Croatia, Part 1

 

Zagreb

Camp Zagreb was far enough outside of the city to make Uber the best way to get in. We caught the end of the Dolac (market) which is held each morning and includes fresh fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses, and flowers. This is a heavily Catholic country but every church was only open for mass so we couldn’t visit any. We followed the Rick Steves self-guided walking tour and enjoyed this city very much. The historical sights, cafes and eateries were manageable, lively and not crowded with tourists. Significant areas that used to have medieval buildings were replaced by more modern structures less interesting to us. We enjoyed the unique “Museum of Broken Relationships” which was recommended by Mary Murphy. She wrote a great blog post about it: Zagreb Revisited.  Though not an art museum, it made me both think and feel which is my criteria for what makes art. The pairings of objects and stories ranged from funny to despair to joy at being free. I highly recommend you see this if a traveling version of the exhibit intersects your path.

Click here for our photos.

We took an afternoon break and then a bit more sightseeing and happened on a group practicing for a show of some kind. We had dinner at a nice spot in the middle level of the market and headed back to camp. On the way, we heard music and and yips coming from the square we’d visited earlier so decided to return. Several troupes of dancers took turns performing traditional dances with costume changes between sets. Since it was just outside the cultural center and there were locals who knew the words, we decided it wasn’t “just” a tourist show. It was fun to watch the energetic dancing and costumes and try to follow the story line. We’re reasonably sure one was a scene from a play in which the father calls the dance at his daughter’s wedding. Dermot had a beer at the adjacent Harat’s Irish Pub - bonus! It was later we learned that it’s a large chain of Irish Pubs that are  Russian-owned. 😫

Zadar

The next day we headed for Split with only the hope of snagging a campsite as it was now high season. A terrible traffic jam meant we were on the road with no hope of stopping for lunch so I left the front seat, grabbed items and seat belted into the dinette seat to make lunch in the purest definition of “on-the-go.” A quick look at the map and briefest search for a campsite led us to detour to Zadar mid-journey.  Falkensteiner turned out to be an expensive seaside campground resort with a wellness spa complete with a Finnish Sauna, steam bath, exercise room and wellness pool. No kids allowed in the wellness area as its clothing optional. Kids were having a blast in the other pools, slide and beach. 

 

We happily slipped into resort mode and enjoyed the slow pace and views of water lapping the pebble beach but our tender feet have been spoiled by the sand beaches of Florida. That night Dermot mused that it was a huge campground but so quiet he had the feeling everyone was somewhere else and they’d return later talking about the fun they’d had and we’d missed. 

The next morning I checked Mary Murphy‘s blog and only then realized what it was we missed - the sea organ! Here's her post: Zadar-Croatia. We ditched plans to hit the sauna again, packed up and headed for a likely parking lot. But all the parking spaces were taken in every lot we checked and we regretfully headed for Split with the intention to return on our way back. My lovely cousin Melissa really had it right when she sent me a meme she said reminded her of us. 

Split

Camping Split turned out to have space for us though it was pretty full. We relaxed enjoying the waterfront views and found the pool was a necessity for cooling off.  We ventured into Split only once to see Diocletian’s Palace and surrounding area as it was very crowded. It was fascinating to see how a Roman era palace was transformed and integral to the present day city. In the pictures you’ll see Roman arched windows now partially bricked up or fitted with shutters and glass. New buildings are grafted to the old in a hodgepodge of styles. St. Martin’s Chapel is one of the earliest Christian chapels anywhere and dates from the fifth century. Its burrowed into the city walls and is now run by Dominican nuns. What was to be Diocletian’s mausoleum is now the Cathedral of St. Domnius and the final resting place of Christian saints. Diocletian would be rolling over in his grave - but his remains have never been found. Just desserts for the man who persecuted thousands of early Christians. We spent time swimming, gazing at the ocean and resting with a few breaks for planning and tasks.

Dubrovnik 

The “Pearl of the Adriatic” certainly lived up to its name. We toured the city along with throngs of tourists. Our Über driver had told us they now limited the number of cruise ships to two each day which we appreciated. After a light lunch we tackled what we knew from our guide would be a long walk along the walls of the town with the sun beating down on us. We weren't at the top of our tourist game as I had forgotten a hat and Dermot had forgotten sunglasses. The views were stunning from just about every angle and we didn't feel crowded or rushed up there. The guide book pointed out the fascinating ways people, politics, wars and nature (in the form of geology, earthquakes and fires) had shaped life in the City since the seventh century. By mid afternoon we were bathed in sweat and bordering on heat exhaustion. We tried some refreshing drinks and looked into the possibilities for a kayaking trip the following day then went back to camp for showers and spent the rest of the day recuperating from an excess of sun. 

After considering many possibilities, we chose laundry and a kayak trip along the walls of Dubrovnik and around the island of Lokum. The only kayak available to rent was a double sit on top but we made the best of it and enjoyed the scenery, caves, and watching the daredevils jump from the rocky outcroppings into the clear azure waters. Though there were ladders we could have used to join the sunbathers (both with and without swimsuits) we decided we'd had an abundance of sun exposure recently and paddled on.

Some things that are different in Croatia. Gone from menus are rich stews like goulash, in their place are grilled meats and veggies on a stick, salads and seafood. Sadly, public transportation isn’t up to the task of getting us around even in the closest campsites so we’ve used Uber everywhere so far.