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Croatia

April - June 2024
A 38-day adventure by Jen Read more
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  • TravelerCroatia
    1
    Day 6

    Plitvice Lakes

    May 1 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Today was a very exciting day! Woke up at 5:30 to a 4.7 earthquake shaking the whole house! It was a bit crazy!! Then we headed off to Plitvice Lakes where we had 8am entry tickets - I bit early, but we were glad we went early as by the time we left it was so busy!! We did a loop that went by pretty much every waterfall - the lower loop and then we took a boat across the big lake to the upper falls (my favorite section) and saw all of them (and some frogs making lots of noise!) then took the bus back to near the start. Walking back to the start from there was at the top of the cliffs so you got to see the lower falls from above! It was super nice, the water was gorgeous and so clear!! And we got sort of lucky with the weather, it was cool when we started, but Sunny the whole time with the clouds rolling in as we were leaving! Since we got such an early start we were able to relax this afternoon and enjoy our tiny house (though not on the deck as it started raining! Again perfect timing so we weren’t hiking through the rain). An eventful, fun, but also relaxing day! Oh and in the video of the frogs making silly noises they are jumping around in the water/grass on the bottom left corner). Another smaller earthquake went through in the evening while we were in our tiny house!Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    1
    Day 7

    Slunj Take 2

    May 2 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Today I had originally planned a long, hard hike up a mountain that sounded really interesting, but neither of us felt up to it this morning (plus when I checked the weather there it said thunderstorms all afternoon, and when I checked in the afternoon sure enough it was stormy there so I was glad we didn’t go), so we decided to head back to Rastoke and see if we could see the waterfall town that was closed on Tuesday. Well…you had to pay 6Euro a person to go in…and it was definitely not worth it. It was tiny, you had great views of the waterfalls from the parking area on the opposite side from where we were the first time for free, and it was just meh. There wasn’t much there.

    There was a longer hike along the Korana and Slunjčica Rivers we were going to do that left from Rastoke so after our short wander in there we headed out on those paths. First you wandered through the forest to some viewpoints of the Korana River, then to cross you had to walk in the water along the rock wall which was fun (and we were glad we decided to wear our water shoes today!!) we saw lots of big snails, I thought I heard a snake in the grass and definitely saw the back half of one slithering away, there were lots of frogs making silly noises again, and when we stopped for lunch along the River we even saw a turtle on the opposite bank! And lots of fishes swimming around so it was a fun stop.

    The trail then went by the ruins of Napoleon’s grain warehouse and the old castle before going through downtown Slunj which was fun to see. That is all along the Slunjčica River which is so much prettier! That is the River that we went to the spring where it started the other day and the water is just gorgeous. The Korana is nice too, but it doesn’t compare! So a fun day wandering by the water. Tomorrow we head is to Dubrovnik!    Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    1
    Day 8

    On the way to Dubrovnik

    May 3 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Today was a long day of driving! We had 6 hours to go to Dubrovnik, but it wasn’t too bad as it was a gorgeous drive through the mountains and we had a few stops to break it up (so it took us a lot longer to get here). First stop was a viewpoint then the Eye of Croatia - a deep blue hole where a river starts. This was nice, but you couldn’t walk around very far and it wasn’t as nice as the other spring we went to a few days ago! Then up to an old fortress you could wander through which was a lot of fun, and nice views even though it was stormy! It was raining a bit while we were there and afterwards we headed to the lake to eat lunch and drove through so much rain, but luckily it was sunny in the spot we were so we could enjoy lunch and the water. Then on to Dubrovnik. 2 of the photos are the view from where we are staying which is gorgeous! You can see out over the water and it is wonderful! It is a billion stairs down to the city, which we did walk to get some dinner, and then back up! I tried to count on the way you, but I kept losing track…but at least 386 steps! At least there are some friendly stair kitties along the way. Tomorrow we explore Dubrovnik!Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    Day 9

    Dubrovnik Old Town 1.1

    May 4 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today we explored Dubrovnik Old Town which was so much fun!! I’m trying to limit myself to only 1 or 2 posts per day so as shall see how it goes! I took all the photos today! We started with the city wall walk, which when looking it up I thought it cost way too much money, the same price as a city ticket with entry to other museums and stuff so we ended up getting that, but once we were up there walking around I was like oh! This is definitely worth it! The views were amazing! The town from above, the water, the fortress, everything! I really enjoyed wandering the walls and would definitely do it again! So much fun!Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    1
    Day 9

    Dubrovnik Old Town 1.2

    May 4 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    After our wall walk we went to explore the fortress…and that was disappointing. It was tiny and not at all worth the price if you were just to pay for it! Then lots of wandering through the narrow streets, lots of up and down stairs (so many stairs today!!), into lots of churches (the one had very interesting stations of the cross design!), we went into the Rector’s Palace since it looked like an interesting building and was included with our ticket and that was fun! A gothic-renaissance Manson with different artifacts from the city and furniture and such fun the time (so many small compartments to carry people). Then we found some gelato and a fancy berry cake (which was so tasty!) before heading back to our place and finding all the western house Martin’s were flying right by our balcony! All in all it was a great day! I really enjoyed Dubrovnik Old Town!Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    1112
    Day 10

    Dubrovnik Lapad Penninsula

    May 5 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Phew! Today was a long day and I am so tired! I’m going to bed as soon as I post this. We left the house at 9:30 this morning and didn’t get home until 9 this evening! We started in old town and walked west and wandered along the water and all around the Lapad peninsula! So much walking! Spied on all the beaches, walked up to all the viewpoints on the hills, ended up having lunch and dinner out - we had planned on a late lunch at a place that sounded good that didn’t open until 2…only they didn’t open! So we scrambled and luckily the vegetable risotto is usually vegan so we were able to find some and had that. We were originally going to come back to the apartment to eat dinner, but it was so nice out and we were enjoying the sun and the beaches and we wanted to go up to the big viewpoint for Sunset so we decided to just eat out instead of getting a car to take us home and then wait for another one you take us up there - and I was glad we did as dinner was so so good! And it was easier getting a car in town and we got to the viewpoint just in time for sunset! It was perfect and I loved the views of the Bosnian mountains on the one side and the city and water and island on the other! A long, but really fun day! I really enjoyed our time in Dubrovnik and I would definitely come back again! Tomorrow we move on to Mljet IslandRead more

  • TravelerCroatia
    Day 11

    Mljet Island

    May 6 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we got up and headed for the ferry to Mljet island! We took the noon ferry which was pretty nice - the upper deck has chairs and was open so lots of breeze and the views were great! We were able to check into our place as soon as we got here which was great - a place with another great view (the photo with the roofs in)! But a billion stairs to climb to get to it…it was a lot with the luggage (and when tired after hiking)! Then we headed off for a hike of the highest mt on the island which was so hot! There was sometimes a breeze, but I was a sweaty monster (Raymond thought it wasn’t too bad, but it was a lot!). The views on top were great though!! And we saw a fancy spider, some giant goats, and lots of weird bugs on the way up! Afterwards we headed to Odysseus Cave, which you can only get inside by swimming and it was way too cold for that in the wind there so it wasn’t very exciting (maybe earlier in the day when the sun is shining on it would be better from above). We did see some pine Martens on the road though! That is the awful car photo - if you zoom in you can see them! It was very exciting. A new to me animal and the National animal of Croatia! After dinner we went in search of a nice sunset spot since we are on the sunrise side of the island. I had found a beach called sunset beach so we drove over there, but maybe because of the time of year the sun was too north and the beach too inland that it was already in shade when we got there, but just up the road was the perfect spot! Tomorrow we explore more of the islandRead more

  • TravelerCroatia
    Day 12

    Mljet National Park

    May 7 in Croatia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Today we explored Mljet National Park on the west-ish side of the island. The views when we woke up were so nice! It was supposed to be super windy today (the forecast just said wind) so I thought it would be much cooler hiking up the mt this morning…only there was no wind on the way up! Once we got to the top we realized we had been hiking between 2 ridges that blocked the wind! And it was super humid so it was so hot and yuck, but not a bad climb (and luckily not super long). The views from the top were great (and we found all the wind)! I am sure they would have been even better in full sun and clear, like we had this afternoon, but I cannot imagine trying to hike that in sun with no wind! It wasn’t even that hot today, it just felt like it because of the humidity! Then it was down to the big lake to spy, I saw another snakey along the way! and found some weird coral or something in the lake. The signs said there was a lot of coral in the lakes, but it was so strange looking if that is what it was!

    Then we were trying to decide if we wanted to walk the long way around the lake to the first stop of the boat to a small island, or the short way to the second stop (and then on to the island). Well the time schedule made it seem like if we went the long way around we would either have to walk to the second stop or wait an hour for the next boat to go to the second stop (where we were parked basically), so we decided to go the short route and then get off at the first stop on the way back and walk to the second…only we got to the stop and the boat wasn’t leaving from there! It was only going between the island and a stop between the 2! So we had to hurry along to the real stop as the boat only ran once an hour… it was a bit crazy as online the schedule was every 2 hours, the lady at the ticket counter told us every hour, but that it made all the stops, and the signs had the same schedule, then at the stop it was like no, just kidding go somewhere else. I have found that information is not always consistent or given here which I find a bit strange, but oh well we figured it out.

    So we finally got the boat and wandered around the tiny island (the boat only stops there for 20 min, but it really only took 10 to walk around the island so that was plenty of time!), then we went to spy on the little lake (the last photo!) and the water was an incredible color! Really all the water is so pretty! We also saw lots of butterflies and fun flowers along the way today. All in all a pretty fun day!    Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    Day 13

    Ston & Korcula

    May 8 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we left Mljet island and headed to Ston to walk on the city walls which was crazy! It went straight up the hill! We could see the wall from the road to Dubrovnik so we said that looks fun, let’s go! And today was the day. Since the ferry only runs every few hours we didn’t get there till 11 and it was already so hot in the sun! And climbing all the stairs was so hot because the wall blocked most of the breeze! But I really enjoyed it and the next city over that you walk to, Mali Ston, was right on the water and a perfect place to eat lunch. We walked back along the road (so much easier, quicker, and cooler than climbing the stairs again!) and found so many fun bugs! We then drove to catch our ferry to Korčula where we are now (the lavender field is the view from our place). We headed over to the far side of the island for dinner and did another quick walk to a viewpoint for sunset which was pretty nice (and it had lots of info on different plants along the way which was fun). All in all a great day! Tomorrow we explore the island more!Read more

  • TravelerCroatia
    Day 14

    Korčula

    May 9 in Croatia ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Today we explored Korčula more! First it was a wander through a nature preserve in the middle of the island that had lots of rocks to find your way through - the trail there and back was through town or countryside with nice views, but the nature reserve was a mess of trails and plants and bugs! It was fun, but not my favorite rocks we have explored. We ran into 2 other groups of hikers, both groups lost and couldn’t figure out how to get out! Luckily we were able to follow the trail I had found and it wasn’t bad, but yeah if you didn’t have that it is very easy to get lost in there!

    Then we headed to Korčula old town for lunch and to explore. It is a pretty tiny town, but some fun narrow streets to explore (and treats to eat!). It was so hot in the sun, but once we got to the water in town it was so windy it was chilly! We ended up back at our place early enough for a swim and some pool time! It was cold, but the sun was warm so it worked out (but still couldn’t stay in forever). While at the pool the house martins kept sweeping down to get some water which was fun to watch! And Raymond had to keep saving beetles that got stuck on their back and bees that got stuck in the water. Speaking of beetles they love me! They keep landing on me while we are wandering, especially in my hair, and today we kept seeing them on these pink flowers and Raymond was like maybe that’s why they like you! They think your hair is this flower? Maybe! Who knows, but they do seem to love me. We also saw these black and white butterflies that looked blue in the sun! And all the fun bugs!

    We are staying near the water and I thought we were on the wrong side of the island to see the sunset, but we are not! So we went down to the water to watch and it was pretty nice. Tomorrow on to the next adventure!    Read more

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