Croatia, Part II

AKA "Croatia - Holy Crap"

AAKA "Guys I swear this whole trip isn't a thinly disguised excuse to visit Game of Thrones sets" 

(Although in my defence, holy mother of dragons are these locations gorgeous so that actually seems pretty legit)

So. Let me apologize in advance for how quickly this post is going to devolve into "Croatia Jesus Christ just shut up and go". Croatia is so unbelievably gorgeous that it's a little hard to explain. Everytime I saw the water I wanted to drop everything and jump in; every historical site was incredibly preserved and beautiful. You should go to Croatia. Just trust me. 

It was a ten hour bus trip from Pula to Split, and while that sucked big time, the views from the bus were almost enough to make up for it. The bus follows the coast basically the whole way, so it was the hours of staring at beautiful oceans and anxiously awaiting a chance to jump in. Also, while the whole bus ride was pretty unpleasant, there was one bit in particular that drove me insane - just as we were pulling out of the station at Pula, this nervous, sweaty guy asks if the seat next to me is free. I nod and clear my bag, puzzled that the bus had filled up so quickly when I wasn't paying attention, but then I look around and see that there are at least ten free rows, including those immediately in front of and behind me. What the hell? Why? He was super fidgety, too, and kept elbowing me as he messed around with his bag. I was so annoyed I could hardly function, and when we got our first break I changed seats right away. A good thing, too, as he got off to smoke a particularly unpleasant kind of cigarette and absolutely reeked when he got back. 

Anyway. I fell in love with Split the instant I stepped off the bus. This may have been at least partially because I was so very happy to be off the bus, but I can't say that for sure. 

Besides, with sights like these to greet me, I'm pretty sure I'd have fallen for it pretty quickly anyway. The whole city reminded me hugely of the Venetian in Vegas... Only the marble was real, and the whole thing was much more amazing. It was a really nice place to see! I didn't get up to much until the next morning, when I joined a walking tour to see the city. 

The cathedral by day. 

A bit further out. 

Fountain in the park... Also apparently where the hookers hang out at night. Seriously, our guide was like "yeah so... Don't be here at night."

Once the tour was over, I took care of some bookings and planning for the next few days, then headed out to find a beach. 

This is the bottom of my ferry ticket. I am intrigued, amused, and also vaguely concerned by the phrase "diplomatic anxiety". 

I hung out here for a bit, reading my book and hopping back into the gorgeous water whenever I felt a little too warm. 

More views of the water. 

Split from a distance. Supposedly there were lovely views to be had from a viewpoint up the hill, but there was no way in hell I was going to climb up there on a day that hot. 

I also had a truly delicious meal that night before heading to bed at about 11, as I had to get up by 6 to catch a 7 am ferry to Dubrovnik. 

Goodbye, Split! I can't believe I was awake enough to take this!

The ferry was eleven hours, and there weren't a lot of proper seats to be had, so I spent most of the voyage with a crick in my neck or a numb butt, but it was a lot better than a bus ride!

No views like this from a bus! Actually there were... But it's a lot harder to get pictures!

I got to Dubrovnik just in time for dinner, and went wandering down the pedestrianized street near the hostel to find something to eat. 

I found an incredible sunset instead. Also a really mediocre dinner. 

In the morning, I got up to head into the old town of Dubrovnik. It was a short bus ride, though a long wait, and when I got there I toured the area briefly before settling in for breakfast at a cafe. 

Fountain! You could fill your water bottle there, and there were a few around, which was very nice on such a hot day. 

Narrow, windy streets... Also clearly residential areas, though I never saw a grocery store, laundromat, or doctor's office. 

Part of the walls. They're quite high - as I learned firsthand that evening when I toured them. 

The extremely busy main square. 

Once I'd eaten, I took a ferry to the island of Lombuk, about 15 minutes away. It had a botanical garden and an old monastery, plus a ruined fort and loads of beaches (including a nudist one!). 

The hill above the pier. 

Seriously though, don't you want to swim there?

Or here?

... I think you get the idea. 

So... Parts of the island were used in Game of Thrones. Like this part, maybe? There's a skeleton of a longship in the back, so I think this might be the Iron Islands. 

After wandering around the coast of the island for a while, I came to the brilliant conclusion that I should definitely hike quite a ways uphill to the fort overlooking the island and city. Yeah, that was the smartest thing I've done in a while. 

The fort itself. I don't know what was up with the fire hose. Also, not sure how clear it is here but there is a person in that window, and when I first noticed him after uploading the images to my iPad it creeped me the hell out. 

Is it sad that ruined buildings have gotten pretty commonplace to me?

The view is pretty nice though. 

I find cruise ships mesmerizing. 

This is the best shot of Dubrovnik I managed to take from the island. 

This one is from the boat back! Which, uh, I guess is pretty obvious. 

Are returning to the mainland, I evidently felt I hadn't sweat nearly enough yet, so I went in and climbed the city walls. I'm not sure how I didn't die of dehydration that day. 

It was worth it. Mostly. 

The next morning, I got up and headed to the beach for a while before going back into the city and taking a cable car up to a viewpoint on the hill. There was a walking path, but there was absolutely no way that was happening. 

Do you recognize Dubrovnik? It's King's Landing! It's also beautiful!

This area reminds me of the Interior. I wanted to chill on a cool patio with a nice glass of wine so badly!

This is the part of Dubrovnik I was actually staying in. The beach was on the far right side of the peninsula and the harbour in the front of the right side is where the ferries and some cruise ships docked. 

After taking the gondola back down, I went back to the old city for a while. I figured since I had already seen so many Game of Thrones sites, I may as well complete the set, so I went to find the rector's palace. 

I don't know what it was though?

The church in front of it. 

After that exciting photoshoot, I killed some time in the old town for a while, until night fell, then watched a circus performance put on for an arts festival. 

One of the churches at night. The weird structure on the left (creating the interesting shadows) was part of the show. 

The bell tower after dark... And some info about the arts fest. 

Dubrovnik was gorgeous and wonderful, just like the rest of Croatia. I really can't recommend it enough, and I would say it's been my favourite place so far. I was sad to leave it yesterday, but I think I'll be back sometime! 

Croatia, Part I

As trains, buses and patience would have it, I wound up visiting Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, first, then heading to Slovenia between Zagreb and my next Croatian destination, Pula. It wasn't exactly how I had hoped to do it, but it turned out to be highly difficult to get straight to Ljubljana from Budapest - and then there was all the trouble with bookings! Plus, the train I would up taking from Budapest ran so late (like, three hours late) I would never have made the connection even if I had risked it. All in all, though it made for an odd itinerary and a bit of backtracking, it was the right call. 

I got into Zagreb very late on a Sunday night, and was incredibly relieved to find the tram I needed was still running. I got to my hostel at nearly 11, and was immediately welcomed with a honey liquor drink and many suggestions for what I should do there. When I asked if there was anywhere to eat nearby, the girl said no, but then gave me a filo pastry made with cheese and pumpkin that her mother had made. It was delicious, and a great way to get to a new city - all the more so because I hadn't eaten anything that day!

In the morning, I got up to wander around Zagreb. It's something of a quiet place, and the winding streets all look the same. I was never lost, but I did have a good deal of trouble trying to find the things I was looking for. There was a lot of staring at the map, convinced the building I was looking for should be right there... I did eventually manage to figure things out, though!

Statue and the main park, right across from the train station. 

I think this was the Science Museum? I didn't go in - I'm so sick of museum exhibits by now! 

The other side of the museum. Statues abound!

More of the park, with fountains and shady spots to sit. I hung out there for a bit, and was approached by a staggering number of people - canvassers, tourists looking for directions, and even some girls doing interviews for a local radio station! I wonder if I have now been on Croatian radio?

I thought this was neat - it looks like the white tree was growing around an older tree, which has since died and rotted away. The white tree is still thriving though!

This is a tiny chapel inside one of the old city gates. An actual road runs through it, though it's closed to most traffic. The story goes that the city burned in the 17th century, and this gate - with its minuscule chapel - was the only structure to survive, so it's something of a sacred place now. 

I like this statue. Not entirely sure why, but I do. 

I climbed a cannon tower to get a view of the city. Pretty, isn't it?

Tiled roof of one of the bigger churches. Also, though the building is completely unremarkable in this photo, the corner building on the right is the Museum of Broken Relationships. Yeah. Apparently people would bring in a object representative of their broken relationships and write up a little story about it. I didn't go in - too weirdly depressing, even for me. One of my roommates did, though, and he said it was uncomfortable and strange. Which sounds about right. 

Zagreb also had a lot of neat little streets with cafes down both sides, and cute shops selling all kinds of awesome stuff. I even found a bag of the smoked paprika crisps I'd enjoyed so much in London! It was a fun little place, but I did feel as though I had run out of things to do quite early, so I was happy enough to leave it for Bled after a few days. 

On my way from Bled to Pula, I had about four hours to kill in Ljubljana. I went wandering all through the city, and managed to find a food fair, which was awesome. Though I didn't see much of it, Ljubljana seems like a nice little place, with a lazy river and loads of sidewalk cafes. There were also dragons everywhere - on buildings, bridges, and what seemed to be the city seal. It was kind of cool!

Pula was a horse of a different colour. I don't know what it was about it, but I was completely incapable of navigating the streets. For some reason, I decided long before I got there that I was going to take a taxi to the hostel, and I'm so glad I did. I would have wound up wandering the streets, bag in hand, lost beyond hope had I tried to figure it out. 

Pula's claim to fame is a Roman amphitheatre, well preserved and in the centre of the city. It was the main reason I came to Pula, so once I got up and at it on the first morning, I set out to find it... And somehow walked a great big circle right back to the hostel. No matter, I told myself. I had a cold drink, put my laundry on, and tried again... And managed to end up at the beach in the complete opposite direction. Really. 

But what a beach. 

Though I hadn't planned to swim, didn't have my towel, and had my bag full of electronics and valuables with me, I couldn't resist the crystal clear water and gentle waves. It probably helped that it was well over 30 degrees, too. I hopped in and went for a swim, and it was amazing. Very happy with that decision! 

Afterwards, I set off for the arena - again - but once again got lost and wound up at the hostel. Fed up, I accepted defeat, and decided to hang out for the afternoon. I proceeded to do just that, sitting in the room to hide from the sun and heat, and had been there for a little less than an hour when one of the other people from my room popped in to say that they were hanging out on the roof terrace, and that I was welcome to join them if I wanted. I finished off what I was working on and headed out to join them a few minutes later. 

They turned out to be a couple of lovely Danish students, among the friendliest people I've met yet! They had noticed that there was a barbecue available on the terrace, so in short order we were planning to buy some charcoal and grill up some grub. They wound up inviting nearly everyone staying at the hostel to join us, and soon we were hosting a rooftop barbecue with twenty people from all over the world drinking and sharing the grill. It was a great night, lots of fun, and while it wasn't how I was expecting my night to go, I had a wonderful time! So Pula wasn't really what I was planning at all, but man was it awesome!