15 Final Port of Call

Our final port of call would last the longest … Cavtat (SOV•tot). Just 12 miles south of Dubrovnik, this quaint seaside town is designed for relaxation. Our 3-hour journey from Korčula began by boarding a 12-passenger van with a short drive to an awaiting ferry. Side note: the van had a cool USB thumb-drive radio that played MP3 music. Sider note: before driving onto the ferry, we stopped at a gas station to fill-up the van. Next to each fuel pump was a mounted box of rubber gloves ... healthy idea. Put on protective gloves before fueling up.

The ferry was comfortable inside and fun to wander the outside deck taking in the fresh sea breeze air and gazing at the unfamiliar land formations on both sides (mainland on the starboard and islands on the port). The ferry dropped us off at the port of Orebić. Then back in the van, “Quickly,” chided Christian, our driver, then down the coastline on highway 414. For a short time I worked on my laptop typing up my reflections until I got car sick. The up and down hills combined with the left and right turns left me queasy. I closed the lid and kept my eyes on the beautiful scenery.

We passed bays of oyster farms marked by rows of white buoys. These lucrative farms are controlled by just a few Croatian families ... big bucks. We passed the town of Ston, a salt-rich city surrounded by the second largest stone wall on the planet. In days prior to the electric grid and refrigeration, salt was as valuable as crude oil is today. A great wall was determined to be the city’s best defense. The almost as great "Great Wall" stands prominently to this day. We drove across the stunning Dubrovnik Bridge with its long string of cables fanned in the shape of a triangle. As we crossed the bridge we could see the marvelous city of Dubrovnik below, considered the jewel of the Adriatic, the third largest city in Croatia.

Now, a 12-passenger van was not designed for NASCAR but that didn’t stop Christian. At every opportunity and in some cases without opportunity, he ventured into our neighbor's lane to pass a slower car in front of him. On more than one occasion, I tightened my seatbelt. Perhaps he was a bit anxious about an upcoming appointment. Though driving while talking on the cell phone is illegal in Croatia, it was lost on Christian. With one hand on the wheel, he frequently grabbed his phone to answer a call while simultaneously passing another car.

We arrived at Villa Anka, our Cavtat zimmer, in one piece (thank God) and perhaps a bit early. Ms. Anka was there with a warm greeting, some homemade lemon cake and a glass of juice … with ice! The four bedrooms were roomy, comfortable, and included lots of amenities such as air-conditioning and balconies. We were boarded on the top floor (more stairs, always more stairs) with great views of Cavtat Bay. A nice kitchen was the focal point of our morning breakfast made complete with Loren’s “Cowboy” coffee. The girls were resourceful to prepare chopped fruit and Danish. Dave was kind enough to stock the freezer with ice formed using cutout plastic Coke-bottles. Love my ice.