Mostar nights

Micah and I both loved Mostar. It is a small city in Bosnia famous for its bridge and the jumpers that diver from it. We stayed in a great but very simple hostel. The family was so kind. We stumbled upon a city tour with the owners son-in-law because we asked about tours to the surrounding towns and they said they had the city tour also. Our guide gave us a wonderful first hand account of what it was like living in Mostar during the war and how people survived. He also explained to us the history of the divers (he was one when he was younger). We even had train the special divers club house above the bridge. Mostar is very interesting because the old town has been completly restored but there are still many bonded out buildings around town. That night we had an amazing dinner at areally good touristy place that offered a local sampler (stuffed grape leaves, stuffed peppers, the local sausage dish in puffy pita bread and more).
The next day we did a tour of the surrounding area with a dingy Canadian girl and a fun swiss couple. We went to a muslim religious site that is the source of a river, winery (actually someones basement with yucky wine, Micah gave the old lady some money for letting come), waterfalls you can actually swim in and I even stood underneath a fall (there were nit even that many people there and it was free), then a new catholic pilgrimage place where these teenaged saw Mary in the mountains in 1981( the Vatican does not acknowledge it yet), then we went ti this centuries old walled in old town that a fee people live in but many of the houses were abandoned because the the war damage. The Bosnia countryside is so lush and green. It is filled with grapevines, corn fields and all kinds of other produce. Mostar had such. A great feel! I loved walking around! But it was very hot during the day!! That night we had a locally caught fish meal at our hostel with the Swiss couple. We had a great time talking with them, I think we kept them up to late. The guy teased me about my love for RS ( Rick steves) and I teased him and Micah about their love of the LP ( lonely planet). It was fun!!

Dubrovnik, Montenegro and Bug Bites

So we spent two and half days with Dubrovnik. It is funny that this is the city that got this whole trip going we did not stay that long.
As soon as we got to Dubrovnik we found a lady at the bus station that was offering rooms to stay at her house. These are called Sobes here and are very common. So we dropped our stuff off and then we walked the long walk to the Old Town of Dubrovnik. It is very famous for its walls and white buildings and orange tiles rooves. It is very striking against the blue sea!! So we walked the walls in the heat of the day on Sunday because it was SO crowded with people from the cruise ships. We thought it would be to hot for them, which it was for the most part. But the views from the all are amazing!! The thing is that most of Old Town Dubrovnik was destroyed during the Homeland war in 1991/1995. The whole place has since been retiled and repaired. There are some great museums, many shops and cafes in the old town with stunning views. We even saw a nude swimmer on one of the cafes tat is on the edge of the old town wall. We had a lovely pasta dinner and out waiter saw our Rick Steves book and said he waited on him. Who knows.
That night we got really eaten up by mosquitos and I am still dealing with them now on Wednesday.
The next day we took a day long tour of Montenegro. A small country right next to Croatia, it has some beaches and some mountains and is very poor. We went on a big bus and took these crazy turns going to Kotor and Kotor Bay. The Bay of Kotor almost looks like Norway with steep cliffs and interesting bays. Kotor has a small but lovely Old Town. We even stumbled upon a Orthodox service, it was SO interesting!! Then we went to a small mountain village for lunch of smoked ham and stinky cheese. We ended up in what used to he their capital when Montenegro had a King, before world war 1. We went to their one and only King's palace. Just like a cool old house with interesting stuff inside, presents from many monarchys around the world.
Then we ended the day in Budvar, which is a beach town. It is next to the island of Sveti Stephan (sounds like sweaty stephan( where George Cloney has a house.
Then on Monday morning we went on a Cable Car above the city where there is a fort and a museum from the Homeland War, small but itneresting.
The only thing about Dubrovnik that was a little disappointing was that we really felt like tourists. It had amazing scenery but it was hard to get the real soul of the town.

Korcula

So July 9th and 10th we are spending in Korcula. A small island north of Dubrovnik. It is so wonderful here. We took a bus ride to Split, which is famous for its Diocletian's Palace. I thought it was cool how the modern town just kinda winds its way through this ancient ruins. Micah was not impressed because there were a lot of pushy and rude people.
We took a fast boat to Korkula and had no idea what really to expect (many people said it was great, like Ellen). We were so surprised by this amazing little sleepy town that is SO easy to walk around. We were met when we got off the boat by a ton of people trying to get you to take a room. We got a room from a you boy (about 13) for about 40 dollars a night. It is right in town and has a bathroom in the room. Last night we had an wonderful dinner of fresh fish and mussels and wine. We also watched part of Sex in the City 2 in an outdoor theater!! It was in English with Croatian Subtitles. I totally thought of my Sex in the City girls!!
Must go now. No more internet time:(

Sibenik

We spent the rest of July 7th traying to get to Sibenik (which is a very small coastal town in Croatia). We did stop and walk around Zadar. Zadar is famous for its Old Town and Sea Organ. Both a let down...the sea organ makes weird moaning type sounds as the water pushes against holes in the seaside sidewalk basically. It does have a pretty old twon but there were a lot of annoying tourists.
But Sibenik was simply amazing!! It is a small quiet town with boats going in a out and an huge beautiful church and a castle. It reminded us a lot of Cinque Terra in Italy! It is also close to Krka National Park, lake that goes into a waterfall you can swim in. We went there on July 8th. Unfortunately, that morning at the bus station a women gave Micah back the wrong change and we did not catch it in time because we were afraid we would miss the bus. We went back and asked her about it and she said no and was ugly. It is sad when people steal. But the waterfalls were very cool! The water was very nice! There were a ton of loud annoying tourists around which distracted from it.

Plikvice Lakes

July 6th and July 7th we spent in Plikvice Lakes!

Plikvice Lakes are a system of 14 lakes and waterfalls that are the most amazing blue and aqua colors surrouneded by beautiful lush green forests! Grandma and Grandpa O Connor would really love this! It is a very large tourist attraction for Eastern European, Italian and German people. When took a train and then a bus to get there. The bus driver dropped us off at the WRONG bus stop and we had to walk over a mile up and down with our backpacks! But when we got our stuff put away and start adventuring it was well worth it. Micah thought it reminded him of something out of the Lord of the Rings! When we got there in the afternoon there were TONS of people there it was crayz but then as it got later we felt like the only people in the Park!! The park os so large that you have to take shuttle buses and boats to get around.
That evening it rained again but we had an umbrella and a poncho (sometimes prepared). We had a great traditional dinner at the park restraunt. Micah had goulash (again, he LOVES it)! Then our hotel looked like it was straight out of the Tito days (old dictator of Yugoslavia) but it had a really soft bed.
Then next day we got up early and explored somemore. We saw the Big Waterfall with a rainbow in front of it!! Magical!! Then we left for Zadar and Sibenik.

Skocjan Caves

July 5th was the Skocjan Caves.
It takes about 2 hours to wind your way through the tour of these caves!! They are HUGE!!
On the way back to Libb-J Micah and I met some really cool (also HOT, I thought so but kept to myself) Canadian guys that were traveling all over Europe. We had a really great talk with them.
Then that night when we checked out the lady gave Micah the wrong check out slip. She gave him one with the name of ANOTHER SOBCYZK at the hotel from Poland!! Can you believe it? Another Sobcyzk!!
The next morning we left on the train for Croatia.

Sad to Leave Ljubljana

Ljubljana (pronounced Lube-Lee-Anna) is one of the most wonderful cities I have ever visited! It is filled with beautiful buildings, squares, rambling river, pretty bridges, cobbled streets, friendly funky people and good food!
It is the capital of Slovenia, which used to be the most prosperous part of Yugoslavia. The old town is wonderful place to walk, people watch, have a bite to eat or a drink. Micah and I got here on Saturday night and this place was hoping! We had an amazing meal on the patio of a very tasteful restraunt. We had tomato guaspacho with buffalo mozzerella and I had veal chop with hollandaise sauce and Micah had mushroom and goose procutto rissotto. Super yummy!!
Then yesterday we walked all around the town. We had to stop and have a drink at a bar because there was a crazy thunderstorm that came out of NO where. But we had a chance to have Grapefruit Radler (radler is a German beer that is usually a mix of light beer and lemon soda only found in Munich).
I would suggest this city to anyone that likes Munich, Prague or Amsterdam. The other thing about Ljubljana is that it is so small that it is easy to navigate by foot.
Chat Later
Sarah and Micah