undulating hills and wood chippersThe children are playing kick ball in the alley by their fathers street side tavern. They yell and cheer... sometimes argue, still a happy sound as I sit atop our ship. We are pulling out of port after a long day of cycling. Soon their happy playful voices will be muted by the distance of the sea. I sit alone on the top deck. My wet hair being dried by the Cool Adriatic breeze. What a day. What a calm, quiet, in the moment kind of place this island has been. The serpentine climb thru the mountains and the equally difficult decent forced me to focus on keeping the bike on the earth and not airborne. My hands both went numb at one point... my feet were like cement against the pedals. If my mind wasn’t terrified my limbs apparently were. None of us were expecting at one of the crazy up Hill switches for a truck pulling a wood chipper to cut right in front of me. After a great laugh at the irony, I faced my fear and rode right behind it! How could I possibly be taken out twice in 2 weeks by a wood chipper. As mom always said...if you fall off you get back on that horse as soon as possible! Still the irony was not lost on those who affectionately call me crash. The aroma of rosemary fills the air here. It’s hypnotic. The Cala Lillie’s grow like violets. The cats rule. We’ve seen hundreds of cats. I’ve not seen a single cow, horse or pig. But the cats! Makes me wonder about our meals. Sick kitty getting some love We had Lunch at a beautiful olive orchard on a patio overlooking their farm. They served a banquet of grilled wild boar, chicken, turmeric peas,Spanish rice, salad and fried fig filled homemade doughnuts... with liters of wine, water and lime ade... We all wondered how we’d make it back to the ship! I couldn’t wait to get in the Adriatic. I’ve managed to dip in this sea foam green clear water every day. I’m told no one swims in the sea this early in the season but I’m still pretty bruised from my head to my toes by the wood chipper and I figure ice water is like a cold epsom salt bath. Good for the blue-yellow marks. Yesterday we sent a beloved biker to the hospital in Split by helicopter for a head injury sustained by one of those steep declines. We are humbled by her accident and in a continuous state of prayer for both she and her husband. Adventure vacations have their risks.
Hold our friends in your hearts.
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