hard it can be to break free, to move into a new life – but this trip back reminded me of the incredible resilience – the human ability -to adapt to a new environment. It was nearly “jarring” how being back in our home returned us to our old lives so easily, and how quickly we all could imagine moving back home. Which is NOT to say that we want to move back anytime soon – just that if we needed to – we could. In fact, this trip got us considering just that…

Here are just a few photos of the most precious memories and times we enjoyed while back home. We love you all so very much!!

Alec and I have talked about returning in time for Jack to enter high school with his peers (for the US it is the final 4 years before university), and this trip involved us getting more information to help us to make that decision. A friend of ours is a teacher at a wonderful high school in Palm Beach and she put us in touch with the admissions personnel who arranged a visit to the school. This visit put into stark contrast what the cost of continuing with boat school would be for Jack.

Production Studio at the Benjamin School, Palm Beach

We have an ongoing balance sheet (metaphorically speaking) of benefits and costs of this life, and without a doubt, we are clearly in the black in terms of what this has cost Jack and us and what we all have gained. Going back and getting a tour of the High school he would attend, showed a growing deficit should we continue beyond high school. The reality is that Jack is incredibly bright, and not only would we be unable to intellectually and creatively challenge him sufficiently to prepare him for college, but we could never provide him with the resources of that the high school we visited. The final consideration that we are grappling with is that we would like for him to have the daily relationships with his high school buds that are unique to that life, including the dances, the football and sporting games, and the clubs that we just can’t arrange in this life. Don’t get me wrong, so far it has been fantastic and the relationships he made last year are ongoing. He continues to facetime and text with them all. But going forward in high school, this is going to be harder to maintain.

Trick or treat (Halloween) in the US is another whole thing…

So, back on board in Montenegro, and we have so much to blog about next week or month – depending on when I get to it. We have new solar panels on the hard top, we changed to lithium ion batteries, we have really gotten down to business in school and we have fallen into a blissful routine of life here in Porto Montenegro.

Merry Christmas and Thanks for reading!!!

“Are you ok”? No post for 4 months!?

“Is Everything OK? We haven’t read a post from you for 4 months?!?!”

I received this text just a couple of days ago and it has been on my mind and heart to update the blog for weeks. But this text really drove home how long it has been. I will attempt to begin the chronicle of the past few months now, but I know full well that I will not do any of it justice having left it so long.

SLOVENIA

We last left off in Venice…

Having spent a month in Venice and the North of Italy, we were ready to move on, but as often happens at the end of the cruising season, we tend to become anxious to get on with the chores awaiting us in the off season. More so this year, as we were planning a trip back to the US on October 1.

So, as we were nearing the end of our summer, we began looking forward, more than living in the present. Despite this, I lobbied Alec and Jack to allow us 1 more stop on the itinerary which would cause us a delay of however many days we decided to stay, and a short detour of just a few hours. I don’t remember when a detour was more justified or rewarded than our stop in Slovenia.

Since we were arriving from another EU country, there were no customs formalities on our arrival. We simply proceeded to the Portoroz Marina. While Slovenia garners a scant 47 KM of coastline on the Gulf of Trieste by the Adriatic, there are 3 major waterfront villages, Koper, Piran and Portoroz. Since this was a last-minute detour and, if I’m honest, I think we have all had enough organized touring, we just wanted to take in the new sites and enjoy one final week in a new and unfamiliar place. What a magical country to do just that. We focused on enjoying each other and the sweet final days of summer with no obligations or schedules.

In hindsight and if you are considering a trip to this area, we could have easily filled another few weeks here. There was so much left unexplored in this amazing country of only 2 million residents. It is for this reason; I don’t want to just gloss over it in the 4-month recap. If we had it to do over again, we would have spent 2 of the weeks we had in Italy, here.

The first day we were there, we decided to just have a stroll along the water and see where the road lead – eventually we walked to the next village 4 km north. We discovered Piran, a medieval village with Venetian and Gothic architecture, amazing restaurants, charming shops and sun bathers and swimmers lying about on the rocks near the waters edge. Enjoying this day, eating when hungry, having no idea what we may encounter and just being in the moment were the nicest memories I have of this final stop on our summer cruise.

We took a shared ride to the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana, 120 km. from Portoroz on day 2. The shared ride was not the best way to travel back and forth so if you are planning a trip, consider a bus or a cab to better improve your options. In fact, if we could do it over again, we would have rented a car and/or gotten a hotel room in Ljubljana for the night. It is the most charming town with a completely different feel from any other Mediterranean city we have visited. There was something Northern European about the feel of the city. Yet the architect, Joze Plecnik, who created so many buildings and bridges here, was said to have created it after Greece. Regardless, the effect was enchanting, and we all loved it.

THE DRAGON BRIDGE WITH MANY MYTHS AND LEGENDS

The culinary scene made all of us wish we had another stomach! There was a food festival happening when we were there, and we could not get enough of the amazing food being prepared in these small tents. Making room for another chance at the food tents, we walked up to the castle on the hill, and meandered along the river. We enjoyed walking and exploring this green city with lots of parks and green spaces from end to end.

We celebrated my birthday in Slovenia this year and it is a birthday I will always cherish for the quiet and peaceful way that we enjoyed those final special lazy days of summer before the pressing responsibilities of school and life begin pushing in.

CHECKING OUT OF THE EU – THANKS FOR A LOVELY SUMMER!

While we had no formalities arriving at Portoroz, it was necessary for us to officially “check out” of the EU, as our next port of call is Montenegro. We left Portoroz immediately following our PCR tests and motored to Piran, where there is an EU Customs/Immigration office. The 32 hour passage from Slovenia to Montenegro was uneventful and a perfect end to a blissful summer of cruising. Gratitude performed flawlessly, thanks to Alec’s relentless maintenance and care. In total this summer since leaving Sicily, Italy on May 1, we put 206 hours on our main engine as it motored us 1306 NM. We consumed 1013 gallons of diesel including the time spent with our generator operating. The generator usage was higher than it is normally, due to the days spent at anchor. In fact, due to our preference to be at anchor in the summer and not have our generator operating needlessly, we have decided to re-power for our electrical needs with Victron LifePo batteries and adding solar capabilities on our hardtop. As we are in the midst of this project, Ill update the blog later on the particulars. But it is our desire to be able to recharge the batteries efficiently for a couple of hours every couple of days to meet all our electrical needs. We will see how that goes.

For now, Ill leave this post here and follow next week with a post about our trip back to the US. We were there for 6 weeks, and we hardly slowed down.

Venice (with road trip to Piacenza, Verona, Lake Garda)

Italy – Venice, Road trip to Piacenza, Verona, Lake Garda and Milan

Ok, so housekeeping first, if you follow us on Instagram (@gratitudelaurie) or you have seen us in Slovenia or Montenegro, you may be wondering why I’m talking about Venice. Well, the answer my dear friends: we are swamped. Which is to say, our lives are fuller than I have the time to document. In fact, even our digital presence on social media has been sparse.

Nonetheless, it is important to us to chronicle this adventure, and the people we enjoyed, even if it is a bit behind schedule. The good news is while the winter months are much slower for me writing wise (but fuller in school and winter activity), I’ll have more things about which to write when February comes along.

As I write this, we are tucked into our winter home already in Porto Montenegro. I am perhaps, even more excited to write about this amazing place because it is the view from our ports right now. When I am in a place, I am so infused with appreciation for the surroundings that it is hard for me to imagine any other place more or even equally lovely. But I digress – we must return to mid-August when we were still in Venice, and the majestic green velvet mountains of Montenegro were yet to come.

Venice – Parte Terza (Part 3)

My sister’s visit was full to brimming in complete and total US touristic fashion. I knew that Alec, Jack and I would be going to Verona and Lake Garda, and we had considered going for a few days, which would be our preference. Kelly only had 6 days to enjoy us and Italy so when I asked her if she would like to go there, she was an enthusiastic YES to the plan. Still, going for 2 or 3 days would be a bit of a waste with all that there is to do or see in Venice. So, we took the train from Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia to Verona (1 ½ hours). Once there, our guide collected us and brought us on a whirlwind tour of Lake Garda and Verona. As a reminder, we receive no compensation for any recommendations here -ever. When we find a tour guide so wonderful that we recommend her/him, it is because I want everyone to experience it. If you read the blog, you know that only a few and far between guide gets a mention here. I only give details when the guide is exceedingly wonderful at their job, and it is unlikely you will find a comparable guide on your own. Maria Pia is such a guide. Her whatsapp number is +39 335 367 063

Maria Pia met us at the station in Verona and walked us around the town in Lake Garda and Verona. Her true love and knowledge of history and her own town was apparent. Now- fully initiated, I would say that no trip to Northern Italy is complete without a visit to this truly special UNESCO World Heritage Site. Awarded a place on the list due to its “urban structure and architecture”, most visitors come to see the famed Juliet balcony from Romeo and Juliet. According to Wikipedia, it is unknown if Shakespeare ever visited Verona or Italy. But according to Maria Pia, the hero and heroine of the play lived here, and she showed us the homes in which they lived.

Juliet’s Balcony And below imagine living in a city with so many ancient ruins that the shops must build around them!!

The First century Roman amphitheater is another spectacular site and the venue for shows and operas.

But for me, the history of Verona is the main reason one should visit- and be sure to get a guide – so much is lost just meandering the beautiful streets. A literal timetable of the centuries is played out in every piazza and with a qualified guide, one can begin to see which architectural detail is attributed to each century. The history itself is stories of Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Della Scala’s and Lombard’s. Any lover of Italy or its history would love a week or more here. Symbols of Italy’s storied history are present throughout, from the Lion of St. Mark (the symbol of the Venetian Republic) and the She Wolf (the symbol of Rome) – though now, Verona is a remarkable city in her own right. Stunning architecture from the Middle Ages is present throughout, but much of it (including the remarkable Arena) was rebuilt following a 12th century earthquake. The re-building was done in a Romanesque style. Itself a city worthy of a week or more, we crammed a trip to Lake Garda into the same day.

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy and located between Venice and Milan near the base of the Dolomites. Formed by Glaciers, the clear waters now draw tourists from around the world. The permitter of the lake could be traveled in 1 day if not for the slow traffic that winds around at 30 km/hour at the fastest. The towns are charming and filled with chic restaurants, shops and even a few theme parks. Coming from Florida, we will have our fill of these when we return in October, but they are a big business for visitors traveling from all of Italy and beyond. We had hoped to visit Lake Maggiore and Lake Cuomo but alas, it will have to wait for another time.

Kelly’s visit was memorable for so many reasons, not the least of which, during these crazy Covid times, we have been missing family and that connection more than we realized. Having the opportunity to share with my sister these impressive and special places did so much to add to our experience together. I hope that she will remember these lovely towns as fondly as we will.

Sending Kelly off with tears in our eyes and the reminder that we will see each other soon, we changed the sheets on the bunks and welcomed Serena and her boys a few days later.

Serena, Gabriele and Tommy

Gabri, Tommy, Serena and the Gratitude crew in St Marks Square

Friends and readers will recognize from the photos Serena and Gabri and Tommy, our Italian teacher, and her family from Sicily. We became fast friends over the winter spent in Marina di Ragusa, but when we left, we weren’t sure if/when we would see each other again. When we arrived in Venice, I reached out in hopes that our return to Italy would permit another chance at spending time together.

Serana and Marco cooking us dinner in Sicily last winter

I knew that Serena and Marco had another home in Piacenza, but I didn’t know that Serena would be there all summer to complete an accreditation course for teaching English. The timing was perfect since Kelly was leaving Venice just as Serena’s class was coming to an end. So, the rendezvous was set for her to arrive- first in Venice with the boys- and then we would travel with her back to Piacenza

In the same fashion that many people close to and so familiar with their own national treasures don’t visit them (I can go anytime…) Serena had never been to Venice. Even though it is but a 3-hour train trip away, like so many of us, she just figured she would get around to it another time. So, Serena and her boys made their first trip to Venice while coming to visit their American friends.

We spent 4 days together here -slowly and comfortably meandering through the 120 or so islands which make up Venice. This in sharp contrast to the week earlier spent with my American sister seeing and doing absolutely everything that could possibly be crammed into a 1 week stay. So, in this way, my “assimilation” as an Italian was already underway. Which got me thinking…

Why do we travel and why specifically do we live aboard a boat moving from country to country? Surely it would be far easier by hopping aboard a cruise ship (the current climate of covid notwithstanding) and having a leisurely trip, with all meals prepared, and maintenance done by other people, through these magnificent countries.

There is something completely different about the experience of LIVING in a new country. Something gained through having to find goods and services in a town or cook vegetables and eat fruits obtained in season at the local market. When we don’t have English speaking people around us, we become pretty good at communicating with neighbors in their language or more likely and accurately, in the universal language of hand signals. But even after nearly a year of living in Italy, we were still experiencing it as if through a pane of glass. We had Italian friends with whom we socialized, for whom we prepared dinners and who graciously and constantly showed us the loveliest bits of what it means to be “Italian”. But even still, I wasn’t aware until recently that I was only looking at life as an Italian rather than living life as an Italiana.

On this most recent trip to Piacenza, I felt at once home in Italy and as though I was truly living as and with my Italian friends. We spent 6 days together there and, in that time, we fully relaxed and experienced the dolce Vita and each other. If we needed to rise early, we took a relaxed approach to the rest of the day. If we were able to sleep in, we did. If we had the time to sit and chat over a café, we took the opportunity and we enjoyed it, thoroughly. But the biggest immersion into Italian life came at Mateo’s birthday party. Mateo was turning 9 and the celebration was at Mateo’s Nonna’s house. For nearly everyone present, English was a struggle. But those who could try – did try. I tried my Italian but rather than it improving in the presence of native speakers, it seemed to get worse. But I was able to understand more of the conversation than in the past, and my lack of understanding did little to hamper my love of the language. For my ear, Italian is the loveliest sounding language, and I could listen for hours.

Paola, Serena’s mother, prepared a melanzana (eggplant) parmesan which was simple and amazing and something I will be preparing as a regular addition to our meal rotation. Paolo, Serena’s brother, brought me on a tour of the extensive garden and shared with me the most amazing pomodoro (tomatoes) I have ever eaten, sun ripened and delicious right from the vine. Figs were ripening on the tree as were pears. A nut which I could not identify was the source of a liquor described to me by Elena who invited me to her father’s house a few blocks away to try it. How could I (a non-drinker by the way) say no? Off we went to be invited in and shown exquisite hospitality by her mom and dad. With no invitation, no notice whatsoever, I was unceremoniously walked into their home and invited to sit and enjoy. In Italian (of course) Elena explained to her parents who I was and why I was sitting in their kitchen. They could not have been any warmer or lovelier. It turns out, even if one can’t understand a single word of the others language, there is absolutely no mistaking the energy emitted from them. Pure kindness, pure hospitality. Out came the finest glasses and a bottle of the noce liquor. Several days later I discovered that it was walnut liqueur that I was drinking, and it had been in the cabinet since 1975!!! Insisting that I take some with me, they poured a huge helping into another bottle and sent me on my way. As nobody could possibly have more than a few oz. and remain standing, it will likely be on board Gratitude for the next decade.

Caretakers of the Italian Villa next door, Paola and her husband (tragically one of the early victims of this pandemic) have been working for Signora Franca’s for decades. The villa was built in 1903 and still has most of the original furnishings and floors. Surviving 2 wars and 3 generations, this villa has been impeccably maintained and managed. Signora Franca invited us to have a look and at once, it was as though I was transported through the decades.

Segnora Franca – quintessential Italian style and Grace

Signora Franca’s husband (also recently deceased) was a writer for the national newspaper and frequently covered the events at the Teatro alla Scala – the opera house in Milan. This lovely villa, an hour by train from Milan, hosted musicians, and entertainers for a century.

During our time in Piacenza, we visited the Farnase Palace, The duomo in Piacenza, the Palazzo Gotico, the Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza, and the Borgo Bobbio on the Trebbia River for some swimming and gelato. Look at a few of the photos below.

But the absolute highlight and tesora (treasure) of our time here was the connection we made with our new and old friends. This connection is what has reached into our soul and become a part of who we are. This is what we will take with us as we prepare to leave Italy. It isn’t the Murano glass, it is the stories, the laughs, and the smiles. It is also the recipes and lessons taught to us by our friends. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Honorable mention before I close out Italy, my birthday celebration at the famed Farnaci Opera House to see “Renaldo” with Aty and Mohammad.

Venice – Seconda parte (Part 2) Murano, Burano, Santaelena

Gratitude in the background – Santaelene Marina Venice

“Venice”. Few cities conjure more many images both from popular art/culture as well as it’s storied past. If you read my last blog, you know that I was more than a little disillusioned with my perception of Venice and the reality that greeted us. If you haven’t read it, I would recommend that you start there as this is one of the few places that truly has 2 sides to its coin and to miss one is to not appreciate the whole.

Quintessential Venice – Doges Palace in the background

Jack hears my regular mantra “where you place your attention expands,” weekly. Which is to say, if you wish to be happy, stop looking at the things that annoy you. No place was this more helpful than in Venice. In fact, I can think of no world in which focusing on the positive is more important than in travel in general and specifically, in living on a boat subject to the vagaries of weather, culture, government bureaucracy, and the list goes on. In our last post I pointed out some of the irritating bits of Venice – but those things aside, Venice is spectacular for so many reasons – those are where we will place our attention.

Kelly arrived during our second week in this city and having flown all night and across 5000 miles, we felt the very least we could do was collect her in a water taxi. Prepared to stand, sign in hand with her name on it, Jack arrived ready to wait patiently for his aunt, but Kelly beat us to the punch, and she walked through the doors literally moments before we did. We whisked her off to the awaiting chariot and enjoyed the stunning views as we traveled from the airport, through Murano to Venice.

Once on board, Kelly brought out presents from Christmas’ past and future and we shared presents we have been saving for her. Huge highlights of these first moments on board include the yummy reese’s cups Kelly brought me- which I haven’t been able to buy since we arrived in Europe, and Nerds candy which Jack has been missing. But mostly it was just pure joy at having reconnected physically with a loved one we have been apart from for so long. This visit was made even more special by the sacrifice we know Kelly made to be here. A schoolteacher, she usually has the summers off to recover from a VERY demanding job. But this summer she opted to teach summer school to children who were falling behind due to the distant learning Covid situation. As a result, she only had a very shortened break from school/work and this she shared with us. Now serious travelers might be tempted to think it was she who got the better end of the deal, but Kelly isn’t a solo traveler – she had to go WAY outside of her comfort zone to be with us. And for this, we are, and will remain, incredibly grateful. Thank You Kelly so much for sharing this special time with us. We love you.

So, we arrived from the airport via water taxi to where Gratitude was berthed, on the far Eastern side of Venice at the Santaelena Marina. A lovely place to stay and the only marina from which to walk to Venice, Santaelena is still a longish hike to the main center – 20-30 minutes in each direction. But it wasn’t long before we discovered the best part of Santaelena may well have been the gentrified neighborhood called the Castello, the only Sestieri (district), of the 6 in Venice, where we felt like a community existed. Enjoying an authentic Italian meal in one of the many restaurants which lined the Via Garibaldi in Castello made us feel at once as though we had found the missing gem of what was once Venice. Waiters waved at friends passing by. Shop owners sold items a homeowner might need, not trinkets a tourist might bring the cat sitter at home. One can stroll and feel a part of an authentic neighborhood on the wide road, rather than get jostled in a throng of foreign visitors- (yes, I know – we are foreigners).

Just a bit further East from the Via Garibaldi lies the beautiful Giardini – a lovely park full of trees and the sound of cicadas the only sound for miles. Kids can run or play on the structures and there are plenty of benches to share a lunch or drink purchased from a nearby deli or perhaps stop at one of the 2 cafés in the area for an Aperitivo in the afternoon.

If the St. Marks Basilica left me in search of that spiritual connection I usually enjoy when walking into a holy place, the Chiesa di Sant’Elena filled the gap. Passing this gothic church each time we walked out of the marina gates, and reminded of its presence as the bells tolled daily from the tower, this church holds the remains from the mother of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Saint Elena was credited with giving Christians the freedom of worship and she is further credited with finding the cross and nails used in the crucifixion of Jesus. Originally buried in Rome, then transferred to Constantinople (now Istanbul), she was brought to Venice in 1211 according to Venetoinside.com.

Piazza San Marco – side entrance to St. Marks on the left of photo

But the most famous sestiere in Venice is the locale of Piazza San Marco. Anchored at one end by the basilica and the Museo Correr on the Western side, along the entire square are shops and the piazza is full to brimming most hours of the day. Lovely cafes and restaurants serve cappuccino and pizza to the more indiscriminate tourists (often in need of a restroom). But for my taste, walk another 20 or so minutes to the other side of the Rialto bridge, or North to one of the charming neighborhoods to find a more authentic and relaxed meal or coffee. If it is a restroom you need, look closely for the signs which will direct you to a public space where for the cost of 1 Euro you can use a reasonably clean facility. No description of the Piazza would be complete without an honorable mention of the Campanille and the clocktower – both of which any visitor can’t help but see.

Formerly the capital of the Republic of Venice from 697 – 1797, Venice was a major powerhouse of trade and commerce – particularly spices, silks, and art during the renaissance period. The history of Venice is fascinating and too complicated to get into here but the most beautiful palace I have ever seen must be the Doge’s palace, the former residence of the Doge (technically duke) of Venice. The first Doge was elected in 697 and it is important to note, this elected office, though initially powerful, became more shared with other elected officials. There was one attempt of a Doge attempting to take over and he was summarily executed, and his portrait remains covered inside the palace where all the Doges portraits are hanged according to our tour guide, and according to Wikipedia, the doge had a very low salary.

Kelly remarked on several occasions “the Basilica looks larger than life from the outside, though once inside, it appears quite small”. We enjoyed a tour of the Doge’s Palace and learned that St. Marks Basilica was the private chapel of the Doge. One can’t help but marvel at the intensely ornate Italo-Byzantine architecture, though gothic details are throughout. Over 100 years of construction, the Basilica was completed in 1092, though it has only been the city’s cathedral (the seat of the bishop) since 1807. Since its inception it has been known as the Chiesa d’Oro (church of gold) due to the extensive gold mosaics and ornamentation. Walking through the plaza, and passing the cathedral on countless trips through the city in the month-long visit, we never saw the basilica the same way. Each time we passed, there was some new detail we missed on earlier visits, some new prospective or viewpoint. The way the sun cast shadows just right at certain times of the day, or the presence of or more accurately, absence of, hundreds if not thousands of other visitors. If you come to Venice, try to see it very early in the morning while the city still sleeps.

Since we left Florida in 2019, we have been to countless (seriously, I can’t count the number) of churches and holy sites in dozens of countries. Reared Catholic and currently members of the Episcopal church, we enjoy entering churches and spending a few moments in quiet silence, either in prayer or just peaceful meditation. We frequently light candles, and we ask Jack to just say a few words of greeting and hello to God. I am always able to feel… something. I can’t qualify or quantify it, but I feel some spiritual presence. There are times when I enter, and I feel goosebumps and even once I entered and felt emotional – not unlike the time in the National Gallery in London when I felt overwhelmingly emotional looking at a Monet painting. I have no idea why, but waiting for the “feeling” to arrive in the St. Marks Basilica -and it may be entirely just me and the crushing crowd -but at no time during the entire visit did I get the slightest spiritual tingling. Now, the chapel is nothing if not stunning. Ornate statues abound, mosaics cover the floors, gold is literally everywhere one looks. There are places to light candles and chairs to pray. There was even a confessional where priests would hear confession, but I felt the same as if I was visiting any other tourist site.

About a mile North of Venice and another series of linked islands is Murano. Settled by the Romans in the 6th century and once a prosperous fishing port, Murano is best known for the artisans who blow glass. Forced out of Venice due to the dangers from the ovens, all the glass producers were required to move here in 1291. According to Wikipedia, some of the most important brands of glass in the world are the Venini, Mandruzzato and, others. We visited the Venini shop and enjoyed watching them work their magic and even brought some home. Be careful if you visit Venice to ensure that you are purchasing authentic Murano glass.

Visitors to Murano mustn’t miss the nearby island of Burano. A complement to the industry of fishing and glass blowing, Burano is best known for the beautiful lace crafted in an island charmingly decorated with various brightly colored shops and houses. I’m not sure if Kelly didn’t inquire about it from the Venini shop if we would have found it on or own, but the Venini shop graciously offered to deliver us to Burano with their company “car” (water taxi).

Master Artists blowing life into new glasses on glasses

The legend states that a fishman, leaving behind his lover, gifted her with a lovely design made from seaweed for her to remember him while he was fishing. As the seaweed began to dry, the women, desperate to preserve it, began to weave the pattern with needle and thread on a cushion. Removing the cushion once the pattern is complete, reveals the stunning needlework left behind. Several hundred years later these shops exist selling handmade and very high-end lace products – and everything from clothes to tablecloths.

The lovely shops aside, this island comprised of 5 islands, is one of the most charming in my opinion. An artist’s heaven for all the flower boxes and brightly colored buildings, it is just a wonderful way to spend the day, walking and strolling around this town.

Every street a delightful surprise of color and details

Even though I am approaching my personal maximum 2000 words per post, there is still much to write about on Kelly’s week in Venice so stay tuned for a 3rd installment of Venice coming soon.

Good-Bye Croatia – Hello Venice!!

Good-Bye Croatia – Hello Venice!!

Continuing our cruise North, the final stop on our Croatian itinerary is Rovinj. A charming little fishing village on the Istrian peninsula, this was the best place to land for our final stop in Croatia.

Situated in a nearly straight-line distance from Venice across the Adriatic, the two cities couldn’t be more different. Once Venetian, the only evidence of Rovinj’s past are the infamous stone lions carved on the façade of buildings and the Italian being spoken by the locals. In fact, Italian and Croatian are both official languages. As with all the stops on our summer cruise, English is widely spoken by even the most modest shop keeper.

Still a fishing village, tourism dollars seem to be pushing out the fishermen, as evidenced by the strictly 5-star hotel accommodations and the higher end shops selling ceramics and trinkets to foreigners.

The towns which seem to speak to me the most are those in which the locals abound, enjoying their town, amongst and despite the tourists. The towns where everyone, regardless of wealth or home zip code can appreciate the birth right which is the water and seaside. My favorite cities are those where the mingling of old and new is as harmonious as the old and young enjoying green spaces planned for by the city. While it is hard for me to imagine this town without the tourists, one can see that there is a strong local community in place. Typical and unique to most of Croatia, beaches are scarce though waterfront is plentiful. Most Croatians will sunbath on any surface near the waterfront and the multi-layered rocks climbing from the water to the cliffs provided a perfect spot for dozens of “beachgoers” to enjoy the waterfront. In fact, under the caption of “when in Rome”, Jack and I went for a swim on the other side of the jetty from where Gratitude was docked.

Waterfront dining is another spectacular summertime activity in this locale and seafood is the primary attraction. It is hard to imagine a bad meal in any of the great restaurants. And finally, akin to the celebration that happens daily in westward facing seaside’s, the daily gala which is sunset was marked by a quiet revelry amongst anyone in the area.

Note all of the swimmers both in and out of the water

While the price of dockage is probably higher here than any other place in Croatia, it was an enjoyable and necessary stop for us on our trip to Venice. All checking out formalities were seamlessly handled by our BWA Agent, but in truth, it could have been managed by us should you decide to come here and check out of- or into- Croatia. We were able to get PCR tests for all 3 of us for our entrance into Italy as well. Although rushed, the whole process took only a couple of hours on the morning of departure, and we were off for Venice.

Experiencing calmer waters on the trip across the Adriatic than we were experiencing tied to the dock, the 8-hour passage to Venice could not have been more enjoyable. I must confess to a bit of arrival disillusionment, however.

Now – bear with me here. Rarely does a single negative word come out of my mouth on the blog. Even in a town I truly don’t care for, I can find so many wonderful things about which to write – it is simple for me to gloss over my personal feelings of a place, without clouding anyone else’s experience of it, with my own discontent. I’m also overwhelmingly aware that there are many more aspects to one’s enjoyment of a place than the place itself. For example, I have visited Florence 2 times in my life, but our most recent experience has left me absolutely in love with it, while the first visit was such a letdown, we almost didn’t come back. All of this is to say that one’s perception of a city – mine or someone else’s- is far more about them than the place itself.

One of the many fantastic waterfront restaurants, note Gratitude in the background

If you know me at all, you know that a rich fantasy life fuels our ambitions. Years of dreaming of the day we bring Gratitude to the Grand Canal in Venice have fueled this goal and propelled us closer to this day. Yet arriving in Venice, we were advised that we are NOT permitted anywhere near the Grand Canal. The closest we could get was the marina in which we were berthed, several kilometers from the famed St. Marks Basilica. Even our small dinghy was not permitted access to the coveted canals of the “inner-sanctum” which is Venice.

In fairness, one can understand the restrictions given how crowded the waterways are on a good day. Due to covid, only approximately 60% of the usual crowd was here, but even low by contrast, one can easily see how unfamiliar tourists clogging the arteries, which feed the 120 or so islands, could cause problems. Still, being forced to climb aboard the public vaporetto’s everywhere one goes for a month was a disappointment (to say nothing of the expense) and completely out of our usual wheelhouse. Even in locales where cars are not easily available, we are typically able to bike or scooter everywhere (no bikes allowed in Venice) – or there are enough restaurants and grocery stores very nearby so that locally sourced food and supplies is simple. Less so in Venice where there are 2 cafes near the only marina on Venice, but a proper grocery store and ample restaurants are a good 20-30 minute walk in each direction. For reference, a water taxi cost is approximately 70.00 Euro for a few miles travelled. Going 1 way to the airport was 120.00 Euro. Taking the vaporetto (public bus) for a single day unlimited was 20 Euro per person. So, you see, we spent more in transportation this month in Venice than we will likely spend all year (excepting, of course – air travel back to the states). Even though masks were mandatory, the vaporetto’s were crowded – very crowded.

All of this is to say, if we were to do this again, Venice would be a destination for a week-long stay at the most. As it was, we had planned to do some train travel to other Italian cities – which we did. Stay tuned for coming posts on Verona, Lake Garda, Milan, and Piacenza. But as a base from which to travel and explore, I’m afraid I can’t really give Venice high marks. Better to make the most of a very touristy week here and then go elsewhere for affordable marina accommodations closer to trains and public transportation.

On my first visit to Venice 30 or so years ago, I fell in love with the place, so, I must ask myself, what is it about me that was so “put off” by Venice when we first arrived this time around?

I think Venice is almost like the prom queen everyone adores due to her special and unique personality. From afar, she is admired and romanticized. She is written about and idolized – she is the star of movies and heroine in novels.

And of course, she should be. Say what you like about Venice, there is no place in the world like it! How could a place consisting of nearly 120 islands connected by over 400 bridges – charming and each with its own character – be anything but enchanting? There is absolutely nothing that I could write here that hasn’t already been written about and chronicled by thousands of far more eloquent writers than I. Visited by poets dating back to Lord Byron and the muse of writers as prolific as Hemingway, Venice truly is something to behold.

Yet, upon our arrival nearly a month ago, I was actually – well, glum. Looking back, I think that Venice was the “destination” of sorts for our summer cruise. We left Italy in May and, I suppose, Venice was going to be our sort of “coming home” to Italy. Not only a repository of happy memories for both Alec and me, it also marked a dream come true to bring our own home to such a place.

But the fantasy and the reality once more collided and the result was the blue mood which clouded my first few days of Venice.

For whatever reason, my minds eye recalled only the charming alleyways and deserted piazzas aside from a few strolling lovers embracing under the stars -but what we found was a crushing abundance of cheap Chinese knockoffs hawked by vendors in mobile carts. One can forgive the long queues to gain access to the cathedrals or museums but when we discovered lines to access the Hard Rock Café and the Disney shop, I felt our commitment to a month here was a mistake. The shocking abundance of trinkets which had absolutely nothing to do with Venice, and the shops selling items made by a production line in China had me wondering whatever will we do for a month here?

Looking back, there was more to it than that of course. We aren’t on vacation aboard Gratitude. This isn’t some weeklong departure from life at “home” or the real world. This IS our world. And it is that which colors each of our experiences of a place. In fact, it was when Kelly came to visit and we treated the town the way a visitor may for a week, we found that our experience of it changed drastically. Or perhaps, our experience of the city changed because with Kelly in town, we could appreciate it more. In either event, this warrants 2 fully different blog posts – 1 depicting Venice as a person living there for a month, and 1 from the standpoint of a tourist visiting for a week.

Our Marina – it looks closer to town than it is….

So, the contrast complete, Venice juxtaposed against the charming fishing village of Rovinj, I can in fact touch some of the vague and illusory reasons why some places speak more to me than others. Cities which exist solely at the behest of the tourists are far less appealing to me than cities which march on slowly with or without anyone from the outside world bearing witness to them. Being in a place and among the people who belong there is so much more authentic to me than towns inhabited nearly exclusively by tourists or those whose job it is to service that industry.

That said, I appreciate your indulgence as I share my unique experience of a place as a person “living” here, rather than visiting. Please understand that I do not earn money from the blog – this is only our family’s’ log of our adventures which we share with those to whom it touches for whatever reason. As an unpaid diary – these are strictly speaking, my own thoughts and experiences. But if this post had you feeling a little cheated by our first week here, stay tuned – the following week gave us a bit more of what you may have hoped to read here.

The following week, my sister Kelly visited us from the US. During her time with us, we embraced Venice as a complete and total tourist. We spent more money than we typically do doing things a tourist would do. And we had a completely different experience of Venice. So, look for a blog post on our week of “Vacation in Venice” with Kelly during her visit.

In other news: Alec continues to amaze me with his ever expanding body of knowledge surrounding everything Gratitude. I could and should do a blog post on Alec and his commitment to keeping us safe and comfortable which is, I must say, a full time job. This month alone he worked on 2 crucial systems on board. Here he is stuffing his 6’2″ into a tiny box…

I love you honey! You amaze me daily with your knowledge and skill and Jack and I are the luckiest humans on the planet that you are in our life!!!

Croatia (Zadar, Mali Losinj, Brijuni, Pula)And Transitions….

The FuFu

Transitions, change, progress… whatever the name we give these events in our life, the tenderness is the same. Experiencing these things as an adult is challenging, but with the experience of age, they are easier. I can easily remind myself of the many instances in my life where the hardest “transitions” reaped the greatest rewards. Leaving a miserable marriage, leaving the best and most lucrative job I ever had for the promise of a great adventure and time with my family, leaving the comfort and security of an “ok” life as a flight attendant for the hope and dream of a better life as a pilot, are just a few of the heartrending decisions I have made in my life, each fully believing in the wisdom and “rightness” of the decision, but nonetheless, suffering because of the tearing that must accompany each one.

Watching your child, as each of his cruising friends depart, making the right decision for themselves is a challenge. We are, of course, on a path that is perfect and right for us. Each of our boat friends are on their perfect path. Though we are each making the best decisions for ourselves, it comes with a little “ripping” (if you will) when it is time to say goodbye. As we just yesterday, said “so long” to family friends who came to visit from America, I was reminded of 2 truths, which gave me comfort, as I explained to Jack the difference between a friend and an acquaintance. I have heard it said that people come into our lives “for a reason, a season, or a lifetime”. Letting go of the people who arrive in our lives for a “reason”, or a “season” is tough – but a necessary and good part of life. Jack learning this as a child is right and good also. But as our friends left for America, I was reassured – and happy to remind Jack, that sometimes relationships which we worried might just pass away, re-emerge, after long distances and absences, to be rekindled as quickly is the softest breath of wind. I was able to remind Jack of the special relationships we have with friends who have stood the test of years and thousands of miles reminding us once again that friendship is not determined by proximity.

So, it is with profound love, admiration, and respect that we bless the journeys of the beautiful families aboard SV Gambler, SV Aihe and SV Bella, and say that we truly hope our wakes cross again. And remind you that we are merely a Whatsapp message away xo. We will miss you.

The Travel

What a week it has been! Collecting our friends from Zadar, Croatia, we set out for an early passage the next day for Mali Losinj. Probably my favorite site to see in Zadar was the Sea Organ. Fashioned with tubes underneath marble steps, the force of waves both big and small create sounds and notes similar, I think, to whale song sounds. The sound was lovely and worth a listen if you are so inclined. Just google Zadar Sea Organ on YouTube. Nearby are solar powered light blocks on which children love to dance and play at night. Zadar has a few more communist block construction type buildings than I prefer and for this reason, it’s not the highest on my list of must-see Croatian destinations. But the Cathedral and some ancient roman ruins nearby are easily worthy of a day trip.

It is interesting to note here that 2000-year-old columns and roman bits are in nearly every city we have visited, and the children are free to jump on and play with them. This is in stark contrast to every other country where they are behind fences or enclosures. The tour guide who was showing us around said it was “because the Croatian people want their children and citizens to be able to live among, and with, their history – not apart from it. “Besides, “he continued, what is a 70 lb child going to do to this rock or marble column that hasn’t been done by 2000 years?” The inadvertent damage that might occur with a child playing on the columns is one thing, but the intentional damage done by graffiti or theft is something altogether different. How lovely that the government can trust their citizenry to respect and hold as sacred these special remnants of history as much as they do.

My other favorite piece of history in Zadar was the “Rowing Men” who operate row boats back and forth from the Zadar Marina (where we stayed) to town across the way. There is a bridge – but what could be more fun than getting a ride across in an authentic row boat for 6 kuna (about a dollar)?

We left Zadar and, with our friends aboard, made a 6-hour passage North to a lovely anchorage near a town called Mali Losinj. We enjoyed 2 days at anchor here swimming and relaxing. In town, we ate lunch and gallons of ice cream, and bought as many groceries as 5 adults and 1 11-year-old child could carry.

The Bora blew and at 40 knot gusts and after a couple of sleepless nights, Alec and I decided that it was time to move along. Not sleeping well combined with weather not conducive to swimming and paddle boarding made it an easy decision. We knew that it may be less than perfect passage conditions north, but the tradeoff was a simple one. We gave our guests anti-seasick medicine and off we went. While we hadn’t planned this next stop, we are so delighted we made it.

Recommended by Wolfgang from the anchorage a couple of weeks ago, Brujuni National Park is a part of the Brionian Islands off the coast of the Istrian peninsula adjacent to Pula. Now a holiday park, this island in its most recent history, was once the summer home of the Yugoslavia President Marshal, Josip Broz Tito. Nearly 100 heads of state, as well as American Film stars visited the islands and many brought gifts of wild animals, as well as flora and fauna which are a part of the Safari Park. In addition to the marina at which we stayed, there are 3 hotels on the island. Except for these residents, all day- trip guests are off the island at night, and we were free to explore as we wished.

One of the hard dates on the calendar was the International Film Festival in Pula. We were luckily only 45 minutes away by boat from Pula and we only arrived on the date for which we already had purchased tickets. We spent the day sightseeing but honestly, Pula is a city which deserves far more than the 1 day we have allotted so look for a Pula 2.0 post soon. The film festival was in a spectacular setting. This was the first film festival we have ever attended so I was unclear how this worked. If we had it to do over again, and we weren’t with friends, I would have probably purchased tickets for the week and tried to see as many of these shows as possible and take in the amazing city of Pula. As it was, we only saw 1 show and our tickets allowed for us to see 2 (though I didn’t realize this). The cost of these tickets was only about 3 Euro.

After saying “so long” to Bill, Wendy, and Kapri from the US, we raced to catch up with SV Gambler who were on the way to an anchorage a couple of hours away near Medulin (with our child aboard). Jack spent the night on Gambler with his friends, to make the most of their final night together, as Sophie and Megan will be heading South, and we are heading West to Venice. To say that this goodbye was difficult would be a gross understatement, but we have fingers crossed that these are friendships that will last Jack a lifetime. At a minimum, 8 months with these lovely “boat schooled” kids have taught us so many valuable lessons and filled our hearts with joy. The SV Bella family left for the UK before we ever saw them this summer to deal with a family crisis, so that “goodbye” has already, in many ways, happened. It is our fervent hope that we will reunite with all these families again soon.

So here we are- still at anchor, 3 days later, at Medulin. We haven’t even made it to shore yet, but the laundry is finished, boat is clean and we, as a family, have hit the “reset” button before more family arrives in a couple of weeks. We can’t wait to see you, Kelly!!!

Our plans for the next week are back to Pula in hopes of obtaining the second shot of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, then North up the Istrian Peninsula to Rovinj, then Vrsar, and then across the Adriatic to Venice. We plan to be in Venice for the month of August, hoping to make a few overnight trips to Milan, Verona, and the Lake Como, Maggiore and Varese.

Thanks for reading!

Split, Trogir, Krka, Sibenik and Jacks Birthday

Happy 11th Birthday Jack! And Happy Independence Day America!

As is our preference, we enjoy balancing our time between anchorages and city life and the past few weeks has been a nice mix of both. There is no question that Jack, at 11 years old, prefers the anchorages and swimming and playing with his friends so, of course, that is exactly what we did on his birthday.

But being 4000 miles from a home in Florida which is surrounded by beautiful bays and water in which we could anchor at home anytime, spending too much time doing that, when there are towns and cities which hold the history of several ancient civilizations just a short trip away, is completely counter to what we are doing here.

So, we must work to strike a balance of meeting the needs of everyone on board, while not missing the reason to be here.

The Peristyl, the 3500 Year old Sphinx and the former repository of trash!

Leaving the anchorage mentioned in our last post, I was anxious to get to Split, Croatia. One would think that frequent travelers such as Alec and I would be more familiar with this amazing city – in fact, the whole country. As we meandered the tiny and ancient city within the walled Diocletian palace, Alec and I marveled at how crazy it was that this wasn’t way higher on our wish list. How was it that we were even unfamiliar with the city of Split? The second largest city in Croatia and the largest city in the Dalmatia region, we certainly didn’t expect all that we found.

Founded by the Greeks in the 3rd of 2nd century BC, but later it became a Roman settlement and the birthplace of Emperor Diocletian, who built his retirement home on the shores of the Adriatic. Diocletian’s palace would later provide shelter to Roman refugees during the invasion by the Slavs and Avars. The amazingly preserved ceilings and walls of the current markets place is due to its use as a garbage dump by the inhabitants and the reluctance of anyone to pillage any of the stone or metal holding the structure together.

SPLIT later became a Byzantine city and then Venetian – in fact, in 1797 when Venice fell to Napoleon, to the current day as part of the republic of Croatia, this city has been in the hands of the Kingdom of Italy, The French Empire, The Illyrian provinces, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, Yugoslavia, Germany and finally Croatia when Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia in the war of Independence in 1991.

Very high on our list of priorities for this town was a tour of Diocletian’s Palace. Because all our boat school families were also interested, we booked a tour which was to be 90 minutes. 2.5 hours later, our tour guide was still going strong, unfortunately, we were not. I wish I had a week to follow this incredibly passionate and knowledgeable guide around this city that he loved so much but we gained at least a bit of knowledge and certainly we will retain the passion with which he shared his love of this city.

I will only show you the photos rather than tell the stories since there is plenty of info on the web but what struck us as shocking is that even though the Diocletian’s palace is a UNESCO heritage site and a place absolutely teeming with history, it is still a home for a shocking number of inhabitants who are descendants of the refugees mentioned above. It would be difficult to purchase property within the walls due to the nearly impossible task of ascertaining provenance. It is surreal for us to walk amidst ruins 2000 years old and observe laundry and panties hanging in the breezes just next door. Of course, to the people who live here there is nothing in the world more natural. And the homes and businesses which exist here are lovely and perfectly congruous. It is just amazing to imagine someone looking out the window of their home to observe a Sphinx, imported from Egypt by Diocletian, sitting in the sun and elements from 3500 years ago.

Also high on the “Split” list was collecting Amazon presents, which we had shipped to the BWA Yacht Agent here. So presents collected and ready for Jacks Birthday celebration on the 4th, we spent only a few days here and continued…

TROGIR, a perfectly preserved old medieval town, though alive with over 2300 years of continuous inhabitation, is another UNESCO heritage site. We loved it here! The weather had cooled just enough after our Split visit to allow more time exploring the town and sites in the city. We enjoyed a slightly different tour hoping to engage Jack a bit more, and it included the Myths and Legends of the area. If I had to choose between Trogir and Split, I couldn’t do it, which is to say, if you find yourself visiting one, you must visit the other. I love markets and the one in Tragir was a terrific place to provision for Jack’s party.

I just had to put in the photo of the jack hammer operator working in his Speedo! No health and safety inspectors here! He didn’t even have on eye protection!

And I love boats! All boats. Even this adorable boat in front of us – I just wish she could tell us her stories…

KRKA, one of the 7 national parks in Croatia, is itself a reason to travel to Croatia. When I first began posting photos on social media about Croatia, numerous friends chimed in with “DON’T MISS KRKA”. So, it wasn’t long after our arrival that we began to plan this stop. Named after the river which flows into the magnificent water falls in this UNESCO Heritage site, the falls comprise 2/3 of the river. Only open in the summer, if you plan a visit to this region, don’t miss this amazing treasure. Aside from the magnificent falls, KRKA is home to over 800 species of plant life and over 200 species of birds. We heard so many sounds we were not able to identify among the 8 adults in our group. And Croatia has done a beautiful job of preserving and maintaining the place for future generations. The boardwalk, which winds through the park, protects the precious ecosystem. The exhibits offered along the way tell the story of the history of this park, which include the distinction of being the first in operation and the 2nd built, after the famous Niagara falls in Canada, to have a hydro-electric power plant.

From the entrance to the river at Sibenik, to the town of Skadrin, where we boarded our ferry for the very short ride into the park is approximately 10 km. En route is a spectacular lake where we were spent a couple of nights enjoying swimming and peaceful paddleboard. Regulations prohibit taking our own boat into the area of the falls and, due to a tragic drowning incident last year, swimming is no longer permitted in the falls area.

On our way out of the lake we decided to make a day of a trip to Sibenik. We are so glad that we did! According to our DK Eyewitness guide, Sibenik is not to be missed in this area and we couldn’t agree more. The oldest Croatian City in the Adriatic, and home to 2 UNESCO heritage sites, this city was founded by Croats in the 9th or 10th century. Claiming to be one of the best preserved and authentic medieval towns, the crown jewel is the St. James Cathedral and Town Hall. This cathedral may well be our favorite yet – not due to the size, which is almost quaint, but because of the lines and geometry which are so pleasing. Studied by architects and historians, this marvel is a testament to the knowledge that the builder had of the special stone that makes up 100% of this building. Mined from the local island of Brac, this beautiful limestone is strong and appears to defy the laws of nature in how small spans seem to support huge loads. An amusing anecdote about this gorgeous cathedral is that parishioners who were stingy and not willing to donate to the building were immortalized for over 600 years now on the cathedral in stone.

And finally, Jacks Birthday celebration. Gratitude reached a new record of hosting 16 people for dinner for Jacks 11th birthday celebration. What a tremendous blessing to be able to celebrate this happy day with so many friends. Thank you to the Gamblers, The Long Summer, The Beyond Capricorn, and The Aihe’s for coming to celebrate with us. The day was spent exactly as Jack had requested and he said it was his favorite one yet. We took the Big Bertha out and everyone who wanted a ride, got a ride. Even Moms and Dads!! Then we enjoyed a traditional 4th of July meal (Jack’s request) followed by a movie for the kiddos and some laughs and fun stories for the adults on the fly bridge. Thanks Phil and Donna (Beyond Capricorn N57) for the photos!

We continue to be blessed with great friendships so many miles from our home shores.

Enjoying another 2 nights at anchor in the Telascica park, we enjoyed swimming, SUPing, and resting. Who would think that at anchor, away from land and most human activity we would still be meeting new friends but alas, yesterday a man from a neighboring boat came by to offer suggestions and make dinner recommendations? Alec and I love this part of our exploration. Even in a park, at anchor, lovely people still come by to say hello and reach out across the culture and country barriers which might normally exist. Many thanks Wolfgang from Germany for photos and restaurant/anchorage suggestions. We hope to catch up with you another time.

We are getting close to our original time goals, and we are on track to collect our friends who are traveling in from the US in Zadar. We will be exploring the Northern Dalmatian coast over the next 2 weeks and then on to Venice on August 1, 2021.

Cruising Croatia – the Islands

Imagine a week in an anchorage where everyone is friends!

Perhaps the hardest lesson to learn and the one which this life is constantly trying to teach us, is the absolute truth that you simply cannot do it all. Once upon a time, we believed that having a home which we can take anywhere, with all our things and most important humans and pets with us, and fully retired…. at long last… we could do and see everything. But alas, every week is a lesson that we just cannot. In the last post, I mentioned that we would have to miss the sword dance in Kurcula. Now that seems like the least of my worries! We are likely to miss whole islands and again, not just because of Covid but because of every spot being so magical, we are now going to miss whole countries!

Having left the anchorage, and several boat friends in Lastovo, we headed to the city of Komiza, (pronounced Ko-mee-sha) on the island of Vis. Our friends on 3 other boats were able to secure their first Covid vaccine on Split in 1 week and another boat had maintenance due in Split so they both had a different timetable. We, unable to get our second shot until later in the month, had more time before the mandatory stop in Split but we plan to meet up with them this weekend. In the meantime, we wanted to make some stops that the others would be making on their return trip.

I love taking tours. I can spend hours on research and not come close to the learning that will happen from a talented tour guide. Recommended by a charter boat captain next door, our guide, named Gorun, picked us up and gave us a short military tour of Vis. The first thing we learned is that carob was once used as a measuring tool for gold. Each seed within the pod weighs precisely the same mass as every carob seed anywhere in the world. Facinating…

We next saw St. Nicholas church up on the hill. Traveling to Venice, Pope Alexander the 3rd’s ship was off course and he landed in the island by accident. The first visit to Croatia by a Pope, he blessed St. Nicholas 1177. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of fisherman and sailors. An actual fishing boat is burned here each year in December in a ceremony signifying the importance of boats to life here on this special island and the importance of boats to the people. The ashes from the burning are then used to build a new boat. This is an important ritual for the entire community and only an actual fishing boat can be burned in the ceremony.

Traveling further down the road we learned more about the former Yugoslavia Republic. Following WWII the citizens fought with the Russians against the German and Italian Fascists. Upon winning the war, they voted to join their brothers in arms in communism and the 6 countries joined to become Yugoslavia. The dictator Tito was a brilliant statesman, and he kept all the countries friendly even though they didn’t always get along. After Tito died in 1980, the republic began to fall apart resulting in a war in 1991. The Serbs were instructed that wherever there was 1 Serb, they were to declare that land Serbian. Of course, this did not sit well with the Croats as they had no intention of giving up their long and beautiful coastline simply because the Serbians insisted that it was theirs. As a result, war broke out with the permission of NATO. I have been reading and struggling to understand the Yugoslavian war and this was the first time I felt like I understood it. I’m sure that someone reading this is going to take issue with my brief explanation and understanding of the circumstances and I just want you to know that I WELCOME ANY AND ALL INFORMATION to contradict or correct my understanding.

Followers of WWII history will be interested to know that there was a runway built here by the allies to support bombing missions and our guide said that over 2000 American service men were saved by this runway bearing in mind that the entire island is only 6 miles long.

Over 1000 islands are Croatian and even though some of these islands are in fact closer to Italy than Croatia in the Adriatic, they were settled and claimed by Croatia. A stunning archipelago, each of the islands we have visited over the past month truly has its own personality.

An interested thing to note is that 40% of the worlds charter boats are in Croatia. One quickly becomes interested in this important fact upon noticing that one day the anchorage is literally empty and the next full. The same thing happens in marinas. And the funniest observation we have made thus far is that by 1000 every single boat is gone from the marina but by the afternoon breezes kicking up around 1500, every slip is taken. There is no advance reservation system, only first come, first served. And watching this is like a ballet of (mostly) highly competent skippers and marineros cramming yachts in like sardines in a can, barely a fenders width between them. When we first arrived, we were delighted to see so much open dock space and even joked that we may be able to even American tie alongside. But before we even had our last line on, several boats arrived and many more joined so that the whole quay was occupied by the time we had rinsed the boat and showered for dinner. We made the same observation when we visited the town of Vis on the other side of the island, we sat having lunch with a completely empty quay and by the time we were served, we had the live entertainment of at least 10 arriving charter sailboats. By the time we returned to our side of the island in Komiza, the marina was full of a whole new crop of visitors. But they usually only come for the night, then they are off for another island visit first thing in the morning – and to get to the new

And proximity to Split and “The Barn” for much of the charter fleet one can easily surmise a crowded or open anchorage given that the entire fleet turns over on Saturday.

Leaving Vis we had a short 3 hour trip to the island of Hvar. Hvar is 90 km – for reference, Vis is only 5 miles long. Hearing in advance that the town of Hvar is busy with ferries, charter boats and lots of traffic, we decided to stay at the quieter end of Hvar called Stari Grad. We were not disappointed.

A water park greeted us at the entrance to the harbor which made Jack’s day, and a long quay with dozens of shops and cafes dotted the other side made Alec and my day.

We spent the first day in the water and the next day on a trip to Hvar. We started with the fort, then walked down to the waterside. Hvar is a breathtaking town and one I could stay in for a week. I’m glad that we are berthed in Stari Grad as the traffic, surge and conditions aren’t great for our taste, but if I had to recommend an island to visit and stay in a hotel, this would be it. Walking the cobbled stone streets was such fun and we have never seen a more pristine village. The restaurant we chose was fantastic, an Asian place called Spice. The people were lovely and there wasn’t a speck of trash anywhere. The shops and buildings were in beautiful shape with stones cleaned and flowers blooming everywhere. On the way back to Stari Grad the taxi driver took us to some lavender fields. In the 1970’s Hvar produced 10% of the worlds lavender. We were also told that due to the conditions and the wild way that it grows, the oil is more potent. I didn’t have to be convinced to buy a few bottles.

My impressions after a month of cruising Croatia are simply that there cannot be a more lovely, safe, clean and delightful place than Croatia. Every experience we have had with a local person has left us more in love than the last. The Croatian people are gentle, kind and nearly all speak perfect English. It is humbling to me to be in a foreign land and see how even shop keepers and servers speak better English than some Americans, and in all cases, it is at least their second if not third language.

We have seen more Americans here in the past week than we have seen in the past 2 years in Europe. It is as though the floodgates have opened and everyone has arrived. Talking to one of the charter boat captains, she remarked, “I have not had too many Americans in the past, but I have noticed that they are different than other European charters in that they are very ambitious about what they want to see”. So funny that she really seemed to “get us”. We are so driven as a culture. Driven in business. Driven in educating our children. Driven in our homemaking lives. And even driven in our vacations. It is so true and probably why, 3 years into this life I still can’t believe that we miss more than we see. I feel like I should be able to see more – to do more. Even after constantly admonishing myself to relax, do the cleaning later, take in the sites, I feel compelled to add 1 more tour, 1 more day of cleaning, 1 more island.

But this is where I am writing this.

Alec just sent up the drone to capture this photo. We have enjoyed a swim and lunch in one of the more stunning anchorages I have ever had the pleasure to see. While I wish we could stay here another week, I am shocked to discover that we have covered ¼ of the territory in ½ of the time we have. My sister is flying into Venice, Italy the 7th of August so we are planning to be there by the 1st. The Pula film festival is the 17-24 of July and Jacks birthday next week was supposed to be celebrated at or near the KRKA falls. So, we must press on, all the while remembering to take a moment, breathe, and thank God for this amazing place, and this amazing life, with these amazing humans with whom I am privileged to spend this time.

CAPTIVATING CROATIA!

A view of Dubrovnik from inside the walled fortification

Captivating Croatia!!

The passage was so calm it looked like we were standing still

There are so few places on the planet which remain unspoiled. Alec and I have been cruising the Bahamas for the past 20 years and in that time, we have born witness to changes so great, it sometimes hurts a little to go back. Harbors which were unspoiled, untouched by human hand and unknown to all but a choice few are now filled to brimming with large mega yachts equipped with enough toys to make the most pristine anchorage feel like New York Harbor. The last time we were there, we saw boatloads of novice snorkelers standing on reefs and clipping go-pros to live coral. Heartbreaking.

While I have no way of knowing to what extent this peace is brought to us by Covid and what a “normal” year is like, I can only marvel at the enchanting anchorages and charming towns we have seen thus far.

Our first port of entry into Croatia was Dubrovnik. The cruising guide and most common wisdom states that you must clear in immediately upon arriving at the earliest port in Croatia, but our agents checked ahead to make sure that coming from Montenegro would pose no issues. Having made that determination, Dubrovnik was the perfect spot for us to begin our adventure.

Full to brimming with history, and dripping with charm, I could not wait to begin our great explore.

Having said “so long” to our Marina di Ragusa friends 3 weeks earlier, we were anxious to re-connect with them upon arrival. Unfortunately, only 1 of the “kid-boats” was here – the others were further up the coast, but Megan and Sophie (and their mom and dad) greeted us at the dock day one. They also introduced us to another “kid-boat” called The Long Summer. Over the next few weeks, we enjoyed each other’s company and explored.

We spent a day walking along the defensive walls which surround the city of Dubrovnik.

Jack, upon hearing that his friends were able to see this city without a tour guide begged me to be more “carefree” like them… Hmmmm. So, I agreed to let him do all the research and present us with a well planned and educational presentation about the beautiful city we were about to enjoy.

Jack, bless his heart, loves consequences like this. He rises to the challenge when he is given one and he truly gave us a fantastic tour. He stopped at intervals and read from a carefully prepared script which he himself had written. Lord knows he has been on enough tours to get a feel for what they are like.

In a nutshell, this UNESCO Heritage site was built between the 7th and the 17th centuries but defined in the 14th century. One of Europe’s greatest fortifications, the walls run for 1.25 miles around the city and up to a height of 82 feet. These walls protected the Republic of Ragusa for nearly 5 centuries and were never necessary to protect against battle. It should be noted as you look at the photos, however, that during the war for independence in 1991, the city was nearly 80% damaged and each of the orange roofs in the photo was a site of restoration.

Every orange tiled roof (nearly all pictured) was part of the restoration following the 1991 war for independence

When we used to travel to a place for a week or two, half the fun of the adventure was in the planning. Now that we are on the move nearly non-stop through the summer months, we typically plan only an overview of an area, we have a list of islands or cities we won’t miss but the actual visit of a city isn’t totally pulled together until we arrive. This results in a very serendipitous approach which is sometimes good and sometimes leaves me feeling like I can kick myself! In Dubrovnik, I experienced a huge “win” when we discovered that the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra would be performing at the Rector’s Palace the following night. One of my greatest disappointments during Covid is missing all the amazing performances and theatre in Europe. Being the very first audience to experience this live performance in such a magical place, was truly a memory which will stay with me for a lifetime. The wind was blowing the musicians music and cats were strolling in and out of the plaza, but the conductor and musicians were such dedicated professionals they never missed a beat (so to speak). They seemed to be enjoying playing for us as much as we were enjoying being there. It was a magical evening and one I will not soon forget.

Time to leave the “big city” behind though and we next visited the 3 anchorages we have enjoyed thus far. Sipan, an island which provided lovely shelter and offered a place to have a beautiful meal was the first spot. From there we took the dinghy to explore Ston and Mali Ston. Ston, another walled fortification, in fact the longest in Europe at 3.4 miles long, is a tiny Dubrovnik but without the crowds. As we have had no crowds in any place due to Covid, both were lovely to us. Particularly interesting here are the salt flats. A huge part of their history, salt made this area incredibly wealthy in the times when salt was more valuable than gold. We collected salt ourselves and dried it in the sun. We will use it to make sea salt caramel for an ice cream social in a few weeks. Back to the boats with a huge load of groceries, we were ready for our week in the next anchorage, Mljet.

Mljet is a pristine National Park. There is a charge to anchor the boat in any of the harbors and an additional charge to go ashore, but both charges were, we felt, reasonable. There are exceptional trails and 2 charming towns we explored by EBike. Never ones to shy away from an adventure or a bit of exercise at the same time, these EBikes were amazing! We all had such a great time we are considering adding them to the Gratitude Ship’s Equipment. We certainly could have managed 1 but probably not both days and we never would have had as much fun as we did – given that the hills were large. We also had a group of 13 on 4 boats, some of whom were gaining passage on their parent’s bike. It would have been no fun to take these hills with a child on the back. Don’t be shy, just get the Ebikes if you come here. Aloha gave us a great price and took very good care of us. We enjoyed the hospitality of this natural wonder for nearly a week, then continued to Korcula.

The next island to the North, Korcula, has a reputation for being the “historical” island. Nearly 30 miles long and, on average, 5 miles wide, Korcula is the most populated of the 1000 islands not connected to the mainland with a bridge.

According to legend, Korcula was founded by the Trojan hero Antenor in the 12th century BC. But the island’s history dates to Mesolithic and Neolithic people. The second wave was the Illyrians in 1000 BC. But perhaps the most notable historical item is the claim that Marco Polo was born in this city on this spot. Of course, the building is younger than the 13th century when he was born but it is claimed that it was here he was born. Since the island was Venetian at the time, certainly it could be true but who could know for certain…

Recommended by a friend, we anchored just adjacent to the Monastery on a nearby island. The island is a terrific spot to see deer and goats though we were in and out so fast, we saw them only from a distance. Also missed and the reason I’m kicking myself for not doing more advance research, is the notable Sword dances which take place on every Thursday in Korcula. Sadly, we arrived on Friday and as we have an itinerary, we need to stay reasonably close to, we must keep going rather than remain here for a week to see the dancers. I have not given up hope, and we may be able to work it out by taking a taxi from the West side of the Island as we pass by on our way to Vis.

Which brings us to the lovely anchorage in which we sit right now. Tucked into the West side of yet another National Park, Lastovo, the most distant inhabited island, and one of the last 10 biodiversity treasures of the Mediterranean Sea, is only approximately 5 miles long. Declared a Natural Park in 2006, it consists of 46 islets, rocks, and reefs. In addition to the amazing abundance of sea life, Lastovo offers over 25 kilometers of bike paths.

Recommended by another cruising couple we only knew through social media, we met them yesterday, in person for the first time for dinner. Which is one of the unusual aspects of cruising that we love so much. I have mentioned before that we are far more social on-board Gratitude than we are at home, but one would think that in an anchorage 4000 miles from home in a country speaking a language other than one’s own mother tongue, it would be hard to make new friends. But alas, we continue to be amazed at the new and interesting friendships which emerge in this idyllic life.

Phillip and Donna, Aussies aboard a Nordhavn 57 invited us to dinner last night along with 2 other couples, one French and one Slovenian. We had never met before and even Phillip and Donna were only known to us previously due to social media and a shared appreciation of Nordhavn Yachts.

When we retired, more than 1 person asked us if we thought we would be bored. Presumably they were referring to the inertia of retirement which leads some people to stop learning. We are clearly not in that group, and we learn so much every single day in this new life of ours. Alec has been living on and cruising in boats his entire life yet today was a first for him and for me as well. Anchoring in water this deep with a large drop off of water close to the shoreline, often times the most secure way of anchoring is to drop the anchor and back to shore, then tie the stern with lines ashore. So, with a bit of luck and a lot of help from our new friends, we tied to shore. Thanks Phillip and Donna on Beyond Capricorn 1 – a Nordhavn 57.

Note Gratitude’s stern lines tied to shore. Note also the post W2 Submarine pen.

We hope from wherever you are reading this you are enjoying your summer.