Playing peeping tom before the monster truck rally

We’ve been a bit less ambitious the last couple of days. It’s hot and humid—in the mornings we move faster but slow down as the day wears on. We’re spending a lot of time at the pool—B is swimming like a fish and S has suddenly learned how to dive and tread water!

Despite our snail’s pace we’ve still had some very memorable moments. We ate an excellent dinner at a local marina on Wednesday. The whole restaurant is outside, with just a roof overhead. There was a bonfire in the middle with a kettle of corn boiling and live music sung by a honey-voiced singer who somehow successfully blended Schlager music with “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life”!

I am addicted to Fuži—had it this time in a truffle sauce and count this meal among the best I’ve ever had.

Yesterday morning we got up early and took a hike before it got too warm. We left the campground and followed several trails through orchards and vineyards. About 2,5 km into it we realized that we were lost—came around a bend and suddenly we could see the sea stretching out in front of us in a long glistening ribbon. AHA! The sun is there, the sea is there—the campground should be over here to the left! What a relief! We followed the fence and were looking for the gate when suddenly S whispered:

“HEY Mom! They’re NAKED!”

Yep. After all my jokes and smartass comments we’d finally arrived at the noodle camp. I was all for popping in for a cup of coffee but it got vetoed. It was starting to get very hot and the quickest way back to our camper was to walk along the perimeter of the camp, conspicuously clothed. And I was just waiting for security to nab us so that we could say:

“But we were lost! Yeah, that's it! We just happened to stumble upon this place on the way back to our campsite!”

This morning a neighbor came over with a plastic tub: “Would your boys like a pet?” Inside he had a praying mantis. Those things are enormous! It had a face like an alien and swiveled its head back and forth, alert and watchful. Almost licking its lips and planning which of us it was going to behead first. (Supposedly they only do that to their partners after a mating ritual but I wasn’t about to take any chances!)

A new family has just arrived with a Hungarian Vizsla. I’m completely obsessed with these dogs. They’re muscular, with narrow pointed heads and tawny coats. This one has yellow-green eyes and looks otherworldly. I’ve been lobbying M for one—preferably the one two trailers down. All day long I’ve been fantasizing about spiriting him away on the morning that we leave. If the police contact any of you at some point YOU! KNOW! NOTHING!

This afternoon we visited the Jama Baredine, which are caverns just outside Poreč. There are stairways built down 60+ meters deep and we saw an interesting array of stalactites, stalagmites and other bizarre rock formations. It reminded me a lot of other caverns we’ve visited but this one had a bonus—a limpid white eyeless salamander that slithered around in a shallow pool at the bottom of the steps. It was repulsive and fascinating.

Tomorrow we’ll be going to some sort of monster truck rally in Poreč. I feel like I’ve come full circle—Florida girl goes back to her roots and shows her Southern pride in the grandstands. Time to dig out my Daisy Mae shorts and do my hair up in pigtails. I just hope they’re well stocked with corn dogs and Pabst Blue Ribbon…