Last weekend, two of my good friends and I had the opportunity to go to Croatia! After hearing from out supervisor that it was absolutely beautiful, and from one of our lecturers that it has "the best beaches in Europe" we decided we just had to go. We planned it on a long weekend and found the perfect flight which was pretty cheap! Early on Friday, May first, in the morning, we set off on our adventure to Split! Along with briefly telling what I did, I will share my feelings and thoughts, and how this trip shaped my view of Croatia, and Europe.
We stayed in Split for 3 nights. We visited Omiš on Saturday, Brač Island: Bol Beach on Sunday, and Diocletian's Palace in Split on Monday. All were unique in their beauty and I made some incredible memories at each place.
My first impression of Croatia when we booked our trip, was that it was going to be really warm because it was far South and we were going to get really great tans! Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Only after the trip was coming an end did we realize that it is almost exactly across from Nebraska (maybe even the same line of latitude!), and that Nebraska was even having better weather than we were in Split! It just didn't seem fair :)... However, we did get plenty of beach time and the weather on Sunday was really great!
Once arriving, I realized that we were going to need lots of help. Though its not always easy, I learned that asking someone along the road or looking for advice from a stranger isn't always bad when you're lost. There are so many friendly people in this world that are willing to help, and they know the area much better than I do with a map...did I mention I'm useless with a map?! The people at the hostel we were staying at, were some of the most kind people I have ever met. They went above and beyond my expectations, by giving us things to do in the time frame we had, letting us borrow towels for free, and offering up a private room for us when we had booked a 6 person mixed room. They were full of such interesting facts and information about the area and I am so grateful we had the opportunity to meet them! Sometimes, I get the feeling that people in the Czech (and in some of the other places we've traveled in Europe) are not very friendly and that Americans are somewhat of a nuisance to them, but it was refreshing to have such friendly hosts in Croatia. They understood that all we wanted was to learn about Split and Croatia, and they take such pride in their home that they loved sharing with us. They definitely altered my opinion about European people and their attitude towards Americans!
My last learning experience in Croatia was that the history and geography are much more rich than I thought they would be. It was a home to pirates at one time, Dalmatia (Split) might just be the birth place of the Dalmatian breed of dog, and they have hundreds of islands off the coast in the Adriatic Sea. They are also very, very comfortable with their bodies and nudity. These are just a few examples of course!
My short time in Croatia left me wanting to learn more and to visit again! The Croatian people are so kind and understanding; the island of Brač and the city of Split are absolutely gorgeous; and I have learned so much more about Europe. I hope my final remaining trips are as eye opening and amazing as Croatia was!
Omiš boat ride up the river.
Peovica Fotress in Omiš
What Diocletian's Palace looked like when it was built
Bol Beach
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