While we were sailing through the Dalmatian Islands, a fierce North wind, called “the Bora,” blew in. We took shelter in a small marina on the island of Hvar, where our sailboat bobbed up and down at the dock, waiting to get back out to sea. We took advantage of the situation, rented a scooter and set out to explore the island. Our little 50cc scooter took us past rolling grape vineyards, silvery olive orchards, and churches on the hillsides nestled deep in green trees. We drove through coastal towns built of stone, history greeting us around every corner. We rode to the other side of the island, to the main settlement, appropriately named Hvar Town.
Hvar Town is a hot place "to be and be seen" for European nightlife. Chic, young, hip people come here from all the neighboring countries just to party. For me, what was so magical about it was the light. Revving our scooter to full power to make it up the hill, we drove high up to the fortress overlooking the town below. The sun was setting and the light filtered in through the trees with a golden hue. The edges of the cypress trees lit up, the orange tiled roofs of the houses below were aglow with the setting sun, and the white stone of the tower was beaming in the last light of the day. It was like being in a lucid dream.