It's a Wrap!

It may have been difficult getting Karen on the plane to come home, but we finally made it (Brad made sure to stay behind her in the airport to keep her from bolting for the exit doors.)

We've been home now three days, and are making this "cleanup" post by including some photos and videos from other devices that we carried with us.

We're still basking in the glow of our trip to Italy and some of the old Yugoslavia, and are so grateful for the experiences and the people we met along the way.

As we look back, here are some of the reminders, tips and lingering questions:

• Use every chance you get to swim in the Adriatic. It's warm and clean.
• Don't trust the train schedules you see online. The only accurate schedules are at the station.
• If you have a choice between renting a diesel car or a gas car, get the diesel. Your pocketbook will thank you.
• Trust the taxi driver to get you there on time. He may charge you more and drive like a mad man, but if he says he'll get you there, he will.
• Don't trust the online weather forecasts. The locals have an uncanny way of looking to the sky and making accurate hour-by-hour predictions.
• Wine: Drink it anywhere in this region. It's fantastic (even the $6 table wine).
• Food: What makes it so great here? Is it the olve oil? Or do they really cook with love?
• Gelato: How come it just doesn't measure up in America? (Brad doublechecked most days just to be sure.)
• Even though cathedrals are the same everywhere, they're also so different.
• Nothing beats putting on a clean pair of socks in the morning. NOTHING!

With that, below are a few other photos and videos.

This was Roman Emperor Diocletian addressing his adoring subjects at his retirement palace in Split, Croatia.

This is a nearly deserted beach on Korcula island in Croatia. The water, sand and sun were oh-so warm.

This is our last night, in Rovinj, with a mimosa while sitting on the rocks overlooking the sea.

And this is our last morning, with Karen savoring the last sips of the sweet life. 

As you can probably ascertain, a good time was had by all.

Motovun and the Nearby Ghost Town of Zavrsje

We spent our last full day of vacation by traveling inland from coastal Rovinj.

Before our trip, we did not know that Istria was part of Italy through the end of World War II, when it was ceded to Yugoslavia. Hence, the very Italian feel of the area, including its hilltop towns.

One of those hilltop towns, Motovun, is thriving as a romantic, back road wine and truffle destination. While another, Zavrsje, has only a handful of residents since it was abandoned by residents fleeing to Italy rather than join the new Yugoslavia 50 years ago.

The European Union has recently discovered Zavrsje, and is funding the rebuilding of its old school, a couple of churches and its infrastructure. But its streets are still empty, and probably 85 percent or more of its buildings are in ruin. 

While it's just a matter of time before Zavrsje becomes a destination like Motovun, today it's Istria's equivalent of Bodie, California, minus the visitors. On this day, we were the only people on the town's only street, trying hard to imagine the feelings and emotions of an entire town that chose to leave everything behind all those years ago.

We capped the day by returning to Rovinj and taking a dip just outside the town walls, on a rocky beach that once housed German machine-gun nests. And what final evening in romantic Rovinj would be complete without a sunset walk along the harbor, capped by dinner on the water and a glass of champagne overlooking the Adriatic?

The Istiran hilltop town of Motovun. Looks like Italy, doesn't it?

The virtual ghost town of Zavrsje. It was abandoned when the area was ceded by Italy to Yugoslavia following WWII.

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Rovinj, this is a former German machine-gun nest. It now protects one of the finest beaches in the area, just below the old town's cathedral.

 

 

Another day in paradise ends.

Rovinj

Today was a laid-back day in Rovinj, on the Istrian Peninsula.

We strolled through the old town, then rode bikes to Cuvi Beach, where we took another dip in the Adriatic.

The evening was topped by a visit to our favorite restaurant, Pastrick's, where our waiter from last night, Lucca, took care of us: one sea bream baked in rock salt and one sea bass baked in olive oil. Both melted in our mouths.

And the half-liter of malvasia for the equivalent of $6 was the topper.

The cathedral topping the old town.

A pretty typical street scene in the old town.

These are the wooden steps to the top of the cathedral's bell tower. If you look closely, you might see Kim Novak and Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo (or maybe an M.C. Escher drawing). 

We kept wondering why the geek alarms kept going off wherever we went. Then we realized it was because Brad wore socks with his sandals. 

We swam here. Not as warm as in Korcula or Dubrovnik, but still pretty sweet.

Put This One On Your Bucket List

All along our trip, we've heard that Croatia has had considerably more rain than usual this summer. But since we didn't experience the rain, we didn't know the impact it's had ... until today.

We hiked and hiked and hiked at Plitvice National Park, in the northern, interior part of the country.

Plitvice is a sensory overload brought on by Mother Nature. The park consists of 16 terraced, interconnected lakes where water flows down  from one to the other to the other.

Only right now, because of all the rain, the lakes are bursting at their banks, so the usual waterfalls in between the lakes are several times their usual size.

Also, the overflows have swamped many of the trails and boardwalks, forcing the closure of half the park. However, we learned that, as long as you don't go beyond the yellow warning tape, we could see all the highlights.

Sorry for the singular subject of the phollowing fotos, but Plitvice truly deserves the attention.

(Note to readers: You can click on any photo to blow it up.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the funny one from the day ... Karen was an innocent photo bomber.

Leaving the Island

Today started before dawn so we could pack and catch the 6 a.m. boat for Split, on the mainland.

Split is huge -- it's the second-largest city in Croatia. So we explored its wonderful historic center, with the remains of Roman Emperor Diocletian's retirement palace.

While we were there, the emperor came out on his balcony and gave a speech to his subjects. Since it was in Latin, but we think he was telling the weather god to bring clear skies.

We're now on our way inland, where we're going to hike in the Plitvice National Park, and then we think we'll bounce back to the Adriatic Coast, this time in the north of the country.

(We've heard travelers' reports of flooding in Dubrovnik. Thankfully, we left in advance of that, and have successfully been dodging the raindrops ever since. Fingers are crossed for future success.)

This is Karen at the Korcula city wall, heading for the pre-dawn boat.

This is Split harbor. The ferries were large, in both size and number. 

These two soldiers ought to be on the national basketball team. Karen felt dwarfed by them. 

Just off the main square, these singers entertained the crowds.

Watching Boats Bob (As Opposed to Watching Boats, Bob)

Karen this afternoon said she wanted to relax and watch boats bob.

To which Brad replied, "I'm not Bob." Which explains today's headline for grammar hounds.

Bah-dah-boom. Ting.

Korcula is a long, narrow island north of Dubrovnik. And it's the location of our most laid-back day of vacation yet.

It's another walled and cobblestoned medieval city that's been meticulously restored. Our studio apartment is on a narrow alley near the main plaza of the old city, well within earshot of the half-hourly bings and  bongs of the cathedral bells.

After coffee, tea, mueslix and yogurt on our picnic table in our alley, we were off for a sun, sea, wine and bobbing boats adventure.

Our three-cylinder, one-windshield-wiper rental car did the job just fine. We enjoyed tastings at Bire and Torreta wineries (both delicious), swam in the 80-degree (Fahrenheit) water of what's billed as the island's most beautiful bay, and watched the boats bob in the harbor of Vela Luka.

The starting gun goes off early on Saturday ... we have to catch the 6 a.m. boat to Split on the mainland. More to come.

Daybreak on Korcula.

Breakfast on our alley. 

Said to be the most beautiful bay on the island. We agree. (We shared it with  only about 10 others.)

The water's 80 degrees F. 

Oh boy! More red-tiled roofs. 

During a stroll along the waterfront. 

There's a chance that high winds will cancel our 6 a.m. boat to the mainland tomorrow. Can you imagine being forced to endure another day here?

Strolling Dubrovnik

Today was devoted to Dubrovnik.

In the middle of the night, there were thunderous downpours. But in the morning, the rain was gone, leaving only some clouds. As we finished walking the city walls, the drizzles returned, but not enough to dampen the day.

In late afternoon, we grudgingly left Dubrovnik by hopping on a shuttle bus bound for the island of Korcula, where the next stage of our vacation begins.

We hope you like pictures of red-tiled roofs.

 

 

 

 

All of the wine we've had in Croatia has been wonderful. This one washed down a bowl of mussels.

We've now left Dubrovnik. This is from our boat from the mainland to the island of Korcula.