hvar island

Looking for some relaxing island life, we spent 4 days on the island of Hvar, just an hour's boat from Split. Hvar is a popular tourist island. Very popular. The main town apparently attracts a whopping 10000 people per day during the peak season, but we guessed that most of those typical tourist types stay in the main town. Nearby there is a much smaller town called Milna - well it's more like a street by the shores. 

This is Milna. It's much quieter, and easier to escape.

Our room was right on the water. Below that white gate thing is "our very own private beach" - well, it was more like a concrete slab. It was actually a great spot to end the day reading and drinking before dusk. 

The sun did start to go down eventually. This part of Croatia apparently gets the most sun filled days per year in Europe, and pretty long sunsets too.

We had a few days at this spot so we wanted to explore a little more, although nothing too exhausting. Wandering away from civilisation wasn't hard - it's maybe a 10 minute walk before you stop seeing people and the beaches turn from pebbles to jagged slabs or rock.

Some of the more secluded FKK beaches (nude beaches) were just smaller, quieter and nicer. We are not quite the nude types, but it does make it easy to change for swimming! Although there was a screaming child here who maybe just didn't want to be naked. It is funny seeing the nude people meandering about all day - kind of makes you imagine human life before civilization...

We bought some goggles to save our eyes from the salty Adriatic seabed, also to spot any of the black spiny sea urchins that were pretty dangerous looking. But these small critters are basically the only worry in the whole ocean. No one was concerned at all about drowning or being eaten - the waters were calm, sharks were very uncommon, people would just swim out into the ocean and float around. Even the heat wasn't much of an issue. In the water, chilly cool undercurrents mixed with waters warmed by the sun made for a really interesting swim.

Really trying to be comfortable - worked for a little while! Actually the rocks are mostly very sharp, you have trouble walking on them barefoot. Actually, one thing we experienced while treking around on the high road (that is, in the scrub) was that the island is practically covered in wild rosemary. We didn't realise it at first, probably because it's so scratchy to your feet as you stomp through it.

Unfortunately we had to leave sometime! But at least we weren't going too far, just to the other side of the island at a place called Stari Grad - another town which wasn't tourist filled Hvar town. 

What we found in Stari Grad was a pleasant port town with quiet back streets and great swimming spots. We wanted to spend the night here and jump on the morning boat to Dubrovnik.

There were lovely old buildings dotted throughout the back streets. Oh, and best photo of me ever!

Very relaxed, chilled out place... but a lot of walking if you want to get from one side of the port to the other!

The next day we boarded our deck accomodation on the boat to dubrovnik, an 8 hour cruise journey. Didn't really know how comfortable it would be until we got there. We made the most of it - this spot we're in was shady for more or less the whole time. Actually Grace had to convince me to get up and walk around - I must have been hypnotised for a good 6 hours by the moving views.

It's a lot of the same really, but we didn't tire of looking at it - staring at a massive chunk of Croatian coastline for hours and hours. It was... Great!

zagreb & split

After a long train ride, we arrived at Zagreb - the capital of Croatia.

Boy was it hot! It was a 36 degree Sunday, and in the early afternoon the city centre resembled a ghost town! All the shops were closed, and most residents were holidaying at the seaside. Only tourists were out and about.

These guys in boots, coats and fur hats were standing guard beneath the statues in the city centre under the blazing midday sun! I felt very sorry for them!

We ducked into this cathedral for some cool relief from the heat.

In the afternoon we walked around Mirogoj cemetery, a peaceful, leafy cemetery on the edge of town. 

Models of the planets of the solar system can be found in Zagreb, sized and placed to scale to the real solar system. This orb is the sun.

After spending a lazy day at Zagreb, we took an uncomfortable 8-hour overnight train to Split.  The sleeper carriage was all booked out, and we discovered that trying to sleep in the normal train seats was nearly impossible. We did see some beautiful mountain scenery as the sun rose, and eventually arrived to a lovely morning in Split.

Great view from the harbour.

The spectacular Diocletian's Palace, a fortified Roman palace which encompassed the entire old town.

The outer wall of the Diocletian's Palace.

 This big wizard-like statue is Gregory of Nin, the 10th-century bishop who insisted on the right to use Croatian in liturgical services.

Rubbing his big shiny toe is said to bring good luck! Looks like it has been polished pretty nicely by the tourists.

The long hot day turned into a lovely balmy night in Split, where people chilled out on the steps of the palace.

The next day, armed with our newly purchased water-shoes and floppy hats, we were ready for the week of sun and sea in Croatia! Next stop, the island of Hvar!

budapest

We decided a followup for amsterdam would be a trip to budapest, where a good friend was going to show us around. We were greeted at the train station by a drunk and happy Brad, who promptly showed us the (infamous?) Morrison bar where our sober state was arrested with beer, tequila shots, drunken self portraits, and open karaoke - mostly just yelling out the songs in the crowd. It was quite a welcome, and we appreciated it!

Brad was offering to show us around, but not after some fine breakfast and lemonade! Not to mention the dessert component, which I didn't know but was apparently a common hungarian dish. What I thought might be chocolate and cream was in fact (a lot of) poppy seeds and... I don't know what the creamy stuff was. I didn't like it, although Grace and Brad kept pushing me to finish it. Sad face. 

Then started our walkabout! We headed over to St. Stephen's Basilica, which is a cathedral dedicated to the first king of Hungary, also a tomb to his severed right hand. Unfortunately we didn't get to see it. The staff here were a bit weird, trying to force us to make donations to enter. We came later, when it wasn't so busy.

We climbed the 364 steps to what we learn later is the 3rd highest point in Hungary! It was quite a climb, but the view of Budapest was pretty good.

Although the heat was getting to grace. Did I mention it was really hot?

The architecture walking around Budapest was very interesting, given that it is mostly huge and awesome, but old and falling down at the same time -a view that can be seen in most of the streets surrounding the basilica around the side of Pest.

We stumbled upon a statue of Ronald Reagan, who was deposited here in Freedom Square near the US embassy. He is remembered here for his support in anti-communist movements, and ending the cold war, which Hungary benefited greatly by regaining its sovereignty.

Bullet holes marking a revolution in 1956 against russian occupation! The bluntness of the reminder is very sobering.

We were able to walk around the Hungarian Parliament Building on the riverside on half a walkway between the river and a highway... spooky, nice route Brad! It is one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings and the largest building in hungary!

This was part of the Shoes on the Danube Promenade - a holocaust memorial. There is a row of iron shoes sculptures here. After removing their shoes here, many Jews were shot and pushed into the river to die. They were brought here during the second world war by members of the Hungarian Arrow Cross party, a pro-German extremist movement.

We treked up to the Castle district in Buda, which is mainly a few large buildings and a great view.

Brad had fun showing us his favourite restaurants and bars, and eating the food obviously!

We had a relaxing "beers in the park" time on the very pretty Margaret Island, which is neatly separated from the city by being a large island in the river. It is where sporty weekendy things happen, and for us - Frisbee and very salty corn snacks.

Heroes Square commemorates various heroes of Hungary, which is dedicated "To the memory of the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of our people and our national independence". Underneath it runs the Millennium Underground, which is the worlds second oldest underground metro system! (first being the London Underground, but the Millennium is still in old style!) A large square, many statues... perfect for jumping photos!

There is a confusing castle in Budapest which was originally just for display - literally made from cardboard and wood - but was then rebuilt using, well, real materials. It's called the Vajdahunyad Castle, and it is supposedly a copy of a Vajdahunyad Castle in Transylvania, but this one is created in various architectural styles, depicting different styles in the history of Hungary. It seemed strange and odd at first, but walking through the garden and courtyard was very interesting!  

Ahhh, and then to end the week long stay, the thermal baths. So relaxing, even in the heat of the day - we spent hours here.

It was a relaxing week. I didn't mention all of the games of Catan which we played in the evenings, not to mention that time when I won. But I felt Budapest was a real contrast to the places we had seen previously (or maybe just Belgium!), and it was great of Brad to have us while we were there!