CHAPTER #3 … OF MANY
Croatian Adventure — Lopud Island
A few hundred inhabitants, 1.8 square miles, zero cars, 2 happy wanderers
We hiked to a 9th century fortress just after breakfast. I can honestly say that’s a first, for both of us.
We imagined scuffing at the soil and unearthing a sword or a hoard of coins, but that did not happen. There’s always tomorrow. This place is only a moderate 30-minute pant up the hill from our apartment.
My girlfriend Qin M and I are on the Croatian island of Lopud, the so-called middle one of the three main Elaphiti Islands, about 50 minutes by ferry from the romantic city of Dubrovnik in southern Croatia.
After letting the jet lag wear off in Dubrovnik, and exploring that remarkable city for six days, we booked a one-week stay on Lopud.
We’re still early in our Croatian explorations, a sojourn that began October 26th when we flew out of Los Angeles, and will conclude in January when we return, briefly, to California to welcome the arrival of my first grandchild.
Meanwhile we’re wandering about in Croatia. We are not doing much planning, just occasionally consulting maps, or bus schedules or ferry schedules to see where to go next.
So, we’re luxuriating for a week on Lopud.
You can find some Lopud information here.
For us, the place’s appeal includes:
* It’s a shoulder-season paradise with warm sunny weather most days * A couple of beautiful sandy beaches, largely vacant * Several nice hiking trails leading to ancient churches, fortresses and ruins * Friendly people * One open “super” market, one open restaurant, one open bar * Gorgeous vistas of open ocean and surrounding islands, everywhere
Time stretches endlessly before us, laid out like a ribbon to whatever gifts are yet to be unwrapped.
It’s like being on summer vacation from school, but as adults.
Time stretches endlessly before us, laid out like a ribbon to whatever gifts are yet to be unwrapped. We can awaken early or sleep in, eat when we’re hungry, turn left or turn right out of our doorway and find stunning sights within minutes, make love, nap if our energy flags, stream a movie, listen to music, swim in the ocean, enjoy a beer or a glass of wine while watching the sunset over the hill as it turns the harbor a series of colors I can’t describe with words alone.
We can also visit the neighboring islands that surround us. All it would take is a 10-to-15 minute ferry ride and a few Kuna. So far though we can’t think of a compelling reason to vacate the little dot of island heaven we have here.
For now, we’re living each day as it comes. Our only scheduled event, once we leave Lopud, is to return to Dubrovnik for a single night, then board a bus for the trip north to magnificent Makarska. After that, who knows? Split, Sibenik and Zadar (one of the best digital nomad havens) have all been discussed. Islands, Brac, Hvar, and Vis are also all in the mix.
Meanwhile, life is good here. So here we’ll stay.