So... it is time for a bit of catching up. I'll start with Croatia.
my life as a mermaid and... the battle with the bugs
It was an educational journey to see the landscape through Branislav's eyes. He told me the name of moutains, the river (Neretva) our route was following, and identified the fields of blurry fruit trees out the windows as mandarin oranges. We were driving south towards Herzegovina, where most of the produce for the country is grown. In Mostar he pointed out the tall cross on top of a hill overlooking the city, a highly contested placement, so much that a mosque had been built to rival its height. We didn't see much of Mostar beyond the bus station. The city is famous for Stari Most ("Old Bridge"), a historic symbol of the city's multiethnic culture that stood over 400 hundred years until it was destroyed in the war in the 90s. It was rebuilt but now attracts more tourists than anyone else. I haven't visited it so more will be said when I see it in person.
We reached the Dubronik bus station late in the afternoon, nearly 5 o'clock. I followed Branislav who, concerned that I was using an email for my directions, inquired with several taxi drivers and random pedestrians about how I should get to my destination. We found the right bus and I jumped aboard (he generously paid my fare since I had no Croatian currency) (whoops) and I alighted at the first stop after the bridge. It was Vrbica, apparently a village (seemed to me about ten homes), where my Air B & B was to be found. Ducking under flowering trees and wild pomegranates I made my way down. (If this were a screenplay, two bed bugs would now enter stage right and begin evilly twiddling thumbs. They would then dramatically exit.) There was no question about it, the view was strikingly serene, it looked like paradise.
After drying off and hiking a bit more I discovered a frighteningly large cave around the corner from the sunbathers. I couldn't tell how far back it went but witnessed a boat that ventured close to its mouth. Then in true Slavic style (they were probably tourists) the passengers broke into song. | |