Road Tripping: Part Two

A continuation of my journey through The Balkans by car.

Day 6: For the first time in days I awoke without back pain thanks to sleeping in a bed again. I took a luke warm shower that under different circumstances would have been quite sad. With only 6 days into the trip I had a new found appreciation for hot water, real meals, easy access to toilets, and soft beds. Feeling thoroughly refreshed we headed into the rain to experience old town Kotor, a walled citadel cowering under a hilltop ruined fortress. After peeking into some old churches and wandering narrow alleys we started the climb to the real draw, the fortress. Many uneven stone steps later I arrived at the top, sweating happily as I gazed out below me. I was struck, once again, with such a powerful feeling of wonderment and gratitude that I may or may not have leaked a tear or two as I stood on top of the world. Once I pulled myself together my love of all things fantasy had me giggling like a school girl as I explored the ruined castle. Arrow slits, arch ways, and ancient rooms provoked thoughts of knights, ladies, and times long gone. I stood on battlements and tried to imagine life as it was during the peak of the fortress (probably pretty bloody and with poor hygiene but still cool). Reluctantly I climbed back down into the real world for a drive around half of the gulf and a climb back up those sharp switchbacks we had come down the night before. We visited Lovcen National Park and the mausoleum for Petar Petrovic Njegos. 400 stone steps on top of a mountain lead to a marble temple with an impressive statue of him under a gold plated ceiling. More impressive than the building was the panoramic view it provided us. We were rewarded with a sneaky glimpse at the coast and mountains alive with color. Fall just seemed to become more impressive as the weeks passed. Another pull out into a pitch-black lookout point and a night in the car followed.

Kotor

Fortress

View of Kotor from fortress. Check out the sweet wall on the right. 

Fortress. Duh. 

Inside old town, Kotor.  

Day 7: Another glorious view started our day off right. This time we awoke to look over my new favorite place in the world; The Gulf of Kotor. For the third time we risked the sharp turns and headed back into the bay, this time to hike. After a trying two months full of emotional ups and downs combined with not nearly enough exercise I decided not to let anything hold me back any longer, and I stormed up the mountain. I reached the peak perfectly saturated with sweat with a manic grin on my face. My much missed endorphins had finally kicked back in and I felt better than I had in weeks. Smiling and singing my way back down the mountain was just as enjoyable as the strenuous climb up. I glanced across the water to Kotor and my beloved fortress watching over the town. The high of the climb stayed with me for the remainder of the day. We sauntered around Perast, yet another ancient town located on the magical bay. From there we hit the road for one of my most sought after destinations: Dubrovnik. With my first glimpse of the town I laughed with delight. Life has a funny way of working out. Just one month ago I never imagined myself driving through the Balkans and I certainly didn’t think I would be able to finally see Dubrovnik yet there I was. We entered the old city, wandered through the labyrinth, and came out at a bar on the opposite end of the city, right on the water, just as the sun started to set. Further aimless strolling through the city followed, this time under golden light cast from lamps mounted throughout the alleys. A proper dinner followed this perfect day complete with mushroom soup, grilled vegetables, kebabs, and, of course, a dark beer. I went to bed happy as can be.

View when I woke up. 

View climbing the mountain. That's Kotor down there. 

Perast. 

Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik.

Day 8: An impressive view of the sea greeted us first thing in the morning as the sun began to rise over the hills. I watched the bay gradually lighten from the pale grey and purple of early morning to a brilliant golden hue that seems fit only for paintings. We started our trek back north. Bosnia was granted a tiny sliver of coastline (it’s a sound, they don’t even get the sea) and we cruised through it in all of ten minutes. In less than two hours we went from Croatia to Bosnia to Croatia before landing in war torn Bosnia once again. The bullet holes almost seemed natural this time through the country. Kravice falls was a quick pit stop full of quick photos and faces full of mist. From there we traveled to Blagaj, an old dervish house nestled next to the river against a stark rock face. Groups of tourists walked past vendors selling pomegranates and protection against the evil eye; I felt like I was home in Turkey.  Finally it  was time for Mostar. The majority of our time was spent on, under, and around the iconic bridge in the city that was destroyed during the war but was thankfully rebuilt in 2006. It is another sight that I have only dreamed about, so to finally see it was spectacular. A bone chilling message of remember ‘93 served as a reminder to tourists of the horrors witness in the country just a short time ago. We grabbed a coffee and free wifi (only slightly ashamed of the internet addition) before jumping back in the car for a six hour drive further north to Una National Park.

Kravice Waterfall

Blagaj

Mostar by day.

Mostar by night.

Day 9: After waking up in stunning forests, on high ridges, and next to the coast it was a bit of a shock to wake up in a construction site. A quick get away and we headed to Una, the youngest national park in B&H. We passed through the park stopping to marvel at the carpet of leaves cloaking the road in color. Another magnificent waterfall waited for us in the middle of the park and we were once again able to feel the spray of the mist on our faces. As per usual, I had a “life is grand” moment while closing my eyes and giving into the deafening roar of the waterfall. I never realized that such an incredible noise would bring so much peace as the rest of the world was drowned out by the cacophony. I was feeling rather poetic as I watched the river tumble over itself, never ceasing its forward push, and I realized that life is much the same. No matter what happens, or how hard things may be, things just keep on moving forward. We grow and change and nothing will ever be able to stop that which is the brilliance of life. Time heals all. After getting lost deep in my thoughts in Una we continued our journey north. We bid Bosnia a final farewell as we crossed back into Croatia. Plitvice National Park is yet another destination I have only ever dreamed of, so of course I couldn’t help smiling to myself as we pulled into the park for the evening. A quiet evening of writing and reading and seeking hot tea in hotels ended the day.

Wake up view.

Una.

Waterfall. Duh. 

Day 10: A vibrantly red forest surrounded me as I emerged from deep within my sleeping bag. I had taken to sleeping with two pairs of pants, wool socks, a sweater, and an insulation piece to make it through the nights comfortably. For a moment I didn’t remember where I was. Being on the move constantly tends to have that effect. It was with a lot of joy and excitement that I remembered we were in Plitvice. I was about to witness waterfalls that up until this point had only ever been featured on my Pinterest under a “Take Me Here” folder. The park met and surpassed my expectations. Ignoring the signs, warnings, and blocked paths, Joel and I headed down into the (flooded) lower canyon. We wound away through water so clear you can see details on the smallest stones coating the bottom of the river. The high amount of rain caused the water to reach up to, and sometimes over, the wooden pathways we were exploring. I don’t have adequate words for the waterfalls. Ribbons of soft teal water cascaded merrily over countless edges, collecting in pools of astounding beauty. Water plants bobbed enthusiastically in the endless current and the trees reluctantly let the last of their leaves waft down to rest on the paths. It was as perfect as can be. With a heavy heart, we left Plitvice and then Croatia as we crossed the border into Slovenia. A dark arrival at the coast town, Piran, brought us together with Joel’s wonderful friend, Karis. We exchanged travel stories of the last few weeks over dinner, hot wine and goulash for me (shocking, I know) before driving north again and resting for the night. Thanks to Karis’s work in the Italian wine harvest we had access to three cases of exquisite wine which was not diminished by the fact that we simply passed the bottles around in the car, listening to the rain pouring down outside.

Wake up view.