Windwalker's Mountain Post: On the Water

After another traveling day we arrived at Kekova Bay, where we boarded kayaks and went out to sea...well, not quite that dramatic, but on the Mediterranean at any rate. We stopped at a resting place, had fresh melon and a swim in this very salt, salt sea, where you would have to work hard not to float. Then we began our paddle toward the town of Kekova. We landed, shed our skirts, and walked through the lower part of town where we boarded our gulet (goo-let!), the Cevri II, born in Deniz's home town of Bodrum.
This day is Jan's birthday and we know she would love all of this: lying about in the sun on deck, swimming, hiking through town and up to the castle for sunset, stopping at the "I Am Here" cafe for coffee while the sun dropped lower, and returning to the boat at dusk. Later we sat on the lounge pads near Deniz with glasses of wine. Pam, talking softly with Deniz, the sounds of dinner prep drifting up from the galley, told Deniz about our Jan, her birthday and friends and family celebrating literally wherever they happened to be around the world. "Ahh," said Deniz, "I have something for you. My favorite song." So, on his computer he clicked on Frank Sinatra's "My Way.". We sat there, tears coursing down already salty cheeks, and he with his arm around both of us. The music progressed through Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, Led Zeplin, and Nora Jones. Then it was time for dinner, and afterward, we took our blankets and pillows and stretched out on the sleeping pads on the roof of the foredeck.
There, we went softly to sleep under the watch of the full moon...as it set for us, it was rising over the Midwest where Jan's family was gathered together, telling stories, we are sure. So, good-night moon, good-night Charlie, Good-night, sweet Jan...Te Amo.