Days 9 and 10 Turtles, naked Tango and a quiet soul.

Apologies for the late posting, lovelies — the internet was a bit dodgy yesterday and today I’ve been busy.

Day 9

It was a pretty typical day to begin with: breakfast, yoga, a little writing, and then a swim. Later I joined Anja and her friend for a drink in the square before heading home.

After a shower and change, I made my way back down to Scala for the opening night of the Sappho Women’s Festival art exhibition. It was fabulous — such a variety of interesting work, a good crowd, and even a very English buffet (yes, sausage rolls and Viennese slices included!).

One piece that caught my eye was by Norwegian artist Erna, titled “The Naked Tango Class Was Cancelled.” To be honest, if “naked tango” appeared on the festival programme here, I wouldn’t be surprised. I wouldn’t be attending though — last year’s ecstatic dance workshop is still triggering enough!

'The Naked Tango class was cancelled"

Feeling good to be out and about, I wandered over to Isla Bonita for a girls’ night out. On the way, we crossed Turtle Bridge, and for the first time I really noticed the name. Peering over the side into the river, I realised exactly why it’s called that — there were turtles everywhere! I could’ve stood there watching them for hours.

The evening at Bonita was wonderful — a mix of familiar faces and new friends. I love the vibe there. Some people say it reminds them of Thailand, though I wouldn’t know.

What I do know is that loud, busy, lairy places just aren’t for me anymore, and I’m absolutely fine with that. Drinking too much, packed-out bars, and making a tit of myself… I’ve had my fair share of those nights, but the appeal has worn off. These days I’m evolving into a quieter soul — someone who genuinely enjoys her own company and would rather be up early for yoga than stumbling home at dawn, even on holiday. Who knew?! And I’m totally at one with it.

While most of the girls carried on partying, Gwen and I headed back to the village and rounded off the evening on the upstairs terrace under the moon, chatting about all things witchy. We felt like the two aunties in Practical Magic — though in our case it was midnight herbal tea, not midnight margaritas.

Day 10

I was up early and decided to walk down to Scala rather than hitch a lift or grab a taxi. It’s a beautiful walk of about 50 minutes. It did get a little hot, but I found refreshment in some wild grapes growing by the roadside.

My plan was to hand out more flyers and promote the workshops. But as some of you know, September 11th is the anniversary of my son Benjamin’s passing. No matter where in the world I am, this time of year always brings with it a heavy melancholy I can’t shake. It’s the season of what ifs and what could have beens. Most of the year, I count my blessings and feel deep gratitude for my wonderful children and grandchildren. But I will always be incomplete. Benjamin would have been 26 this year, and on this day, I mourn him deeply.

I tried to rally, but the sadness took hold. I was so grateful for my new friend Storm, who kept me company and was completely unfazed by my low energy. By teatime I knew it was time to retreat, so I went home, had tea and toast, and spent the evening quietly alone with my thoughts and my grief.

This trip is bringing me to a new level of self-awareness and acceptance. I’m realising how often I’ve said yes to things I don’t truly want to do, or pushed myself to fit a certain mould. But something about the moon, the sea, the air, and this precious time alone is unveiling a calmer, more serene, self-contained version of me. And honestly? I like her.

Tomorrow is my first workshop. I’ll admit I feel a bit of anxiety around it, but I’m also excited. Sign-ups have been harder than I expected, but I trust that those who need to be there will be.

I’ll let you know how it goes in my next blog.

Apologies if anyone was expecting me doing a naked tango . I noticed when my head line was Free Palestine ( I make no apologies ) I had the least amount of readers and am curious to see if naked tango would attract more interest. Funny creatures us humans eh!!

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to read.

Much love and bright blessings,

Bex xx