THE 5TH ELEMENT

Spiritofvenice
Thu 6 Sep 2012 09:21
Position : 43°43•1' N and 015°53•9' E
Thursday 6/09/2012  
UTC : 09.20 

THE FIFTH ELEMENT

I wanted to write a blog ages ago. But what would have been the content ? Actually , only complaints ! Does it make sense to bore my readers with technical stuff, what went wrong with the boat, that all the preparation culminated with being back in Croatia since 26th of August, and progress was slow ? Are you really interested in that we had to exchange all batteries ( boiling hot ! ), that we did a general service for engine and generator, with not the right belts at hand, that until today ( 5th of September), the day we wanted to start our exciting journey, we are still in Sibenik, Croatia, and the freezer still doesn't work ! 

I guess you are not interested ! BUT I AM !!!!!!!!! HELP, HELP ME !!!!!!!!!!

Do I miss something here ? May be a fifth element that can save me from insanity ? Well you might know the film with Bruce Willis and Mila Jovovich as the famous Lilo. Truly, I am such a great fan of that film that even our dog in London , a Cockapoo , is called Lilo. I have attached a picture to prove that the dog is as beautiful as Mila ! 


Yes, I even went one step further with my admiration for that film. Almost every year in the past 5 years we organised a party for our friends in London. Each time under a different scheme. We had a "Pirate Party ', an 'Arabian Nights Party', A '007 Party ( the ladies loved the milk tray and the Sean Connery lookalike ), and of course a 'The Fifth Element Party' . And you should have seen the guests. Fantastic costumes. And we even through the help of my friend Christopher organised an opera singer - in this case a music teacher , Luci Briginshaw , who sang the famous song from the film.

Now you might have been wondering for quite some time why do I tell you all this in my sailing blog. Well, don't get nervous , here comes the highlight of my opera life :

As said above, we arrived here in Croatia, in Marina Mandalina,Sibenik, last week Sunday, that is Fati, Pieter and I. On Wednesday night we celebrated our failures in getting anything done by going to the best restaurant in the marina called, and ordered a lot of food, and I tell you it was a lot, and the best wine in Croatia, a Posip from Korcula. Actually 2 bottles ! Anyway, at the table behind us was a couple from Albanoa , and whilst they were presented with their bill, I had this blink of a mad moment , which I have quite often, honestly , and saying across the table tongue in cheek : Thank you for paying our bill ! 

Of course this was the introduction to a little bit of chit chat, and it turned out that the Lady is a famous opera singer with the name of Inva Mula, and with her husband and little baby she had just arrived some hours earlier on her Motor Yacht. So, dear reader , now you might think : and where is the connection. You will be flabbergasted !!!!!

It was no other than Inva Mula who is singing the famous opera part of  „Lucia di Lammermoor“ von Gaetano Donizetti in the film 'The Fifth Element '. It is her !!!!!!!! And she got the 'job' specifically because of the difficulty of the second part of this piece of music. Can you believe this ? Google on You Tube and you can hear why I am so excited about this part of the film. Of all the people in the world, I meet her in a small marina in Croatia in the middle of nowhere? You don't believe me , do you ?

Well here is the proof > a picture, her, her husband ( No 2 ) and me, but without the baby ! 

    On the other side of the picture,  so to speak , was actually a piano. That tells you something about the size of the boat !

And before I forget it, when we wanted to pay our bill, it had been settled already by an unknown sponsor for poor sailors. Thank you Inva, the world can still be saved, as long as it is full of so nice people as you and your husband are. And of course like the people from S/Y Champagne, the world's most demanding sailing boat ! 

Best, Master Mike.