Croatian Adventure!

Dear Friends and Family,

Hello from Croatia! My best friend from Northwestern University, Page, and I have been traveling this incredible country now for two weeks! We began in Zagreb and worked our way down the coast to Dubrovnik until our night bus back up to Zagreb where we are now awaiting our flights out tomorrow (August 14th).

It has been a wonderful trip and a very much needed vacation from all the work of Peace Corps life!

Our trip started in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Zagreb is located inland and has a very Eastern European feel. I like to refer to Krakow as a quaint Prague but I feel like Zagreb is a quaint Krakow. The city is filled with white washed buildings topped by red tiled roofs and just has that feel of old town Eastern Europe. We spent our first full day in the country roaming the narrow city streets filled with both old shops as well as H&Ms and other chain fashion stores. We feasted on a lunch of pasta and pizza at which I first said a phrase which was then repeated multiple times throughout the trip - “We don't have this in Ukraine!” The pizza had artichokes, a delicious treat I have not had in a long time!

Next we traveled to Pula, a city located on the southern tip of the Istria Peninsula in the northwest of Croatia. Pula was once a part of the Roman Empire which is still quite apparent today with the presence of a Roman amphitheater, Roman forum and multiple ruins scattered throughout the city. Being the cheap travelers that we were, we avoided the $8 entrance fee to the amphitheater and instead walked up the street around to the other side and sat ourselves at a cafe with a perfect view down into the amphitheater and had a beer. A delicious alternative! The spot was such a success we had to return the second night bringing with us some new friends we had made at the hostel!

Pula was also the location of one of our favorite beaches. With crystal blue water and small white pebbles, the beaches in Croatia are amazing! Page and I spent the day lying on the beach and swimming in the clear water. The beach also had some really fun toys including an item called the “Iceberg” which is a very large inflatable climbing wall which you can jump off of into the water. It was a bit tough for climbing but proved a fun jump once at the top!

Our next stop in Croatia was a place just down the coast called Zadar. Zadar's Old Town is a small peninsula off of the mainland. Covered in cafes, gelato stands and street entertainers, Zadar proved to be a fun stop on our trip! The city also hosts the same white washed walls and red roofs which look beautiful next to the crystal blue water. A fun feature of the water boardwalk is an item called the Sea Organ. Stairs on which patrons can sit also function as a working organ into which water flows pushing air out holes in the pavement making sounds resembling an organ. Page and I brought a bottle of wine with us one evening and sat down to listen to the music of the sea. Quite a classy evening! The beaches outside Zadar were also nice but not as beautiful as Pula.

We made our way further down the coast next to a city called Split. One of the more popular destinations in Croatia, Split offers a gorgeous Old Town along the water front filled with places for both young and old (also known as partying backpackers or calmer locals). The original city walls are now filled with cafes and shops but once held the entire city. Page and I wandered the Old Town and climbed the stairs of the main church tower to see a beautiful view of the whole city from above. The food in Split followed the Mediterranean theme of the rest of the coast of Croatia and we were able to dine on some delicious local fish and seafood risotto! (We don't have that in Ukraine either!) The beach outside Split was beautiful with cliffs rising high above on either side. The water was crystal clear for quite a long distance out and sailboats sailed by as we waded in the water. At night, the main square turns into a place where locals and tourists gather together for live music and dancing. One of the evenings we were in Split we were able to sit and watch the salsa dancing of those brave enough to try their skills in front of the larger crowds. It was a beautiful location sitting under the night lighting of the main church tower!

Following Split we took a ferry to one of the many Croatian islands, Hvar. Hvar used to be the spot of small yachts traveling outside of the mainland. Now it is the spot of massive yachts (our favorite being the “Excellence III”) and tourists coming for the breath taking water and beautiful Old Town center. One of my favorite parts of Hvar was the Venetian Fortress which rests at the top of the hill overlooking the town and harbor. Following a short hike to the top (through a forrest filled with the wonderful fragrance of pine!) we were able to take in the view of all the boats, the sidewalks covered in tourists and the many roofs also in the color red. The water sparkled and the rocks lining the water front glistened with the waves crashing upon them. We spent our second day on the island laying on the rocks and jumping into the water. Our spot proved to be a little dangerous as waves made by larger boats crashed up over the payment soaking our towels and at one point washing away our flip flops (which were luckily recovered!). However, our spot lay just beside one of the most popular bars on the island - “Hula Hula” at which Page and I enjoyed a Piña Colada and Peach Daiquiri! Delicious!

Following Hvar we sailed back to the mainland and bused it down to our last stop – Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik, located at the southern tip of Croatia, has a spectacular Old Town enclosed by a very sturdy wall which tourists pay to walk around. Page and I chose a spot on the outside of the wall for our afternoon sunbathings and were able to jump into more crystal clear water (if you haven't gotten it by this point – we spent a lot of time on the beaches! And by my comments you can believe that the beaches were amazing and yes you should go to Croatia!) The Old Town of Dubrovnik offered similar Eastern European feels with churches placed throughout the enclosed walls. The main street of the Old Town was lined in cafes and gelato stands. Luckily for me – one gelato place offered my favorite flavor – Mint Chocolate Chip!! Page and I got ice cream there both nights – it was delicious! We visited one restaurant both days to dine on their freshly caught mussels and fried squid. The seafood of Croatia was so fresh and so delicious. And the restaurant was located right on the wall edge looking into one of the many coves of the mediterranean – a beautiful place to dine!

Page and I took an overnight bus back up to Zagreb where we have spent our last day in Croatia relaxing, eating more and buying a few last souvenirs. It has been an wonderful vacation and this is an incredible country!

As I do not have time to post photos – I am instead pasting the link to my Facebook albums in which you can see all the pictures from each of our cities.

One final comment and extremely exciting update is that I now have an official “Close of Service” date!! November 17th will be my final day as a Peace Corps Volunteer! I will be flying on November 18th to Bangkok where I will meet my friend Sean for a week. We will then travel to China (Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing) for two weeks after which I will fly back to Minneapolis. I will be state side on December 13th! It has been a crazy but life changing 2 year adventure here in Ukraine! I am looking forward to my last semester at site and will be sure to post one more time before I close my service!

Have a wonderful rest of summer!

Megan



Zagreb, Pula, Zadar, Split, Hvar Pictures

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.875788111465.2351933.2411718&l=9d4d9ffa6d&type=1

Dubrovnik Pictures

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.875812367855.2351946.2411718&l=4050de8d6b&type=1