sunset and sunrise in hvar
I had a little over a week from when I finished
work at Camp to my departing flight from Rome.
In that week I planned to relax, enjoy the final days of summer, and
visit my sister Laurel in Florence. My cousin Jeffrey had also planned a
Eurotrip and arranged to meet me in Croatia during my last week in Europe.
We left my small village of Pakoštane and headed
south to Split to meet some friends and enjoy vacation. The week brought us
from Split to Hvar Island, then across the Adriatic to Florence, Italy and
lastly to Rome. A very quick trip, but I was able to return to some of my
favorite places and explore some new ones.
After a quick ferry ride from Split we arrived
on Hvar Island not knowing what to expect. None of us had been there before and
it was surprisingly a new adventure for all of us. Google Maps lied to us and
our apartment’s address was much farther than expected. We carried our worn
luggage up gradual hills and steep stairs, drenched in sweat and thirsty for a
cocktail.
Exhausted and slightly annoyed we arrived at our
booked apartment only to find that we were going to be moved into a smaller
one. Keeping with the Croatian lifestyle, we went with the flow and started
small chat with our hosts.
Within the next half hour they had planned out
our twenty-four hour stay in Hvar. They
gave the boys mopeds and a ride to the grocery store to pick up food, treats,
and beverages. Then they created an ideal itinerary so we could see as much of
Hvar as we could.
The first quest on this adventure was to follow a narrow path to a hidden beach – away from all the tourists. We
spent the entire time there playing in the water, truly relaxing and enjoying
vacation. Our host, Maki, then kindly
picked us up in his boat an hour or so later to take us through the islands and
bring us to island beach bars.
We sped off and towards the open sea. The sun
and our joy beamed off the water, a golden light surrounded us all. We rounded one island and found another
little getaway, Laganini Lounge Bar. Cushioned chairs were staggered across the
rocks and private boats were anchored and bobbing in the gentle waves. The rays
from the late afternoon sun prolonged the day. Sitting in the shallow water,
many thanks were said for this wonderfully serendipitous day. When we were
walking up the second flight of steep stairs that morning with backpacks
weighing down our stiff shoulders and salty sweat dripping down our backs, we
had no idea that a day filled with boat rides, island coves, and unlimited
energy was ahead of us.
Two hours later, on the dot, Maki rode in on his
boat to pick us up and bring us to our next destination – Hula Hula Bar. As we
boarded his boat the sun was starting to set and an amber glow was cast upon
us. Like Icarus flying towards the sun, we headed straight for the burning
star, without thought or abandon. Maki weaved through the Pakleni islands, giving
us a private tour of the Croatia’s true beauty.
I have been blessed to witness many beautiful
sunsets. All of which were special due to the company I was with and from the pure
bliss felt in my heart. This sunset was one of them. The sky was painted with
cherry reds, tangerine oranges, and sunflower yellows. The warmth in the
heavens was a blanket on all of our shoulders, bringing us together and
granting us familiar comfort. The divine
mural was reflected on the glass waters and we were cupped in God’s hand.
As the boat pulled up to Hula Hula bar, we
disembarked our front row seat to join the party. The quiet commotion of a blazing
sky and chilled water dissolved into the present moment of carefree chaos. That
golden ball of fire dipped below the horizon and cheers from the tanned and
tipsy guests rose above the waves, sounding the signal for the nightly
festivities to commence. A sunset is always something to celebrate in life.
The night carried us back home, with the one and
only Tash in the ranks. We ate the typical traveling meal of sandwiches with a
side of white wine. The last stop of the day was the elusive Carpe Diem Beach Club
which is perched on a private island off of Hvar and does not open until 1am.
A water taxi brought us to this tiny island
where time does not exist. We danced the night away in the largest open air
club in Europe. With the stars above and Adriatic Sea around us, we were
invincible.
Our heads hit the pillow, with the melody of
waves and drums lullabying us to sleep, as the sun rose to bless a new day. Not
one moment of that day was planned or expected. We lived the mantra of what will be, will be, and were rewarded
for trusting in the universe. Hvar - the unexpected island filled with hidden
lagoons, boat rides, an epic sunset, and all night dancing – reminded me of one
of my biggest challenges: be at peace in the present moment.
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