Hvar - opulence VS rustic wonders

By the time we reached our third destination, our minds were made up that Croatia was a country of immeasurably beautiful landscapes. The second island we stopped at was Hvar (still not sure how to pronounce it), and it was, yet again, such a treasure. We arrived at the ferry port and drove towards our campsite. The set up was fantastic; there were orange orchids providing shade for the tents, which lay about 100m away from a gorgeous bay, where families were playing water-sports and enjoying the sunshine. Our location was about 20mins away from the city centre, which was just perfect! The local restaurant provided for a stunning sunset view as we watched the colours fade from purple-pink shades to a bright dark-blue.

A trek to the city centre was a must, and we had a very different experience from the rustic Dubrovnik. Here, the wealthy boathouse owners parked their sea-mansions and enjoyed their lunch on the deck whilst everyone envied their bikini bodies and their money flaunting lifestyles. It was a laugh, but also a very intriguing European Hollywood.

The sun was scorching hot and almost became unbearable, until we planted ourselves on some rocks and inhabited the water for quite some time. Now, reminiscing of it all, my heart throbs for the warmth as I sit under a blanket with thick socks and granny slippers on!

The highlight of the trip was making our way into a small village, where it almost seemed impossible that there would be any civilians. There were war-torn buildings and overgrown fields, which suddenly gave way to gorgeous, quaint houses and stone structures. We weaved our way through them until we found some hand painted signs directing us towards our restaurant, Konoba Dvor Dubokovic. Via a small alleyway, we came to our wooden-doored, stone-floored, open windowed, family restaurant where we were waited upon by the owner and his son. There was laughter, wine, overwhelming views of the countryside, and lets not forget the food!! The son of the owner came and made us all laugh as he told us wild stories of his adventures and his family’s history, including their move to New Zealand, which gave Tim a big head start on us all in terms of winning them over. We left with full tummies and happy hearts.

Next stop: Split.

Korcula - The bar is set high...

If ever roaming the landscapes of beautiful Croatia, it will be expected of you to indulge in the stunning Dalmatian coast, known for its intense, picturesque, breath-taking scenery. This is best done when ‘island hopping’. And so we did… From Dubrovnik we set off in our hired car and journeyed our way alongside the coastal line. The summer heat was blazing, however the inviting turquoise sea amended this, as we were able to pull the car over whenever we pleased and walk into the heavenly, refreshing water.

The road trip was heart-throbbing as the landscape never failed to flirt, taunt and tease until we fell in love over and over with the countryside. Israel and Ali were always such pleasant company; we were never short of laughter and Tim and I were constantly grateful for another life-long friendship in the making.

We boarded the car ferry and headed for the first Island: Korcula. It took us a while to locate our camping spot, however I am still convinced that it was the best one on the Island. We met a lovely couple who owed a small vineyard, a few goats and a house that had been in the family for 500 years! It was on the land next to this house that we pitched our tents, with orange and pink brush strokes across the vast canvas overhead. We slept on the rich soil, which was embedded with history, love and adventure. Israel made a new friend in the hilariously bleating goat.

Still, to this day, my most treasured memory from all of my travels includes the day that we hired a small, motorised boat and set sail for the small islands that lay close to Korcula. It almost wasn’t destined to happen; all of the boats were booked out for the day, when all of the sudden the lady at the desk decided to call her friend who lived 100metres down the road. Shortly we were met with a huge smile from a small-framed man riding his bicycle, waving ferociously at us. He took us to his boat, gave the boys a few words of advice and then waved us off from the shore. If I had realised then the gift that he had just given us, I probably would have squeezed him for an uncomfortably long time before boarding his dinghy. I am unable to describe the glorious escapade of the stunning water, the white rocks, the textured islands, all offering us their very best displays. Forever banked in my mind for whenever I need to go to a happy place!

Whilst we felt nothing could beat those stunning moments, we managed to be invited back into our boat owner’s house whilst he gave us free homemade shots and gave us all the time in the world to answer our questions about his hometown. Us girls put on a brave face and sipped the first shot with tiny wee sips, trying not to choke up. The boys, or men I should say, managed to finish ours and happily accept his offer for seconds. We left feeling very jolly and cheery. However, we didn’t leave without his best recommendations of where to eat. Yep, we did it again. We discovered the delicacies of this gorgeous island, and continued where we left off in Dubrovnik – fresh seafood, hot buns and balsamic vinegar, local wine and grilled veggie platters. Mmmhmmm…

Before departing the island, we popped into the Old Town and enjoyed some more sun with a touch of historical wonders; The House of Marko Polo!!

Enjoy the amazing photos by my talented Tim, and please oh please let them pull on the strings of your heart, as they still do for us.