All PostYesterday, the captain and tour leader were both cautioning about potential bad weather dampening or diverting our itinerary for today. A storm was forecast and might cause us to stay where we were and miss one of the islands – one I really wanted to see. But the Gods were looking out for us, the forecast was looking rather mild, and we headed out. After yet another jaw-droppingly beautiful swim stop with lots of sun and fun, we moved on to the island of Korcula. It rained a bit along the way, and the sea was just a bit choppy, but we really had no trouble at all. In fact, we had lunch in the boat’s dining room along the route. It’s becoming obvious that there is an overabundance of food on this cruise, with a full breakfast and 3-course served lunch each day – and the food is very good – such that I’m not very hungry at dinner time.
Upon arriving in Korcula, it was still raining lightly on and off but not enough to disrupt our visit. We toured the quaint, rustic old town there with a guide and then set off on our own. Walking these ancient towns is so interesting. The ingenuity, artistry, and resourcefulness of the people from earlier times when these towns were first built are truly amazing. You find yourself wondering what it was like to live in these places in those times.
Among many other historical and cultural notes, Korcula is known for some specific wines produced only there, from grapes only grown on the island. I wanted to try these and found the bar in the Hotel Korcula to do so. I would have liked to have some company for this but had been walking on my own and lost touch with the others from the group who went off in different directions. With the patio closed due to the rain, I went inside and found a seat at a small table. It was quite a comfortable spot at the window and only a few customers in the space. I tried the three local wines: two whites (Grk and Posip) and a red (Plavac Mali). All delicious in their own way.
After the substantial lunch on the boat, I was not very hungry but had been wanting to find a burek (a street food pastry filled with meat, cheese, or other fillings which was brought to the Balkans by the Ottoman Empire) since I arrived in Croatia. I had seen people walking around the town with them and decided to find one for myself, which I did. This served as both a snack and my dinner, and I subsequently went in for the evening. It struck me tonight that people do not seem to be “hanging out” on the boat deck in the evenings. It is pretty quiet on the boat with different groups coming back from dinner and going in for the night. That is one thing that I would like a bit more of – some evening socializing and music on the boat. Will have to explore this tomorrow.
