Croatia

Dubrovnik

Croatia is the 28th member and the second former Yugoslav republic to join the European Union after a decade-long negotiation process. The country applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Even before it became the 28th member state, citizens enjoyed the right to travel freely and the euro, alongside the stable Croatian kuna, has been an accepted means of payment for years.

We arrived at the Vic Hotel late afternoon. The Vic is a modest hotel but is on the Adriatic so no complaints. Our buffet dinner provided by the hotel was not wonderful but adequate. After all, I was able to have my martini and go to bed early, missing our, now, nightly wine party.

The following morning we went to the old walled city. The old city of Dubrovnik is surrounded by about a mile and a half of walls built between the 11th and 17th century and has remained basically unchanged since the 13th century. Within the walls of this impeccably preserved medieval city is a maze of plazas and narrow alleys and limestone walkways surrounded by baroque stone houses, churches, palaces and monasteries with Gothic and Romanesque flourishes. Laundry is strung out the windows of the narrow multistory houses that cascade up and down stone stairways. Neighbors poke their heads out of upper windows to swap news. Friends gather on balconies to serenade the populace below. It was wonderful to visit this lovely part of the world after 30 years when we roamed the narrow streets that were under soviet rule as part of what was known then as Yugoslavia. We had a great lunch at a little outdoor cafe on a narrow street in the old city. Calamari, salad and beer, and then some of the areas delicious gelato. Mona walked the top of the wall but, because of my recent back problems, I spent my time roaming the streets, looking for the great art I had found in abundance during my previous visit, (which I didn't find)

Late afternoon had us returning to our hotel. I prepared a martini and went down to the Adriatic beach. An entirely stoned beach (that is a beach full of stones and not spaced out people). It was hard to walk with shoes and almost impossible bare foot. I was able to walk into the water a few feet and then needed to return to my comfy beach lounge chair.

Later another buffet dinner, followed by a group organized wine party and then late to bed. The following morning we we drove along the Adriatic coastline to our next destination - Petrcane. Again we had to leave Croatia, enter Bosnia, which is afforded 8 miles of Adriatic coastline, and then re-enter Croatia.

Petrcane

On our way to Petrcane, we visited the beautiful city of Split. Here we strolled the streets around the Diocletian Palace and parts of the palace itself.

Diocletian's Palace is an impressive structure built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century. The structure looks more like a fortress than palace. It was intended as the retirement residence of Diocletian. He built the massive palace to be ready for his retirement in 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from the Dalmatian coast.

While there we found a little outdoor cafe where we had a nice little lunch of chicken salad, sliced potato fries and, of course, beer. Then back to the bus for our journey to Petrcane.

Checked into the Pinija Hotel. We got a very nice room with a balcony that had a nice view. Nice enough that our friend Kathy invited the others to our room for wine after dinner that evening. We were told about this at dinner - time enough to hide my dirty clothes. We had a fun evening.

The next morning, we continued our journey in Croatia to the city of Opatija.

Opatija (Oh-pá-Tia)

We left Pedrcane about 9am. Along the way we ate a picnic lunch at a roadside. Then, soon, found ourselves cruising along a curvy street of hotels, headed tward the Grand Palace where we thought we were staying. We were supposed to stay at the Grand Palace but they overbooked so got us in the better hotel.
The 4 star Grand Hotel Adriatic was a very nice hotel. We were quite pleased.
Walked the Lungomare (seaside walkway) for about 5 1/2 miles (round trip). The Promenade, as it is better known, is a path that hugs the shoreline along the Adriatic.

Then back to the hotel for a chocolate gelato. Only $1.25 for a dish of delicious gelato at a 4 star hotel was a surprise. Along the route walkways were erected memorials to famous people who have stayed in Opatija: writer Henrik Sienkiewicz (above Opatija harbor), doctor Theodor Billroth (on the wall of St. Jacob), General Jozef Pilsudski (in the park in front of the Art pavilion "Juraj Sporer") .
With the sea on one side and mountains on the other, and populated with beaches, marinas, cafés, restaurants, and 19th century villas, Lungomare is an enjoyable foot path. The primary reason they give for this is: “It is almost impossible not to unwind while enjoying the sound of the waves, the visual beauty of the surroundings, and the fresh and slightly salty Adriatic air”.

That evening we had a dinner that include my first taste of Shark. A good experience. Wine party later. Bed much later. Morning, much too soon.

And then – time to leave Croatia for Slovenia