Up at the crack of dawn today to be at the riva by 6.45 because the mountaineering club is going to Imotski. I looked it up on the map yesterday so that I would know generally where we were going, and whether I would need my passport (in case we were slipping into Bosnia). No putovnica required.
Paid my 50 kuna for the bus and the rucak (lunch, and yes that is a ‘ch’ on the ‘c’, well done for spotting that) but then the Makarska judge from Vosac called out that they had a car, did I want to travel with them. They were fun last week, they would be fun again. And they were.
We travelled north for about 20 minutes and then headed up over the Biokovo Mountain Range onto the autobahn. I’m not sure what the speed limit is, but we were travelling at 180 kms. In the car we had Ante, Slavko, Susana and Elenora – all with a smattering of English (phew) and more than a smattering of dramatics and humour. I sat there quietly trying to follow the gist of the conversation, and kindly, they would stop every now and then and explain the joke – but you know, twice told jokes. It was just as much fun listening. (I’m so good at sitting listening now and not talking, could I lose the art of conversation??)
When we arrived at our destination (after a few wrong turns and requests for directions) we walked into a gully where mountaineers from Split down to Dubrovnik were having a weekend camp, combined with today’s tramp. There were little tents dotted everywhere, a bar, a huge campfire, and plenty of music.
Camp Director explained that there were three tramps available – a four hour one, a three hour one and a two hour one. We of course would do the four hour one – it was discussed At Length in the car.
Through the wooded glade, sharp rise up the side of the gully, along the canyon, down the canyon , across the stream, up the canyon etc etc until I said ‘mislim da mi smo povrh svijete’ which may or may not have been grammatically correct, but it sure FELT like we were on the top of the world! It was breathtaking!
As we approached the top of the world (canyon) we came upon the ruins of a village that has seen three civilizations – the Illyrians, then the Croats and then the Turks. So for arguments sake (because there is no point arguing with me because I am not totally sure) but let’s say from about 300 BC. Old. Incredible. I love it! I am like a child with its mouth wide open in awe!
We sat at the top of the world and had a snack – dried meat to replenish our salt and scroggin because I had made it. Of course it was melted and squishy and messy, but ‘Sto raditi?’ (what to do?).
We meandered back to the bottom of the world and had the smoky bean stew thing (Diana, is it called simply, grahi?) washed down with beer. While we were there the Hrvatska Gorska Sluzba Spasavanja (mountain rescue guys (read Real Mountain Men in Red Shirts) had to rush off for an emergency – they bar ran out of beer!).
Then we had a quick stop at the Crvno Jezero & Modro Jezero – the red and blue lakes.
Now don’t be confused – the Red Lake is called that because the walls surrounding it have a red tinge, and the blue lake has blue water – the same blue as the red lake – get it? But don’t confuse them. The water levels were low, but the boja! The colour!
And then we sat in a café and replenished the liquid lost and the lack of caffeine for today. It was a lovely lovely day…. And this mountaineering thing….. I think it may be my new Thing!
Yes, darling, 'grah' or, as we say in Split (note the local patriotism), 'fazol' (zh, as in pleasure): 'pasta fazol' in Split is a sticky concoction, considered well made only if your fork stays put when you stick it in, whereas it is more of a soup thing in other places. Enough with the cuisine - am glad you are enjoying yourself but, please, start talking in Croatian, loudly and confidently - it does not matter that people laugh their heads off, truly :)))
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