Mahmuti zbogom i Hvala Croatia i isle be back.
Or for those who aren’t fluent by now in Hravatska wave goodbye and thanks Croatia and isle be back.
Which, of course, in this idiosyncratic strip of a country of 1,423 islands means waving goodbye to a pancake machine.
Which is how we kickstart the contraption in the buffet at the Grand Park Hotel.
On our loveholidays and EasyJet odyssey in Dubrovnik.
It would, of course, be back on our kitchen worktop by now.
Had the Mother of all Dragons not packed the suitcase to the brim with olive oil from the islands.
A scoot around the Elaphiti Islands
We have, in truth, barely made an indentation on those 1,423 isles in our seven days here.
But we did bag three more, the Elaphiti Islands with Get Your Guide (from €60pp) on our last day.
And now with luscious Lokrum, just 700m from Old Town Dubrovnik already explored that makes four.
In all honesty, the Elaphiti Islands lacked the charm, or peacocks, of Lokrum.
And contrary to Pliny the Elder’s claims despite the origins of their name there are no deer on these Elaphiti Islands.
Although plenty of wee Croatian Old Dears, one of whom in Sipan fluttered her eyelids.
To draw Herself into buying her olive oil.
The cutting crew
We have come here on Triton which we pick up from the marina having been driven to the shore from our hotel.
Lorenzo, our dreadlocked polyglot Italian guide and Jakob, his barefooted Polish pal deckhand, get the party going.
We start with Abba and I am reminded of my starring part in Jimmy, Jimmy (A man after midnight) on the Bosphorus.
But word must have reached them and I am not asked to reprise it.
Jakob gives us a pep with plum Rakija chasers and Lorenzo tops us up with Dalmatian wine.
Choose your church
Now if you love yourself an oul’ church then the Elaphiti Islands, and Dubrovnik in general, will be right up your ulica.
With one church for every one in the audience.
Although you imagine St Jerome the Hermit wouldn’t have shared his.
And his doors on Lopud are shut when we visit.
Our time on the islands is alas too brief, 45 minutes each, although we do get to leaf through the botanic gardens.
But hardly enough to get lost on the steep rocky steps in Sipan which houses a positively throbbing 419 residents.
To get to yet another monastery ruins and meet another moggie.
Bare truth about departure time
Now you’d think 45 minutes would be long enough for a nudist beach.
On Kolocep which boasts just 163 inhabitants and just as many cats.
But alas it is too far out to get there and back in time for departure.
With Jakob saying Triton leaves bang on time, kit or sans kit.
In search of a dense hot chocolate
Now despite everyone on the isles seemingly working in the hospitality sector not one serves la ciocolatta di calda densa.
The thick hot chocolate, sometimes found in Dubrovnik, and always in Italia.
There is enough time on our eight-hour boat trip though for Lorenzo and Jakob to wine and dine us some more.
With no shortage of fresh fish, chicken and vegetarian fare all part of the package.
While spirits and coffee are budget prices.
Negotiating the waves
Lorenzo and I parliamo Italiano as we rise to the rhythm of the waves and the Cuban dance music.
And I feel I have made a connection when I share that I loved visiting his hometown Bergamo.
That is until I over-reach and mangle my Italian greeting.
And when I shortchange him at the end when he gets the tip bucket out our prospects of being amichi fade.
And my parting ciao falls on deaf ears without even a buona notte e sogni d’oro in return.
Still, my pancake machine the next morning at breakfast loves and understands me.
So I head for home with a wave goodbye and thanks Croatia and isle be back.
And my wee pancake machine waves back.
