Zadar-Split-Hvar

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Slovenia into Croatia. Different language, (not that we can tell), a new curency (no euros here just the mighty Kuna) and a national soccer shirt that looks as if it has been dragged down from a Pizza Hut window. The people, however, appear more turbulent (there we go again lumping an entire race into one generic basket). Where else in the world do you see fights breaking out in internet cafes? These Croats sure can fire up over a virtual war game. The owner of our apartment is a former Croatian army sniper who is now on a war pension. He told us this whilst pointing to the bullet hole in his neck. That's one way to get workers comp although it must be a fine line between a profitable little pension and death.
We settled into Zadar, a lovely little port town (although complacency is setting in with all these charming European metropoli) with an inland excursion to the Plitvice Lakes. The Plitvice National Park is magnificent but the envisioned wilderness experience is tainted by its popularity. You smell a rat as you drive towards the area passing a caterpillar trail of tour buses. At the park, Penny was particularly impressed with the mating frogs and the 100kg 60 year old German woman who simply couldn't wait for the next WC, the middle of the walking trail was fine. I'm having this recurring nightmare of a pair of knickerbockers that could double as a spinaker in the Sydney to Hobart.
Following Zadar we split to Split. Lonely Planet is unflattering in its description of Split but its ancient Diocletion Palace is these days a genuine working town which also doubles as plush waterfront and warrants a stay on its own merit rather just a jump off point for the Dalmation islands. A word of warning though, the polished paving stones of the old town can get awfully slippery after some rain.
Thus we set sail from Split to Hvar Island. The waters are of Maldivian clarity and colour with Sydney temperatures. Beaches? If sand and waves are a must, stay where you are fellow Antipodians, she's a craggy shoreline here. Stone decks and rocky coves double as beaches in Croatia. Nestled amongst one of these craggy coves is Hvar Town which rates a 10 on the gorgeousometer. Idyllic. Honeymooners need look no further. Hvar is popular but by no means overburdoned, at least not in May. On the negative side, a major hotel development is well underway just around the corner from Hvar Town. Local planners should tread carefully not to spoil the intimate character of this place or risk strangling the goose that has laid the golden egg.
Regardless, sitting on our balcony, the sun melting behind the island, a yacht or two meandering into one heck of a beautiful port, Penny having just mixed some Croatian feta through her patented chicken salad and I have the local Hvar riesling armed and ready. This is living. Come here whilst you can.
YEATESY

When tourists begin rating Roman ruins as ordinary you know you are becoming complacent and it's time for a holiday from the holiday and Croatia is the perfect "location, location, location" as the real estate gurus back home would say. For our aussie dollar we can upgrade from a hostel to an apartment by the sea and some home style cooking for a few days. Fantastic, except the brochure forgot to inform us on apartment number 2, that while it was by the seaside, it was also smack bang in the middle of mosquito breeding territory and by dusk when it's 30 degrees inside the apartment you can't open any of the windows or doors because the mossies are lined up ready for dinner themselves. To add to the discomfort, I have the stove ablaze which augments the discomfort. We ate our home cooked dinner dripping perspiratrion on to the cutlery. Solution...eat earlier. So the following day, having ventured into the cash and carry supermarket, I commence cooking our tasty pasta with tuna. The only other problem we have in Croatia besides not speaking Croatian is reading Croatian. As I open the can of tuna, it looks suspiciously like cat food. The label gives nothing away, just a picture of a fish. I consult Gary, accusing him of picking up the tuna in the pet food section. Well I guess we'll never know. Neither of us have developed fur balls behind the ears but I have caught Gary licking the palms of his hands.
As for the apartment on Hvar, Gary will have to drag me away. I love it. The town, the water, the works. It is a little slice of heaven.
A couple of days ago I purchased some new luxury moisturiser only to lose it the next day. Today I found a 100 kuna note in the castle above Hvar Town, roughly the equivalent cost of the moisturiser. Gaz says I'm the equivalent of Seinfeld, the break even gal.
PENNY

More images at:

www.colvinyeates.zenfolio.com

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Photos

Zadar
A twisted town

Zadar
My morning coffee stop

Plitvice Lakes
Before the morning tourist boom

Plitvice Lakes
minus one german woman having a wee along the path

Split
Split before the hail!!

Split
Gaz's self indulgent beer stop

Trogir
A 3 iron from Split

Hvar Island
Self indulgence.

Hvar Island
The town

Hvar Island
From the Castle

Hvar Island
The morning stop before our swim