Tuesday, May 19, 2009

F*%$ Museums!

Just kidding! (kind of)
Well as our four month marker approaches we found ourselves tiring of the big cities and not fully appreciating all they had to offer. Museum and church visits became merely perfunctory with nothing gained or learned, statues and monuments were going by unnoticed, and perhaps the biggest bummer of all, Trevor and I were getting on each others nerves like crazy. The solution: find a beach, get their quickly, stay there a while and do absolutely nothing. Croatia provided the perfect escape. I headed to Split for a few days by myself and Trevor followed a whole 36 hours later.

The Dalmatian coast is absolutely beautiful and rivals the Greek islands for the most idyllic setting. Huge sloping hills covered in thick, deep green trees flow into steep rock faces that meet the gentile green waters of the Adriatic forming tiny coved beaches for hundreds of miles. And it's not just mainland Croatia that is like this, as the hundreds of islands only a few miles off the coastline are exactly the same.

We spent 3 days in Split before heading on a five hour bus ride south to Dubrovnik. Here we stayed at a simple hostel with one of the most perfect views imaginable: to the left the red roofed houses of old town, and to the right, a big sweeping bay bustling with beach-goers during the day and dance parties at night until the wee hours of the morning. There were some great people staying at our hostel and we were even able to meet up with John, one of the travelers we have been with for most of our trip. We spent some of the days at a secluded little cove on the point of the bay and one of the days at a great cliff jumping location. No matter what though, we were in swim suits and sandals and happy as clams. The weather was perfection each day and night, and as we packed our bags on the last evening in preparation for our long travel day the next morning, it began to rain. It was as if it were meant to be.

Seven days of beautiful sun and no tourist expectations was just what we needed to see us through to the end of our trip. After a grueling 36 hour train ride from the south of Croatia to Berlin, Germany, we are fully charged and ready to see the sights, not because we feel we should, but because we are excited to.

Wow, just read that blog aloud and it's kinda sappy. Hmm, I guess that's what total relaxation brings.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Trev boosting from about 25 feet
The Adriatic
On top of the castle wall
Late afternoon yoga

Nighttime view from our hostel. (The tripod used for this picture was a seat cushion on top of a sleeping bag on top of a chair on top of a table).

2 comments:

V and M said...

When did you start Yoga??? Trish would be so proud! Good idea on the "re-set" and chillaxin'. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Jem said...

You guys are so lucky. That looks likes some blue water. Keep on havin fun!

PS
Hil: Such a sick photo of you swimming under water!!

Trev: you look like a yeti flying out of the hills! classic