Loo - bee - ah - na

Hello Ljubljana!  We're now in the capital of Slovenia, about three hours north of Plitvice Lakes.  This is our last side trip out of Croatia and we're here for two nights.  Slovenia shares a border with Austria and we can definitely see the Austrian-Germanic influence in the architecture as well as the food.  There is a definite European feel that isn't quite the same as in Croatia while we're walking the cobbled streets.  Not better or worse, just different.

Franciscan Church

Ljubljana is a younger capital than its European counterparts, and relatively smaller with less than 300,000 residents.  It frequently draws a comparison to Salzburg as there is a castle that sits atop the highest point overlooking the city.  However, the city is actually modeled more after Prague.  Even though being a European capital is relatively new, there have been settlements here since the 12th century B.C.  

A river runs through the middle of the City and there are numerous cafes and restaurants that line both sides with plenty of outdoor seating.  We have taken full advantage of the al fresco dining options where we enjoyed cool evening breezes, good food, and great people watching.

Ljubljana Caste overlooking the city

While there aren't major cultural draws like a Louvre or a British Museum, Ljubljana more than makes up for it with its general ambiance and vibe.  It's very compact and walkable and there is still plenty to see and enjoy.  

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's oldest and largest national park, and without a doubt, its crown jewel.  Our waterfall adventures started with Kravica in Bosnia.  That was lovely and a nice appetizer. Our second adventure was at Krka National Park in Croatia and it upped the waterfall game with multiple falls connecting several lakes, like a glass of fine wine as you savor each sip.  Plitvice Lakes National Park is the entire meal plus dessert plus a second dessert.  There's a reason its the crown jewel of Croatian parks, and hands-down, this was our favorite -- not only for this trip, but perhaps of all the waterfall experiences we've ever had.

The park is a series of 16 interconnected lakes that gradually drop in elevation, which is what feeds all of the too-many-to-count waterfalls.  There are giant free-falling waterfalls, travertine falls, cascading falls, and practically every other kind of falls that have a separate classification.  The water in the lakes is crystal clear and you can see the fish swimming and the rocks and logs at the bottom.  However, it is not only crystal clear, it is also incredible shades of blue and turquoise -- a result of light refraction, a lack of algae, and the calcium carbonate from all of the limestone found here.

The park is divided into two main sections -- upper and lower -- and there are a series of boardwalks and trails that visitors walk on.  There are several suggested routes through the park depending upon your interest and how much time you have.  We followed Route C which took us the entire length of the park starting at the lower section and finishing at the upper section.  This route generally kept us at water level the entire time.  There are other routes that keep you on the ridge above the water and some that mix the two.

You take an electric-powered boat across one of the largest lakes in order to get between the upper and lower sections.  There is also a tram that connects the sections along the ridge and we took that back to the entrance once we completed our entire hike through the park.

It took us a little over four hours to get from one end of the park to the other, and the time flew by.  We were constantly in awe of the surroundings and couldn't believe what we're seeing is real.  We took lots of photos and videos which helped show the beauty, but it is really something that needs to be experienced.

If you do only one thing while you're in Croatia, this should be it.  There's nothing else in this world to compare to Plitvice Lakes.

Krka National Park

Skradinski Buk Waterfall

We left Split this morning for a one-hour drive to Krka National Park.  Today is the first day of consecutive national park days, and both will feature waterfalls, which is the main reason we're going.  We arrived at Krka about 9:30am and was able to ride the bus down the canyon to the main waterfall area -- Skradinski Buk.  Skradinski Buk is the largest falls in the park and drops between several interconnected lakes.  They have a boardwalk that you can walk across the lakes and around the perimeter of the entire Skradinski Buk area.

Manojlovački slapovi waterfall

We drove around and looked at several other areas of the park and finished with Manojlovački slapovi waterfall at the north end of the park.  We're having a signifiant heat wave and the high today around the park was over 100 degrees.  That's limiting some of our planned hiking, but we're still seeing the main areas. Very thankful for air conditioning in the car and at the hotel.

Tomorrow we'll be at Plitvice Lakes National Park and it is supposed to be super hot again. We'll be there when the gates open at 7:00am and hope to beat the worst heat.

Hvar

Hvar Town

While in Split, we took the ferry over the island of Hvar and Hvar Town.  Hvar Town has many of the same architectural qualities as the other towns we've seen with the white stone and red tiled roofs.  The main difference is it caters to the jet-set and wealthy -- obvious to us by the prices, the fashion, and the number of large yachts lining the harbor.  Nevertheless, it has an amiable feel to it and is easily walkable in its compact size.  We strolled the town, stopping by the Benedictine Convent (1664) where they have the unique tradition of lace-making using the threads of the agave plant.  Did we mention the agave plants are huge here?

We then spent the rest of our time on the rocky beach enjoying the crystal clear water and watching all of the sailboats and yachts go by.  The days have been hot (90+ degrees) but the water is cool, making the beach time awesome for Mona and a little more tolerable for Bryan 😆.

This is an example of the very delicate lace made from Agave plants.  

Finding the Roman Empire in Split

We're now in the city of Split, the second largest city in Croatia in the heart of the Dalmatian Coast along the Adriatic Sea.  Split owes its origins to the Roman Empire, namely the Emperor Diocletian (245-313) who was native to Dalmatia and built a huge palace here for his retirement.  After his death and the fall of the Roman Empire, a medieval town took root sometime in the 7th century.  The Venetian Empire took over the Dalmatian coast in the 15th century, developing and fortifying Split, and with that came the introduction of Gothic-Renaissance architecture.

Seeing Roman brick arches in the cellar

Today, the Old Town of Split is rooted within all of the development that has occurred within Diocletian's Palace.  The palace, or more accurately what's left of it, is a UNESCO Heritage site.  You can still see the Roman influence and architecture throughout.  For example, what was the basement or cellar of the palace is now a shopping court.  You can still see the original Roman bricks forming the arches atop all of the stone columns. Dioletian's mausoleum became the Cathedral of St. Domnius, and Jupiter's Temple became St. John's Baptistry.  Much like Dubrovnik and Trogir, the Old Town is a maze of stone alleyways and buildings.  Although we saw hints of Roman architecture in other places we've visited, the center of Split is unquestionably from Roman times.

Bell Tower at Cathedral of St. Domnius

Split is also a major hub for ferries traversing to and from many of the outlying islands.  It has a large harbor with ferries, cruise ships, and yachts all coming and going throughout the day.  We took the ferry to the nearby island of Hvar and spent a lovely morning walking the town and enjoying the beach there.  Split's harbor is near the waterfront promenade known as The Riva which is constantly full of people.  Being here on a Saturday night showed us that a lot of people get dressed to the nines as they parade about the Riva.

With all off the hustle and bustle of Split, there is still a large swath of parkland called Park Šuma Marjan. This is a forested hillside on the western end of Split that is very popular with the locals who hike, bike, and jog here.  We visited the park as it has

The Peristyle (main square)
Entrance to Diocletian's residence

one of the highest points with great views of both the city as well as the Adriatic and outlying islands.

Our time here in Split is quickly coming to an end.  We'll be visiting national parks for the next two days, trading our bathing suits and beach towels for hiking boots.

GPS Adventures

GPS, and Google Maps in particular, have made traveling in unfamiliar places so much easier.  We've been traveling a long time, well before the advent of cell phones and having turn by turn directions at your fingertips.  We're very adept at reading paper maps, but the technology today makes things easier and can quickly let you know alternative routes when there's congestion ahead or a road is closed due to construction.

Our closed border crossing

But it's certainly not foolproof. It had us turn the wrong way down a one-way street trying to get to our apartment in Mostar. As we were leaving Bosnia, it took us to a border crossing that apparently has been closed for a very long time, and then proceeded to re-route us down a narrow one lane road that dead ended into a field.  More than once it told us to turn right to go to a roundabout to make a u-turn to proceed in the opposite direction, when we could have easily made a left hand turn.

It's taken us down many a back road on this trip and we've seen the real country and not just the shiny parts all the tourists want to see.  For the few of you who read this blog when we travel, you know we've historically traveled with Mona's parents.  They're back home and not on this trip with us which is probably a good thing.  Mona's mom is very much not your glass half full kinda lady (Hi Mom!!) and she would have been freaking out every time one of these inconveniences occurred.  For us, it's just part of the adventure in exploring new places.

There's a reason this welcome sign is grown over --- this border crossing apparently hasn't been used in years.

Trogir

After Kravica Waterfall, we ended our time in Bosnia and Herzegovina and drove back to Croatia and the town of Trogir.  The historic center of Trogir is actually on a little island -- walled of course -- and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Trogir is just across a small bay from the city of Split where we will be staying the next three days.  The historic center is well-preserved and you can easily wander through all of the narrow alleyways. It is still very much lived in as we came across many apartments and local shops and restaurants that do not necessarily cater to tourists.  We enjoyed the casual, laid-back atmosphere as we had dinner at a cafe along the waterfront promenade people-watching and seeing the boats go past.  I wonder if there are any affordable apartments here?

Kravica Waterfall

After we left Mostar for the drive back to Croatia and our next destination of Split, we made a stop at the Kravica Waterfall. We will be visiting the well-known waterfalls in Croatia at Krka and Plitvice Lakes National Parks later in our trip, but Kravica Waterfall was not really on our radar.  We stopped for about an hour as a pit stop between Mostar and our visit to the town of Trogir in Croatia, and it was worth every minute and more.  It's a popular spot for the locals to come and spend the day.  The beauty of this waterfall speaks for itself, so I will just show some pictures and video.

Mostar

We've taken another side trip out of Croatia, this time to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Most folks (us included) tend to just say Bosnia, but it's not the official name.  It's BNH for short. 😀. We didn't know much about Bosnia before this trip, but have since learned quite a bit.  We like using the Rick Steves guidebooks, and as he says, it's a country "with three faiths, three languages, and two alphabets."  We experienced all of this first hand.

Old Bridge

Bosnia is likely the most ethnically diverse of the former Yugoslavian countries. Bosnians are generally Muslim, Serbs are Eastern Orthodox, and Croats are typically Catholic. On the drive to Mostar, we saw both the Roman and Cyrillic alphabets.  We also saw numerous mosques as well as Christian churches.  We stayed in the heart of Old Town Mostar, adjacent to one of many mosques, and we heard the Muslim call to prayer multiple times during our one-day visit. About half the population in BNH is Muslim, and this is our first visit to a primarily Muslim country.  In both the architecture and food we could see the Ottoman (Turkish) influence.  In fact, Turkey has a consulate located in the heart of the Old Town.

Old Bridge at night

The main draw for our visit to Mostar was to see the Old Bridge (Stari Most).  This bridge has spanned the Neretva River for over four hundred years.  In fact, it's the longest single-span stone arch in the world.  The bridge was destroyed during the 1990s war for independence.  It was rebuilt using new stone that was hand-carved from the original quarry.  The Grand Duchy of Luxumbourg contributed significant funds to its restoration and is recognized with a plaque on the bridge. They did an outstanding job with the restoration as it is difficult to tell that it was reconstructed less than 30 years ago.

Running along the river after you cross the bridge is what's known as Coppersmith's Street.  There are lots of little shops selling all kinds of things made of stamped copper. Some of the larger pieces had very exquisite detail.  We ate dinner at a restaurant next to an 

Our Bosnian "Meat Feast"

offshoot stream of the Neretva, a lovely setting that could have inspired the San Antonio Riverwalk.  We had what I lovingly referred to as a "meat feast" -- a dinner for two that had samplings of traditional Bosnian meats including Ćevapi, a type of sausage that is often considered the national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina.  As a proud carnivore, I can attest that all of it was delicious.

We only had the one day for Mostar on this trip, and it was a very fulfilling and enjoyable day.  Hopefully, we will make a return trip one day.

Montenegro Adventure

Dubrovnik is at the far south of Croatia, less than an hour's drive from Montenegro. Being that close, we couldn't pass up the chance to add another stamp in our passport so we drove down for a half-day adventure to the town of Kotor.  Kotor is located on the Bay of Kotor, inside the mountains from Adriatic Sea.  It is apparently a popular cruise ship port of call as we saw three different cruise ships docked during our visit.

It was an easy drive from Dubrovnik, and because both countries are not in the Schengen zone of the European Union, we had to stop at the border to show our passports and be admitted into the country.  Once in Montenegro, we were quickly next to the water and drove around the Bay until we reached the town of Kotor about 2 hours after we left.

The Town and Bay of Kotor

Main Square and Clock Tower

The Old Town in Kotor still has its defensive walls surrounding the town and extending up into the adjoining mountain until it reaches the St. John Fortress at the top. We hiked halfway up to the Church of our Lady of Health. This church was built in the 1500s.  The views of Kotor and the bay are excellent from this vantage point.  Because it's tucked into the mountains, it reminds us of the fjords we've visited in New Zealand and Scandinavia.

Cathedral of St. Tryphon

The Old Town is very well preserved with the stone lanes and narrow alleys.  One of the best preserved structures is the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Tryphon which was first built in 1166.  It's most recent extensive preservation efforts were in 2016.  One of the interesting features is that instead of a side chapel as you find in many cathedrals, St. Tryphon has a small chapel on the 2nd level.  I was able to visit the second level and onto the balcony between the two towers overlooking the square.

Compared to Croatia, Montenegro is not as wealthy a nation and we could see that on our drive to Kotor as we passed a number of abandoned and dilapidated buildings.  Grittier might be a good term to use.  Kotor seems to be in better shape, probably in no small part to the number of tourists like us.  Definitely a place worth visiting.

A Hole in the Wall

Buza Bar

While Cocktail Bar Massimo in Korčula town was a fun experience with great ambiance, Buza Bar in Dubrovnik probably has it beat. A literal "hole in the wall" leads you to this very unassuming bar on the rocks outside of Dubrovnik's walls where you can watch the boats go by and soak in the sun and the sunsets. There's even an area for swimming and several folks were enjoying that while we were visiting.  The drinks may have been a little expensive, but the view was priceless. 

Korčula

Korčula town 

Croatia has over 1,000 islands off its eastern coast, although most are small an uninhabited. Korčula is one of the largest and most inhabited of these islands, and it did not disappoint.  We spent our Wednesday driving two hours up the coast, onto the Pelješac peninsula to the town of Orebić, where we caught the car ferry to the island. Korčula town is the historic port of the island and where we started and finished our day.  It is frequently referred to as "little Dubrovnik" because it is also a walled city on a peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic Sea, though significant smaller in size.  Korčula claims to be the home of the explorer Marco Polo, but that may be more legend than fact.  It certainly makes for a good story.

Vela Luka cave

We drove the length of the island to the town of Vela Luka to see a unique cave that has evidence of human existence dating back to 10,000 B.C.  It is still an active archaeological site trying to learn more about the earliest inhabitants of this part of Europe.  It was not a typical cave in that it has several "skylights" which gives it its unique appearance.

Pupnatska Luka

After Vela Luka, we meandered back across the island, visiting the small town of Brna and spending time on the beach in Pupnatska Luka.  Pupnatska Luka is a little cove that has some of the clearest water we've ever experienced, especially for being at the beach.  Croatia is known for having some of the most blue and turquoise water when you look from afar, but up close, is extremely clear.  We could see all the way to the bottom while we were swimming.

Super clear water

  A lot of the beaches here, Pupnatska Luka included, are pebbly/rocky beaches and not the nice sandy beaches we are accustomed to in America.

We finished our day back in Korčula town where we had drinks at Cocktail Bar Massimo, which is located in one of the towers that makes up the town's wall and fortifications.  It was nearing sunset, and we were on the roof soaking up the views and enjoying our drinks.  

It's an adventurous setting to get to, as you must climb a ladder through a hole cut through the thick stone in order to access.  The drinks were great, but the views were even better.  The tower in the lower left corner of the picture above is where it's located.

We made it back to Dubrovnik a little after 10:00pm, a full day's adventure exploring on of Croatia's most beautiful islands.

Walking Dubrovnik's Walls

For centuries, Dubrovnik was an independent city-state and a major maritime power.  At one point, it had the third largest navy in the Mediterranean and relished its liberty.  Even today, the theme of "Libertas" is prevalent throughout Dubrovnik and you see that phrase virtually everywhere.  Dubrovnik has certainly expanded through the years, but the core city from its seafaring dominance in the 15th and 16th centuries is completely walled much like a castle would be surrounded by a moat.  However, this isn't a historical reenactment with architectural charm, it is still a vibrant part of the City where many citizens still live, worship, and shop -- albeit with a lot of tourists walking through each day.

The walls date back to the 15th century as fortifications against invaders.  At various times, Dubrovnik was surrounded by either the Venetians, Hungarians, or Ottoman empires, and its wealth as a major maritime power necessitated protections.  It also used its wealth to pay "tribute" to its neighbors thus helping to ensure its independence.

One of the must-dos in Dubrovnik is to walk the City walls.  This provides you with the best views of the City as well as out over the Adriatic Sea.  We spent our first morning here walking the walls and soaking in the atmosphere.  We were on the walls by 9am in order to beat the heat and the crowds.  Because it does get crowded and the width is very narrow in places, people are

The Stradun -- the Main Street of Dubrovnik

 only allowed to walk in one direction.  There are three places to access the walls, so once you start, you're committed at least for part of the way around.

The views did not disappoint.  Seeing all of the tiled rooftops from above is quintessential Dubrovnik and is frequently features in photos and paintings.  Even though I like all of the photos I took, it is still difficult to accurately capture all the beauty I was seeing.

Soaking in the view from Minceta Tower -- tallest point along the walls

Šibenik

We've said goodbye to Zagreb for now and will return at the end of the trip.  We checked out of our apartment and picked up our rental car for the trip, an Opel Grandland.  Today we drove 6 1/2 hours, through mountains, numerous tunnels, and finally along the Dalmatian coast to Dubrovnik.  About halfway, we stopped along the coast in the city of Šibenik.

Cathedral of St. James

The main reason for stopping in Šibenik was to see the Cathedral of St. James.  This is one of several UNESCO Heritage sites in Croatia.  The cathedral was built between 1431 and 1536 and consecrated in 1555.  There were renovations taking place in the interior and scaffolding that covered up the rose window.  However, in spite of the current construction, it is still a lovely cathedral to see but much smaller than your typical European cathedral.  We strolled through a portion of the historic center of town before driving to a different part of Šibenik to see St. Nicholas Fortress.

St. Nicholas Fortress

We didn't have time to actually visit the fortress, but it allowed me the opportunity to fly my drone for the first tine on this trip to get nice pictures and video from above.  I was also able to take drone footage of the historic center from the perspective of the water.  There are many areas I won't be able to fly, but I hope to use it as much as possible.  Fingers crossed this isn't the only time.

Šibenik - with Fort of St. Michael top left and
the Cathedral on the lower right.

Street Art

One of the non-traditional touristy things to do in Zagreb is to check out some of the street art around the city.  While we've seen cool street art in other places we have traveled, Zagreb is the first place we've been where it is actually featured in one of its city parks.  Ribnjak Park, which runs behind the cathedral, is definitely a locals' park where families come to picnic and stroll through this green oasis with lots of mature trees.  It's here we found the Art Park which has a concentration of street art in addition to the random street art seen strolling through the City.  We love admiring the creativity of these artists -- a talent we don't have, but one we certainly appreciate.