i am not a dark tourist, the world is a somber place

Arriving in Sri Lanka end of January this year, it struck me that over the past one and a half years, this was the third country with a really dreadful past that I was travelling.

Visiting a country and learning about its history can lead you to quite dark places. 

I'm not talking 'bout Stalingrad and WWII. No, here, dreadful past has been so recent that I do remember it being present, watching the news as a child.

How is that even possible? Am I subconsciously searching for terror and horror? Am I a dark tourist? Or is the world, sadly, just a quite somber place?

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CROATIA - Complete Guide to a Bus Road Trip

Everybody who has been to Croatia is just raving - about the food in general and the special treats such as extra virgin olive oil and big, aromatic truffles in particular. About the beautiful sceneries and the clear waters that are one of Europes last dolphin refuge. But I was stubborn. When everybody tries to talk me into one direction, I turn my head and walk the other way. My mental age is 13.

Thank God I knew that Autumn would be stressful with my flat being remodeled. Therefore I renounced from my plans of going around half the globe to Japan. Instead, I bit the bullet: I decided to spend September in Croatia. Since it's much closer. Since it's much cheaper. And a teeny tiny bit since everybody who has been there is just raving about it.

Guess what - now I'm one of them! I'm one of those who are raving about Croatia's food and sceneries and clear waters - and I wrote a complete guide about my trip from Porec in Istria to Dubrovnik, the pearl of Dalmatia as well as all the mesmerizing stops on the way; and I urge you: Don't turn your head - go to Croatia!


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24 hours in...Zagreb

You know like in all my "24 hours in...."-post I'm writing that there is so much more to see and one day is not enough? Well, when it comes to Zagreb, I don't. If you're not there for a conference, convention, or exhibition, a day is enough to cover the attractions, do some shopping, and have a meal of Zagorski Štrukli, dough - baked or boiled, sweet or salty - or Ćevapi, a type of traditional kebab.

So in this case,  the post is an itinerary for a layover or a shortstop on a road-trip way south e. g. to the Adriatic coast - as well as a complete guide for a city break.

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Eighth Stop Dubrovnik

I wrote in one of the posts on my rail road trip through Portugal that this kind of meandering from stop to stop stretches the travel endlessly. Every single destination feels like an individual little vacation. You have to pack and leave - but a couple of hours later, you arrive at your next destinations which is all new and exciting - hence, your vacation starts all over again.

The iconic view of Dubrovnik - it's all about the roofs.

It worked until now, but it's all over, baby blue: Dubrovnik is my final stop of the bus road trip down the Adriatic coast.

Am I sad? Yes. But I'm also very exhausted since there is a lot to see and a lot of climbing to do and it's hot and there are huge crowds basically everywhere; and I know already now what I'd do differently the next time I'm coming to Croatia: I'd start my trip in Dubrovnik and move then up North to the calmer and emptier places.

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Seventh Stop Vela Luka on Korcula

Walking through a tunnel of exotic looking bushes and conifers, smelling the scent of their needles. Hearing nothing but the cacophony of what seems to be a thousand cicadas. Passing a row of cactuses, turning left at the little field of olive trees and carefully climbing down some huge rocks.

My favorite spot - I can truly enjoy it bye:myself.

There I'm spreading my beach towel on the one that's shaped like a mattress - and that's my personal piece of paradise for the day.

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Sixth Stop Split

I guess you can judge by the frequency of my posts that I'm moving at a rapid pace: Actually, after two cozy, lazy nights on the island of Cres, I've spent four nights in a row in different places.

View from the bell tower - the lowest level of the cathedral's bell tower: I'm afraid of heights and the staircase is pretty open....

Split is the last destination on this - however, very inspiring - tour de force. I've checked it out in a split second - you can judge from this pun that I need a break, I guess - before moving on to the island of Korčula where I'll spend four nights in a row - in one single place!

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Fifth Stop Skradin and Krka National Park

Sometimes, you just need to give a day space and time to unfold from a tightly closed blossom to a beautiful flower.

The most majestic of the waterfalls is Skradinski Buk.

Or, to rephrase it less poetically: I need to stop being such a nagging old bat.

Skradin, despite being a cute little town, didn't promise to be a big success at first: I misinterpreted the folksy service of my hotel, the waitress at the restaurant where I finally had dinner screwed me over with the wine - I just wanted to visit the Krka National Park and get out of there as soon as possible.
And then miraculously everything came up Renata.


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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Fourth Stop Plitvice Lakes

I'm taking delight in realizing that I'm planning less compulsively when it comes to travelling. When I left for Croatia, I did not have all the hotels booked and all the bus schedules learned by heart.

The turquoise pools look just mesmerizing.

And yet, I'm not getting stranded in the middle of nowhere without a roof above my head; um, should this teach me a lesson?

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Third Stop: Rijeka

I'm on a Road Trip, so I'm obviously moving on and on. Although I'm not racing through Croatia, I hardly spend two nights in a row in one place.

A Croatian city for Croatians - but they share it generously with visitors from all over the world

If I had to choose one, though, it would be Rijeka.


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Croatia Bus Road Trip. Second Stop: Cres

One of my favorite European cities is Venice. And the sight from Riomaggiore over the Sea left me speechless. God knows that.
Sometimes he likes to amaze me with a nice surprise. So he thought a bit and then remembered that there was still a little room left on this Adriatic island called Cres - so why not just combine the beauty of Venetian architecture and the natural splendor of the Cinque Terre in one spot?!

Location, location, location: My Apartman is in the olive green house - second on the left.

Said and done, cute little houses were built around an unpretentious jetty, lush hills and narrow pebble beaches were added - eccolo: Paradise on Earth!

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Croatia Bus Road Trip. First Stop: Porec

Technically, Poreč is my fourth stop on this trip - a journey partly a bit back in time, but we'll get to that later. But the first three stops - Munich, Ljubljana, and Zagreb - were like weekend trips. City breaks. Familiar terrain. The big adventure starts with all these small towns in the middle of nowhere or on islands. Places that I have to find, avoiding getting lost between bus and ferry schedules.

Istria used to be ruled by Venice - and funnily enough, not only the alleys and palazzi of the little town remind me of my favorite Italian city, even the skyline looks a bit Venetian.

So this makes Poreč the first stop of my bus road trip along the Adriatic coast.


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Complete Guide to DUBROVNIK

(Edited November 2018)

Last stop and a grand finale of my bus road trip along the Adriatic cost was Dubrovnik.

Best of Dubrovnik: Architecture, mountains, and the deep blue sea.

However, due to the large crowds and the flaws that come with tourist sellout, it was not my trip's highlight.

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Complete Guide to SPLIT

(Edited November 2018)

Split is one of these many Croatian cities that has it all: Rich history presented in a well-preserved, breathtakingly beautiful old town. Colorful farmers markets selling fresh produce to restaurants that prepare the most delish meals. Lush woods as well as nice beaches - and all that within the city limits. And a posh harbor - gateway to splendid destinations beyond the sea.

Split - one of Croatia's most beautiful cities.

However, Split was yet another place I initially wanted to skip. I only got there to spend the night before travelling on to Korčula island. Hence one single day was enough to make me fall in deep love with this beautiful and so special place.

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Complete Guide to ZAGREB

(Edited November 2018)

Zagreb is home to more than 800,000 people, thus Croatia's largest city and the country's capital. However, I assume tourism-wise it's also the least known and visited place in all of Croatia.

However, it was a pleasant and inspiring starter to my bus road trip along the Adriatic coast.

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Complete Guide to CRES

(Edited November 2018)

Cres is just a little over an hour from the Croatian mainland and totally worth a visit if you are looking for unspoiled nature, cute coastal towns, and a swim in clear waters.

Without a caption one could think this is an Italian vilaggio.

Due to its everchanging history, this island deems very Italian, too. But you know what? It's so delightful that you don't even care; you certainly don't care where exactly paradise is located.

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Complete Guide to POREC

(Edited November 2018)

Poreč, Croatia's very own Little Venice. Almost as beautiful as her big sister, but definitely as overcrowded.

No, this is not Venice - non e Venezia.

According to my guidebook, Poreč is one of ten highlights in Croatia. Well, I disagree (this is what you get from these notorious ten-best-this-five-thousand-best-that-lists), however since it's only a bit over an hour from Rijeka, it's definitely worth a day trip.

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Complete Guide to PLITVICE LAKES

(Edited November 2018)

I've seen a lot of beautiful places in my times - oceans, mountains, jungles, and lakes. When it comes to latter, Plitvice Lakes is the winner: The turquoise of the crystal clear waters seems almost surreal.

If paradise is half as nice....as Plitvice National Park, we definitely have something to look forward to.

In combination with the waterfalls, caves, and flora and fauna it turns the National Park into an enchanted fairyland.

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Complete Guide to VELA LUKA on KORCULA

(Edited November 2018)

The island of Korčula is much less known and popular as many of its sisters although with over 15,000 inhabitants it is the second most populous Adriatic island. However, in the West, the town of Vela Luka, arranged around a half moon shaped bay, grants total relaxation while Korčula town presents a breathtaking historic old town within fairy tale like fortress walls.

View of Korčula town from the Uvala Plitvine bay.

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Complete Guide to RIJEKA

(Edited November 2018)

The other day at a party, I overheard a conversation: Two people were talking about travelling, and the girl said: "You know, I also enjoy just being at a place".

I've found that great - just being. No racing through cute alleys full of historic buildings, no waiting in line at museums, no pushing on boats and squeezing in vans - just being at a place.

Trg Ivana Koblera, the Kobler square with the unusual fountain.

And this is exactly what you can do in Rijeka, Croatia's third largest city, before continuing to Istria or to one of the beautiful islands. Just being there. Just walking along the pedestrian street that is called Korzo - an old-fashioned name that makes me smile. Just watch the locals shopping at ordinary stores. Just have a coffee or an Aperol on one of the terraces.
Just be there.

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Complete Guide to KRKA National Park and SKRADIN

(Edited November 2018)

The Krka National Park, nestled between the hills and mountains of Central Dalmatia, is not very large, but still rich in various types of habitats with many endemic species.

Center of attention: The Skradinski Buk waterfall.

While around the majestic waterfalls there is no escape from the crowds, along the way from Skradin, the wanderer still can enjoy moments of serenity - and, of course, fantastic views if the grand scenery.

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