Last Stop: Dubrovnik

Well, after an amazing (almost) three weeks on the road, we're back safe and sound in Rome.  We had an amazing time and, fortunately, ran into very little trouble.  We had no run-ins with pickpockets, didn't suffer any injuries or illnesses, and didn't even miss a train.  It's hard to believe that in the next two days we have to pack up, say goodbye to our remaining friends at the Academy (sadly, many people have already left), say goodbye to the city of Rome, and catch a plane to the East Coast.  Much like when I left San Francisco to come here, I'm feeling a bit sad and anxious, but also excited at the same time.  However, despite how much as I love packing, I thought I'd take a brief break (okay, okay, you got me- I haven't even started), to tell you a bit about beautiful Dubrovnik, the last stop on our trip.

Dubrovnik and Lokrum Island (as seen from Srd Hill)

Dubrovnik is located on the southern coast of Croatia, not too far from the Montenegro border.  Like Split, it's set in gorgeous surroundings with lots of rocky shoreline and mountains, and offers an abundance of shopping, dining, and sightseeing. However, what really sets Dubrovnik apart is its fully-intact massive city wall, which defines the border of the "old city."  Of course, many cities (like Rome, for example) had city walls at one point or another, but very few of them are still intact today.  It's a really unique thing to see, and- with just a bit of imagination- when looking at the city from a distance, you can almost believe that you've traveled a few centuries back in time.

Old Town Dubrovnik

Many refer to Dubrovnik as the "Jewel of the Adriatic," and although I can't deny its inherent charm, Tom and I decided that a more apt nickname would be "City of Stairs."  Our rental apartment was just north of the old city walls, and to reach it from the main city gate, we had to walk up over 450 (really big) steps!  (The worst trip was obviously the one with our suitcases!)  Still, the hills weren't all bad since they provided for some pretty amazing views of the city and allowed us to justify our trips to the delicious ice cream shop we discovered.  (The ice cream we had in Dubrovnik was actually just that, rather than gelato, which I found to be a welcome change at this point!)  

Catching Our Breath in the City of Stairs

The Old Town's Main Drag (in a brief moment of diminished crowds)

Beautiful Pantheon-Like Fountain

Self-timed Photo on the Wall

Like most tourists, during our time in Dubrovnik we mostly stuck to the "old town" (there are also more modern parts of the city) and the beaches.  The old town contained many beautiful buildings, and although it was often overly crowded and hot, we still enjoyed exploring.  However, without a doubt, the highlight of our visit was getting to actually walk the length city wall.  Before arriving I had no idea that you could actually go on top of the wall - let alone walk the entire length of it (I guess I hadn't read our guide book closely enough), but it was an incredible experience.  We showed up at opening (8 AM) to avoid the worst of the crowds (and the heat), and leisurely made our way around the 1.2 mile city perimeter (taking way too many pictures along the way).  As you make your way around, the scenery changes from primarily views of the town to ocean views, and it was really fun to be able to explore all of the forts along the way.

Walking the Wall 

Bell Tower (with statue "ringing" the bell).  

Enjoying the Wall

Mostly Orange Roofs

The wall was built starting in the 12th Century for the city's defense, but it was not actually used for this purpose until the 1991 civil war in Yugoslavia when many civilians used the wall for protection. Sadly, like Mostar, Dubrovnik suffered much damage in the war, which is apparent from all of the new bright orange roofs in the old city.  Houses with the orange roofs were bombed (and thus needed their roofs replaced), while the few buildings with the old faded brown roofs made it out relatively unscathed.  It really tells you something about the war, though, that from the top of the wall it's often difficult to even spot a brown roof amongst the orange.

"Cable Car" Above Dubrovnik

Another great way to view the city is to take the cable car (which, in my opinion is really a "gondola") up to the top of Mount Srd (pronounced like "Surge").  Technically, you can also hike up this very steep hill (which we seriously debated), but because it was unbearably hot and because some locals warn that stray land mines may still be on the hill, it seemed like the better decision to just pay the hefty fee and take the easy route.  (Of course, my hiker's pride compels me to say that Tom and I totally could have hiked it had we wanted to!)  Still, we walked a bit on the designated trails on top and I (feeling suddenly full of energy) even ran a couple of sprints.  The breeze from the top of the hill was glorious, and although we spent a good hour or two taking in the views, we found ourselves wishing we had brought sandwiches so we could have camped out and spent the day.

Srd Hill from Below

Landscape at the Top of Srd Hill

Cooling Off at a "Beach" in Town

Of course, the other main attraction in Dubrovnik is its beaches, and Tom and I definitely made sure to take full advantage of them.  The beaches in Croatia are a bit different from what many Americans may picture as "ocean beach."  They are rocky (not sandy), have very few waves (due to the many islands in the area), and you have to watch out for the sea urchins that hide amongst the rocks.  Many of the "beaches" are even just places off of random rocks or concrete structures where a ladder leads down to the water.  But, those aren't exactly things to complain about when you're surrounded by gorgeous deep blue water and amazing scenery.  There are a couple decent beaches in Dubrovnik itself, and we also really enjoyed visiting the beaches out on the island of Lokrum.

Lokrum is only about 10 minutes away from Dubrovnik by ferry, but it feels worlds away.  The island is full of loud screeching locusts and beautiful peacocks (who seem sweet enough until they try to steal your lunch), but since most visitors head straight to the beach, it's easy to find some solitude on a hike.  Since the old town was constantly packed with people, Tom and I were happily shocked to find ourselves all alone at Fort Royal after a pretty serious climb to the top of the island.  Best of all, though, was the fact that visitors are allowed to climb all the way to the very top of the fort, and when we reached that point we found a single lounge chair set up on a perch overlooking the island (along with what appeared to be a well-used ash tray- in a lot of ways Croatia is just like Italy).

Peacock in a Playground (before it tried stealing our lunch!)

Relaxing on Top of Fort Royal

On Lokrum Island

Port in Dubrovnik

Visiting Dubrovnik was a fantastic way to cap off such a great adventure.  It was perhaps a bit too touristy for my taste (perhaps spring and fall are better), but it was worth battling the crowds to see such a unique place.  In case you're curious, although we had a great time everywhere we went, Tom and I both liked Prague the best (although it's hard to know if Prague being the first stop influenced our perception).

It's funny, normally when you spend so long planning and looking forward to something (we started planning this trip over a year ago), the actual event never lives up to your elevated expectations.  (I mean how exciting was anyone's New Years Eve 1999, really?)  But, surprisingly, this trip did, and possibly even exceeded them.  We feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity and the chance to spend so much quality time together (especially since we'll be living apart for much of next year), and are really glad we got to share so many of our adventures with all of you, too!

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Tues. July 30:  Unsurprisingly, Dubrovnik was also HOT.  And the sun was even hotter.  Highs were in the 90s and we often avoided being outside between the hours of 12 and 4 or so.  Of course, if anything, Rome is ever hotter this time of year (especially since there is no air conditioning at the Academy)!

24 Hours in Mostar

Mostar!

As someone who's prone to car sickness, our side trip to Mostar actually originated as a way to break up the long bus ride between Split and Dubrovnik.  Of course, when you factor in the time spent at customs, the trip from Split to Mostar may not have been that much shorter than heading straight to Dubrovnik anyway. Still, I'm incredibly glad we went, since visiting Mostar turned out to be one of the highlights of our entire trip.

Mostar is located in the southern Herzegovina part of Bosnia and Herzegovina (although most Americans just refer to the entire country as "Bosnia").  The city was under Ottoman (Turkish) rule from the 15th Century until the 1870s, and the town retains much of this flavor today.  The skyline is dotted with beautiful minarets, and these mosques call the city's practicing Muslims to prayer five times a day.  It is a very unique place and, at times, did feel very much like being in Turkey.

Building Covered with Bullet Holes (above the blue sign)

Of course, the city is also home to many Christians, and the clash of these two groups (and also with the Greek Orthodox Serbians) led to much destruction in this region during the war in the early/mid 1990s.  Sadly, the city still bears many scars from the war- both literally and figuratively.  On almost every street there are still bombed out buildings, and even the buildings that avoided major structural damage are covered with bullet holes. Even more devastating, though, was the loss of life, which is evident today from the town's many graveyards.  In one near the old town, virtually every stone (and there were over a hundred) were dated from 1993.  It was incredibly sad to see to say the least.

Still, despite this tragic recent history, it seems that the town and its residents are doing their best to heal and move forward.  There has been much rebuilding and there are now several free photo exhibitions, which chronicle the war and honor those who lost their lives as a result of it.  And, in 2004, Mostar's famed stone arched bridge, Stari Most, was re-opened with much fanfare (the original identical 16th Century bridge was bombed at the height of fighting).

The Beautiful Stari Most

Tom Cooling Off and Admiring the Bridge

I have to admit that I don't have a good sense of what pre-war Mostar was like, but today the action is centered around the lively old town and Stari Most.  Many vendors line the beautiful cobble-stoned streets and tourists flock to the bridge to photograph it and watch the crazy young men who take the 78 foot plunge to the river below.  Before they do, they solicit donations from spectators, "teasing" them by acting as if they will jump but then requesting more funds.  (We heard that they usually try to gather 30 Euros before jumping.)  It's funny, I'm sure he would have been tempted in his youth, but when I asked Tom how much he'd need to jump from the bridge now, his price was much closer to 1 billion than 30 Euros!  However, it's an incredibly fun atmosphere, and the less adventurous of us still have a great time taking in the views while wading in the (very cold) Neretva River below.  The natural scenery is quite stunning, and actually (strangely enough) reminded me a bit of Utah.      

Bridge Jumper Soliciting Donations

And He Jumps! (can you find him?) 

Mountains and Laundry

Old Town in Mostar (with some cut-off random peoples' heads)

Spiced Veggies for E and "Bosnian Cookie" (meat) for T

Although we only had one day here, Tom and I had a great day learning more about Mostar's history and experiencing a culture so different than what we've seen elsewhere on this trip.  While hanging out near the bridge, we also had the fun experience of running into the little sister of my former roommate, who is on a backpacking trip of her own (small world!).

If I ever have the chance, I'd really love to spend more time in Bosnia. I hear Sarajevo is beautiful, and I'm sure there are many other wonderful places to visit.  The locals we met were very friendly, the food and local beer was great, and everything was extremely affordable (less than half of what we're paying in Croatia).  But, alas, Dubrovnik was calling, and so the next morning we boarded yet another bus to head off for a few finals adventures there. It's funny, it somehow simultaneously feels like we've been traveling forever and for no time at all.  We'll be sad to end our trip, but also very happy and grateful to have a few more days at the Academy before heading back to the States.

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Sat. July 27:  Mostar was HOT (temps were in the mid to upper 90s), but, strangely, it didn't feel too bad. Perhaps it was a dry heat

Let's Split!

When Tom and I arrived in Croatia a few days ago, the nature of our vacation drastically changed.  We went from spending our days exploring the streets of huge metropolises to hanging out on the in the small coastal town of Split (after our brief stop in Plitvice).  That's not to say that Split is tiny (its population is 180,000) or that the beach is its only attraction, but most visitors do come here to experience the Dalmatian Coast's bright sun, deep blue waters, and beautiful scenery, and Tom and I are no exception.  After all, a beach vacation really should be mandatory after finishing your dissertation.  (Although I'm not sure what my excuse is!)

Beautiful Split

Split, which is dramatically situated at the base of the Mosor Mountains, is located on a large bay, about 2/3 of the way down the coast of Croatia.  In turn, Croatia is part of what was formerly Yugoslavia (along with Bosnia, Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Montenegro).  Due to its location, Split was (and still is) a large shipping port, although, honestly, about half of the boats we see appear to be cruise ships.  The town is quite small (you can walk from one side to the other in about 20 minutes), but is full of both historical and modern charm.  Much of the town's action takes place on the palm-tree lined waterfront strip known as Riva, where both locals and tourists gather to shop, meet up, or just hang out along the water.

Riva 

Boats!

Peristyle in Diocletian's Palace

In contrast to the more modern Riva, most of the historical charm of Split is located within the walls of Diocletian's palace, in the town's center.  Diocletian was a Roman Emperor, who- upon retiring around the early 4th Century- built a palace here in his native land.  (Tom tells me it's unusual for an emperor to retire, by the way.)  Many of the walls and substructure of the palace still exist today, but are now filled with many shops, restaurants, and apartments. It's a lot of fun to explore the palace, and from the bell tower of the church that's located inside, you can actually get a decent sense of the place.  (Incidentally, I also learned it's not a good idea to be in the bell tower at the point in time when the bells actually go off.)

Tom insisted that I add this picture of my reaction to the bells going off

View From the Bell Tower (the palace wall is about half way down on the picture)

Vestibule (former dome) and Harbor From the Bell Tower

Split (with Marjan Park hill in the background)

Split is also home to a very large park reserve called Majan Park.  There are no cars allowed in the park, and so it's a great place to explore the area's flora and fauna and get some exercise by climbing up the park's very large hill.  It's well worth the effort, though, because from the top you have sweeping views of Split, as well as much of the coastline (they say that on a clear day you can see all the way to Italy!). The park is also home to a few beaches, and several tiny churches (large enough for only a handful of people), including a couple that are built right into the surrounding hillside.  We spent our favorite day here taking a long hike in the park, and cooling off with a dip in the water afterward.

Church in the Park

Top of the Hill on Marjan Park

Beach!

From Split its also quite easy to take day-trips to several other towns and resort islands.  Tom and I didn't make it out to the islands, but we did take a ferry out to the Medieval town of Trogir, which is located just 12 miles north of Split (about an hour by ferry).  Trogir is much smaller than Split, but had many cute cobblestone streets to explore and charming architecture, including a 15th Century castle (which looks exactly like what you imagine when you hear the world "castle.")    

Trogir 

Tom at the Castle

Streets of Trogir

As I said, it's a big departure from the earlier part of our trip, but after a bunch of busy sight-seeing, it's been a nice change of pace to slow down and relax a bit.  However, there are a few things that any visitor should know prior to visiting Croatia:

View of Split from Marjan Park

1)  It's not going to be super cheap.  Perhaps ten years ago Croatia was a relatively inexpensive "undiscovered" tourist destination, but now it's now definitely discovered (at least by European tourists), and the prices have subsequently climbed quickly.  Don't get me wrong, nothing is ridiculously pricey, but many things cost about what you'd expect to pay in Italy.  (By contrast, Prague and Budapest were both surprisingly affordable.)  So, it's beautiful and worth it, but don't necessarily expect to travel on the cheap here.

2)  Bring a fancy beach hat.  Pretty much everyone here (men and women, young and old), wear these cute little trendy beach hats all around town. Tom and I don't have them, but try our best to blend into the crowd despite our fashion faux pas.

3)  The food isn't so great (at least for non-seafood-lovers).  If you love eating fish and all sorts of sea creatures that you can crack open and squirt with lemon (can you tell I don't?) this may be a great spot for you.  But for non-sea-food lovers (like Tom) and vegetarians (like me) it's not ideal.  Although there are often some other meats and pastas on the menu, after living in Italy this food feels a bit like a bad imitation.  Still, it's been a good excuse for us to finally cook some healthier fare in our rental apt. (something we'll have to get used to doing for ourselves again when we move back to the States!).  

Actual Beach in Split

4)  Feel free to swim anywhere there's water.  There's a long strip of designated beach on the west side of town (where young partiers tend to hang out), as well as more scenic beach areas near Marjan Park (where more families and laid back folks tend to go).  But, you'll also find people swimming just about anywhere there is access to the water, designated beach or not.  This has to be one of my favorite things about Split, since there are so many beautiful coves sprinkled throughout town.

Many of these things may sound like negatives, but on the whole, we've found Split to be a wonderful and beautiful place.  Fortunately, even though we're leaving tomorrow (or, actually, yesterday, by the time you read this), our time on the Dalmation Coast isn't yet over.  We'll first be spending one night inland in Bosnia's Mostar, and will then make our way back to the coast to Dubrovnik.  We hear Dubrovnik is even more spectacular than Split, so we're looking forward to capping off our wonderful trip there.

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Thurs. July 25:  Split was SO HOT.  It's not bad in the shade, but the sun is ridiculously strong.  Highs were around 90, with lows in the mid-70s.      

Croatia's Plitvice National Park

Somehow, well over a year ago, I stumbled upon a few pictures of a Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia.  I have no idea how or where I saw them, but the place looked absolutely stunning.  And since Tom and I love outdoor adventures, it actually became the impetus for this entire trip (despite being one of the shortest visits!).

View of Park From Above (with visitors on boardwalk)

Plitvice isn't exactly the easiest place to get to (its located in Eastern/Central Croatia) but it's definitely worth the effort.  We first took the longest, hottest train ride of all time from Budapest to Croatia's capital, Zagreb, where we spent the night.  Our plan had been to rent a car and drive to Plitvice the following morning, but someone (who shall remain nameless) realized several days into our trip that he had forgotten to pack his drivers license. (Of course, someone else had her driver's license stolen in Rome so she probably shouldn't point fingers.)  Luckily, though, we were able to get tickets for an early morning bus and re-book to a hotel close to the bus station instead.  When we arrived (despite being somewhat groggy and/or motion sick), we pretty much just threw our bags into our room and immediately headed out to the lakes to begin our hike.  

Walking on the Boardwalk

As expected, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.  The entire park is basically a never-ending series of lakes and waterfalls, which you can walk around (and sometimes over) through a system of inter-connected trails and boardwalks. And, as if that wasn't enough, what makes the place incredibly unique is the bright turquoise color of the water (similar to what we saw in Banff a couple years ago). However, unlike in Banff (where the color is caused by rock flour carried in through glaciers), the bottom of the lakes get their color from magnesium carbonate (and looks slightly different colors in different light).  The water is also ridiculously clear due to the fact that the water source is very pure and the fact that the bottom of the lakes aren't mud, sand, or pebbles, but have become travertine (through a complicated chemical process that I don't really understand).  So, when peering in, you can actually see all the way to the bottom.  It was really crazy to be able to see all of the trees, leaves, ducks, and fish so clearly in the water.  It was like opening up a whole different part of the world to us that we rarely see.

Plitvice Lakes

Waterfall!

More Water!

This picture looks crazy, but this is how clear the water was!

Looking Down at the Fish in the Clear Water (no trick photography here!)

Hiking Over Waterfalls

Shuttle Boat Between Upper and Lower Lakes

The park is divided into the "upper lakes" and "lower lakes," with many miles of trail between them. But, it's really easy to spend as much or as little time hiking as you want, since shuttles and boats also transport visitors to the most scenic spots in the park.  Tom and I spent about two hours hiking each the upper and lower sections of the park (taking the boat between the two), and of course, spent a lot of time just looking around and taking in all of the scenery.

However, as much as we enjoyed our day, I wouldn't exactly describe it as a "nature experience."  This might sound crazy after seeing the pictures, but you have to understand that in high tourist season (as it is now), there are hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of people out and about in the park.  And, since all of the trails are very narrow its hard to strike out on your own.  Many times, in the most popular areas, we felt as if we were moving through an assembly line or that it was more of a "theme park" than a national park.  But, since the views are amazing in every direction you look, it's very easy to still see all of the most beautiful sights and to get amazing pictures.  (You just may not feel completely relaxed and back in touch with nature after doing it!)

(We had a misunderstanding about whether or not we'd do "big arms" in this photos)

More Falls

Such Smooth Water!

Attempted Artsy Shot

Tourists on the Trail

Beautiful Plitvice

Despite the crowds (which I think are just impossible to avoid anywhere during summer in Europe), Plitvice was an absolutely gorgeous place, and one I'd go back to in a heartbeat.  It also made me realize that I've really missed hiking this past year, and I'm looking forward to exploring some new parks when I get to Virginia (although I doubt I'll find anything that rivals this!).  Since Plitvice, we've made our way down to Split (on the Dalmatian Coast), and I'm looking forward to telling you all about our adventures here next time.

Alla Prossima,
Erin

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Sun. July 21:  It was relatively cool (75 degrees) in Plitvice, but we're roasting in Split (we're taking an afternoon siesta at the moment since its sunny and in the mid-90s!).  Thank goodness our rental apt. has air conditioning!!