Walk in the Park (part 2)

I warned you that it was going to be an early start - and there I was, 7.30 in the Trg¸ checking out all of the other people who had also abandoned their beds in exchange for a long walk. There were less people than I had been told there may be – possibly about 50 ? Some familiar faces, some new.

A lady I have met before through another friend introduced her daughter to me ‘this is Mata – she is your cousin’ and left.

Her father gave the three of us a lift from the trg to Makar, nicely taking 20 minutes of walking out of the total equation. Very Nicely Done. And then when a few more of the group arrived, we started walking. There is only up on this track… and up.. and more up.

I followed Samuel’s advice (see comment, previous blog) and went ahead of the slow walkers and ended up in step with a fast walking guy with all of the gear – two Alpine Stick things, camel pack, and the flash long sleeved quick dry top – (Why would you wear long sleeves when it is soooo hot)- he was from Split, a graphic designer – and we both walk quickly.

He says I have good condition. I love that ‘lost in translation’ thing – it makes me sound like a motor of some sort – mozda recently reconditioned..
Anyway, I digress – we are up to the top quickly – I teach him about scroggin (which I made last night) and he shows me a deer up on the rocks. (click on the picture to enlarge & look very carefully)

The check point charlies on the rocks hand us our coupon (didn’t you read the poster?

Those who participate get a free lunch – no free lunch for the ones who drive to the summit and then walk from the carpark to the lunch, no way). I’m intrigued by the number of tents up on the top – apparently it’s a thing – you walk up there with your friends and then camp for the night (I’d be thinking about snakes all night – we actually saw one!).
The meal is the white beans and sausage stew (which I love) and there is a klapa group from Tucepi

– and what I love is that people just stand up and move into the group and join in the singing. And the singers are just young local guys, and no-one thinks that they are too cool to be doing this.
And for those who didn’t read the poster, you would have been surprised that there were activities (always read the poster!) –There were tug of war competitions!

We sat in the sun and chatted for a few hours – I met the local Makarska judge – and another cousin. And a lady who’s name translates as ’ray of sunhine’. And a guy called Roko who is 78 years old, and walks the track ‘bez problema’ – no problem. All friendly and enjoying themselves. I guess there would have been about 200 people up there in the pocket of pine trees – kids dancing, playing bowls. Until all of a sudden the jugo wind (that’s the one that blows from the sea onto the land) started blowing, the flag started whipping, and it was time to head back down. The weather forecast was kisa popodne – rain in the afternoon. (that kisa is pronounced like Keesha (Castle-Hughes) and not much better behaved). So helter skelter back down the track – much faster going down of course, and this time accompanied by a guy from Bosnia with not a word of English – fantastic for my language lessons. I know a lot about him by the end of the day – he has two children, he was born in Bosnia, he has no wife, he lives in Veliko Brdo… and he knows that I have two children and a husband(ha! – gotta say what helps at the time). Who may come to visit me next month (sorry Michael, you were needed as my protector!). Gotta do what you gotta do. Or say.
Oh, and by the way, I didn’t mention that perhaps half of the walkers were in running shoes and shorts today. Don’t they know about rolled ankles and snakes… and Drago????