We went to Cavtat this morning on the boat to stroll around the peninsula and enjoy the beautiful weather. The sky was blue, the sun warm and it promised to be a relaxing day. We hiked around the peninsula and strolled through the gorgeous Hotel Croatia, gaping at its two pools and beautiful outdoor bar and restaurant. We spent a couple hours sipping wine and eating prosciutto and cheese at a waterfront café, while checking Facebook and email on our laptop. We even watching the super yacht Galactica sail out of the harbor. After a lovely and relaxing day, we caught the #10 bus back to Dubrovnik.

Arriving at the bus station in Gruz, our day really took a right turn into heart-pounding and downright sickening. We exited the #10 bus which was really packed with people, standing room only, and trooped across the parking lot to the city bus stop to catch the 1A bus to the Old City. As we are standing there, Cory realized he left his backpack in the overhead rack on the #10 bus. He yelled, "My f*ng backpack!" and took off running towards where the bus was parked. Unfortunately, the #10 bus was pulling away from the parking lot and slowly driving up the street. He ran after the bus for about a block and realized he was not going to catch it! Disaster loomed larger than the receding bus as my laptop and our camera were in that backpack. Ever the fast thinker, Cory saw a man parking his car on the side of the street. Cory ran to the car, jumped in the passenger seat and asked if the man spoke English. He replied, "A little..." and Cory commanded him to follow that f*ng bus! He was extremely excited and told the man he had to catch that bus as he left his backpack on it. The sweet man just looked at demented Cory and accelerated to catch the bus as Cory yelled "Drive, just f*ng drive!!" 

 About a mile up the street, they caught up with the #10 bus just pulling out of a bus stop. The man driving pulled in front of the bus and Cory jumped out and began to pound on the bus windows, running to the front of the bus and yelling stop. The bus driver stopped, Cory jumped on the bus and told him he left his backpack on the bus. He pushed through the crowded bus, saw the backpack right where he had left it in the overhead bin, grabbed it and jumped off the bus, thanking the driver profusely all the while. I'm sure everyone thought he was loony, but he got the backpack (and my laptop!) back, safe and sound. As he exited the bus, he was so surprised to see the man he'd high jacked waiting in the car for him. Cory went back to the car, thanked him for driving him to catch the bus, and the sweet man even took Cory back to the bus station to catch the city bus back to his apartment! Actually, Cory high jacking him and chasing a bus was probably the most exciting thing that happened to him all week. He told Cory he was just on his way to the store for his wife, so he'd go back and do his shopping now! Cory did thank him, multiple times, and gave him a good tip which he tried to turn down, but Cory insisted. He told him how much we appreciated his help and it was so not even enough for helping us.

While Cory was high jacking a Croatian driver and chasing a bus, I paced the station until the #10 came back and talked to the bus driver. When I asked about a backpack left on his bus, his face lit up like a candle. He said my husband had followed the bus and taken his backpack. I was a bit puzzled by that, but relieved, until I arrived back at our apartment and heard the whole story. My Cory is a hero. I hope the poor little Croatian man doesn't think all Americans are just as crazy as my Cory!