I’m baaack.
What a couple of weeks I have had on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia was a really interesting trip and one that I would highly recommend for all ages. Except- for July and August. I cannot imagine the amount of tourists that they talk about in the streets I have wandered. So go, spring would be great I think but this time of year is also quite perfect.
We began with a few days in Zagreb, a city rich in history, but not particularly outstanding with the rest of the trip that we had. We saw the regular sights and indeed it was interesting as you can see from the slides I am attempting to include on my site.
Flying to Dubrovnik we took a bus to Montenegro that was quite different from what we expected. The old walled city of Kotor was especially fun but Budva; a big tourist attraction appeared to be a summer nightmare. Lots of building going on without the infrastructure. There are so many other possibilities t choose from don’t put your eggs in a Montenegro basket.
Traveling up the coast we saw many wonderful sights but there were a few things that frequently stand out. The main thing would be the clarity and purity of the water. There are thousands of islands in the Croatian Adriatic and with every town we past the waters were crystal clear and turquoise. It was a beautiful thing to see mountainous islands and coastline tumbling down to a clear sea. Even in Dubrovnik and further north in Opatija there were steps on the city docks so you could go right in the water. (Which was a bit nippy this time of year but there were people swimming.)
The second thing that struck me was the wealth of natural resources. Although there are very dry mountains there are also fertile plains of agriculture. Couple that with the clean water
and heavenly air, it is a rather nice place to be. I am hopeful that as the country develops they will take heed of mistakes others have made and fiercely protect their natural assets. We had lots of good fresh vegetables and the seafood is plentiful and varied. There are grilled meats and a heavy Italian influence on the herbs and techniques that are used. That being said it is not easy to consistently find a great meal in Croatia although my perception may be clearly tainted by being on a tour rather than traveling on my own. When we did get out on our own Mom and I had wonderful oysters and an incredibly indulgent truffle lunch in the Istrian peninsula near Italy.
Restaurants abound everywhere in Croatia and there are people in them 24/7. It is common to stop for a coffee and nothing else and take up a table for an hour or more watching the world go by and talking to your friends. The beer is not too bad either and homemade wine that is
similar to a Beaujolais nouveau style, young and fruity is easily had.
Dubrovnik was one of my very favorite places and would probably rank right on up in my top ten cities. It is old and yet cosmopolitan as well, with arts going on, people living up in the walls in neighborhoods and amazingly clean. It is like a silver city at night with the reflection of the lights on the polished marble streets. There is a sense of history but also of the contemporary which makes it great fun for wandering.
Seeing Diocletian’s Palace in Split was interesting but not much left gives the suggestion of its glory days-2000 years ago. Many people had moved in since and left their mark for their time. It was interesting how the whole country shows marks of history. Something to consider- In the thousands of years of Croatia’s existence, they have only been independent for 27 years. It is a wonder then how much they have achieved especially since the latest and horrific war 15 years ago that so much of the country functions well and is rebuilt and open for business.
The town of Sibenik’s crown jewel is certainly their cathedral. Some of the most unique and masterful carvings I have ever seen. I took many pictures, a fraction which I included here.
Opatija was our final destination and is a genteel city by the water that reflects its spa and gentry heritage. In many ways it reminded me of Nice without the magnitude. The houses were stately and elegant and once again the water was as clear as could be. It was from there that Mom and I rented a car and looped around the interior of the Istrian peninsula (http://encarta.msn.com/map_701513417/istria.html) We ended up in Livade for lunch, home of the restaurant Zigante, celebrating the elusive white truffle. (A fungi which lives
underground and can be found by trained dogs or pigs). We had a spectacular lunch that took far longer than we planned and rushed through the artists’ colony of Groznjan, the Glagolithic Highway (an ancient alphabet of runes) and round about all sorts of teeny hill towns.
It was a trip to remember as you can surmise from some of the almost 600 pictures (not shown in their entirety) that I took.
Recommended?- Highly.
