Eger

So we arrived in Eger just as it was starting to get dark and so since we figured the tourist information office would be closed we made our way to where Lonely Planet said there was a dorm we could stay in. After spending a few minutes looking for it we decided that it no longer existed so we set off to look for other accommodation. After wandering around unsuccessfully for just over an hour we decided to ask in a 4 star hotel if they knew of any place and the lady at the desk told us there was a cheap hotel just around the corner. Arriving at the cheaper hotel we were disappointed to find a very nice 3 star hotel but we decided to ask if they knew of any other place. When we asked the girl working the desk she said that she had a room that she could give to us 50% off because it didn't have a window. Since we were both tired of searching for a place to stay we quickly said yes and made our way up to our great room. After dumping our bags we went out to enjoy a late dinner before returning to the hotel to crash.

The next morning we got up and discovered that the 3 star hotel and the 4 star hotels were owned by the same people so we got to use the same facilities as them and even enjoy the same quality of breakfast. Delicious. After breakfast we set off to check out Eger Castle which is located on a hill in the centre of the town. Climbing up to the castle we were delighted to find out that an historic reenactment was taking place there that weekend. So we spent the rest of the morning wandering around the castle grounds enjoying the views over the old city and watching people dressed up in costumes have mock battles. Unfortunately everything was in Hungarian, including the museum exhibits, so after a while we decided that it was enough and left to explore the rest of the town. Leaving the castle we came across a minaret standing in the centre of a traffic circle but without a mosque which is apparently Europe's northern most remains of the Ottoman invasion in the 16th century. After the minaret we visited the Minorite Church which is a beautiful building on the edge of a nice square. After the church we enjoyed a small bite to eat (the breakfast was big enough to be our lunch as well) before heading to Szepasszony Volgy (Valley of the Beautiful Women) which is a small street that has nothing other than wine cellars on it. Arriving there we just got a plastic bottle filled up to enjoy that evening as we planned on coming back the next day to sample more of their wares. Returning back to the hotel we spent a little bit relaxing and using the internet before heading out to dinner. After our enjoyable dinner we returned to the square with the Minorite Church where we sat and enjoyed the last bit of our bottle of wine before returning to our hotel for bed.

The following morning we took it easy and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading out to check out the last few sights in Eger. We started with the huge yellow Eger Cathedral which was pretty magnificent although not as nice as the Minorite Church. From the cathedral we went to the Lyceum (an old university built by a Bishop) where we saw a spectacular 20 000 volume library complete with a frescoed ceiling. Climbing higher in the Lyceum we checked out the Astronomy Museum which contained several old telescopes, cameras and filming equipment. However the highlight of the museum had to be the Eye of Eger which is a camera obscura, something like a periscope where the surrounding scenery was reflected onto a white table in a dark room. This gave a great live picture of the surrounding city from high up in the Lyceum. After the Lyceum we returned to the Valley of the Beautiful Women to sample more of the famous Eger wine (specifically Egri Bikaver or Eger Bull's Blood) and to fill up a few bottles which we planned to take with us to Budapest where we were heading to the next day. After getting our wine we made our way back to our hotel and the rest of the evening was spent enjoying dinner and having a swim in the hotel's pool.

The following morning we got up and checked out of our nice hotel after breakfast and made our way to the train station. At the train station we quickly boarded a train bound for Budapest where we planned to spend the next week so that we could explore the town and also enjoy the Sziget music festival.









One person dressed up for a reenactment at the Eger Castle.




















The northern most minaret from the Ottoman invasion.




















Enjoying our wine in the plastic water bottle and McDonald's cups that we had to drink it out of while sitting in the square.

















The amazing library in the Lyceum with the frescoed ceiling.














Lianne enjoying a glass of wine in one of the wine cellars located in the Valley of the Beautiful Women.

Szeged

Stepping off the bus in Szeged we made our way to the tourist information office to find out about accommodation options in Szeged. After a little bit of wandering around we finally found the information office hidden in a small courtyard and from there we were directed to a cheap student dorm. Just as we got to the dorm it started to absolutely pour so we checked in and spent the next 20 minutes waiting in our room for the rain to let up a bit. Eventually the rain eased up so we set off to explore the town and get a bit of food. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering around the old part of town and using the internet for a bit. That evening there was a festival starting so we were determined not to miss out this time by assuming that it would still be going on the next day. That night was then spent enjoying a couple of drinks and some food from the festival before heading back to the dorm to go to bed.

The next morning we rose early to catch a train to the nearby town of Kecskemet where we planned on doing a bit of sightseeing before heading just outside of that town to see some Hungarian Cowboys. Arriving in Kecskemet we set off to explore the many squares that all seem to be connected. We spent a couple of hours just wandering around the town admiring the beautiful buildings such as the town hall, Ornamental Palace, Jozsef Katona Theatre and a couple of churches. So after admiring these buildings, and going into a few of them, we made our way to the bus station where we hopped on a bus that would take us out to Bugac village where the Hungarian Cowboys perform. Getting dropped off the bus seemingly in the middle of nowhere we were told to walk down a small road for about a kilometer to the office for the horse show. Arriving at the office we were told that we had just missed the wagon that takes people to where the show is staged 1.5 kilometers away and that the show started in 15 minutes. So we quickly bought our tickets and started off in a hurry to catch the show. 20 minutes later we arrived at the show to find that the cowboys were just entering the arena so we hadn't missed anything thankfully. The show started off with the cowboys riding past us cracking their whips and even one of the cowboys galloping 5 horses while standing on the rear two, it was pretty amazing. The rest of the hour long show showcased the cowboys skills of getting on and off their horse bareback, their whip cracking abilities and even some races. After the show we wandered to the nearby Hungarian Sheppard's Museum which wasn't anything spectacular before walking back out to the road to catch a bus back to the train station. Arriving at the train station we quickly got on a train back to Szeged where we again spent the evening checking out the small fair and enjoying some more of their food and drink, including some delicious marzipan balls which seemed to have so much sugar in that we had to nickname them diabetes balls.

The next morning we got up early enough to spend a couple of hours checking out the Mora Ferenc Museum in Szeged which was really enjoyable. The museum had exhibits on everything from the evolution of the earth to traditional Hungarian household items to humour to modern day furniture. Unfortunately we had to leave the museum before we were fully done in it as we had to catch a train to Eger. The rest of the afternoon was spent taking 4 different trains but eventually getting to Eger where we were planning to spend the next 3 nights.









The main town square in Szeged at dusk.


















The one cowboy driving 5 horses while standing on the rear of the back two.














The cowboys getting their well trained horses to sit down while they crack their whips over their heads.














The cowboys standing on their horses and cracking their whips.

Keszthely and Pecs

Arriving in Keszthely after a long day of several train and bus transfers from Ljubljana we made our way to what we thought was a student dorm offering accommodation during the summer. After a while of wandering around the town we came to the conclusion that the dorm either no longer existed or didn't offer accommodation anymore so we set off looking for another place mentioned in the Lonely Planet. Being unsuccessful in finding this hotel as well we finally came across a pension and were only to glad to stay there the night. By this time it was already early evening so we just went out for a delicious dinner and after dinner we went for a walk down to Lake Balaton, the largest freshwater lake in Europe outside of Scandinavia. As we approached the lakeside we saw that a festival of sorts was going on, mainly consisting of booths to buy food or handicrafts, so we walked amongst them for a bit. Since we had already eaten we didn't sample any food but decided that we would return the following night so we just made our way back to the pension to head to bed.

The next morning we awoke and made our way up to huge Festetics Palace which is located near the centre of the town. We started off wandering around the exterior of the palace as the grounds and exterior of the building was beautiful. We then went inside for a tour around some of the 100 plus rooms of the palace which were all fantastic and the highlight definitely being the 900 000 volume Helikon Library. After the palace we enjoyed a picnic lunch before searching around the entire town for somewhere to rent bicycles as we hoped to ride along the lake shore to some nearby towns. Unfortunately we were unable to find anywhere to rent bicycles so we just spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing next to lake as there wasn't much else to do. That evening we made our way back down to where the festival was taking place the night before only to find it dead quiet so we figured that the previous night was the festivals last. We then made our way back to the same restaurant as the previous night as it was delicious and after dinner just returned to our pension for an early night.

The next morning we set off as there wasn't anything else to do in Keszthely so we made our way to the bus station where we quickly boarded a bus bound for Pecs. After a 4 hour bus ride we arrived in Pecs, the city that is going to be named the culture capital of Europe in 2010, and walking to the old town centre we found that almost the entire area was under construction. Unfortunately it also meant that the hotel we were going to try and stay in was also under construction so after a quick visit to the tourist office we quickly found a substitute. After dropping our bags off in our hotel we set off to explore the town starting with the oddly named Mosque Church. The church is a converted mosque and although there no longer is a minaret there are still Islamic elements inside it. After visiting the Mosque Church we started to wander the streets of the old town and quickly came across a "wall of padlocks" which is a short section of wall absolutely covered with different padlocks. From here we wandered around the old town admiring the buildings and eventually ending up at the Synagogue. The Synagogue was great as upon entering it we were given an information sheet in English detailing the Jewish history of Hungary and specifically Pecs. By this time it was getting quite late so we returned to our hotel for a short rest before heading out to enjoy dinner on the streets and to again wander around some of the streets in the evening before heading back to bed.

The following morning we set off to explore more of Pecs starting with some early Christian cemeteries which are a part of the World Heritage List. Of the cemeteries we got to see a 4th century Christian Mausoleum and a Late Roman Burial Site and Chapel which both have some beautiful decorations inside. After viewing a few of these Christian cemetery sites we made our way to the Szent Peter Bazilika which is a gorgeous cathedral complete with an 11th century crypt and wine cellar. That evening was again spent wandering around the streets after dinner and this time we stumbled upon some sort of dance happening outside of the Pecs Theatre. The dance was pretty fascinating to watch as it seemed as if every Hungarian knew the steps and joined in so soon the entire area was full of people doing the unique dance and a handful of tourists watching.

The next morning we set off from our hotel to the bus station where we quickly boarded a bus bound for Szeged. After another 4 our bus journey we finally emerged from the bus at Szeged, our next destination.









The beautiful gardens in front of the Festetics Palace in Keszthely.




















Lianne posing in front of one of the portraits inside the Festetics Palace which we got to slide around with felt slippers on our feet.



















The magnificent Helikon Library in the Festetics Palace.




















Lianne in front of the "wall of padlocks" in Pecs.


















The Pecs National Theatre all lit up at night time.














Some of the beautiful paintings found within the Christian Mausoleum.















The interior of the Szent Peter Bazilika.

Bovec

We got off the bus in Bovec in the early evening and set off in search of an information office where we hoped that they would help us in finding a place to stay. We quickly found the information office but there we received some bad news: that the town was almost completely full and they only knew of one place still available. So we set off in search of the one place still with rooms available and upon finding it reluctantly agreed to pay their fairly expensive price (although the room was quite nice). Setting down our bags we then set off to explore the town a little, buy some groceries for dinner (our room was more like an apartment) and book a rafting trip for the next day. After accomplishing all of those things the evening was spent making dinner and relaxing in our apartment before bed.

The next morning we got up and had a few hours to kill before we were going rafting that afternoon. So the morning was spent wandering around the town and sitting in the local library using the internet. At 1pm we arrived at the rafting agency office and were quickly outfitted with wetsuits, paddles, helmets and booties before setting off to the put in point. Reaching the starting point of the rafting trip we were split into 2 rafts where we received our safety instructions (we were with a group of Polish tourists who spoke no English so we got to hear the safety talk in Slovenian and English). After the safety talk we finally pushed off into the water to start our trip down the river. The first half of the river was fairly quiet with only a few sections of rapids and was considered more of a warm up for the bottom section which was supposed to be the real fun part. Arriving at the halfway point of the trip we pulled over for a short break and an opportunity to jump in and swim in the icy cold water of the river. It was here that we watched as one of the Polish ladies from our group jumped into the water only to discover that she couldn't swim! Screaming and panicking from the river she splashed around for a few seconds before our guide managed to get to her and pull her out of the water. After this incident the guide tried extremely hard to talk her out of continuing the trip but her stubbornness kept her in the raft and so after that short argument we set off again only this time with our guide looking quite stressed out. The bottom half of the river was a lot of fun although our guide was doing everything in his power to steer the boat towards the easiest sections of the river so we missed out on some potential fun (although this was good considering what could have happened if the raft flipped). Eventually we arrived at the end of the river unharmed and after quickly loading the boats back onto the van we set off back to Bovec. Returning to Bovec we made our way back to our hotel where we relaxed for a short period then returned to the main square to watch a performance of some traditional Slovenian dancing. After the dancing performance we again returned to our hotel to cook a late dinner and eventually went to bed.

The next day we got up early and decided to take the bus back up to the Vrsic pass to do a bit of hiking. Reaching the pass we wandered around near the road a bit looking at different trail maps before deciding on a route to take. So we set off in search of a sight called a Natural Window and along the way we enjoyed a beautiful hike as the trail started up so high that we were afforded some great views. Additionally near the start of the hike we saw a natural formation called "the girl's face on the rock" where it appeared as if a girl's face had formed on the cliff face. The rest of the hike up to the Natural Window was also spectacular and when we reached the Natural Window we got to gaze through a huge natural tunnel in the mountain. Sitting here we watched several groups of climbers climb up through the window and continue to the summit of the mountain while we enjoyed our lunch. After lunch we had to turn around and descend in order to catch the bus back to Bovec which we thankfully just caught. Returning to Bovec we again just returned to our hotel where we enjoyed a home cooked meal that evening.

The next morning we got up and checked out of our hotel as we were heading back to Ljubljana that afternoon. Since we still had the morning in Bovec we went for a nice walk down to the Soca river (the river we went rafting on). Reaching the beautiful blue Soca river we wandered along a path on its side while watching a few kayakers paddle past for a couple of hours. After that we made our way back to Bovec where we picked up our bags and went to the bus station to catch a bus bound for Ljubljana.

Arriving in Ljubljana we quickly returned to the same hostel we stayed in previously and then went to organize transport into Hungary for the following day. After getting our train tickets to Hungary we enjoyed an early dinner and wandered around downtown Ljubljana one last time before returning to the hostel and bed.

The next morning we got up and made our way to the train station where we quickly boarded a train bound for Budapest (although we weren't going that far). After a few transfers we found ourselves in the small town of Ukk in Hungary where after searching in vain for an ATM we boarded another train bound for Keszthely, our next destination.









A picture of the cliff face with "the girl's face on the rock" hopefully you can see it.



















Lianne applying some sunscreen during a break in our hike towards the Natural Window.




















A view looking down through the Natural Window.




















A view of the beautiful blue colour of the Soca River. Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of the rafting trip so the only pictures of the Soca that I have were taken on our last morning there.

Bled

Leaving Ljubljana we arrived in Bled around noon and set off in search of a hostel to stay in. Being turned down in the first two we found we finally found a room in our third choice which turned out to be one of the best hostels in Bled apparently.

After dumping our bags in the hostel we set off in search of an ATM as we were down to our last 20 euros. After a frustrating 30 minute walk through the city we came to the realization that either no machines would accept our cards or those that would were out of cash until they could be replenished on Monday, the next day. As a result we had to spend the day fairly cheaply so we started off with a walk around the beautiful turquoise blue Lake Bled. The lake was absolutely gorgeous with the town situated at one end, a castle perched high above it next to the town and an island containing a church close to the far end. To add to the beauty of the lake there were gondolas paddling tourists around the lake. Half way around the lake we found a trail that climbed up to a view point overlooking the lake and the island containing the church after a 20 minute climb we emerged at the top with a fabulous view. Taking a break here we soaked up the great view of the surrounding area for a few minutes before eventually heading back down to continue our trip around the lake. At the completion of our wonderful walk around the lake we emerged back in the town of Bled and decided to enjoy the music from the nearby festival while relaxing in the park next to the lake. Thinking that we could enjoy the festival the next night and since we didn't have very much money we decided to skip enjoying dinner and a beer there but just enjoyed a cheap take away meal while sitting by the lake before heading to bed.

The next day got up and immediately set off in search of money. After having success and no longer feeling poor we then went to check out potential rafting trips and other extreme sports activities as Bled is a great place to give these a try. After talking to a couple of companies we quickly found that the rafting offered from Bled wasn't very good but the canyoning was apparently great so we decided to sign up for it the next morning. The rest of the day was spent lounging around the parks in front of the lake but sadly without the music from the festival as the previous day was it's last. That night we enjoyed cooking dinner at the hostel before heading out for a few beers with the largely Irish group that was also staying there.

The third morning started off with us heading off to go canyoning. We jumped into the back of a van at 9am and 15 minutes later we were in the middle of nowhere putting on wetsuits and harnesses to slide, repel and jump off waterfalls. After a short walk we found ourselves at the start of the canyon and after a quick safety talk we were underway. The first section was really just a warm up but jumping/sliding into the freezing water was more of a shock than a warm up we thought. The second part started off with a short slide down a waterfall before a zip line and then the rest of the trip was filled up with really fun and steep slides and sections of repelling down waterfalls. A very enjoyable morning after you got used to the extremely cold water. Unfortunately the canyoning only lasted half a day and we were back in Bled around 1pm where we spent the rest of the afternoon using internet and organizing transport for the next day. That night we again enjoyed a home cooked meal and a few drinks before heading to bed.

The following morning we got up and slowly packed our bags to check out of the hostel. After getting a quick bite to eat we made our way to Vintgar Gorge which was located just 4km outside of Bled. Arriving at the gorge we set off to walk through this extremely beautiful gorge along a great wooden walkway that had been constructed along its entire length. After enjoying the hike through the gorge we returned to Bled where we sampled the famous local cream cake before grabbing our bags and making our way to the bus station where we boarded a bus bound for Bovec, the town that would allow us to do some great rafting. The bus trip to Bovec was pretty spectacular as well as the bus went over the 1611 meter high Vrsic Pass which afforded some great views of the surrounding mountains. A very scenic and great trip before dropping us off in Bovec our next destination.









Lake Bled with a gondola paddler in the foreground and the castle perching over the lake in the background.



















Lianne standing up at the viewpoint overlooking Lake Bled with the island visible and the town of Bled in the distance.
















A view looking back up the Vintgar Gorge with the wooden walkway crossing over the river.


















Lianne standing on the side of Vintgar Gorge.




















A hay drying rack which you see all over the Bled region as historically the area was too wet for the hay to dry on the ground so had to be dried on special racks. Today though they are rarely used as the region has become dryer.










Unfortunately I've already mailed home the pictures from the canyoning trip so you'll have to wait until I get home to see those.

Ljubljana

Arriving off the train from Zagred in Ljubljana we made our way towards a couple of hostels we hoped to find a room in. The first one which was a converted mental prison sounded pretty cool but unfortunately everyone else must've thought the same thing as it was full so our next stop was a student dorm which were happy to let us stay in.

Dropping our bags off in our room we quickly set off to explore the city. The first thing we saw on our way to the old town was one of the two famous bridges there: the dragon bridge. This bridge was fairly normal except that it was guarded by 4 very detailed dragon statues (2 at each end) and was pretty unique to see. Following the river up we quickly came to the second famous bridge, the triple bridge, and the main square. The triple bridge is actually 3 identical bridges set right next to each other and are located in a beautiful area right at the start of the old town in Ljubljana. From here we quickly found a place to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to one of the many museums in Ljubljana. After lunch we spent the majority of the afternoon in the fairly well done city museum of Ljubljana and learning all about the city's history for the past 4000 years. Lianne especially enjoyed the interactive (read children's) exhibits explaining the city's history. From the museum we casually wandered back through the wonderful streets of the old town towards our hostel where we took a short break before heading out for a delicious Mexican dinner.

The next morning we set off nice and early to climb the hill up to the Ljubljana castle. Here we were afforded some nice views over the old city while we were able to wander around the grounds. Unfortunately most of the rooms in the castle were closed so all we could see were some small art exhibits and the great views. Descending back down to the city we then made our way over to the museum of Contemporary History which was again a fairly interesting museum which gave a very in depth description of the different regimes that ruled over Slovenia before it gained its Independence. The displays here were really well done and by the end both Lianne and I were overwhelmed by the amount of information we read. By the time we finally left the museum of Contemporary History it was already the middle of the afternoon so we just enjoyed our lunch and had a rest at our hostel. From our hostel we went back to the main square where we enjoyed an evening drink outside in a beautiful setting with what seemed like all of Ljubljana passing by. This is how we spent the rest of the evening before returning back to our hostel for bed.

The next morning we woke up extremely early to catch a train bound for the Skocjan caves which are a UNESCO world heritage site. The cave network contains the highest cave hall in Europe, a massive gorge, waterfalls and tons of stalagmites and stalactites. We had to get a tour through the caves but it was definitely worth it as we started through the upper "dry cave" which was full of stalagmites and stalactites and very beautiful before entering the lower "wet cave" which had a river running through it. After our thoroughly enjoyable tour through the caves we made a short visit to the cave museum where we hoped to see the human fish; a "fish" that had lungs and gills, skin instead of scales, was blind, could live for 100 years without food, and had no colour to its skin. We were told there was a dead specimen in the museum but all we found was a picture of one unfortunately. After the museum we made our way back to Ljubljana on the train and again spent an early night enjoying dinner and wandering along the beautiful riverfront on the edge of the old town.

The next morning we gathered our bags and made our way to the bus station where we quickly caught a bus bound for Bled, our next destination.









Lianne standing next to one of the dragon statues guarding the dragon bridge.


















A view of the triple bridge with the main square and one of Ljubljana's churches in the background.













A view of the old town in Ljubljana with another church in the background.




















Lianne standing in front of the main church in Ljubljana located at the central square near the triple bridge, I think it's called St Nicholas Cathedral.


















Lianne standing in the enormous entrance to the Skocjan cave. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take pictures in the cave so this is about the only picture of the cave I have.

Zagreb

After Split we arrived in Zadar just after noon where we planned to spend a few hours examining the old town and mainly the sea organ which was installed a couple of years ago. So after storing our bags we headed out in search of the sea organ and after about an hour of wandering around we eventually found it built into the stone stairs descending into the sea just outside the old town. The sea organ was quite unique to see as there were about 30 holes in the ground which each emitted a slightly different note when air was pushed through them. The sea organ worked by waves from the sea pushing air through the pipes (holes) that are built into the stairs and the air in the pipes each emitted a sound. Unfortunately there wasn't much waves when we visited so the sea organ was fairly quiet but we could still hear the truly unique sounds that it made.

After examining the sea organ and wandering around the old town for a bit we made our way back to the bus station where we boarded a bus bound for Zagreb, the capital of Croatia and our next destination. We arrived in Zagreb at about 9pm and unfortunately most things were closed by this time so we were left to wander the streets of the capital on our own looking for accommodation. Luckily a friendly local spotted us and helped show us to a nearby hostel where we spent the night.

The next morning we awoke and set off to find the store carrying Teva sandals to replace mine now that they were just barely holding together. So after succeeding in buying a new pair of sandals we looked into finding some cheaper accommodation as the hostel we were in was fairly expensive and not in the greatest condition. After about an hour of searching we succeed and moved into another small private apartment where we again dumped our bags and set off to explore the rest of the city. Unfortunately Lianne wasn't feeling the best so most of the day was spent taking it easy either in a park or back in the hotel room. We did manage to see the magnificent Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is probably the most impressive church in Croatia (that we saw anyway). Along with the church we also managed to see the nice outdoor fruit and vegetable market and just wander around several of the streets. That evening was also pretty low key and other than going out for a simple dinner we didn't get up to very much.

The next day was our last full day in Croatia and thankfully Lianne was feeling better so we set off to some sightseeing in Zagreb. We started off in the old town (also known as Gradec)and entered into it through a 13th century stone gate which is the only surviving gate into the old town. Inside this we made our way to the centre where we saw St Mark's Church, even though we couldn't enter the church the exterior was fabulous as the roof had been covered in painted shingles which showed the Croatian coat of arms and the coat of arms of Zagreb. Surrounding the square which contained St Mark's Church were the parliament buildings which were also beautiful old buildings. From this central square we made our way to the Museum of the City of Zagreb which went into quite a detailed description of the history of the city.

After wandering around the old town we made our way to the lower town where several museums, art galleries and parks are located. Due to a lack of time I was only able to visit the Archaeological Museum (Lianne decided she was museumed out and lay in a nearby park writing postcards) which started off quite interesting talking about the first people who settled in Croatia but then for the second half of the museum was a bit of a let down. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying a few drinks and dinner along the street containing most of Zagreb's nightlife.

The following morning we packed up and set off for the train station. Upon arriving at the train station we quickly boarded a train bound for Ljubljana in Slovenia, the next destination in our trip.










The sea organ in Zadar.




















The outdoor fruit and vegetable market with the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the background.



















St Mark's Church in the old town of Zagreb complete with its colourful tiled roof.

Split

Getting off the ferry from Hvar we were again bombarded by people trying to rent out their apartments to us and so after a little negotiation we set off following an unpleasant lady to her apartment located within the old town of Split. Since we were arriving in town late in the afternoon we just managed to wander around the old part of town for about an hour before finding a grocery store to buy supplies for dinner. After that we just returned to the apartment where we met a couple of Swedish girls staying next to us and then proceeded to enjoy cooking dinner and spending the night relaxing in the apartment.

The following morning we set off in search of the fresh fish and vegetable market so that we could get some supplies for that nights dinner. We easily located the fruit and vegetable market and after buying our supplies we wandered around assuming that the fish market was nearby but after 30 minutes of searching we still hadn't found it. So after asking several people we eventually found the fish market all the way on the other side of the old town and finished getting the supplies for dinner before returning to our apartment to drop them off. After dropping our dinner supplies off at our apartment we set off to do some sightseeing in the old town. We started with the Diocletian Palace which is essentially most of the old town of Split as the palace has been converted into numerous stores and apartments in recent years. Even though there weren't very many fancy buildings that remained that we could enter just wandering around the streets was still quite beautiful. One of the remnants of the palace is the excavated remains of the basement which have the exact same floor plan as the above ground level. In the basement we were able to see several cavernous rooms including one where a wine press used to operate. After the basement we visited the St Duje Cathedral which was a fascinating old cathedral complete with a huge bell tower and a treasury showing the standard religious icons. Lastly we visited the small Jupiter's temple which is a small and plain building on the outside, but inside there is some carving, a basin for holding water and a statue.

After seeing these sights and wandering around the city some more we made our way back to our apartment to enjoy a home cooked meal before heading out to visit a Croatian night club with our Swedish neighbours.

We awoke the next morning and set off hoping to do a little shopping and to visit some museums. However upon exiting the building we quickly found out that everything seemed to shut down on Sunday's in Split. So we spent most of the morning just wandering the streets outside of the old town and seeing some interesting statues (including one where rubbing the toe was considered good luck). The day was mostly passed in this manner or just relaxing in parks as there was almost nothing to do as even the museum we wanted to see was closed.

Our final day in Split was spent getting up early and rushing to a specific store where I hoped to replace my broken Tevas. Unfortunately upon entering the store I discovered they didn't have my size but was recommended a place in Zagreb where we were heading next. So after this we returned to the apartment, grabbed our bags and made our way to the bus station. At the bus station we boarded a bus bounded for Zadar where we planned to spend the day before heading to Zagreb that night.










Lianne standing in the basement of the Palace.




















A square just outside the Diocletian Palace. This is what most of the buildings and streets (although not this wide) in the area looked like.



















The Peristyle which is the main open square inside the Palace.

Korcula and Hvar Islands

I've again made 2 blog entries today, this one and Dubrovnik which we visited before Korcula Island so please enjoy them both. The Dubrovnik entry is below this one.

Leaving Dubrovnik we made our way to Korcula Island and after a 3 hour bus ride and a short ferry ride we made it. Upon reaching Korcula we again were bombarded with people trying to get us to stay in their rooms however most of them were expensive and the only one that was affordable we could only stay one night in. So after dumping our bags in the room we quickly set off to explore the small island town and to make the most of our short stay on the island.

We started off by just going for a walk around the old city which is perched up over the sea and even has some old city walls still intact, although they were not anywhere near as impressive as the ones at Dubrovnik. After our tour around the walls we delved into the old town and quickly found the Cathedral square where most of the sights are located. Our first stop was in the Gothic St Mark's Cathedral which was a dominating building in the old town and contained some nice artwork inside. After visiting the church we went in search of the house where Marco Polo is said to have been born in. Finding the house there wasn't much to see but still pretty interesting to see the location where it's thought he was born. Returning back to the Cathedral square we attempted to visit a couple of museums but found them closed for the afternoon so we decided instead to just wander around the town for a bit. That evening we went to find out what time ferries ran to Hvar the next day since we had to leave Korcula and found out that the only ferry running there departed at the ungodly hour of 6am. So after an enjoyable pasta dinner on the waterfront and a short amount of wandering around the old town again we made our way to bed so we could wake up for the ferry.

Waking up at 5:15am the next morning wasn't very pleasant but we managed to make our way to the ferry with all our gear so I guess it was a success. After our 2 hour long ferry ride we arrived on Hvar island and quickly found a place to store our bags for the day since we planned on leaving that afternoon for Split. After dumping our bags we enjoyed a self service breakfast from the nearby supermarket on the waterfront and then set off to climb the hill above town to the Venetian fortress. Reaching the fortress we were rewarded with some stunning views out over the town of Hvar and out to the Mediterranean sea although it was definitely a hot climb up to get them. Other than the views that we were awarded there wasn't much else at the fortress so we quickly climbed back down to explore the old town. Near the base of the climb to the fortress we saw the remains of the partially destroyed Church of St Marko. The church wasn't too spectacular but its location did offer another splendid view of the old town of Hvar. From here we made our way to the huge Gothic Arsenal which is an enormous cathedral located pretty much in the centre of Hvar and it's giant arch is visible from almost everywhere. After the Gothic Arsenal we just wandered through the small alleyways in the old town arriving at the church at the far end: Franciscan Monastery which was quite nice and included a small museum displaying mostly religious artwork.

At this point we learned that the latest ferry leaving the main town of Hvar for Split left at 2pm so we quickly grabbed our bags and made our way onto the ferry for the ride back to main land.









One of the little alleyways in the old town of Korcula. These streets were pretty common in all of the old towns in Croatia that we had visited.

















Looking back across a small bay at the old town of Korcula which stands out into the sea.














A tree growing over the path and in front of a small gate on the climb up to the Venetian fortress on Hvar.



















Lianne standing in front of a small church that we encountered on our way up to the Venetian fortress.

















A view back across the bay near the Church of St Marko looking at the heart of the old town of Hvar.