Shkoder and Tirana

I’ll be honest. Compared to other major cities in any European country, Shokoder and Tirana were quite abysmal, but I can’t blame a recent post-communist/post-totalitarian country for not offering much to the wandering traveller.  Sure, there were notable sites of interest, and I describe a few below.

Albania’s northernmost major city, Shkoder, serves as a base for exploring the Albanian Alps.  Aside from being the typical dusty, congested Balkan city dotted with shops, mosques, and churches, its main attractions are the massive Shkodra Lake and the Rozafa Castle.  Perched atop a hill in the outskirts of the city, most of the castle remain in ruins that are easily explorable due to the lack of tourists who visit.  The castle’s history was dizzying to me–its history includes sieges from the Romans, to the Ottomans, to the Montenegrins.  For only 200 Lek each, we scouted the ruins and gazed down below at the views of Shkoder, the surrounding valley, and the river.

Just at the foot of the Rozafa ruins stands the lonely Lead Mosque, its name derived from the lead that once covered all of its domes.  All the lead had been stolen gradually.IMG_20160619_115940

This mosque is currently not in use, but is of minor historic significance: in 1990 when religion was allowed in the country again (the anti-religious communist leader had declared statewide atheism in 1967), the very first religious rally was held here.

After visiting the Rozafa castle and the Lead Mosque, we continued south to see what Tirana had to offer.  We stayed at Baron Hotel, which offered motorhome parking. electricity, and a shower/toilet for €17/night.  There was also a bus stop down the street with buses that took us into the heart of Tirana for only 40 Lek each (33¢).  My favorite thing about Tirana (and all of Albania actually) was the number of bakeries everywhere selling fresh loaves of bread for 50 Lek (40¢)!!!

Around Tirana’s Skanderbeg Square was the National Historical Museum.  We didn’t go in, but its exterior mural was captivating. IMG_3448

Et’hem Bey Mosque also has historic significance: thousands attended a rally to reopen the mosque in 1991 before authorities even permitted them to do so, signaling the fall of communism and rebirth of religious freedom in the country. IMG_3446

Grungy streets:IMG_3453

Near the Ismail Qemali Monument, the remains of three pillbox bunkers lay scattered within the small, grassy park.  When the communist leader severed relations with China, he feared the country would be raided by neighboring countries and established over 700,000 bunkers throughout Albania.  We definitely saw a few pillbox bunkers randomly on the side of the road while driving throughout the country.  This one in particular was even paired with a section of the Berlin Wall–a gift from Germany signifying a post-communist era.

Down the street from these bunkers was my favorite historic site of all.  See it whichever way you want, whether an eyesore or a grand monument, but its meaning is still symbolic nonetheless.  The daughter and son-in-law of the late communist leader designed this pyramid structure to commemorate his legacy.  It opened in 1988 as a museum of the leader, but quickly became a conference center in 1991.  Since then the structure has been completely vandalized, with bad graffiti and smashed windows as the typical facade of the structure.

Post-communist era aside, Tirana has grown into a busy, thriving capital for Albania.  Not only were there plenty of inexpensive cafes and restaurants, there was plenty of art as well.  One piece in particular, was a temporary exhibit we happened to stumble upon while walking around the city.IMG_3476

Albanian pride was also strong and flaunted, mainly because of the Eurocup football matches that were taking place at the time.IMG_3482

Friends told me that Tirana was worth checking out, and I’m glad we stopped by.  It’s always fascinating to get a taste of a country’s historic, cultural, and economic center, especially after the country’s survival of a horrifically fascinating anti-religious regime.  Almost everyone who comes to Albania will visit Tirana either way, whether arriving or departing, so one might as well see its historic sites of significance.  However, Albania’s true highlights lie in the far north and the far south.

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Lake Koman and the Albanian Alps

When it comes to the Albanian Alps, it’s tough to say what is the highlight—the journey or the destination. Getting there entails a long day of transpotation: Shkoder -> Lake Koman -> Fierze -> Bajram Curri -> Valbona. Most people arrive to the mountains without a hitch. Us, not so much. For that reason, our amusing journey requires a story to be told.

Shkoder, Albania’s northernmost major city, was the start and end point for this journey. Thankfully, Europe’s BEST campsite, Lake Shkodra Resort, was located only a 15-minute drive north of Shkoder. We didn’t have to stay in the eyesore of a city and instead camped along the shore of the beautiful Lake Shkodra for only €14/night for two people with electricity. Best of all, there were hammocks!

Albanian roads have a reputation for being horrendous, preventing us from hauling our old, fat motorhome up the mountains. For the first time during our European road trip, we left our motorhome behind while we set out to ride the Lake Koman ferry and hike the Albanian Alps. We weren’t too worried since it only cost €2/day to park it at the campground—a reminder of how affordable it is to travel in the Balkans.

During the early morning of the start to our adventure we left the campground at 5:45am sharp via taxi for 1,000 Lek ($9) in order to arrive to the Shkoder city center to catch the minibus to Lake Koman. I had asked the receptionist the day before where to catch the minibus, and she pointed on the map and said, “Somewhere on this street.”

Little did I know that was how Albanians figured things out. There was never an exact location or landmark, just near this or that or around there. Like in SE Asia, we just needed to chill out and remember everything always worked out in the end. They definitely did.

Our taxi driver knew we were trying to catch the minibus, so he quickly stopped when he spotted the first minibus parked along the side of the road. It was 6am and the driver and other local passengers were all sitting around at a café. Fortunately one of them spoke English and told us the minibus would leave at 6:30am and it would cost 500 Lek ($4) each. Perfect. Time to relax and have a coffee.IMG_3322

Sure enough, we all soon boarded the minibus and left exactly at 6:30am for Lake Koman. Looking around the minibus, I noticed we were the only tourists. Everyone else were Albanian men, young and old, and I took a particular liking to the older man in the front passenger seat. “Isn’t he the most Albanian-looking man you’ve ever seen?” I asked Chris, and even he agreed.

The road out the city wasn’t too terrible, but the last 12 km or so would have been impossible for our motorhome to pass through: steep, windy, narrow, and filled with potholes. By the time we reached the Lake Koman ferry terminal it was 8:20am. We had plenty of time to kill before all the ferries left at 9am.

“Would you like to ride the ferry?” a nice man asked us immediately after stepping off the taxi. We asked him how much it cost, because I knew the normal rate was 500 Lek per person. “5 euros.” And how much in Lek? “700 Lek.” I told him we’d shop around first and let him know.

Another tourist told me that she was planning to take the passenger-only ferry, which would cost 500 Lek pp. There were dozens of other passengers, tourists, and locals with their packages, all waiting for the passenger-only ferry. It was only the car ferry that cost 700 Lek. Hoping for a more authentic experience, I opted for the cheaper, passenger-only ferry.  We soon regretted that decision.

Exactly at 9am, two car ferries set off to Fierze. We watched nervously as the car ferry, along with numerous tourists willing to pay the extra 200 Lek ($1.50), disappeared from sight. I thought all ferries, car and passenger-only, left at 9am. The passenger-only ferry hadn’t even arrived yet. We kept telling ourselves to remain calm because there were still plenty of locals waiting patiently without biting their nails.  IMG_3324

10am came by and the locals slowly began to fidget. Even one Albanian girl told us, “Maybe it is broken. Another bigger ferry will come at midday.” That got me nervous because I knew there was a bus I needed to catch from Fierze to the final destination of Valbona. If we missed this bus, I knew we’d have to hitchhike. And Albanian drivers were notoriously crazy.  All this to save $1.50 each.

A German woman in her 40’s with her 5-year-old daughter asked me where I was going. I told her Valbona. “Oh, I’m glad there is someone else going to Valbona,” she smiled, clearly relieved. “Maybe we can share a taxi together.” I didn’t say anything.

Soon the locals heaved a sigh of relief as they saw their beloved passenger ferry come into view. Even we were relieved. I sure hoped we’d make it to Valbona.

Then the passenger ferry, or should I say bus-boat, arrived. It was literally a bus boat.  Like an actual bus, but somehow reconstructed into a barge.IMG_20160616_101846

One by one, we boarded the bus boat. Each person took a seat. Packages, bags, and other cargo were loaded onto the bus boat. Within 10 minutes a man shouted in Albanian and everyone begrudgingly unloaded and disembarked the bus boat. What was going on? It didn’t take long to discover that the bus boat was broken and all passengers were now being divided into two different boats: one boat direct to Fierze, and another boat to all the random villages between.

Finally, at 10:25am, about 1.5 hours past our departure time for a 3-hour ferry ride, our crappy little boat set off down the lake. We occupied the rear seats right next to the tiny, deafening engine that reeked of gas fumes, vibrated our seats like a cheap chair massage, and heated the wooden planks beneath and around us that could have melted the soles of our shoes. On top of that, our cushioned seats were wet, soaking who-knows-what into our pants. And this was apparently one of Europe’s greatest ferry rides.

Once I reached my limit of discomfort, I moved to the front of the boat to avoid the noise, vibration, and heat. By that point we were halfway through the ferry ride.  The slow gliding across the lake was scenic and pleasant, but another tourist read my mind when she said, “This is nice to do just once.”

The other ferry that stopped into the villages tucked away in the mountains:IMG_3336

We reached Fierze at 1:30pm, almost exactly 3 hours from the time we departed. Naturally there were no more mini buses to Valbona, or even to the next major town of Bajram Curri. Damn that bus boat.IMG_3352

Chris, the German woman, her daughter, and I walked to the nearby bar/café for a quick break and logistics review. The barman called a taxi for us, but when the driver came, he demanded 1,500 Lek ($10) for the whole car to Bajram Curri. Knowing that it typically costs 500 Lek per person for the mini bus from Fierze all the way to Valbona, we didn’t want to pay 500 Lek each just for Bajram Curri. We declined and I went to the bathroom.

When I came back out, I saw Chris alone, and the German woman and her daughter walking ahead on the road. Apparently the barman told the woman that there were no more buses to Bajram Curri or Valbona. “There are no more buses,” she told Chris and urged, “so that means we have to take the taxi.”

“I don’t know what you’re planning to do, but we’re not paying that man’s prices,” Chris replied.

“Okay, I guess we’ll go to the road and see if we can find a ride,” she said. She got a head start on the road, and that was when I returned.

The German woman and her daughter walked up a steep flight of stairs to the main road, while Chris and I walked on the small adjacent road that merged with the main road. Within minutes of her parting ways with us, I heard a car approaching us from behind. We stuck out our thumbs, the car pulled over for us, and we hopped in. Because the woman walked in another direction, she was nowhere to be seen. We weren’t going to ask a non-English speaking driver to wait for another hitchhiker and her kid. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” I said.

We got to Bajram Curri alive, but the driver was a nut. He was a father in his early 40’s, and his young son sat in the passenger’s seat without wearing a seatbelt. With his Albanian folk music blasted, he screeched through every hairpin turn, swerving around local cyclists, laughing hysterically, and honking his horn the entire way to let everyone know he was tearing down the road. Every once in a while he’d shout some indiscernible word over his shoulder, expecting some sort of reaction from us. We’d repeat whatever word it was and laugh back, but Chris and I would look at each other with a WTF? look in our eyes. Obviously, we made it to Bajram Curri in no time, shook hands with the crazy driver, thanked him, and watched him speed off.

Now. Where was that bus to Valbona? It was 2:15pm and I had read online that the only bus from Bajram Curri to Valbona departed at 2:30pm. We asked a man for the whereabouts of the Valbona minibus and he pointed down the street in the opposite direction. Cool.

As we walked in that direction, a minibus full of passengers slowly drove past us. As it passed us, I shouted, “Valbona?!” The driver stopped, shouted some Albanian I did not understand, and used a bunch of hand gestures. “Yeah, okay, cool!” We continued to walk in the same direction.

A few minutes later, that same minibus full of people returned. The driver had actually turned around to get us. He shouted out the window, beckoned us to come to his vehicle, and exclaimed, “Valbona!”

“Wait, seriously?”

He again confirmed Valbona. Fuck it, let’s go!

Chris opened the side door, only to be welcomed by several generations of an Albanian family—grandparents, adults, teenagers, and children—and bags of produce all over the floor. We both hopped in, but having nowhere to sit, I stood gingerly over all the produce. The driver directed me to the passenger seat, so I hopped back out of the minibus and into the passenger seat, next to his daughter. With the entire family grinning from ear to ear, the driver took off.

One teenage boy in the back knew some English, so he and Chris began a simple conversation. Chris even threw in some French, and the driver spoke the very few French words he knew. Laughing, I asked, “Ingles? Frances? Espanol?” Delighted, the girl sitting next gasped, “Espanol?” Turned out we shared one common language: Spanish. We began talking about our families, asking questions, our whereabouts, our time in Albania, etc. Just as I was starting to get comfortable with my new Albanian friends, the driver stopped. He pointed at another minibus and said, “Valbona!”

OOOHHH. He was giving us a ride to the right location! Slightly disappointed, we thanked him and his family profusely, hopped off his minibus, and waved goodbye.IMG_3353

We were seated in the minibus at 2:25pm, and at exactly 2:30pm the bus left Bajram Curri for Valbona. This was our final mode of transportation for the day after a full day of taxi, minibus, ferry, and hitchhike since 5:45am.

As expected, the road was windy and narrow. The driver made several stops along the way to Valbona, dropping off passengers and supplies. A carsick boy even puked all over a large bag. We were amused.

I knew I wanted to stay at Guesthouse Kon Gjoni based on its incredible reviews, but before I could tell the driver where to drop us off, he pulled into the yard of Kon Gjoni. I spotted the man of the guesthouse from the minibus. “Dude, that Albanian man is adorable!” I squealed to Chris.

“Jean, that’s the same man from the minibus this morning that you said looked like the most Albanian man ever.”IMG_3360

Well shit. Had we followed him the whole way we would’ve arrived here waaaay earlier. We hopped off the minibus, smiled, and waved. He recognized us immediately and waved back. Then the minibus driver delivered him his goods, including the large bag the boy puked on. We paid the driver 300 Lek ($2.50) each and excitedly scurried into the guesthouse.

A wave of relief and excitement washed over me. We made it. We made it to Valbona. It took 9 hours and a taxi, a minibus, a broken bus boat, a shitty boat, a hitchhike, and a minibus ride to the correct minibus, but we finally freakin’ made it. Not only were we relieved, we fell in love with the guesthouse immediately. It was gorgeous. Albanian country mountainside at its finest. And it was €20 per person per night, which included a traditional Albanian dinner, breakfast, and a sack lunch for the hike.

To end the journey, a new guest arrived shortly before dinner in a taxi. With a huge smile, he approached us, asking, “Are there any other tourists here?”

“Yes, there are a few,” Chris answered.

“Great. Was one of them a woman with a little girl?”

“Um…”

***

The uncomfortably hot afternoons of Albanian June gave us the desire to set off early the next morning for the hike from Valbona to Theth. Once we devoured our plentiful breakfast and finished preparing our picnic lunches, we set out for the day’s hike. I don’t know why so many resources claim that the hike is easy because it was definitely a calf burner.

At first we got the impression that the hike would be easy as we followed the river up the flat valley.

But then came the climb up to Valbona Pass. Had it not been for the climbing, we wouldn’t have been able to witness the mountain’s spectacular panoramic views. Every step closer to the summit forced me to stop not to catch my breath but to soak in the scenery.IMG_20160617_085703IMG_20160617_090959IMG_3388IMG_3392IMG_3394

Unsurprisingly, the top of Valbona Pass was a wind tunnel.IMG_3400

Then came the long, steep, painful descent into the town of Theth. While this side of the path was still beautiful, its mountains were not as dramatic as the Valbona side.IMG_3403

Once in Theth, we walked all the way to the end of town to check into Guesthouse Marashi. Its location beside the gushing river was pleasant, but it did not compare to the previous night’s Kon Gjoni. Actually, I don’t think anything will ever compare to Kon Gjoni; consider all guests from Kon Gjoni forever spoiled.IMG_3405

That night we shared stories, conversations, and beer with new friends at the only “bar” in Theth, a tiny structure with a blue roof down the street from the village church. The next morning we shared a vehicle with another couple in order to return to Shkoder at the going rate of €10 each. (It used to be 1,000 Lek but that didn’t seem to be the case anymore.) Of course, a couple other random Albanian men joined the vehicle and the driver made random pick ups and drop offs.

“Do you like music?” the driver asked us.

“Sure!” we all agreed. What we should have told him was that we didn’t like the same Albanian folk song on repeat for the duration of the entire ride, a grand total of 3 hours.

During the first hour, the driver drove like a maniac through unpaved, washed out roads like these:IMG_3415

Once we hit smooth, paved road, his driving became even more aggressive with screeches at hairpin turns. Just a few kilometers before dropping us off, he even dropped into an auto shop to buy new brake pads. Hilarious.

Grateful to be out of the car and alive:IMG_3419

Our first several days in Albania was a clear reminder that we had left the EU; Albania was worlds away from the rest of the predictable, developed, and manicured EU.  Not quite yet established for tourism, the journey to the Albanian Alps was an adventure, and the hike through unspoiled European mountains topped the whole experience.  It was a rare occurrence to leave our motorhome behind, but we were so glad we did.

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Kotor

During our passing through of Montenegro en route from Croatia to Albania, we made a stop in Montenegro’s popular town, Kotor.  Day trippers from cruise ships and Dubrovnik flooded this town, but its old town and classic hike up the Castle of San Giovanni were still worth seeing.  Although busy with tourists, Kotor was at least nothing compared to the Disneyland-like Dubrovnik, and its old town felt more authentic and lived in than the old town of Dubrovnik.  Because it was also Montenegro, prices for everything were substantially cheaper–YAY!

First things first: crossing the border with a vehicle meant a mandatory €18 purchase of car insurance.  Fortunately that was easy.IMG_3230

After passing through several beach towns, we finally made it to the Kotor Bay coast, which offered pretty views reminiscent of Lake Como.

Parking in the heart of Kotor came with a fee, and the streets in the heart of Kotor saw too many cars and pedestrians.  We happily parked for free at the Kotor cemetery just a 10-minute walk away from town.  I was amazed more people didn’t do this.

Outside the city walls:

Like any other old city, Kotor had narrow, cobblestone streets, churches, squares, clock towers, restaurants and cafes, etc:

We also quickly discovered that Kotor was a town of cats.  Not only were dozens of cats lounging throughout the town, shopkeepers proudly displayed cat trinkets, statues, handbags, and souvenirs on their storefronts.

We waited a bit later in the day to hike up the formidable Castle of San Giovanni to avoid crowds and heat.  Before we set out, we stopped by a grocery store to buy a cold beer and cider for our summit.  We each paid €3 to walk up the uneven steps and stones, but had I known earlier about the FREE lesser-known pebble path beyond the north gate of the old town, I would have walked up that trail instead.  I would say that gazing down at Kotor from the castle walls was our highlight of the visit.IMG_3280

I wouldn’t say we raced to the top, but we did walk at a decent speed without any breaks and it took us 25 minutes to summit.  Our beverages were still nice and cold by the time we opened them.  There were also several entrepreneurs selling cold beverages along the steep steps.IMG_3278

That night we wild camped in front of the castle ruins in the small town of Trojica, only about a 10 minute drive from Kotor and the last town before the 25 hairpin turns up to nearby Lovcen National Park.  We woke up early in order to drive the narrow road with as little traffic as possible (there were no cars at 7am!), but stopped at the highest viewpoint to have breakfast.  To be honest, the road wasn’t as horrific as people described it to be. Thanks to the smooth pavement and not-so-steep incline, we found driving up with a 5.8-meter long motorhome completely manageable IMG_3305IMG_3301

Continuing up the road, we finally turned onto a narrow, slightly crumbled road that led us into the national park.  We paid €2 each for entrance into the park.  Now the road became questionable.  Driving an old, fat motorhome up this road was a bit nerve-wrecking to say the least.IMG_3308

The point at which the road ended was just below the imposing Jezerski Peak, where 400+ steps up from the parking lot led us to the popular mausoleum of Petar Petrovic-Nejegos, a famous poet and philosopher of Montenegro.  It was questionable whether or not epic views of the mountains would be obscured or not by the low clouds, but we knew going up was a must.  After all, we did make it that far.IMG_3315

Looking down at the circular parking lot from the steps:IMG_3313

Upon arrival to the mausoleum, a non-English speaking man came out and told us admission into the mausoleum was €3 each.  It also included a panoramic view of the park.  We had no interest in seeing the mausoleum, and we had the slightest feeling there wasn’t actually a view that morning, so we left the mausoleum.  However, a super quick look at the terrain led us on a small trail along the left side of the mausoleum.  The next thing we knew, we were on the other side and standing on the panoramic viewpoint.  And this was the viewpoint:

Looking back at the mausoleum from the viewpoint:IMG_3312

It didn’t take long for us to get discovered and kicked out.  Fortunately he didn’t speak much English so we couldn’t understand his ramblings.  Awesome way to end a trip in Montenegro, right?

Now it was time for Albania.

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Dubrovnik

There’s nothing new to say about the most glorified old city in Croatia (perhaps even in all of Europe!).  Absolutely stunning and breathtaking, but expensive and crowded.  Our day spent in Dubrovnik was on a rainy Monday in June and it was still too crowded for our liking.  We probably would have hated it in the high season of July or August.

In order to avoid paying €40/night in Dubrovnik’s only campground, we stayed 10 km away in Mlini at Camping Kate for €18/night.  There were taxi boats to and from Mlini to Dubrovnik, but with the price of 50 HRK ($7.50) per ride, we took the bus for 18 HRK ($2.70) each instead. Good thing we took the bus, because we were dropped off not too far from the trailhead leading up to Mount Srd.

Cable car rides up to Mount Srd cost 70 HRK ($10.70) one-way or 120 HRK ($18) roundtrip. Walking up the switchbacks is FREE!  It took us about 40 minutes from the beginning of the trailhead to the summit.  The views of Dubrovnik, its neighboring islands, and the Adriatic coast were beautiful even on a dreary day.

Hardly anyone hiked the trail, so we experienced a slight shock once we arrived to the tourist-filled city walls.  I’m glad Chris talked me out of walking the city walls because it would have cost 120 HRK each ($18) just to walk them.  No other city wall we’ve walked on had charged a fee, not even in Saint Malo or Carcassonne, which were incredible and tranquil.  I figured that a picture of Dubrovnik’s city walls from afar would be more magnificent than a picture from the walls anyway.

Sure enough, the view of Dubrovnik from the entrance of Fort Lovrijenac was my favorite view of the old city.  While entrance to the fort came with a fee, the pretty walk to the fort did not.

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Although we did not walk on the city walls, we walked throughout the old city…because fortunately that was free!  Dubrovnik’s old city was made up of the usual: monasteries, churches, squares, cobblestone streets, fountains, and of course too many overpriced ice cream shops and cafes.

Just a short walk south of the city walls was Banje Beach.  The chilly weather meant a pleasantly quiet beach, but I hear the summers tend to get crowded.IMG_3228

For a spectacular old city, Dubrovnik surprisingly doesn’t have any noteworthy monuments or sites, which makes simply walking around the most enjoyable activity.  Sure, there are boat excursions to nearby islands but the highlight of Dubrovnik is marveling at the city walls up close and afar.  No matter how crowded and obnoxious the experience can be, no trip to Croatia is complete without a visit to Dubrovnik.

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Off the Beaten Path Croatia

Getting off the beaten path in Croatia is truly the best way to fall in love with Croatia. I’m not exaggerating.  Seriously.  After spending time in somewhat well-trodden Pula in the Istria peninsula and the super well-trodden Split, and knowing we’d conclude Croatia with the “finale” of Disneyland-like Dubrovnik, my goal was to see, enjoy, and relax in the lesser known, quaint sea-side villages of the Peljesac peninsula and Korcula Island.  In addition to my discovery, we also enjoyed tastier food, cheaper prices, and easier motorhome parking. It took much research and work to find these places but in the end, it made me fall in love with Croatia.

After crossing multiple borders from Bosnia to Croatia, back to Bosnia, and then back to Croatia, we finally made it to the Peljesac Peninsula, an untouched natural area known for wine and oysters.  We finally made it to the small beach village of Trstenik, which unfortunately faced severe forest fires only a year prior.  Despite being surrounded by burnt trees, the village and beach itself were still beautiful.  We parked literally on the edge of town above the beach:IMG_3046

From our motorhome we heard nothing but birds chirping and the Adriatic sea gently stroking the rocks beneath us.

For dinner we dined at the highly regarded Konoba Maris, whose owner grows his own grapes and produces his own wine.  Not only did we enjoy the best meal we had in Croatia, consisting of black squid ink cuttlefish risotto, mussels in garlic and white wine, grilled fish, homemade bread, and locally produced wine for only 270 HRK (~$40), we ended up chatting with the restaurant owner well after dinner about his life and family.  He even continued to pour us extra wine to keep us chatty.

The following morning we headed out to Orebic, where we (and the motorhome) hopped on the ferry for a 15-minute ride over to Korcula Island.  It cost 16 HRK (~$2.50) per person and 156 HRK (~$23.50) for a 6-meter long motorhome.  Pretty inexpensive! IMG_3061

Once we arrived to Korcula Island, we immediately headed over to Korcula town.  I knew this was a popular, touristy destination considering it was basically the only town tourists came to see on the entire island, but because I heard so many wonderful things about the town I knew we had to drop by.  And I’m glad we did.

We found plenty of free parking with gorgeous views in the tiny village of Medvinjak, just a 15-minute walk from Korcula town. IMG_3066

Before stepping into the medieval, fortified town of Korcula, we marveled at it from the exterior:

Ramparts and tower, narrow cobblestone streets, old churches, and even the house of Marco Polo!

After our brief stroll around Korcula town, we set out to the far western end of Korcula island to the adorable fishing town of Vela Luka.  IMG_3113

I read about Vela Spila, a prehistoric archeological cave in town, and made that our first stop.  We made the mistake of driving up the incredibly narrow, single-lane road to the cave; we didn’t know that there was a footpath from town to the cave!  I recommend walking the 1km to the cave rather than driving the nerve-wrecking “road”.IMG_3110

Vela Spila was tiny but beautiful and it cost 15 HRK ($2.25) each to enter.IMG_3107IMG_3100

We safely drove back down into Vela Luka, parked, and set out for a walk around town.  Unaware of our future plans, we stumbled upon a scuba dive sign in the center of town.  “Wanna go diving?” I asked Chris.  We agreed it wouldn’t hurt to check out the dive shop, so that’s where we ended up next, and the next thing we knew we were signed up for the next morning’s dives.  €55 for 2 boat dives plus €25 for complete rental gear and equipment for the day–one of the cheapest dives I’d seen in all of Croatia.  (It pays to not dive from the touristy cities, believe me.)  To top it off, the divers told us we could park on the roof of their dive shop overnight. Seriously.  Thanks to the dive shop’s position beside a hill, we easily pulled into the lot on the roof and enjoyed lovely views of Vela Luka.  That night we even watched a small, celebratory fireworks show over the beach, followed by a fantastic thunderstorm.IMG_20160611_202115

Our remainder of the day was spent on the beach, just steps from where we parked.IMG_3121

Although diving in the Mediterranean cannot compare with any ocean diving, we had no regrets diving on Korcula Island; it had been almost a year since we dived in the Galapagos and it was a stress-free refresher.

After we finished diving, we left Vela Luka to explore another part of Korcula Island–Zitna Beach in Zavalatica.  It was beautiful from afar, but when we arrived to the beach shore, we were disappointed by all the trash and quickly left.IMG_3126

We returned to Korcula town, took the ferry back to the Peljesac peninsula, and drove all the way to Ston, the start of the peninsula.  Ston hardly has any European fame despite boasting the 2nd longest wall fortification in the world (originally 7 km long but now 5.5 km long).  Yep, the Great Wall of China is #1, and the Wall of Croatia (Ston) is #2.  It cost 40 HRK ($6) per person to walk the walls.

Once we were content with our exploration of the walls, we drove the 5 km from Ston to Mali Ston for a place to spend the night.  We could have easily parked in the large parking lot in Ston, but Mali Ston looked so much cuter.  And it was.  As soon as we turned into Mali Ston, we drove to the end of the main road and ended up in a residential parking lot.  Staying low-key was a must, but the views and serenity were worth it.

And that concludes our wonderful time in off the beaten path Croatia–the Penjesac peninsula and Korcula Island.  Fishing villages, beach towns, plentiful coastal parking opportunities, no annoying tourists, incredible seafood, and friendly locals.  Our experience in this region was not the Croatian vacation of raging beach parties; rather, it defined Croatia’s old marketing slogan: “The Mediterranean as it once was.”

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Mostar

When I read that Mostar was not only Bosnia’s most beautiful (and visited) city but also the most devastated city during the Bosnian Civil War, I knew I had to see it. I bookmarked it on my map, and found myself planning a day trip for Mostar several months later while traveling in Croatia.

While I’m no history buff, I knew it was important to understand Bosnia’s recent grim history whose scars are still gaping in Mostar today.  I learned a lot, but I’m not going to lay out all the complicated details of the war in my travel blog.  Here it is in a super brief nutshell as how I understand it: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia once formed the state of Yugoslavia until the early 1990s, when a rise of nationalism led to wars for independence.  Bosnia always had three major religious groups coexisting together: Islamic Bosniaks, Roman Catholic Croats, and Orthodox Serbs. During the rise for independence, the Serbs with the help of the Serbian government attempted to “purify the Bosnian race,” which was an ethnic cleansing of the Islamic Bosniaks and Catholic Croats.  This ended up being the 2nd largest genocide in Europe after the holocaust.  The war ended with a stalemate as NATO got involved and forced a peace agreement.

Enough with history. Now the logistics.  The drive and border crossing from Split to Mostar was straight forward and simple.  During our stay in Mostar we camped at an auto camp about 10 km south from Mostar for €17 for two people.  As soon as we arrived we learned of our transportation options into Mostar: return-trip private taxi service from the auto camp owners for €15, or the public bus.  We opted for the bus, but when we went to the gas station to make change for the bus, we learned that the next bus was in 2.5 hours.  Seeing that hitchhiking was common in Bosnia, we opted to hitchhike.  We were able to flag down a car within 2 minutes. YAY!

We got dropped off at the street down to the beautiful Stari Most. IMG_20160609_165336

The highlights of Mostar were simply walking around, soaking in the many gorgeous views of the river and bridge from different viewpoints.  Walking down to the “beach” and looking up at the bridge:

My favorite view of Stari Most from another bridge:IMG_2997

The view standing on Stari Most and looking out:IMG_2984

The Crooked Bridge, the same exact model of Stari Most, but on a smaller scale:IMG_20160609_154832

Between searching for views of Stari Most, we also took a historic stroll along the front line.  Not even two decades ago the entire city of Mostar looked like a war zone.  While life resumed in Mostar and most structures including the bridge were rebuilt, its war scars were still evident. Buildings stood in complete disrepair with no one reclaiming them, and not-too-shabby buildings still operated with a facade of mortar and bullet holes.

Rebuilt mosques:IMG_2963

No trip to Mostar would be complete without a meal and/or coffee and tea.  We tried delicious “Turkish” tea and an incredibly bitter “Turkish” coffee, and the worst baklava I had ever eaten. I guess it’s still important to distinguish the authentic shops from the touristy ones.

At least our dinner made up for the terrible baklava.  We both ordered the Balkan specialty of cevapcici at the well-reviewed Hindin Han.  The grilled meat sausages and crispy pita bread were to die for, and a bargain at only €4 per dish!

Hitchhiking in the dark in a foreign country wasn’t our idea of a good time, so we ate an early dinner and headed out to the main road.  Again, within two minutes of smiling, jumping, and waving my thumb in the street, I flagged down an incredibly friendly, English-speaking local who was thrilled to discover we were Americans.  To me hitchhiking wasn’t about saving money–it was about meeting locals and creating memorable conversations.

We absolutely loved our visit to Mostar, a town where mosques and churches can be seen on the same street, a beautiful restored town whose grim history reminds us about the effects of war.  Unlike other countless “tourist” cities in Europe, Bosnia’s major tourist city consisted of not only beautiful scenery, but also delicious and inexpensive food and the friendliest people.  There was not a single person we’ve met who has been to Mostar and hated it.

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Split

I found Split to be somewhat pleasant but more so underwhelming, perhaps due to having roadtripped around Europe the past four months.  Croatia has been a hot tourist destination for a long time now, so it’s no surprise that everyone who comes to Croatia has to visit Croatia’s second largest city.  Daily cruise ships also add to the large tour groups. Amidst the mediocre public beach, seafront promenade, shopping, and typical city-life attractions, Split’s unique highlight is Diocletian’s Palace.  To call it a palace is a stretch.  Formerly a fortress, residence, and town, Diocletian’s Palace is now ruins and an open-air museum that is lined with cafes, restaurants, shops, and trinket shops.  While unique, the highly restored ruins aren’t much to rave about.

Being Croatia’s second largest city, I had anticipated a parking nightmare.  Nope. Online research showed me that the outdoor parking lot across the street from Joker Mall was free with no time limits.  We arrived on a weekday afternoon and there was plenty of free parking (it seems to fill up in the evening, however).  It was also only a 15-minute walk to the historic center.  This was the main reason why we purchased a relatively small (<6 meters) motorhome.

Entering the ruins:IMG_2931

The heart of Peristil, the palace square:

A cafe beside the cathedral:IMG_2938

The cathedral tower from a distance:IMG_2944

The seafront promenade:IMG_2949

We even spent time at the local beach, Bacvice Beach; a nearby but unspectacular crowded beach that was a decent place to cool off and do nothing.  I couldn’t help but buy this particular beach towel. Be free!IMG_2948

From the beach we walked back through town and up Marjan, Split’s hilly nature reserve.  Covered in trees, the whole park was a cool and relaxing getaway from the city buzz–a wonderful place for a jog or bike ride.  I had expected spectacular views from the hill but all the lookouts were obscured by trees. Damn those trees! 😉IMG_2952

Naturally we craved seafood for dinner.  Because all the nicer restaurants were either overpriced or fully booked until later that evening, we resorted to the local budget option at Buffet Fife.  Large portions of fresh fish at relatively inexpensive prices (compared to other restaurants)! About €9-10 per plate of grilled and fried fish:IMG_2953

That evening Chris found a network of coastal trails and lots not too far from Split. We would have loved it if we didn’t end up getting eaten alive by mosquitos that the night. Ugh.IMG_20160608_204517

Split–it was another beach city highlighted on the tourist route due to the beautiful palace ruins.  I have no regrets going; it’s always better to visit a city and form an opinion than skipping a city altogether.

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Istria – Our Intro to Croatia

Croatia’s northernmost coast is the Istria peninsula, the largest peninsula in the Adriatic sea. Naturally this was our first stop in Croatia after crossing the border from Slovenia. Because Istria’s largest city, Pula, stood out from the rest of Croatia with its ancient Roman ruins, I figured it would be a decent base to start, and from there we’d figure out where to go next.

Although Croatia recently joined the EU in 2013, it didn’t feel like the rest of the EU at all.  The different currency (Croatian Kuna, or KN) didn’t help either.  Most importantly, the more developed EU countries such as Spain, France, Germany, and Italy had provided us countless free motorhome services and overnight stops, while Croatia had none.  This meant paid campgrounds were the only options.  I also wasn’t too happy to discover that all the paid campgrounds in Croatia were costlier than the ones in the more developed EU countries.  €30 per night? Are you kidding me? This meant I’d have to get creative. Real creative. So I did.

Because our night in Pula was our first night in Croatia, we agreed to pay the €27 for one night of camping at Camping Stoja.  When we arrived, I noticed that the block in front of the campground was a free parking lot for the beach.  If we hadn’t needed electricity or water, I would have wanted to wild camp there.  It was definitely possible! We also paid the lowest price; prices were higher for beach views.  Our first night at Camping Stoja made me determined to camp with beach views throughout Croatia for free.

One perk of Camping Stoja was the bus stop directly in front of the campground.  For 11 KN ($1.65) each, we rode the bus into the historic city center of Pula.  Within 10 minutes we felt like we were back in Rome, minus the crowds and touts.

Pula Arena, the 6th largest Roman colosseum in the world:IMG_20160606_165429

Temple of Augustus:IMG_20160606_172150

Arch of the Sergii:IMG_2890

It didn’t take long to explore all three ancient ruins, and we soon found ourselves back in Stoja to enjoy the crystal clear water of the nearby beaches.  Ruins and beaches–yay!

The next day we enjoyed a beach hamlet in the Instria peninsula–Brsec Beach, just over an hour’s drive north from Pula along the coast.  We even picked up a couple of hitchhikers from Berlin who ended up spending the beach day with us.IMG_2907

Beautiful, secluded Brsec Beach with its crystal blue water:IMG_2901

Our goal for the next day was to make it to Split, Croatia’s second-largest city.  We left the Istrian peninsula, dropped off our new friends at their next destination, and headed south. As we drove, I studied the map for a potential place along the coast to spend the night.  I randomly picked the village of Rovanjska and it turned out to be the absolute perfect place to spend the night.  We exited the freeway, drove to the village beach, and parked just in time to watch sunset. There was absolutely no one else except for a fisherman in his boat.

Our free seaview camping spot:IMG_2923

We had just left the refreshing Slovenian mountains and now had the Croatian coastline to explore.  I couldn’t wait to find more coastlines where we could overnight for free. =)

One last thing.  I bought this minced beef pastry at the grocery store for about a dollar and I have no idea what it is called.  Whatever it is, it’s AMAZING. Anyone know what this is called?
IMG_2895

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Ljubljana

Ljubljana.

That’s right. Keep staring. You don’t even know where to start right? Just replace the j’s with y’s: Lyublyana. There. That’s how you pronounce it.

Like the country, the capital is small with a population of less than 300,000 people.  But also like the country, the capital is beautiful and adorable and packs a whole lot in.  Upon my research of this unheard of capital, I quickly learned that Ljubljana is favored by many.  While the capital of Croatia seems to be a hit-or-miss, that isn’t the case for Slovenia.  During our stay we even met a Scottish couple who were playing with the idea of moving there.  Not only is the capital irresistibly charming and incredibly clean, it has parks, tourist sites, and even a hipster scene to offer.  I thought the best part was the lack of tour groups.  Nope.  It was also one of the least expensive countries in the EU.

For pure convenience we stayed at a car cleaning facility that offered motorhome parking.  While the lot was a noisy, crowded car lot on the weekdays (empty on the weekends), it was only a 15-minute walk to the main center.  There was also a shower and toilet included in the €10/night price. Not too shabby. We also befriended our only neighbor, a Scottish couple campervanning indefinitely around Europe. 🙂

Just down the street from the parking lot was the commune of Metelkova, comparable to Copenhagen’s hipster Christiania free town.  Friday and Saturday evenings guarantee a livelier atmosphere; we didn’t see another soul in our Sunday afternoon visit, which allowed us to gape at the trippy art at our own pace.

Once in the city center, we did the following tourist attractions:

We marveled at the dragon bridge (how cool are those dragons?!).

We sauntered along the riverside into the square and crossed the triple bridge.

We entered the cathedral through the holy door.

We bought fruit at the local market (which was unfortunately desolate on a Sunday).IMG_2836

We walked up the hill to the castle (where Chris partook in some archery because why not?).

And best of all, we indulged in European cafe culture by eating chocolate cake and ice cream in town along the riverfront at the popular Cacao.  Personally, I’ve had better ice cream elsewhere, but the chocolate cake was memorable!IMG_2870

We didn’t get a chance to check out Tivoli Park because a thunderstorm rolled in.  Who wants to take a walk through a park in the rain?  Not me.

Final funny picture.  Apparently anyone can buy cigarettes or vodka from a vending machine.  No age limit there!IMG_2872

I don’t think it’s possible to tell from just photos and words that Ljubljana is a special place.  It is only several hours away from Venice, Italy, but is on the other end of the spectrum.  Amazing what a world away a capital city could feel when its charm hasn’t been tainted with mass tourism.  People keep saying to go to Ljubljana now before everyone goes, but I don’t everyone will go to Slovenia.  That’s why it’ll always be Europe’s charming little capital.

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Triglav National Park

I couldn’t wait to step foot into a country that I (and my friends) hardly knew about, and little did I know that I would immediately be awe stricken by Slovenia’s only national park, Triglav National Park.  Driving from Venice to the national park required another border crossing from Italy into Slovenia, which meant a new vignette (only €15 for a week in Slovenia!) and drastically lower fuel prices.  YAY!

Not only do France, Switzerland, and Italy have bragging rights with the Alps, Slovenia also has magical Alps to boast–the Julian Alps.  Jaw-dropping valleys, craggy mountains and peaks, and the truly most beautiful river in Europe make up Slovenia’s Julian Alps. Unfortunately it was too early in the season to summit Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest peak at 9,396 ft., so we stuck to the lush valleys and its alpine rivers.  I didn’t have a problem with that.  There were thunderstorms in the forecast, and the river was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

As we headed toward Velika Korita Soca (The Great Soca Gorge), we passed through adventure-center town Bovec where we saw plenty of people rafting.IMG_2663

We found free parking along the road immediately past Kamp Soca.  Once we drove past the sign for the campground, we made the first right turn which was a single narrow hairpin turn down to the river.IMG_2669

From there it was a gentle, short stroll to the breathtaking Soca gorge, which was fueled by countless waterfalls gushing from the sides.  Although we only hiked a few kilometers, we stopped often to admire the river and take pictures.  We stumbled across only a couple of other hikers on the entire trail.  Amazing how there were hardly any people considering the Soca River’s epic factor–another reason to wander off the beaten path.IMG_2702IMG_2689

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From there we continued our drive through the town of Trenta, passing by numerous campgrounds, footbridges, and river viewpoints along the way.  Before climbing the hair-raising Vrsic Pass, we detoured to see the source of the Soca River.  Yes, that’s right, the SOURCE of the incredible Soca River!  Side note–there is actually a hiking trail from Bovec all the way to the river source along the river itself, but a 20-km one-way hike was a long day I didn’t want to endeavor.

By the time we arrived to the trailhead, it was early evening, and the only other people there were a group of students who had just returned from the source.  There was plenty of parking, and the hike was a short, 15-minute walk uphill.  As we approached the river source, the trail became a wall-hugging, cable-grabbing finish.

Gazing into the source of the pure Soca river:IMG_20160603_174802

When we returned to the parking lot, we ventured out to drive over Slovenia’s highest road.  With ~14% grade and about 50 hairpin turns, the pass is not for the faint of heart.  We were so proud of our motorhome–she made it! View from the window while driving:IMG_2736

At the top of Vrsic pass:IMG_2739

Driving down, down, down was a bit nerve-wrecking and during the drive we wondered where we would be sleeping that night.  Immediately upon finishing the descent, we saw three motorhomes parked in a fairly large parking lot on the left side of the road!  “OMG, we can totally sleep there!” I pointed at the lot, Chris pulled in, and sure enough it was evident that the others were planning to remain there for the night.IMG_20160604_102245

Turned out it was a parking lot for a popular recreational area and the Kozorog monument, which we enjoyed the following morning.  That night we slept in complete darkness, with only the sound of the gushing river flowing beside us.  To our amusement we awoke to the sounds of tour buses and day hikers at the popular day site.

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We were literally down the street from the town of Kranjska Gora, and we continued our drive out of the park and onward toward Lake Bled.  Scenery as we left the park:

From the highway we followed signs for Lake Bled, and once in town, we saw a sign for motorhome parking.  We followed signs to a giant mixed-car parking lot, where plenty of other cars, motorhomes, and massive tour buses were parked.  A quick look around showed us that parking was FREE!  And we were only a 10-minute walk away from the lake too. Score!

Lake Bled is Slovenia’s most-visited attraction.  With its glass-like lake, towering castle in the backdrop, and a tiny island equipped with a quaint church, the lake definitely has a fairytale feel.  Even though the lake is Slovenia’s #1 tourist destination with numerous tour groups and North American travelers, there were absolutely no scammers or people trying to sell me selfie sticks.  A short walk from town along the outskirts of the lake provided serenity.  If this is Slovenia’s tourist hot spot, then the country is not just beautiful, but free from harassment.

During the entire afternoon we were in Lake Bled, the weather was abysmal.  Thunder boomed above, and periods of rain passed by.  I had hoped to walk around the lake (~5.5 km), and I needed to wait for the skies to clear in order to enjoy the stroll.  While I waited, I tried Lake Bled’s famous cream cake at Panorama Restaurant, one of few eateries serving the original Bled cream cake.  It was good, but it mostly consisted of cream and custard rather than cake.IMG_2754

Clouds and rain came and went and didn’t leave for good until early in the evening.  Seeing blue in the sky, we hurriedly returned to the lake just in time for the final hour of light. Our plan was to circle the lake in a clockwise direction in order to have the castle as the finale.

The church on Lake Bled’s tiny island shined brightly. IMG_2771

Most people enter the castle by walking along the lake counterclockwise.  Because we came from the opposite side via trail, we found ourselves at the back of the castle with this awesome, free view:IMG_2773

By the time we arrived to the castle facade, it was past 8pm and the ticket booth was closed.  Perfect, because we didn’t want to pay anyway.  Doors were still open, so we walked in to spectate the views that people normally pay for.  Better yet, it was sunset!IMG_20160604_202334

The next morning provided several hours of sunlight before the midday thunderstorms could make their way in again.  We ventured out to the lake one last time, but this time we included a short “hike” for a different view of the lake.

The castle with the morning light:IMG_20160605_105148

And one final view during our short hike near the summer tobogganing/Straza ski slope:IMG_20160605_102528

Triglav National Park, the Soca river, and Lake Bled make Slovenia a truly special place. If these natural wonders were in any other well-traveled country, they would absolutely be overrun with tourists.  I can’t recall the last time I had such places all to myself. Once again, we’ve discovered another underrated, incredible country in Europe.

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