Seville Snapshots: Making a Splash in Croatia

This blog is a long love letter to Spain, particularly Andalucía, but traveling outside the land of sunshine and siestas is a lovely hiccup to my everyday life, my vida cotidiana. Like any expat, I’ve got my gripes about my adopted city, but spending a week away from Seville always rejuvenates my love for the place I now call my hogar dulce hogar.

I have a short list of what makes me happy: sunshine, cold beer and traveling (I’d also add food and puppies to this list). When Hayley and I decided to spend Holy Week outside of Spain, we were looking for those few things in our destination. We settled on Croatia, landing in Dubrovnik just as the rain clouds threatened the Easter processions back home and had a quick lunch to be able to enjoy the sunshine while we hunted down a cheap Balkan beer.

Rounding the old city walls near the ancient port, we captured the twinkle of the sun against the jade waters, the cats lazing in its warmth. In an attempt to find the famous Buza bar, we were met by an old man removing the last of his clothing, revealing a speedo and a belly that looked like he’d also been spending years downing Ožujsko beers at Buza. Clucking at us, he turned around, toes barely grasping the cement pier, and swung his arms backwards.

I was a gymnast my entire youth. He was making a go for it.

The old man’s backflip got me thinking about life and aging and goals. He reminded me that I’m never too old to try something new, to push myself to the limits, to quite literally jump into something headfirst. As his friend clapped and I held my breath, he bobbed up and down in the Adriatic, looking refreshed and pleased with himself.

Today may be April Fool’s Day in the US, but I’m not joking around anymore – I’ve got something big in the pipeline, and I’m ready to make a splash in 2013.

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About Cat Gaa

As a beef-loving Chicago girl living amongst pigs, bullfighters, and a whole lotta canis, Cat Gaa writes about expat life in Seville, Spain. When not cavorting with adorable Spanish grandpas or struggling with Spanish prepositions, she works in higher education at an American university in Madrid and freelances with other publications, like Rough Guides and The Spain Scoop.

Comments

  1. Good for that guy!
    The water looks beautiful!
    Nicole recently posted..Monday FunniesMy Profile

  2. Great photos! I think we all need to realize that we are never too old to try something new. I’m glad you’re trying to make a splash in 2013. I know that I am too!

  3. So glad I happened to see this today! It’s great, and what a good reminder, as you mentioned. Good luck with your changes in 2013!
    Jenna recently posted..My Favorite DishesMy Profile

  4. How funny, my friend who is an auxiliar in Spain was in Croatia the same week you were! Always wanted to go there. Can’t wait to hear your news.
    amelie88 recently posted..Paseo por La LatinaMy Profile

  5. I love seeing older people do things that I can’t even dream of doing anymore. Well, maybe I should dream of it! Looks like you had fantastic weather – I can’t believe it was already warm enough to swim!

  6. great perspective that it’s never too late or we’re never too old to try something new.
    Can’t wait to see what your big splash is for 2013!!
    Lauren @ roamingtheworld recently posted..Flashback Photo Fridays: A Flashback in time-Canyon de ChellyMy Profile

  7. This post is weirdly co-incidental in two ways:

    1. I recently happened to be chatting about this sort of ‘you’re never too old to learn something new’ stuff with a 44 year-old Irish fella in Granada and he actually taught himself how to backflip in time for his 40th birthday so he could surprise all his friends – and because he suddenly had that realisation that if he didn’t do it then, then he would most likely never be able to do a backflip!

    2. I was in Croatia last summer and stood at and jumped off that very same peer! Didn’t do a backflip though. More of a running bomb.

    Great post!

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