Cheers and Cheerful Cherries in Cres, Croatia

June is the season for cherries in Croatia.  I know this because as I make my zigzagging way up the tangled streets of Cres, Croatia,  intent on reaching the white stone tower I’ve been eyeing all morning, I am drawn farther and farther up a small private walkway, snapping photos, and barge into a sweet old gentleman’s cherry orchard.  And the sweet old gentleman as well!

Stone walls and streets of Cres

A quiet, no-car town, Cres Croatia

Secret grove of cherries..

“Plan for spontaneity when you travel”  ~ Gina Stark

He catches me red-handed, iPhone in hand, framing out a photo to capture the old stone walls and wildly growing bountiful trees that lured me deeper and deeper into what was obviously a private garden.  I smile sheepishly as I inquire (belatedly) if it’s OK to “take a foto”…? Not only does he refrain from chasing me out with a rake, he beckons me in as my friend Helene joins me.

Me and Fran in his backyard cherry grove, Cres, Croatia

Charming courtyard, Cres, Croatia

He proudly shows off his cherry trees, burgeoning with ripe fruit, and starts plucking them off for us to sample them right there and then.  All we can manage to do is smile, mutter “hvala” (“thank you” in Croatian) over and over, and of course, dutifully eat the proffered cherries.  He then opens our handbags and starts stuffing them full of fruit, gathering up the best, shiniest offerings, happy to have found such grateful recipients.

Frane proudly showing off his choice cherries!

Fran, beckoning us to follow him and his potatoes to his bountiful kitchen, Cres, Croatia

His name is Frane, or Francesco in Italian.  And he didn’t stop at cherries.  He leads us inside his home, grabs a grocery bag and proceeds to fill it with a hearty harvest of snap peas.

Happy me with my produce-stuffed handbag.

I love this photo of Helene and Frane, Cres

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travelers don’t know where they’re going.” ~ Paul Theroux

We are enchanted.  Not just because the cherries are such a sweet treat, but because here is this utter stranger, in a foreign land, meeting two snap-shot happy, trespassing Americans who speak only one word of his language (we actually shared more Italian) and then welcomes us to share his home and food with us. (I never did get that romantic picture I was framing..)

Old defense walls, Cres, Croatia

Old stone defense tower, Cres, Croatia

View of Cres from the stone tower

A tower with a view... Cres, Croatia

Breaching Defenses

We do some more wandering around the small, auto-less coastal town and marina; snapping photos of picturesque narrow streets and climbing the old defense tower for expansive views.  And we wave again to Frane and his wife who happily greet us once again as we make our way back to the marina and our ride to the next port.  We can’t wait to excitedly share this bounty with our new boat mates. A genial collection of Norwegians, Croats and one world-traveling Aussie guide.

The marina, Cres, Croatia

Colorful buildings abound, Cres, Croatia

Franciscan Monastery, Cres, Croatia

“Cheers” in any language is…cheerful

So far, I’m basking in the warm hospitality I’ve encountered on this tour through Croatia.  OK, I’m also basking in the sun on deck of the sailboat we’re calling home this week, as a guest of Right Path Adventures.  We sail into new ports and toast each other every evening with a variety of international cheers including cincin, skol and zivjeli. But meeting Frane, well…that was the cherry on my sailing cake.

Our sailing "family", happily cheering each other - thanks, Gary, for snapping the photo!

Goin' fishin'

All photos by Gina Stark, unless I’m in them, and then thanks to Helene Lohr!