Guest House Ljubo and Ana

This one night exemplified what is has been like visiting Croatia.

The drive in from the coast, which changed from rocky and drier with low trees to lush green forests on the other side of the mountains, was easy and lovely. Our host, Ana, was friendly and welcoming, and funny even with our language barrier.

I'd like to say that this exceeded my expectations but that simply wouldn't be true.

We had no expectations.

It was a room for a night, near Plitvice - and it was cheap - with good reviews. It was a place to crash.

As it turned out, the place was clean and comfortable. Beyond that, Croatian. It had gardens of flowers. Fruit bearing trees. Little niceties all around. Truly cared for.

The place was over-the-top home and unpretentious. Warm and enveloping. Self sufficient.

Ana had asked if we wanted breakfast in the morning ($10 a person). I declined, thinking we would be pushing to get on the road, but Patty wanted to try a traditional Croatian Breakfast, so we changed our mind.

Patty was RIGHT!!!

Well at least partly right. The breakfast was AWESOME!!!

But this can't be a traditional Croatian breakfast.

I suspect what was traditional was that it was all homemade. Also, mostly sourced from home.

Homemade bread. Homemade jam - with fruit from her own fruit trees. Fruit, from her trees. Scrambled eggs from the hens next door.

She made special gluten free items, polenta and gluten free pancakes (crepes).

But the over the top part was the baklava, pastries, beignets and drip coffee (American Coffee).

There was more. Cereal, yogurts etc.Read more