A Perfect Day

I named yesterday's blog "A Perfect Day" and then could not come up with a better name for today's post since it was also a Perfect Day.  Therefore, I'll write about two exceptional days and post them as one.

The kayaking has been terrific - challenging but not frightening, with just the right amount of wind, sun, and swells, punctuated with stunningly beautiful scenery. I have run out of words to describe the shades of blue and green water and have given up trying. Yesterday we left the harbor in Lopud and paddled across the channel to Saipan Island, stopping at a secret cave reminiscent of the lava caves we found on the road to Hana in Maui. From the water, you could not see the opening of the cave since it was only about a foot tall, shaped like a triangle. But if you looked down from your kayak, you could see the sandy floor of the bay about 4 meters below, and you noticed it extended far inland, beyond the edge of the limestone cliff. We swam through the opening into a cavern about the size of our living room at home - very, very cool.

Inside the secret cave

   

After the cave adventure and a little cliff jumping, we paddled to a little town on the island, quenched our thirst with a local beer, and then hopped on our bikes to ride across the island past family farms, vineyards, ancient buidings and churches, and a few shrines to the Virgin Mary. 

Harbor on Saipan

Before our bike ride

Bruce by the Bay

We arrived by bike at the harbor on the opposite coast and had an incredibly delicious, leisurely lunch of pasta and shrimp in a light cream sauce (me) and seafood salad (Bob) at a local Konoba (restaurant) along with some very nice wine and beer.  Next up: more bike riding for the manly men - and a nap on the beach for us girls.  Bob, Bruce, Jason, and Vedran rode to the high point of the island, a challenging trail on mountain bikes, while Jen and I slept and read on a very private beach with - you guessed it - a beautiful view of the celadon and azure bay (how do you like those new words for blue-green??).

Jason, Bob, and Bruce at the top of the hill

We were all having such a nice time - it was hard to peddle back to our kayaks and make the short paddle across the channel back to Lopud - except we knew, waiting for us, was a fabulous special request dinner to celebrate Bruce's departure (not that we were happy to see him leave!).  Lobster, sea bass, and crepes with chocolate sauce for dessert - it was incredible.  Below are the before and after pictures of the tray of roasted lobster, garnished with deviled eggs, cherry tomatoes and tiny pickles.  There wasn't a bit of edible food left on the platter after we devoured it like piranhas. 

The gentleman who owns the guest house we are all staying in also owns most of the island, and before the war, he owned a successful group of high end restaurants.  Now he cooks for pleasure for his guests and has what is proclaimed as the best menus on the island.  We have thoroughly enjoyed his food and hospitality each night as we dine on the patio of his private residence, his outdoor kitchen behind us radiating a pleasant smell from the wood burning grill (which has three different types of wood, depending on what is being prepared for the evening), and always an ethereal sunset over the Adriatic just as dinner is being served.

Tuesday was an early day as we got up at 6 AM to bid Bruce adieu as he departed for Dubrovnik and then on to Prague.  We had breakfast as usual at 9 AM and while Vedran packed a picnic lunch for us, we casually prepared for the day's expedition - a trip across the main channel to the town of Trsteno on the mainland.  Although we left late relative to the other days, the water was like glass all the way across, and we paddled slowly and chatted about television, politics, world travels, and numerous other random subjects as we enjoyed the slow pace and incredible views.  We were surprised by a pod of three dolphins swimming ahead of us in the distance - a special highlight because they are rarely sighted in this area due to all the commercial boat traffic. 

Note the little waterfall to the left, in the ancient Trsteno harbor

Cute ancient buildings at the harbor's edge

We reached our destination in about an hour, and had a refreshing swim and then a walk up the hill (with Positano-like steepness) to the arboretum.  More beautiful views and lovely plants, yada yada yada - how can you describe how nice everything is? It all starts to sound like a run-on superlative.  Picnic lunch followed and then a wonderful, quiet paddle home. 

Fountain in the Botanical Gardens

Jeanne and Jen working the olive press

Tonight I opted to cook in, and I purchased a variety of fresh vegetables from the local produce stand along with  some fresh bread, and we prepared dinner in our cottage for ourselves and our guide.  More beer for Bob and Vedran, but I decided to splurge and have the split of Veuve Cliquot I'd brought from my abundant birthday stash.  Since we dined in, we finished about an hour earlier than usual, and I think I will call it night and curl up with my new book -- Malcom Gladwell's What the Dog Saw.  More tomorrow -- good night to all!