Kolcep, Croatia...

Kolcep, Croatia...

Dolores, Yeshe and I on the island of Kolcep, Croatia

We took a cruise today to visit some of the surrounding islands and the captain (who spoke no English) took a real shine to Dolores and I and presented us with homemade brandy.

Etc...

Funds did not allow for further time at the manse so I've been staying at the Fresh Sheets hostel and making lots of friends... ( ;

Beach at Dubrovnik, Croatia...I've put off Greece, possibly until another trip, at least for now, to further enjoy Croatia, I've met the most amazing people and am having an incredible time! I may, however, be making a brief trip to Bosnia to tour Sarajevo, until then, I'm making the rounds and seeing some of Croatia's islands with a wonderful new group of people, all backpackers. We really cover the international spectrum from the US and Canada to Argentina, to Germany, Ireland and England.... ( ;

This is exactly what it looks like...I gigantic pot of cheese... actually, it's a four cheese lasagna. I can't begin to tell you how incredible this was. I think Dubrovnik is for me....beaches, sun, cheese... ( : I am currently staying in a UNESCO protected mansion within the fortress walls in Dubrovnik. Because the summer season has not started and the Croatian currency (the kuna) is very low, I have the palatial place all to myself for a bit befor eI take a ferry to Bari, Italy so I can catch a boat down to Greece...

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Exploring Dubrovnik...

All of the red roofs behind me have been replaced in the last 15 years after the Serbo-Croatian wars in the 90's and a few of the buildings have not been repaired since the last bombings but much of the city has bounced right back and is once again full of tourists from all walks of life and ends of the earth...

Exploring the fortress walls....

A view of the city from atop the fortress walls...We took a tour today of the ramparts and fortress walls. It took about two hours to make it all the way around the old city but so very worth it!

A Franciscan nun passing Onofrio's fountain in Dubrovnik, Croatia...this fountain has been supplying the city with water since 1444, the monastery that this nun belongs to has been in operation since the 12th century. By the by, just under the orange tree in the back is the pay-phone where I've been making my calls home! ( ;

Boats at dock in Dubrovnik,Croatia...I've made it from the capital of Croatia, Zagreb, in the North of down to the southernmost city of Dubrovnik, much of the day was spent on the beach and exploring the old town within the fortress walls...

Finally in Dubrovnik, Croatia! A very long road trip into Dubrovnik, the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'!

Climbing the summits...

Wild horse...We'd been in the mountain ranges for hours hiking and came across a few of the most unlikely places for ranches, gardens, settlements etc.

Horses...rather inexplicably thriving in the mountains near Makarska, Croatia, high in the mountain tops.

View from the top of a summit...Biokovo, Croatia

Hiking and rock climbing...Paul and Pierre are quite the mountaineers and decided that the best way to experience the landscape was to conquer it...LOTS of hard work today, kilometers of rock face and a blazing sun, I'd forgotten what it was like to truly exert yourself!

An abandoned home in the Biokovos....

The Biokovo Mts...the landscapes here lie somewhere between a Sergio Leone film and the face of the moon, it's difficult to describe the difficulty in mountain climbing here, there are as many boulders and rock shards in all directions as there is earth. It's been a really bizarre and wonderful experience...

Makarska, Croatia...We decided to opt for a road trip through the mountains near Makarska, Croatia in the Biokovo Mts. the largest and highest of the Croatian mountain range. Lots and lots of hiking!

Goodbye to Brac....Today we started a road trip from Split down to Dubrovnik

Last night in Brac, Croatia...Paul and Pierre made a lovely dinner and we enjoyed our backyard. The Croatian currency (kuna) is fairly low and we are not yet in the summer season so for incredibly little one can stay in very nice accommodations, our apt. has a view of the sea.

Bol...An aerial shot of our beach at Bol, this peninsula of sorts switches directions everyday during the tide...lots of sun and swimming!

Finally at the beach!...Brac, Croatia on the beach at Bol with Paul and Pierre.

The island of Brac, Croatia...is famous for it's incredible beaches, I have been traveling with university students from France for a few days and we decided to take the bus on Brac to Bol, which has one of the most recognizable coastlines in Croatia. After an eternity of buses and boats we finally managed to put our toes in the Adriatic!

Boat ride from Split to Brac, Croatia...I met an Argentinian tour group who thought I was "like the turtle" with my bags and were kind enough to take a picture. ( ;

Diocletian's Palace... It's amazing to move from the Alps to the Mediterranean climate overnight but I'm very glad to have the sun and the beaches, it's been a long chilly winter in Halifax,NS! ( ;

Diocletian's Palace...Probably the biggest historical attraction in Split, Diocletian's palace (Roman Emperor from 284-305BC) is now open to the public, so I took a tour of the basement floor which is entirely intact.

Split,Croatia...beautiful palm trees, shrimp pizza and the Diocletian Palace...can't ask for much more! ( ;

Split, Croatia...looong late night train ride to Split, but very much worth it. I went to a hostel with two French Canadian backpackers who are traveling Europe during their third year of university as well. It seems like there are a lot of men making this trip together but I've yet to meet any serious female backpackers.

A final goodbye to Ljubljana,Slovenia...catching the late night train to Croatia in the morning!

A monk from the winery on his cellphone?
Suffice to say there would not be half so many pictures of the view from the castle but I was quite winded after the hike and the bevy of creme cakes so I took a pretty substantial break once at the top! ( ; I was adopted by a Japanese tour group today after a woman asked me where I was from. I'm not sure if there was a misunderstanding or if Texas really is wildly amusing, either way I agreed to take what seemed like 30 pictures with them, very lovely people! ( : I'll try to post one of those if they email one my way...

More Views from the castle...the Alps in the background, lake Bled below...

View from the castle in Bled...I tried to make a whirlwind tour of Bled before I left Slovenia for Croatia, took a boat to the island their in the center and then later in the day took a long hike through the forest up to the castle on the ridge, another opportunity for creme cakes! ( ;

Lunch in Bled...sandwiches and creme cakes! Next time I think I'll eat the giant creme cake after the 8 mile hike rather then before...

Slovenian Cultural Center in Bled

99 steps...

View from the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary on the island in Lake Bled...I'ts custom to carry one's new bride up all 99 steps but if you crop her it's very very bad luck indeed so couples on the cusp of wedlock come for 'practice runs'...our tour group was lucky enough to meet a young couple getting married on Saturday who we're coming to give it a go before trying in front of friends and family. ;D

Bled, Slovenia... was definitely one of the more scenic places on my route, I hiked to the top of the medieval castle at the top of the ridge later in the day, after a meal of positively gigantic Slovenia creme cakes...which may have been ill-planned...

I met two lovely couples, both from England, on the way over to the island who filled me in on their travels in Slovenia! ( ;

Bled, Slovenia...in the center of Lake Bled is a tiny island with the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary. This is the only naturally formed island in Slovenia. I decided to take a boat out to take a peek...

On to Bled, Slovenia!
I'd been reading a bit about Bled's beauty so I thought I better check it out before leaving Slovenia. Bled is in the North in the Julian Alps and boasts some impressive scenery...

Beekeeper's hives in Postojna, Slovenia...painted so the bees will "remember where home is"...the bottom picture is very popular for these hives, the hunter's funeral, where all of the animals are rejoicing except for the hunter's dog... ( ;

More Caves...and the remains of a dinosaur found in the same area...we took a train about 2 km under the ground to walk through these cave systems, it was absolutely freezing but a great time!