Postcards from the Past: Croatia

The Land of a Thousand Islands

When and Where:           11/2000 – Dubrovnik, Konavle, Cavtat

                                           08/2012 – Dubrovnik

                                           09/2022 – Zagreb

17^th Country Visited; 11^th European Country Visited

Interesting Facts:

-        Croatia has 1,244 islands.

-        Dalmatian dogs originated in the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.

-        Many films have been shot in Croatia including Game of Thrones. 

In 2000, I visited Dubrovnik Croatia with my friend Allan on a Mediterranean Cruise.  We arrived on a foggy morning and had an excursion booked for Croatia’s wine country.  Travelling around Europe, even back in 2000, you didn’t need to have your passport stamped when changing countries.  But the Croatian government insisted all passengers clear immigration.  I think it was a brilliant psychological move.  Because beautiful Croatia was forever etched in my mind.  Once we cleared immigration, we boarded a bus heading south to the Konavle Valley; the wine region of southern Croatia.  The coach driver proceeded to tell the passengers about Croatia’s complicated history.  After World War I, Yugoslavia was created out of several territorial regions with people of different religions and ethnic backgrounds.  After the fall of the Soviet Union, the puppet governments in eastern Europe established by the USSR crumbled.  In Yugoslavia’s case, the different sects broke apart and formed different countries.  The former Yugoslavia today consists of the countries of Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.  When Croatia declared its independence in 1991, the Serbians attacked Croatia.  The major difference between the Serbs and Croats was religion.  The Serbs are Orthodox and the Croats are Catholic.  The resulting war had significant impacts on the infrastructure of the newly formed Croatia.   

Along the route, we navigated the rugged narrow coastline of Croatia to the Konavle Region.  The driver pointed out the remnants of the war including a bombed out bridge connecting Dubrovnik to mainland Croatia.  The bridge was in the process of being rebuilt.  Upon arrival, Allan and I walked around the colorful shopping district with meandering cobblestone streets of Cavtat Croatia.  We were surprised by the natural beauty of the Dalmatian coastline.  From there, we stopped at a vineyard to sample Croatian wines.  The experience was majestic, though it wasn’t the best part of Croatia.  At the end of our tour, we had time to walk around Dubrovnik; a city which dates back to the 7^th century.  Dubrovnik is a walled city along the Adriatic Sea.  Just outside the walled city are picturesque mountains.  The sea itself is crystal clear and calm.  The cobblestone streets in Old Town are lined with charming shops.  The roofs on all the buildings are brilliant hues of red and honey.  It’s a picturesque seaside town with a medieval feel.   I was so in awe of Croatia.  At the time,  most Americans weren’t familiar with this beautiful country.  But that passport stamp reminded me of the wonderful day spent in Dubrovnik.

Fast forward to 2012, Aaron and I stopped in Dubrovnik on our Holyland cruise.  Dubrovnik had changed considerably in the 12 years since I had last visited.  What was spectacular before, was now stunning.  In the mountains outside the walled city of Dubrovnik were luxury hotels.  The streets were lined with palm trees, and upscale restaurants and shops.  Dubrovnik is now a luxury resort town.  It was a scorching hot and humid day when we arrived in Dubrovnik.  Our excursion was a 1.5 hour walk around the walls surrounding downtown Dubrovnik.  The walk was challenging as there were many uneven surfaces.  By the end, we were both drenched in sweat.  After, we walked around the lovely shops in Old City.  We stopped at an outdoor café to rest and have a cold drink.  We also popped into a Catholic Church and lit a candle for my mom on what would have been her 86^th birthday.  She had died less than 3 months prior.  Dubrovnik’s charm and character makes the city unique.  It is my favorite Mediterranean port. 

On my 2022 solo European adventure, I had a 1.5 hour layover and bus change in Zagreb.  I was travelling from Ljubljana Slovenia to Budapest Hungary and had just enough time to grab lunch before I boarded my next Flixbus.  My stay was very brief.  Croatia is a place I want to visit again and explore.  There is so much to see in this lovely country!  

Dubrovnik Harbor (2012)

Old Town Dubrovnik (2012)

Old Town Dubrovnik (2012)

The mountains outside Old Town Dubrovnik (2012)

Aaron and I looking down over Dubrovnik (2012)

Cavtat, Croatia (2000)

Cavtat, Croatia (2000)