"You and your ideas!!!"

Today was exactly the kind of mini-adventure day that I have been seeking as a break from my relatively mundane daily life. :) After another leisurely morning with breakfast on the scenic guesthouse patio, we made our way to the ferry port for a trip to Lokrum Island (one of over 1200 islands along the coast of Croatia). We chose Lokrum because 1) it was one of the shortest ferry rides & we were trying to ward off Will's apparently inevitable seasickness; 2) most of the island is a nature preserve and Lonely Planet literally referred to it as "paradise"; and 3) it has a giant beach for "naturists" (i.e. nudists only). :)

I have been wanting to get in touch with my naturist side ever since reading about its popularity in this great country, so I was super excited & wanted to head straight to the beach after disembarking. Will, being a little lightheaded from the boat ride, and apparently totally skeptical of my willingness to be completely naked for God and all of Croatia to see, kept trying to sidetrack me with views of wild peacocks & the botanical gardens. I argued that there would be time for all of that later. As we approached the stunningly beautiful rocky shore with the sign indicating that clothing and photography were both strictly forbidden, he stopped in his tracks and asked if I was really serious about this. I kept marching forward as he muttered, "You and your ideas!!" After finding a giant smooth rock on which to perch, and trying not to giggle at all of the sights around us, we settled down onto our beach towels and applied a LOT of extra sunscreen. Just as Will was finally becoming comfortable with the whole scene (and not trying to hide everytime someone new walked by), we looked up and saw a giant kayaking tour group paddling in the water directly below us. There were no fewer than 40 kayakers, and they were definitely on a sight-seeing mission. :) We both decided to throw any shyness out the window at that point!

Despite the kitsch factor, the beach was super-relaxing & exactly what we needed. From there, we decided to explore a bit more of the island--the ruins of a medieval monastery, the botanical garden, another vast and beautiful beach for the swimsuit sect, and a random playground where we spent a few minutes on the teeter-totter. :) We caught the last ferry back to Dubrovnik and ended the perfect day at one of the outdoor movie theatres in the heart of the Old City...watching the big screen under a beautiful starry sky, encapsulated by stunning architecture and a warm summer breeze. It was perfect. What was showing in the majestic venue, you might ask? The Hangover. :)