The Continuously Underrated Zagreb

Saint Mark's Square, Zagreb

When I am traveling, I strongly consider opinions and advice from friends and fellow travelers while I am on the road to assist me in developing my plans for the upcoming hours, day, and weeks, especially if I am in a new city or country.  Their advice and opinions will usually trump any online reviews or suggestions I've come across, and this happens almost immediately upon forming a new relationship.  I can honestly say that the majority of the time I don't regret following these suggestions.

Botanical Garden in Zagreb

When I asked people at my hostel in Zadar what they thought about Zagreb, they immediately told me "skip it."  In fact, every single traveler I met in Croatia recommended that I skip Zagreb.

Ancient Glagolitic script & beautiful statues inside the Cathedral 

When I left Zadar for Sarajevo via Split, I felt that I made a good choice (especially when I bumped into Alex) and never thought I would return to revisit this Croatian city that had "nothing to offer".  Together Alex and I made our way to Slovenia by way of Zagreb.  While passing through the city in the early morning hours we congratulated ourselves that we didn't have to waste more than ten minutes in such an undesirable city.

Virgin Mary statue in Kaptol Square

After spending time in Bled and Ljubljana, our options were limited for cities in the Balkan region that had gone unexplored by both of us.  Zagreb was a last resort, so we somewhat reluctantly packed our bags and decided to give it a go.  

As soon as we arrived, we were taken aback.  The city seemed clean and safe (not surprising in wonderful Croatia), and not only did it seem like a normal European city, but it also seemed to have much to offer - lots of history, culture, and nightlife.  What's not to love?

On our way to our hostel from the tram stop, we passed endless bars and cafes filled to the brim an array of fashionably clad young and middle aged professionals.  We felt underdressed and confused.  Why did everyone hate on Zagreb so much?

Tourist Directory: literally, there too many things to do in Zagreb

Over the next few days we explored the majority of the city.  A few of my favorite experiences were visiting the gorgeous Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Kaptol Square, walking through St. Mark's Square at dusk when the lamplighters were going about their daily duty, checking out the bizarre Museum of Broken Relationships, strolling along the Strossmayer Promenade while enjoying freshly roasted chestnuts, spending an evening exploring Joan Miró's exhibit at the Art Pavilion, and (no surprise here) walking through the city's Botanical Garden. 

Beautiful architecture of The Croatian State Archives

The city's architecture and many statues make each block interesting and unique, and it seemed hard to find ourselves without an interesting activity to do or a new part of town to explore.

Kaptol Square & the towering Cathedral - gorgeous even while under construction

With the perfection of Hvar, the stunning landscapes of Plitvice, and the rich history of Dubrovnik, I can see how Zagreb does not find its way to the very top of every Croatian tourist's To Do List, but after visiting I would also have trouble telling someone to skip it altogether.  Overall, I am glad that we went against the advice of so many travelers and checked Zagreb out for ourselves.

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exploring sLOVEnia

Gorgeous weather and view in Bled, Slovenia

There is something incredible about traveling alone.  For the majority of my travels, I have been “alone”, which really just means opening yourself and your schedule up to the infinite possibilities of life on the road.  As much as I cherish my alone time during my travels, exploring cities at whichever pace I deem appropriate, and simply soaking up the local culture in whichever way it presents itself to me, there is something very special about traveling with a companion.

My mother told me that if you want to test a relationship, you should travel with someone.  Though it may shock her, I think she is absolutely correct.  I do not think there is a more comprehensive or honest evaluation of a relationship than to expose it to the infinite consequences, both positive and negative, that come with traveling with someone. 

Being weird at Vintgar Gorge in Bled, Slovenia 

What do you enjoy seeing or doing in a city?  What do you like to eat?  How often do you eat?  What is your morning routine?  How do you respond when your normal routine is disrupted?  What can take you from zero to absolutely pissed in the blink of an eye?  What is your default attitude towards life? How do you interact with new people?  Do you like to approach people or wait for them to approach you? Do you get tired of one another?  Do you get tired of seeing each other in the same outfit every day?

The questions and emotions that traveling together reveals are endless. 

Everyone has their “things”, both good and bad, but it’s a matter of determining if those seemingly unimportant idiosyncrasies are cohesive or detrimental when combined.  Maybe together you strengthen and support one another, or maybe when fused these "things" form a nasty, lethal combination.  

Overlooking Ljubljana, Slovenia

 If you haven't already guessed from my pictures and this build up, I met and fell in love with someone.  His name is Alex and he is from the Netherlands.  He is funny, intelligent, handsome, driven, and we could talk for hours on end without realizing that even a moment had passed. 

We met in Sarajevo at a bus stop a few weeks ago when I was in the midst of a full blown damsel-in-distress moment.  Suffice to say, I never dreamt that I would find my knight in shining armor in a dark, dingy bus station in war-torn Bosnia, but I am very glad that I did.  

Up until two days ago we had been together for every minute since our fateful meeting.  Our Bosnian hostel owner, Unkas, was partially to blame.  And by partially, I mean fully.  He decided that separating us into different rooms was inappropriate because he thought we should be a couple even though we explained multiple times that we had just met. After filling us with complementary local rakia shots he sent us to a restaurant with directions that forced us to pass the "Lovers Fountain", which we obviously taste tested.  

That all being said, I think that Alex and I traveled seamlessly together.  The past two weeks of my life have been heaven, and it was not just because of the stunning scenery surrounding me.  I could write a small novel about how much happiness, love, passion and peace was suddenly introduced into my life, but I have exhausted those details in my personal journal while listening to Taylor Swift on repeat.  You don’t get much girlier than that, people. 

From falling in love in war-torn Sarajevo after drinking from the Lover’s Fountain (seriously, sip with caution!), spontaneously heading to Slovenia, exploring the gorgeous Balkan scenery, spending the night in a jail cell together, laughing endlessly, discussing life and traveling, learning regional history and exploring museums, being weird and simply disregarding the rest of the world, my time with Alex was perfect. 

Being weird, again.  This happened more often than not.

The only regret that existed was that we were headed in two very different directions.   

Alex had traveled from the south and was headed north; my plan was the exact opposite.  He had already visited the cities I wanted to explore, and vice versa.  Usually this is preferable with a fellow traveler because it makes for amazing suggestion exchanges, but it is definitely not the best plot line for a love story. 

Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana

In a lifestyle where you are constantly saying goodbye to cities, hostels, new friends and experiences it is an unexpected and emotional experience to have a painful farewell.  Until now, saying goodbye to Jennifer and Damian had been among the very rare, pain-filled moments of my year, and now Alex has (unfortunately for him) joined the ranks of my tearful goodbyes.

Hiking in Bled, Slovenia

Although we are both enjoying our solo travels again, the adjustment back to traveling alone especially after such a wonderful experience can take a day or two.  I don't think I need to tell you that I miss him and our joint travels terribly.

Now in Serbia, I have met a few great, and crazy, new friends in Belgrade and I was able to distract myself from my seemingly unending heartbreak with some salsa dancing and plum rakia shots last night, but am (not too secretly) hoping that my travel and life plans intersect with Alex's again soon.

Forever Young

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Exploring The Balkans

If my high school teachers were informed of my seemingly endless stream of historical ignorance over the duration of these past twelve months, I’m sure they would immediately retire, claiming that their careers were held in complete vain.  Either that, or they’ve already come to this realization and continue on with a level of fortitude generally reserved to characterize the earliest pioneers and those stranded by blizzards while attempting to summit Everest.  To say that I’ve utilized Google Search this year is an understatement.  Hostel recommendations and city maps aside, my Google Search has been working feverishly, streaming history timelines and Wikipedia pages with the gusto of a university student with a thesis papers due within the hour.  I can honestly say that I wish I had paid closer attention and read all of the assigned materials throughout my plethora of history courses during high school and university.  Specifically when I find myself at bus stations in previously war-torn cities late at night…

Balkans Part II: Bosnia & Herzegovina

First Sarajevo impressions: a rather rundown city tram

I found myself wandering into Sarajevo quite unprepared for what lay ahead.  I realized that I had not heard much about the city or country since the war that occurred about twenty years ago (right?).  Exact dates, reasons for conflict, and outcomes escaped me as I descended off the bus into Sarajevo.  It was the icing on the cake of this particular day since I also had no hostel reservation, wifi connection, appropriate currency, or idea of where I should be going.  Oh, and it was dark.  

Ideal conditions for a solo female traveler...said no one ever.

Lovers Fountain in near the Bazaar

After (thank you, Universe) meeting Alex and checking into the wonderful Balkan Han Hostel, we met the charismatic owner, Unkas, who kindly recommended a tour of Sarajevo with his best friend, Hasan, the following morning.  We discussed the potential of the tour over a traditional Bosnian dinner, along with an endless string of questions that new traveling friends exchange: where are you from; what do you do; wait, what’s your name again?  The delicious, affordable Bosnian restaurant we visited (and returned to) was Restoran Dzenita off of the main street in the Stari Grad, or the Old City. 

Islam + Christianity = Zero (Hate/Problems) - My interpretation of this Sarajevo graffiti 

Sarajevo is a fun, safe, and vibrant city with an incredibly rich history, both ancient and recent.  Known as the “Little Jerusalem of the Balkans”, Sarajevo boasts the closest combination of mosque, cathedral, and synagogue in the region, which is a really interesting thing to see.  Although Yugoslavia was a communist state, there was freedom of religion under the rule of Tito, which is noteworthy and can be seen in Sarajevo.

Religious tolerance in Sarajevo: "The Little Jerusalem of the Balkans"

The collision of the Eastern and Western influences in Sarajevo, and throughout the Balkans, makes for a swirl of the best of both worlds, quite literally.  Think late night European bars mixed with early morning Turkish coffee and baklava.  What’s not to love!?

Sarajevo, like many Balkan cities, boasts a unique combination of Eastern and Western influences

As the days passed in Sarajevo, Alex and I explored the Ottoman Bazaar in the Baščaršija area, the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, the nightlife of the endless bars and pubs in the city center, and visited a few major historical landmarks such as the place of the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.  

The historic location of "The Shot Heard Around the World"

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the infamous “shot that what heard around the world”.  We also tried to visit the Galerija 11/07/95, which is memorial gallery and museum dedicated to those murdered in Srebrenica.  It's a very intense gallery, and reminded me of visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Musuem, known as the S21 Prison, in Phnom Phen earlier this year.

Statue of Pope John Paul II outside of the Cathedral of Jesus' Heart in Sarajevo

Although we went on the Free Walking Tour, we went on the hostel recommended tour of the city the first day we were in Sarajevo.  Usually I am not on board for paying full-price for tours but three of us from Balkan Han Hostel decided to give it a chance.  It was supposed to last 5 hours and we would ride in Hasan’s VW Golf, which we came to learn is a signature car for this region.  Either that or it was some sort of parting gift when the UN forces left.  Golfs are everywhere!

Hasan, our local Sarajevo tour guide

About 8 hours after we began, we found ourselves sipping a beer with Hasan and trying to stop our heads from spinning off.  I walked away with an incredibly detailed and emotional overview of the regional history, a painful, yet authentic local’s story of the events, and a million questions for the world. 

A more uplifting version of a 'Sarajevo Rose'

The plot line, characters, and outcome are sad in themselves, and when you consider that most people reading this were alive at the time of the conflict, I find it overwhelming.  The stories were uncomfortable, the realities were harsh, and the facts and footage are there. 

One of the many Sarajevo graveyards: mixed cemeteries were the norm since they didn't have enough room, or time, for religion-specific burials.

The starvation that defined their days, lack of clean water, endless bombings and consequent "Sarajevo Roses", organized rapings, “Sniper’s Alley”, and isolation all while the world watched is maddening to learn about.  Like so many cultures, the individuals have moved on from the loss, but haven’t forgotten the pain.  It’s hard to imagine moving on while being surrounded by buildings that are so ravaged by bullets that they aren’t save to enter…

Bullet laden buildings galore

I know that it is senseless to attempt to explain and comprehend subjects as complex and horrendous as war, but I was overwhelmed when we left the tour with Hasan.  Luckily, Alex and I would have time during our travels to chat, dissect stories and timelines, attempt to understand, and continue to explore the region’s history together.

On the Bobsled Track with Alex

There were some less emotionally draining points during time with Hasan including walking down the 1984 Winter Olympic Bobsled and Luge Track (one of the only ones in the world that you can walk on) and tasting Bosnia’s delicious version of burek at the popular Bosanski Burek Ispod Saca under the Stadion Grbavica.

Taste testing burek around Sarajevo

Sarajevo was a wonderful city, and Bosnia is a country filled with incredible people, delicious food, and a rich (albeit sad recent) history.  After a few days in Sarajevo, we were ready for a new adventure and booked overnight bus tickets and continued to explore former Yugoslavia – Slovenia style.

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Cruising Along Croatia

Spending time with my extended family is one of my favorite activities.  I am so lucky to have been able to spend incredible moments from this year with two of my cousins and one of my aunts.  Caroline and I explored South East Asia this past May and had a blast.  A few months later, in early October, I was lucky enough to meet up with my aunt and cousin to explore Croatia, and it was awesome!

I feel incredibly lucky that I have such a wonderful relationship with Patti and Patrick.  Our traveling team has an incredible friendship and shared passion for traveling, exploring new places, meeting new people, and (some would say our favorite) taste testing regional cuisines and libations. 

 

Before our group adventures commence, we have a few simple questions we like to ask before making any firm plans. 

Have any of us visited the country previously?  Is the country/region safe? Do they have good food?  Do they have white wine?  Do they have enough white wine? 

We are simple travelers with simple needs.

We like food. A lot.

If the questions are answered to our liking, it is usually only a matter of minutes before we book our flights.  A few of our past international destinations include Argentina, Ireland, and China.  We were anxious to add a new region and more incredible memories to our repertoire.

As Patrick would be in the Balkans for work and I was just a short flight from the region, Patti got to work exploring our choices.  It was not long before the destination was chosen: Croatia.  

(Please Note: Patti is a 5 star travel agent!! More on this in a moment.)

Old City walls in Dubrovnik

I flew from Madrid to Barcelona and arrived in Dubrovnik a day before they were planning to arrive from Bosnia.  Luckily, I met a handful of fun travelers and had a great first night and following morning in the Old City.  Although we had fun briefly exploring the city, I was beyond anxious to meet up with Patti and Patrick. 

Statue outside of a chapel in Hvar

I arrived at our hotel the following afternoon and found a seat on the picturesque boulevard that ran alongside our hotel where I could wait and watch for them.   I was filled with so much excitement that every pair of people walking towards me made my heart skip a beat.   We had been planning our trip for many weeks, and I couldn’t wait for the fun to begin.  Can you tell I cherish our time together?

 

When they did arrive, it was awesome!  We all freaked out, and I’m sure we frightened more than a few onlookers.  Moments later we dropped our bags, grabbed our cameras and found a new table on the boulevard.  The white wine started flowing and the catching up began. 

It ended approximately ten days later.

Me and Patrick in Hvar

Our time together was perfect.  The breathtaking views, friendly local personalities, mouthwatering cuisine, hilarious moments, crazy nightlife and stunning weather didn’t hurt the experience either. 

The time together began in picture-perfect Dubrovnik and then we sauntered up the coast to Split to explore more regional cuisine and eventually make our way by ferry to Hvar, an island off of the coast. 

Why would we ever leave Hvar? 

Being able to explore at our leisure, we accidentally fell into love with Hvar and out of touch with the rest of the world.  Each morning we would casually wake up to one of the most stunning views I’ve ever seen, and over coffee we would decided that “Yes, we need another day here.”   After our difficult decision, I would skip down the stairs and inform the family running the bed and breakfast that we were not leaving… again.  

Endless delicious Croatian cuisine

Their response was always the same: a completely content (and contagious) Croatian attitude.  “Great to hear, now would you like to join us for some wine or cheese?”  Nothing was ever a problem, except their need for us to continuously consume more of their cheeses and homemade wines, which was a problem that we were happy to solve for them.  

Hvar Town

This experience would not have been as authentic or seamless without Patti’s dedicated work before our trip began.  She has the incredible ability of finding unique accommodations that land us in the middle of everything we could possibly want.  

Her combination of patience, meticulous attention to detail, tireless research, and deep desire for finding the most authentic and fiscally sound choice available to us makes her Travel Agent of the Century.  

I'm so lucky to have such an amazing aunt & friend.

From overlooking the Cathedral in the Old Town of Dubrovnik to having our own entire rooftop terrace and apartment above a winery in Hvar (that’s just two of the many!), the accommodations and locals we interacted with because of her hard work made our experience and time together beyond perfect.  

Dubrovnik Harbor

She made this trip happen and I was lucky enough to tag along.  If you have a chance to travel with her, and opt out, you’re crazy! 

Me and the owner of our B&B in Hvar 

Saying goodbye to Patti and Patrick in Split ten days after our adventure began was bittersweet, but seeing them in a few short weeks at Thanksgiving made parting a bit easier to handle. 

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