The first notes of their beginning number were striking. We were sitting in an old fortress listening to the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. It was almost overwhelming. The orchestra had three guest vocalists, two men and one woman singing various opera numbers. There were no microphones or amplifiers as the old building did a quite adequate job of it on its own.
After two hours of enchanting music and three encores, Maggie and I headed back to Old Town to check out the nightlife. We had walked past Cafe Troubadour ealier in the day and made note of its location so we could go back at night. It was listed in the gay guide as the only known venue where they (gays) congregate. It also said the owner played jazz music all night on the piano.
It was maybe half full when we arrived. The club itself only has enough room for a bathroom and place for the bartenders to put in orders. The patrons sat in the adjacent cobblestone square where the owner had positioned his piano and was playing numerous songs in jazz style. "Whoa-ohh here-a shess comes...shess a mans seater." Several other gay couples, obviously tourists, were squirreled away in dark corners enjoying a cocktail. While Croatia has adopted progressive laws allowing civil unions for gays, a majority of the population still very much disapproves of it. A year or two ago, some gay tourists were killed by a group of guys because they were holding hands. So caution is still exercised.
After a long day and a few cocktails, we were ready for bed.
Sunday we decided would be a beach day. Lokrum Island is the closest island from the mainland and takes about 20 minutes by boat.
Maggie and me on the ferry before leaving Old Town.
The view of Old Town from the ferry.
Lokrum Island is renowned for its nude beach, including a gay section at the very end (of course). We looked on the map for the FKK which I read in a guide book is a German designation which loosely translates to "free body culture". Plain as any other marker on the tourist map which greets every visitor to the island is "FKK - nude beach". We wandered along the path and came to an information sign barring the taking of photography of beachgoers. The sign also said clothing was not allowed.
Takenzie Off Zie Clothes!!
As we walked along the very rocky landscape, we came upon several older tourists au naturale. When the sign says beach, it really should say outcropping of boulders. There isn't a grain of sand anywhere to be found.
Looking over the edge of the cliff into the water.
Soon we began to notice fewer couples and more guys. Finally a rainbow towel. It seemed many of the guys there were well acquainted with the sun as their bodies were quite tanned. There were probably 20 guys in the gay section, some standing to get a better tan, some laying spread-eagle, and others just laying down catching rays. Maggie and I chose two different flat rocks about 20 feet away from each other, laid out our towels, and...when in Rome. Granted it wasn't the most comfortable thing laying down on rock with only a towel, but there was a sense of freedom that came from being naked and nobody cared.
I was near the top of the rocks which just happened to give me a good view of everyone. I began noticing that guys would take a trail above where I had laid out and would disappear for a while and then come back. I must investigate. So with nothing but flip flops and a smile on, I hiked up the hill to find a secluded area where men were sort of doddling around. "What's this??" I thought to myself. I never suspected such a thing! Okay, I knew exactly what I was going to find.
(*censored*)
Ask for details.
Through the course of the day, I met a nice guy from the UK called Mike. He was quite personable and so I invited him to have dinner with us. He was traveling alone on holiday for a long weekend so it worked out great to have another person join us. We told him about the tour we had scheduled for the next day - an all-day, three island boat ride. He jumped at the chance to join us so we booked one more reservation. We found a seaside cafe and had a few drinks before heading to dinner.
Maggie, Mike, and me as the sun was setting in front of us.
Mike and me at the cafe.
After a quick shower, the three of us met up at the esplanade and picked a waterfront place to eat. After dinner, we invited Mike to the apartment for drinks. After a nightcap we said our goodnights and off to bed.
At 9:30 the next morning, we met Mike at the tourist office and were picked up for our boat tour. After a short walk to the harbor, we boarded our small boat and started the process of meeting the others on board. There was quite a mix of people. A couple from Norway, the UK (England and Scotland), and two hot guys in their early 20s from Australia.
Our boat. You can barely see the Aussies in the upper right corner.
The deck hand started making the rounds with drinks and the aussies dove straight into the grappa, a regional favorite. We opted for something a little softer until at least 11am. We arrived at the first island and the sign that greeted us had the name of the island and map. On the map quite clearly was "FKK". Ah hah! Come to find out Mike is a naturalist and loves such activities so we headed for the nude beach. Little did we know the aussies were right on our tails.
The map of Sipan, the first island. The FKK is circled in red (by me).
The beach was a little hard to get to so on arrival we didn't have much time. As we were stripping down to hop in the water, the aussies came around the corner and asked if this was the "nudie beach". We confirmed it was so they quickly headed over to some rocks about 20 feet away, "took their kit off", and dove into the water. Fine specimens those two. Then they did something quite unexpected: the one laid down on the rocks while the other took a few pictures. Then traded. Then set up the timer for a group shot of themselves. Mike and I were tripping over each other offering to take it for them but they finished before we could ask. So after a quick nudie dip, we all dried off, put our clothes on, and headed for the boat. Maggie didn't join us on that part as she stayed behind to direct the aussies in our direction.
The stairs to the water at the FKK before getting in the water.
In route to the second island, I started in on the grappa. I'm convinced it's the same stuff they use in infomercials to clean pennies. Even the aussies started cutting it with coke...but not until after three glasses of the stuff.
Because the drink area was next to the aussies, I struck up conversation with them and learned they are cousins. Seems other cousins of their took similar pictures of themselves while in Dubrovnik so they were obliged to "return the favor". I brazenly asked to view the pics, if only to offer an artistic opinion. They'd have none of it.
Island two. Another FKK. We weren't so lucky finding it this time so Mike and I found a secluded area and made our own. Upon returning to the boat, we had lunch at the dock. Mine was freshly caught hake fish and was excellent. During lunch we noticed the deck hand was pacing the dock and realized a young couple from our tour was missing. He is from Manchester UK and she Australian. They were over half hour late. Eventually the captain couldn't wait for them any longer and left.
The hunky Croatian deck hand feeding the seagulls.
Island two.
Me on the rocks of our made up FKK.
Mike hiking out of our FKK.
Island three. We pulled into dock that was about half a mile from the main square so me and the two aussies decided to jump ship and swim to the closest beach.
The harbor of island three.
The map had directions to the FKK so we headed out to find it. After walking half the island over trails that were almost grown over, we came to an outcropping of rocks with a very old church had been built. Maggie was disappointed at not finding the FKK so as Mike and I did on the previous island, she made her own. Mike and I stayed on the church grounds and read the bible.
Maggie taking a dip.
While swimming, a mid size passenger boat went past Maggie and as those of us not accustomed to the free body culture do, she ran up the hill naked and hid. But not before they all saw her and cheered.
A view of the old church as we passed it later from the boat on the way home.
We still had a half an hour before the boat was supposed to leave so we went back to the boat to relax. Walking back to the boat, we ran into the couple we left behind on the previous island. Seems they got to the dock and saw our boat in the distance and pleaded for another to take them to the next island. They said neither had a watch and didn't know what time it was. They asked us how much longer before we had to be back to the boat and we told them 30 minutes. The girl asked where in the sky the sun would be at that time. I took off my watch and gave it to her. God I hope they don't breed. They were the last ones on the boat again. I made sure to get my watch back.
The three of us finished the evening with dinner at a nice restaurant at the base of some steps leading to the top of the city wall. Cats run wild here and only a handful of them are friendly to humans. At this restaurant, the owner is one of the few that has some he calls his own. The mother and three kittens were playing under our table and in the area during the meal. It was fun to watch.
We rode the bus back to our apartment and bid our farewells to Mike. He leaves tomorrow to go back to the UK. Meeting him was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.
