1351 - 1500
It's been an extraordinary couple of weeks here in Italy. Just a couple of days to go before we venture in to countries # 27, #28 and #29, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia respectively. SUPER EXCITED
Keep checking out the adventure below!
JR
1351/2018: After the rains cleared at Ciolo the puddles didn't. And you know how much I love puddles!
1352-1357/2018: So, we couldn't find a park anywhere that was legal, so i ventured out on my own [thankfully because Roderick stayed in the car and was politely asked to move the car by officalls before giving about 15 other cars parked in the same space all parking tickets]. And look what I found. These two rocks are called "The Two Sisters", which I wasn't too impressed with as they look just like the "split apple rock" in Kaiterriterri, NZ. But I was fascinated by the blueness of the water and the amount of people on the beach partying and swimming. Like a European Bondi Beach!
1358/2018:
The paths in Ostuni were so old and breakable and cream coloured yet the buildings were so white. I actually didn't take any pictures of Ostuni [a big village up on a hill] mainly because it was so hot and the white reflection what hurting my eyes. Any the dome that they all raved about was so small and unimpressive!
1361-1364: Dahlia central. Nana would love these. There were in the garden at out bed and breakfast in Alberobello. We are actually staying in a Trullo that is over 200 years old. - See pictures below of the many Trulli in this beautiful village.
1365/2018: WOW. They most amazing breakfast. Alberobello style. From Homemade focaccia, to ham, procuttio, goats cheese, buratta cheese, coffee, watermelon and apple juice and missing form this picture [it was delivered later] was a homemade peach tart. WOW. So full right now!
1366-1373/2018:
Such a stunning place to wander and explore. So much history hear as to why the Tulli were built in the first place and what the symbols on the roofs mean. Couldn't recommend this place more highly when you are next in southern Italy!
1374/2018:
We got to stay about 1.5km out of town and it was the best walk through the local laneways, checking out all the local produce and possibly stealing some figs and limes that were hanging over on the street. Boy were they delicious.
1375/2018:
While waiting for a table at a local restaurant in Alberobello, we found a light projection on the walls of the town lookout and managed to get this shot [in and amongst all the other tourists getting in the way]
1376t/2018: I have always wanted a backpack. My sister recommended this one by MACPAC [proudly NZ owned and operated] and today I finally got to carry it on my back. We dropped out car in Bari today and had to catch a bus to the port then because there was no luggage storage at the port we just jumped on a tour bus as it allowed us to store our bags then with still some time to spare we walked through the bumpy stone streets of Bari to the port. So much easier walking with this on my back then bumping along the pathway.
Part one of this crazy European adventure is done. What an extraordinary couple of weeks it has been. We have seen and down so much and eaten lots of delicious food. only one pizza though [well two if you could the breakfast pizza we had in Alberobello]. Italy is a stunning place, rich in culture and heritage. Dirty and lazy in places but a wonderful place to explore. We'll be back in two weeks for part three of this adventure.
But for now it is time for part two: Croatia and Montenegro!
1377-1379/2018:
With very little signage or direction [we got more help for a fellow Australian who was sitting at the info desk charging her phone] we managed to board our ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik. We met some cool [also] Australians on board from Bryon Bay, Newcastle and Sydney. Typical, travel half way around the world just to meet other Australians.
1380/2018: Hello country #28 - CROATIA [more stamps!]
1381-1382/2018: Dubrovnik, let's do this.
1383-1386/2018: boat tours around Dubrovnik bay. On the most ugly boat on the entire harbour. A Semi-submarine that was bright red. Gave us a bit of a look underwater but unfortunately there weren't much fish to look at. Lame.
1387/2018:
Such beautiful swimming holes here in Dubrovnik. Just find a spot on the rocks and jump on in!
1388/2018:
1389/2018:
1390-1397/2018: A quick gondola ride up the mountain for some spectacular views of Dubrovnik and the bay. Even better views on the walk back down, especially with the beautiful sunset. Highly recommend this switch back track to walk down instead of catching the gondola back down.
1398/2018: Bourginvillia. Bogin villages? huh.
1399/2018: No real windows in our accommodation but this is the view from our front down. Tyical shot from the old city. Lots of very narrow lane ways.
1400/2018: One of the most famous views of Dubrovnik. I would love to play tennis on that tennis court with that view. Expensive but very special walking around the famous city wall of Dubrovnik this morning!
1401-1410/2018: So many different angles, different colours, different views.
1411/2018:
We found another swimming old, just on the outside of the city wall. Lots of steps to get to but once there is was sheltered and lots of rocks to jump off. And the view down the Adriatric coast was stunning.
I even jumped off this rock. About 30 feet. Impressed. I didn't even hesitate and slip and hit my bum on the rock on the way down. But my ears are still blocked. Hopefully they will open soon!
1412-1414/2018: Kayak Adventures with our local Croatain guides Babu and Matt and 10 other double kayaks. We paddled from the city wall to Banje beach, did some snorklling and hten paddled out and around Lokrum island. about 9km in total and was a stunning sunset to finished it all off with. Definitely earned our class of wine when we got back to the city walls. Such a cool way to experience Dubrovnik and spend some time out on the water!
1415-1416/2018: Welcome to Montenegro. What a gorgeous welcome. [not a single question about our travel plans on the boarders - had to leave Croatia and then enter Montenegro - More stamps]. This is in Kotor bay/sound/fiord. Feel like I am back in NZ just on a grander scale.
1417/2018: Perast. Such a beautiful part of the Bay of Kotor
1419-1421/2018: Sunset over Kotor bay from our balcony.
1422/2018: Kotor Bay. Kotor township in just on the right where the little thin wharf sticks out.
1423-1426/2018:
Back toward Kotor on the right and Tivet on the left.
1427-1429/2018:
Made it to the top of Mount Lovcen. [which was actually only 1800m above sea level. It seems a lot higher!
1430/2018: Lots of rock formations on the top of Mount Lovcen. Are we in Canada or Montenegro?
1431-1437/2018: We went on a little adventure today and found a small [deserted] village that just had some ruined buildings, one dog and one dirty old farmer. Felt very stalkerish creeping around this place. But the views were amazing. Some of the houses were still full of belongings but covered in dust and scattered everywhere, as if someone came in one day and told all the residents to leave with just the shirts on their backs...a bit creepy and strange.
1438/2018: I love this shot. Definitely one of my favourites. This is the picture on the cover of the Montenegro Lonley Planet Guide. So stoked to find and capture it in the city walls of Kotor. So many steps, so many broken walls, so much history. At the top the peacefulness was extraordinary. So quiet and relaxing. I spent about an hour just hanging out, taking it all in!
1439-1453/2018: One of my favourite places so far. So different from other places. The height of the mountains and the all the little villages scattered around the bay. This place is definitely worth having on your bucket list. You really need to experience this place for yourself.
1444/2018: This is Sveti Stefan, a small island beach resort just south of the Bay of Kotor. The island itself is not a private hotel resort including the beach to the right. The beach on the left is public and just as beautiful as the right.
Public vs Private??? which would you prefer.
1445/2018: This was the closest we got to Albania [about 20km to the left].
A boat missions around Lake Skadar, which is actually named after the town of Shkoder on the Albanian shores of the largest lake in Eastern Europe. Even though two thirds of this lake belongs to Montenegro.
1446-1448/2018: Such a beautiful lake, surrounded by wildlife, birds, and plant life. So many lily pads. Unfortunately the water was pretty filthy so no swimming for us. But the homemade donuts served on the boat were the BEST!
1449/2018: The roads in Montenegro are just BEAUTIFUL. So many twists and turns and something spectacular around every corner. The drive from where we were staying in Petrovac [just to the right of this picture] to Lake Skadar took about 40minutes and was just stunning the whole way. Make sure you hire a car when you visit Montenegro next!
1450-1452/2018: So many places to hang out and watch the sun do it's good thing. Petrovac you are such an amazing find!
1453/2018: We spent 3 days in the stunning Petrovac, Montenegro. Such a relaxing beach hub, with lots of places to explore, delicious food, yum food and lots of Russians
Very much off the beaten track and hidden by it's older siblings Budva, and Kotor!
1454-1457/2018: This was the biggest disappointment of our adventure so far. We ventured up to the Ostrog Monastery up in the Montenegro mountains. Everything I had read about this place suggested it was worth the visit and a must see while in Montenegro. But we were extremely disappointed. The road up to the monastery was beautiful, lots of twists and turns, and the view was impresive and the hike back down was a lot of fun including watching the sun drop below the mountains from teh side of the road. But the monastery was small and weird and unusual and uneducational and nothing was in english so to this day we have no idea why this place was built at 900m above sea leave 15km from the nearest town. Not impressed. Don't waste your time [unless you like roads and views].
1458/2018: Wow, Montenegro, you have been amazing. So much culture, amazing people and a coastline that just blows your mind. So many places to explore and experience and it must be on your bucket list if it isn't already. This view over Slansko Lake was such a beautiful way to end our Montenegro adventure.
1459-1460/2018: The Famous Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Not as blue as all the tourism pictures suggest. But still a beautiful place full of so much history that is still so raw following the war in 1991-1994. So interesting to hear the stories of some of the locals first hand especially after learning about it all while it was happening when I was at primary school. Very surreal being here.
1461/2018: So many beautiful stones here in Mostar. You have to be careful though as they are very slippery and it's easy to slip. Like the girl we saw bail and sprain her ankle - and then continue to walk on it while she was screaming out in pain. Silly girl. Hadn't she heard of the R.I.C.E principals?
1462/2018: Finally some nighttime photos. unfortunately I lost my lens hood in the process. It is a light piece of plastic and it was dark so it was a goner as soon as it hit the water. Boo!
1463-1464/2018: Kravica waterfalls in southern Bosnia. The best place to be when it is 36˚C outside. We has early onset Bronchitis so we kept our heads above water. But a stunning place to chill out and relax to the sound of the rushing water!
1465/2018: As a physiotherapist working with spinal injured clients this was such an awesome sight to see - a mobility hoist at the end of a ramp to allow people with limited impairment or disabilities to easily access the Adriatic. So good!
1466-1467/2018: With sickness on the rise, sitting on the beach with these beautiful colours on the rise was a relaxing way to get our mind off our worsening chests!
1468-1470/2018:
How can anyone not love the amazingness of clouds! So many beautiful cloud formations here in this Adriatic paradise village we stumbled upon called Makarska [Ma-Kars-ka]. So happy!
1471/2018:
A line from my head boy speech in 2005
"Hear all, See all, Say nout! You were given two eyes and two ears but only one mouth for a reason. Take the time to stop, look and listen to the world around you".
We definitely did that today. Stopped for a while after walking to the lighthouse on the point at Makarska, and just sat on the rocks and took in the beautiful world around us. The massive mountains, the blueness of the Adriatic ocean, the crashing of the waves, the scatters of the crabs [see below], the squeaking of the birds! Still happy!
1472/2018:
This little friend didn't want a bar of me. Running to hide every time I creeped near.
1473-1477/2018: So this happened while we were sitting on the rocks at the lighthouse!
1478/2018: This picture doesn't really do the justice it requires. It is so much bluer in person.
1479-1482/2018: We love life on the water. So todays mission out to the islands was pretty awesome. Cruising on a boat called Virginj, an old wooden sail boat. First stop was the small village of Jeslop on the Island of Hvar. Then to Bol on the island of Brac. Beautiful palaces. Clear water. Colourful fish. Fluffy clouds!
1483/2018:
Beautiful villages are scatters all over the Adriatric islands. But there is also lots of vineyards, and olive trees and cute little cottages, lush green bushes in between dry fields. such interesting contracts in landscapes but looks pretty cool against the bright blue water and clear blue skies!
1484/2018:
And then there is the height of the mountains behind this cool little village of Makarska.
You don't really notice it in the town, but from the ocean, these mountains are huge. Can't wait to explore them tomorrow. Chest pending. May not be able to explore then to the heights that we'd really like to.
1485-1487/2018: These might all look the same but they are all slightly different and show you the awesome power of physics. Light you are too fascinating!
1488/2018:
#justlookup
1489/2018:
#justlookfurther
1490/2018:
#justlookdown
1491/2018: After a few days of sickness and not being able to access a doctor we finally managed to find one that spoke English here in Makarska. A cute old lady who after a quick consult and a large fee [in Kunas] diagnosed me with bronchitis and Roderick with nasopharangotracheobronchitis and prescribed us both these Antibiotics and bronchial dilators for the next 8 days. Finally able to get better.
1492/2018: Without being able to walk the 6km up here thanksfully we have a speedy little Opal Corsa that got us up here along the best narrow windy roads [pull over section every 500m to let cars past if needed] for the entire 23km drive. Amazing. Best back up plan!
1493-1497/2018: Inuksuk [plural inuksiut] paradise
1498/2018: The highest church in Croatia. Only one church service is held here each year on the anniversary of Sveti Jure [St George].
Not sure why the roof is built on such a bad angle?
1499/2018: Such a beautiful walk around Sveti Jure. A little breathless but the freshness of the air up here is so good. #inmyhappyplace
1500/2018: A beautiful place to be for photo number 1500. Where will 200 be?
So excited we found this place to relax, unwind, stop, catch our breath and recover. When you are in Croatia next, make sure you stop here in Makarska. Definitely worth it!
Wow. I can't believe I'm up to photo 1500. When I started this adventure I had a little doubt, not to sure if I'd be able to hang in there, such a huge challenge and sometimes I think "why do I put my self through this". But I've learnt so much about myself and about the world of photos and I can't wait to get to number 2018. Just 518 to go!!!
SUPER EXCITED
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