Croatia: Split, Trogir, Hvar and Dubrovnik

July 10 - July 19

After exploring inland Croatia, we boarded a bus to Split on the Dalmatian coast. Croatia was called Dalmatia when it was ruled by the Romans. Aside from being the main ferry terminal for trips to the islands off the coast, Split is home to the former Diocletian Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Diocletian was a Roman emperor during the late 3rd and early 4th century who decided he would one day retire instead of serving as emperor until his death. So he built himself a palace in his favorite part of the empire, current day Split. In the 7th century when the area was under Byzantine rule, the citizens of the area were vulnerable to attacks from invading Slavs, so they decide to move their city into the now abandoned Diocletian's palace and the palace has been inhabited every since. Some of the outer walls as well as the basement and main courtyard are from the original palace and the rest is an eclectic mix of stone construction styles from various time periods.

Peristyle square, inside of Diocletion's Palace

From Split, Croatia

Peristyle square inside of Diocletion's Palace

From Split, Croatia

Statue in Trg Brace Radic

From Split, Croatia

The belltower in Diocletian's Palace

From Split, Croatia

We really enjoyed exploring all the alleyways of the palace and walking along the sea front promenade eating pizza and ice cream. The main beach in Split is a wide, pebbly expanse, and a bit too packed with chairs and umbrellas, but the sea is lovely. The water is very shallow (less than 3 feet) for a distance of about 75 feet from the shore so it stays nice and warm. Brian also ran into some Klapa singers in the old cistern of the palace.  Klapa is the Croatian version of a cappella.  It has a more choral feel, but the music also explores secular subjects of love, country, and grapes (for the wine).  Even though it's not Brian's style, he was spellbound by beauty of the performance.  If you get a chance to visit Dalmatian Croatia, seek out some Klapa.

The Split waterfront

From Split, Croatia

Bačvice beach

From Split, Croatia

Klapa singers (click to watch video)

From Split, Croatia

Less than an hour's bus ride outside of Split is the tiny walled-city of Trogir, which has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The city was under centuries of Venetian rule and exhibits a very Venetian feel--narrow streets and a large central square adorned with cathedral and bell tower. We spent a few hours walking inside the city and outside along the promenade. We also ate Ćevapčići (pronounced che-vap-chi-chi), or grilled minced-meat sausages served inside a spongy pita with diced onions. Cevapi (the short-name for the dish) is most popular in Bosnia, with the best being from Sarajevo, but the Croat version was very tasty.

A street in Trogir

From Trogir, Croatia

Brian in front of the bell tower

From Trogir, Croatia

We also spent a few days on the nearby island of Hvar, but that was kind of a bust. We had forgotten to book a rental that had airconditioning and since we arrived in the middle of a heat wave, we made a quick retreat back to our accommodations in Split before departing to Dubrovnik. The beaches of course were lovely and a nice respite from the heat, but with temps in the 90s it's just impossible to sleep.

The view of Hvar town walking down from our hotel

From Hvar, Croatia

The town from across the harbor

From Hvar, Croatia

From Split we took a bus ride south to Dubrovnik. Situated at the southern end of Croatia's Dalmatian coast, Dubrovnik is a charming and tiny walled city that was once of the largest maritime republics in the 14th and 15th centuries, even rivaling Venice. Geographically it is cut off from the rest of Croatia and we had to travel briefly through Bosnia's 20km coastline to get there. This odd arrangement is a remnant of an agreement made during its time as the Republic of Ragusa under the protectorship of the Ottoman Empire who wanted coastal access for their lands in what is current day Bosnia and Hercegovina. The lands to the north were under the control of the Venetian Republic and the Ragusans were more than happy to cede 20 kilometers of coastline to the Ottomans and create a buffer between them and the Ventians.

The city endured months of shelling by Yugoslav forces during the war, but being a UNESCO World Heritage site (yes, another one), much of the damage has since been repaired. On the expert advice of our guesthouse owner, we ventured into the old town after the cruise ships left. It was still crowded, but would have been intolerable with an additional several thousand people wandering around. On our tour of the old town we first ventured up a few dozen steeply carved steps to the top of the city walls and walked all the way around the city. It's only a distance of 1.25 miles, but with the heat, sun and umpteen stops for drinking water and taking pictures, it took us about an hour. Luckily, the main city square has a large fountain with ice cold water, similar to the many street fountains found in Rome.

Big Onofrio's Fountain

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Melissa and Brian above the Stradun

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Lovrijenac fort from the top of the city walls

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

The eastern tip of the city wall

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Melissa in front of the Cathedral

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

After recuperating with as much water we could drink and a slice of pizza, we headed over to the War Photo Limited. They exhibit the works of war photographers from the Yugoslavian conflict as well as rotating exhibits from various regions around the world. The photos of the Yugoslav conflict were disheartening, but worse still was the exhibit "Somewhere Over Grozny" and an accompanying photo essay by French photographer Eric Bouvet about the conflict in Chechnya. I was literally nauseous after reading his story of being embedded with Russian troupes during a fierce conflict in which half of the soldiers in the unit were killed and of how, in his words, war turned the rest of the men into monsters, driving them to commit horrible acts. It was a powerful reminder of the side-effects of war besides the casualties.  

After a full and exhausting day in town, we opted to spend the next day lounging at the beach near our hotel in the neighborhood of Lapad. The water was warm with very high salinity, making floating around a breeze. Later that evening the guesthouse owner drove us and two other guests to Mount Srđ, which overlooks the city to catch the sunset. An excellent end to an excellent three days.

View of all of old town Dubrovnik from the top of Mount Srđ

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Brian at the top of Mount Srđ

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Cross at the top of Mount Srđ

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

Sunset over Dubrovnik

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

In our next post we'll talk about our travels farther into the heart of the Balkans, to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Melissa and Brian in Croatia with the hills of Bosnia in the background

From Dubrovnik, Croatia

More images of Split, Trogir, Hvar, and Dubrovnik.

Croatia: Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes National Park

July 8 - July 10

On our train ride from Bled to Zagreb we were sad to be leaving Slovenia since it was such a wonderful country, but excited about visiting Croatia and delving deeper into the Balkans. I've been wanting to visit Croatia ever since I read an article about it nearly 11 years ago and the beaches and scenery did not disappoint. I was also interested in learning more about the war since Croatia was one of the most affected countries. Croatia, or the Republika Hrvatska in the local language, has a tumultuous history typical of all the Balkan states. Throughout it's history the country has mostly been ruled in part or wholly by foreign powers and it's odd horseshoe shape is a result of wars for territory among those various powers. The Adriatic coast has a decidedly Italian feeling, while the inland areas display fine examples of Baroque architecture courtesy of the former Austro-Hungarian rulers.

More recently, Croatia declared it's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, but was fighting a war with the Yugoslav army until 1995. They were also involved simultaneously in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, first as allies with the Bosnians and then as aggressors. Sadly, very few of the former Yugoslavian countries emerged from the conflict on what most might think of as the right side of history. As Brian so succinctly put it when I finished reading aloud a section about the wars from our guidebook, "So basically everyone were being assholes." If you want to learn more about this very interesting region and the break-up of Yugoslavia check out the Wikipedia entry.

We only spent one night in Zagreb, but were able to spend an entire afternoon and evening touring the old town, which is divided into the upper town and lower town. The upper town, an older settlement, has historic buildings dating back to the 14th century, while the lower town's historic structures date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Zagreb felt very active and alive with scores of people of all ages on the streets at night. It seemed like every public space was filled with outdoor restaurants, cafes, and other events. We even passed an Elvis cover band playing in the main square with a couple dozen couples dancing up a storm in front of the bandstand.

Tkalciceva street

From Zagreb, Croatia

Trg Jelacica

From Zagreb, Croatia

St. Mark's Church

From Zagreb, Croatia

We woke up early in the morning to catch a bus to Plitvice (prounounced Plit-vit-sah) Lakes National Park, one of the most beautiful and interesting landscapes we've ever seen. The park consists of 16 lakes separated by a series of waterfalls. The lakes span a linear distance of five miles through the forested hillside, descending approximately 400 feet along the way. The lakes are constantly changing as the travertine dams holding each in place are worn away by the water and new structures are formed by mineral deposits in the water. The best part of the park is the wooden walkways that run both alongside and over each of the lakes so you really feel like you're in the middle of the environment. The lakes are crystal clear, teeming with fish and surrounded by all sorts of interesting plant life. Brian and I spent five hours hiking the loops around the lakes and were in heaven. I highly recommend making this part of your itinerary if you visit Croatia.

Waterfall in upper lakes

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

One of the larger waterfalls in the upper lakes

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Extended exposure of a waterfall

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Another large waterfall

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

One of the larger lakes in the upper region of the park

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Fish.  This shot was taken above water

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

View of the lower lakes from the hill above

From Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

We'd had our fill of inland areas and were ready for the much talked about Croatian beaches. In our next post we'll talk about our trip down the Dalmatian coast.

More photos from Zagreb and Plitvice Lakes.

Slovenia: Soča River Valley and Lake Bled

July 5 - July 8

With sandwiches and snacks packed, we left Ljubljana for picturesque Lake Bled on an all-day journey that would take us along the Western border with Italy through some incredible scenery.

Brian, Melissa, and the VW Polo

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

About one hour west of Ljubljana we hit the beginning (or rather, the end) of the Soča river that forms the Soča River valley. The river is crystal clear at its shallow points, but at deeper sections it takes on a radiant turquoise color that neither of us have seen a body of water take on. At first you think it can't be real--that someone dyed the river, but it indeed it is. As we follow the road along the river we pass through tiny, cute villages, some with fewer than 25 people, each with a charming church steeple rising from the middle of the town.

The vivid turquoise water of the Soca river

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

The scenery becomes more dramatic with larger, more craggy mountains as we approach the Julian Alps. We stopped at a pedestrian bridge to grab some shots of the river below and noticed a large waterfall in the distance. Boka waterfall is one of the largest in Slovenia and approachable by a somewhat intense 1.5 hour hike. We only made it one third of the way through before deciding that we had a good enough view from our current position and headed back to the comfort of the car.

Soca river and the Julian Alps in the background

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

Canoes ready to embark

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

Soca river closer to the Julian Alps

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

View of Boka waterfall

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

We passed through several towns, including Bovec, a center for skiing and other outdoor activities, and then made our way for the storied Vršič pass that will take us over the Julian Alps into Kranjska Gora. The pass, along with the rest of the Soča valley, played a significant role in World War I. Over 600,000 Austro-Hungarian and Italian troops died over the course of two years, fighting along what is called the Isonzo Front. The Vršič pass was built by the Austro-Hungarians to supply the troops fighting in the valley below. The road contains around 50 hairpin turns to climb the steep mountain, but the effort is rewarded with sweeping views of the mountains, valley (on a clear day) and passageway to Kranjska Gora, another ski resort that is stunningly beautiful in the summer. From Kranjska Gora we made our way to our final destination of the road trip: Bled.

Soca Valley looking south near Bovec

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

The Julian Alps from the top of Vrsic Pass

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

Julian Alps on the other side of Vrsic Pass

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

Brian and Melissa in Kranjska Gora

From Soca Valley, Slovenia

Lake Bled was meant to appear on postcards. The perfectly clear lake is surrounded by large hills and the Julian Alps. A medieval castle on top of a steep cliff watches over the lake, while a cute church sits on a tiny island in the middle of the lake. We were blessed with two clear and sunny days, which made for excellent picture taking.

Bled castle

From Bled, Slovenia

Island church from the front

From Bled, Slovenia

Bled Castle and island church

From Bled, Slovenia

Julian Alps over Lake Bled

From Bled, Slovenia

We spent our time strolling around the lake, relaxing at the beach, eating lemon sladoled, stuffed peppers, grilled local sausages, giant hamburgers, and discovering the local sweet delicacy, the Kremsnita, a vanilla cream cake topped with hard, flakey shell that makes it impossibly hard to eat. Oh yeah, and Melissa rescued a poor Jack Russell Terrier from the lake that somehow found itself in the lake but with not enough energy to climb over the stone wall surrounding the lake onto the shore. The dog didn't repay the favor with a slobbering wet kiss--he just ran off in search of his owners.

Small beach on Lake Bled

From Bled, Slovenia

Brian eating the biggest burger of his life

From Bled, Slovenia

The local pastry - Kremsnita

From Bled, Slovenia

After two days in Bled we reluctantly said goodbye to Slovenia and boarded a train for Zagreb in Croatia.

Melissa, Brian, and the island church

From Bled, Slovenia

More photos of Soca River Valley and Lake Bled.

Slovenia: Ljubljana and Piran

June 30 - July 5

When we started planning our trip, we quickly identified the countries of former Yugoslavia as a part of the world we both were excited to visit and learn about. Both of us were pretty clueless about the details of the wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia and visiting this region gave us unique opportunity to learn more about what happened as well as the progress since then. Our ex-Yugo journey will take us through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally Montenegro. Our first stop was Slovenia, the first country to split away from the republic, the one left the most unscathed by that decision, and the most prosperous so far.

Melissa and I were looking forward to seeing Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, almost as long as we were planning this trip. Leaving everything behind and hitting the road for the year takes careful planning, which included reading lots of round-the-world blogs. One of the best we discovered was 13 Months, which described Ljubljana as a "perfect little town." We decided early on that our 12 months would take us through Ljubljana, even though for longest time we couldn't properly pronounce the name (roughly youb-yana.. the l's are silent and the j's are like y's)

We arrived in Ljubljana on a late-afternoon train ride from Balatonfured, Hungary through scenic Eastern Slovenia. Ljubljana is not packed with hotels/hostels/guesthouses, so we elected to use Airbnb.com for accommodations--what an excellent choice! Marija, our host, was perfect--kind, knowledgable about the region, and she didn't mind my stupid questions.

We spent our first three days just strolling through the city and casually seeing the sites. The city center is pedestrian-friendly, compact, and cute. The architecture is mostly Austro-Hungarian Baroque influenced, which we've grown to really appreciate after visiting Vienna, Sopron, and Budapest. Several rivers run through Ljubljana, of which the Ljubjanica cuts through the heart and separates the old town from the newer center. It also sets the stage for iconic bridges and picturesque landscapes.

Wooden bridge

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Melissa in front of the Plecnik Colonnade

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Apartments in Center

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

The old town has been inhabited from before Roman times. Later, generations of inhabitants built and expanded on a castle perched on a steep hill overlooking the town. There's a tram to the top, but we needed the exercise, so we walked instead. The castle entrance is free, but for a little extra you can enjoy the rotating art galleries; museums of the castle, Ljubljana, and Slovenia; and a climb to the highest tower for sweeping views of the city and surrounding suburbs. Below the castle are medieval, pedestrian-friendly, winding streets and odd-shaped squares packed with outdoor cafes, restaurants, ice cream stands ("sladoled" in the local language), and boutique shops. The old town also hosts a large outdoor produce market, where I found the most delicious table grapes I've ever tasted.

Inside the Ljubljana Castle

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Hercules fountain in Stari Trg (old square)

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Mestini Trg with Cathedral of St. Nicholas in the background

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

The center part of town is newer, but almost as attractive. Separating the old town from the center are several bridges, of which two of the most famous are the Triple Bridge and Dragon Bridge. This part of town was more centrally planned, so the roads are less windy, the squares are more square, and the shopping is more higher-end. Also on this side was Tivoli park where we spent an afternoon lounging around.

The dragon on dragon bridge

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Preseren statue in Preserenov Trg

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

Melissa relaxing in Park Tivoli

From Ljubljana, Slovenia

And then there's the food. Slovenia's cuisine is an amalgamation of neighboring Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Bosnia, so we spent a lot of time being lazy and drinking coffee, eating ice cream, and dining on fresh fish, pastas, sausages, and salads. We tried our first burek, a doughy pastry that can be filled with meat, cheese, or other savory items and is prevalent throughout the Balkans. Melissa fell in love with Raffaello flavored sladoled and has been ordering it ever since. And I've been drinking lots of coffee and cream, which contains a shot or two of expresso topped with chilled, whipped cream and chocolate powder.

We scheduled five days in Ljubljana to leave room for day trips. At the top of my list was Skocjan Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site and some of the most remarkable underground caves in the world. Originally we planned on taking a bus, but on Marija's insistence that you can see much more in a car, we rented a VW Polo. Although I had excellent training driving stick (thanks Danny, Sadie, and Kramer!), I chickened out and went with an automatic model instead. It was the first time we rented a car on our trip and it turned out to be a great decision because we had the freedom to enjoy a prolonged, scenic ride to our next destination, Bled.

You can drive from one end of Slovenia to the other in 3 hours, but what blew our minds is in less time you can be in Venice, Italy. But we decided to stay in the country, so after the caves we carried on west and visited Piran, a small beach-side town heavily inspired by the Venetians. Slovenia's exposure to the Mediterranean via the Adriatic sea is less than 50 km, but that tiny strip of land is hilly and scenic. We wandered around the old streets, ate risotto with mixed seafood and more sladoled, and made fun of how the Europeans will tan next to any body of water, even in the absence of a proper, sandy beach.

Brian in front of the sign that proves he went to Skocjan Caves

From Piran and Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

Tartini statue in Tartinijev Trg in Piran

From Piran and Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

The promenade in Piran.  Notice the tanners next to the rocks.

From Piran and Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

Brian on the promenade in Piran

From Piran and Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

Piran marina

From Piran and Skocjan Caves, Slovenia

We drove back to Ljubljana that night just in time to catch an outdoor concert of the Slovenian and Croatian philharmonics playing together to celebrate 20 years of independence. The next morning we thanked Marija for her hospitality and made our way back West along the Soca river, over the Vrsic Pass through the Julian Alps, into Kranjska Gora, and finally to Bled where we spent a few nights. But I'll cover that in the next post.

Melissa and Brian on top of Ljubljana Castle

From Ljubljana, Slovenia