DAY 59 Part Two
Tuesday June 28 2005
After we left the island, we had a free day, so I took off and went to lunch. The day was hot, but even still, I decided to walk around the lake instead of taxi. My views as I walked.
I was looking for a very specific restaurant listed in the Rick Steves guide book. A place with wood fired pizzas. I found the place after hefting my load up a steep ass hill.
I happily reached the balcony of the pizza place only to be invited by two youngish guys to their table for lunch. Well that was really outgoing and friendly of them . However, I was sweating, tired and hot and just wanted to be alone. I said no thank you and sat off in the far corner.
Now that is unlike me. I basically slammed his overture of friendship into the ground. I felt kind of bad about my reticence, so gave it some thought. Most people won't invite a stranger to lunch, yet his invite did not make my back feathers go up. No alarms were going off of any kind. This was a true gesture of openness made by a happy extrovert. Someone riding on a wave of success perhaps? It seems that way. I can only come to the conclusion that he must be the owner, even if he only looks to be in his twenties.
The guys left after they finished eating and my when my lunch came it was fabulous.
I made sure to tell the waitress to mention as much to the cook. She said that the guy who invited me to lunch was the new owner of the restaurant and that is why the name changed to "The Rustika".
Mmm... my hunch was confirmed! I am getting really proficient at reading body language with just a minimum of verbal language exchanged. :-)
So I told her I was sorry I couldn't join them and how nice it was that they had offered. There! Now I don't feel so bad and I still get to relax by myself to boot!
After a pleasant lengthy lunch with a cool wind blowing over the rooftop terrace to refresh me I decided to call for the bill and go swimming in the lake.
When the waitress brought the bill she also brought a shot of blueberry vodka courtesy of the owner. :-)
You know, with the wood fired pizza, the lively music, and the balmy wind winding it way over the roof top terrace, drinking blueberry vodka that goes down so smooth, sweet, and easy; I would be a happy, outgoing, friendly person too, if I owned a place like this. :-) After all wouldn't you be?
I spent the rest of the day swimming in the cool water of the lake on this hot sultry day and it was marvelous! I could see the fish swim by my feet and ducks swim by my head. This was my view as I swam in the lake. Life is good! :-)
Its getting dark now and it's time to meet up with the group for our last farewell dinner.
The male swan of a family of four.
During dinner our tour guide gave us a goodbye speech and every time we clapped a little dog, yes I said dog, at the next table would bark. It got us all to laughing! Good food, good company, and a dog for comedy! :-)
After dinner a bunch of us went out to a bar situated on the patio of a hotel. They had polka music and it was so fun watching Charlie and Linda dance even though it made me feel a little lonely. I can count on one hand how many times Jeff and I have danced together in the last 13 years.
Everyone was having a lively time and it is a good memory to leave Lake Bled with! Eventually I said bye to them all and called it an early night as tomorrow I fly out to Berlin.
Lake Bled is exquisite!