Birthday on the Mediterranean

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To be awakened by the sunrise on ones 21st birthday, in the Mediterranean, is a surreal experience. While drinking our morning coffee Gunter, Lois, and Randi Jo sang happy birthday to me, off key, but I think the happy birthday song is better that way 😊

Gunter and Lois gave me a beautiful necklace. It has several strands of aqua/turqoise colored beads that remind me of the ocean. I love it!! Gunter was very proud to have picked it out himself, (with approval from Lois) and I must say they did an excellent job of figuring out what I would like.

There was no wind all day, but this harbor, (on the island of Trizonia) is very well protected. So we just went swimming throughout the day to cool off.

The most amazing thing happened in the afternoon, as we were all sitting in the cockpit. We were all busy with various things when we see a man in a kayak paddling by our boat, all his bundles tied to the top of his little vessel. Gunter started talking to him and when he found out he was German, the man was immediately invited on board for a cold beer. His name was Ulrich, like the viking he informed us. He was around 60 years old, and he had come from Italy in his Kayak. He paddled all along the Italian, Slovenian, Croatian, and Albanian coasts, and is heading for Crete. We gave him some German books because that is mostly what he does as he is alone for most of the time. This man was amazing. He has traveled all over Europe in his Kayak, and also done a lot of land travel as well. He told us about how he once bought a donkey, and walked with his donkey across Greece. his reasoning was that, "this is how people in the old days did it, so I should be able to do it too."
I have never met a more interesting person than Ulrich. I hope he stays safe as he continues his travels.

We went out to dinner at the one of the Tavernas, looking out over the water. We all dressed up, as much as we could anyway with our boat clothes, and I got to wear my new necklace 😊 Gunter and Randi Jo had squid, and Lois and I both had grilled Lamb, and we all shared a bottle of red wine. It was delicious!!!! So we ate, drank, and talked, a lovely ending to a lovely day!!

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Photos

Birthday cake?
Blowing out the candles on my birthday watermelon