Quarter of a Century in Korčula

I hate getting older. But at least this year I had the beautiful island of Korčula to make everything seem better.

Lookout point with Korčula in the distance. 

Korčula is about two hours north of Dubrovnik, and I had been tipped off to how great it was by others who had visited.

The atmosphere is relaxed, the water crystal clear, and the food well priced. We stayed for hours.

Paul testing the water off the pier.

We walked around the coast for a bit until we found a secluded spot where we could swim alone. We sat on the rocks and dangled our feet in the water, until Paul's leg was grabbed by a huge tentacle. He screamed and fell in. We still don't know whether it was a squid or an octopus, but it sure was funny!

 

The trip back to Dubrovnik takes you through the main wine producing region of Croatia. Our driver took us to one of the wineries where we stayed for around an hour trying the local specialties, including one they'd served the pope only two weeks earlier!

When we arrived back in Dubrovnik, we bought some birthday cake in a bakery. Back in our room, we wrote postcards. I sat backwards when I'd finished, and sat backwards. Onto the cake. Not my finest moment.

This is what it looks like when you buy a birthday cake and then sit on it.

Once I'd cleaned the chocolate of my butt, I looked up and saw the sky lit up like it was on fire. Sunset in Croatia is so dramatic!

We headed back into the old town before it got dark. The sky kept changing hue.

The sky turned purple as we approached the famous city walls.

Dubrovnik sure put on a good show for my birthday. I don't think it had anything to do with it being the opening of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, and the President being in town or anything.

People lined the streets. I know I've used the word festive a lot these past few weeks... but there's no other word to describe it! Beautiful choral music filled the streets as thousands tried to catch a glimpse of the ceremony.

At about 10:30, Paul and I sat by the beach to watch fireworks over the harbour. They were spectacular.

The perfect end to a great birthday and a great trip. We flew out the next morning. I forgot to send the postcards.

Flying over Venice.

Flying over the Austrian Alps.

Montenegro

Today I learned that you shouldn't go swimming in Montenegro without titanium footwear.

We got up early in the morning and were picked up by a driver who took us across the border. We stopped in Kotor, an ancient walled city for gelato, then continued on the main town in Montenegro, Budva, where I swam.

The cathedral in Kotor

I shouldn't have dared to swim. The water was so murky that I couldn't see the bottom. The ground was all big rocks, some sharp, covered in slippery slime. But something in me wanted to swim in another country, so I braved it.

Suddenly I felt like I was being stabbed in the foot. I thought I'd sliced it open, then realised there were spines still stuck in there. I plucked them out while standing on one foot, then went back to shore to inspect the damage.

I'd stood on something like a porcupine underwater, and had about eight spines firmly embedded in my foot.

Made me glad I hadn't sat down.

About half an hour past the border.

St Marko Island, a major Montenegro landmark.
Now privately owned by a Russian billionaire.

We went back to the island of Lokrum after returning from Montenegro.
We caught the last ferry back at 8:00pm. Perfect timing for sunset over Dubrovnik!

Old town just after sunset.

Dubrovnik

I'm still pinching myself. I can't quite believe we're here.

I've dreamed of visiting Dubrovnik for five years or more - ever since seeing a photo of the city in a travel book on my Aunty Chris's coffee table.

What I've learned since then only makes me drool more. They don't call this place the Pearl of the Adriatic for nothing. Check out the view from our room!

After a quick shower, we catch the cable car to the top of the mountain range behind Dubrovnik, so I can see the view of Dubrovnik from that photo with my own eyes.

On the way up in the cable car.

The camera battery dies the moment we reach the top. The spare is in my bag in our room. Luckily, years ago clever photographer Paul worked out that you can give it some more charge by taking out the battery and rubbing it furiously for about five minutes.

So basically, I get the photo in exchange for looking like a complete tool for five minutes. Works for me!

We stayed up there for ages. I now have this photo from about a million different angles. And let me tell you, that took a lot of furious battery rubbing! I could barely tear myself away.

Back at the bottom of the hill, we bought an amazing gelato and booked a daytrip to Montenegro for tomorrow.

Then, we caught a ferry to a tiny pedestrian only island 15 minutes away called Lokrum. They have a twelfth century monastery:

 

A tiny salty lake dubbed the Dead Sea:

And wild peacocks with babies! Lots of them:

Most of the peacocks were up trees. That was weird!

 

But best of all, they have crystal clear water and dozens of great spots for jumping in:

We swam the afternoon away there.

After ferrying back to town, we grabbed a quick feed in old town and went exploring a bit. You can still see bullet holes in walls from the Croatian War of Independence, 1991-95.

To cap off our first day in paradise, we headed to the Dubrovnik Museum of Modern Art.

We got home just in time to see sunset over the city.

Night Ferry Across the Adriatic

I've crossed borders all sorts of ways, but never by boat. I've never slept on one either. So I'm really looking forward to the overinght ferry from Bari, Italy to the last (and most hotly anticipated) stop on our trip Dubrovnik, Croatia.

I think I would have more to say about the trip if I'd got seasick or something. But honestly, it was fine! Sea was calm, we slept well, and there was breakfast provided in the morning! Can't ask for more than that.