island hopping – Travels with Lori

June 27, 2019

This morning we start our journey to Hvar. Hvar is another island in the Adriatic Sea and is best known as a luxurious summer vacation destination. It is also known as the sunniest island in Croatia and for its beautiful and fragrant lavender fields. Hvar Town has swanky hotels, elegant restaurants and it is the place to see and be seen-rubbing shoulders with posh yachties and hundreds of young partygoers.

Good morning from the MS Maritimo!

Breakfast onboard is really nice, there’s a nice variety from meats and cheeses, to fruits, muesli and yogurts to eggs, bacon and breads.

Later on in the morning we stopped for our daily swim and there was a tiny beach not far from where we anchored so we took the dinghy to explore.

Nevin and I ready to explore

I loved walking around the shallows near the rocks and looking for sea creatures. I saw a lot of sea urchins, made me really hungry but I don’t know how to open them to eat them! There were also a lot of sea slugs, which I don’t like to eat! So it was tough to walk around on the pebbly bottom but fun to explore!

While it was beautiful, I preferred swimming from the ship, no worries about walking on the bottom!

Fun with the floats

My cool toes in the water

Morena, one of our hostesses

Just watching the swimmers as I dry off

Look at that water!

Captain Dino going over the maps with us.

Beautiful lunch today! Our starter was grilled zucchini and eggplant rolled around soft cheese.

There is the harbor in Hvar with the 13th Century Fortress keeping watch over the town.

We couldn’t get a place to dock, it was so busy. So we went for another swim to kill some time and then had a local wine and olive oil tasting onboard.

Time for a nap!

Walking into Hvar town on the beautiful promenade.

Ready for a night of fun!

Our hostesses Morena and Natasa

Cocktail Hour in Hvar

The main square is anchored by the Renaissance-era Hvar Cathedral.

Notice the worn step on the left side under the bottom of the door. That is the side the commoners would use.

The pjaca, is what they call the main square which is the largest square in Dalmatia. Originally part of the bay, the land was filled in and fully paved in 1780 and the fountain in the square dates back to 1520.

More beautiful side streets.

If you look at the top of the picture, you see the holes in the building around the windows. These were for a pole to be put in and either used as a pulley to bring things up to their home or hang a wet blanket for natural air conditioning.

The beautiful Pjaca

We went to dinner as the sun was setting.

Thinly sliced octopus, local tuna tartare, sea bass ceviche, oil cured anchovies, and white anchovies.

Beef carpaccio, local sharp cheese, beef Tartare, butter slices, liver pate, carmelized onions and arugula salad.

Fried calamari

Local catch-baby clams, mussels, grilled squid, grilled tuna, huge prawns called scampi.

Summer night life in Hvar is one of the best on the Adriatic. The town is alive at night and partying goes on all night long!

We took a long walk after dinner and the island started to get going. Music was starting, the bars and cafes were filling up.

We sat out here at these high tables, there was a balmy breeze and a great fun vibe. We sat with a bunch of friends and had a really nice evening.

Good night Hvar!

June 24, 2019

Luggage update, I followed up this morning with Aeroflot and the Tivat Airport Lost & Found department. They were hoping it might arrive this morning on the 9:15am flight from Moscow…it didn’t…so back to the same clothes as yesterday. I did get an email later that day that it was on the same flight today that I took yesterday, arriving at 5:30pm in Tivat-I was excited.

My driver was supposed to pick me up at 10am this morning but that had to be put off. They didn’t know how long it would take to send it to me once I cross the country into Croatia, they couldn’t do that easily.

We arrived to the airport at 5:30pm on our way to Dubrovnik. I went in with a positive feeling and lost and found said is this your bag? It wasn’t, they said this is what they sent….I went out to the belt to look around for myself….nothing. I started crying because I didn’t know what we could do. They were figuring out a plan and planned them to send from Moscow to Zagreb then Split-where I’m cruising from. I was just so worried I wouldn’t have it in time for departure. So I walked out defeated, red eyes and head down. As I was walking down the steps the lost and found lady ran out to me, there’s another bag they just found. We excitedly ran in and the belt starts again and my bag appeared! I was so happy I hugged her! Fresh, clean clothes and all my stuff!!

I got in the car and Zoran and I headed up to Croatia! Since it was after 6pm and he knew the tricks, we went to the less popular border crossing and got through in about 10 minutes.

The approach into Dubrovnik was spectacular as the sun was setting! So we stopped at a high vantage point and admired the beauty of the walled city.

Since the Old Town is completely surrounded by a wall, I was dropped off at one of the gates. As I navigated through Dubrovnik, it was already starting to hop, music, people, cafes, a lively scene. I couldn’t wait to get out and experience it.

Dubrovnik’s riches came from shipbuilding and the salt trade and has a beautiful old port, Stara Luka nested behind St. John’s Fort.

I am right on the famous Stradun or Placa-the main thoroughfare through town. The place to see and be seen. It was very busy but the cruise ships left so the crowds weren’t as bad at night.

Dubrovnik is the “Pearl of the Adriatic” and flourished in the 15th and 16th centuries. Luckily it never developed that socialist dullness like many of the other cities did during the Tito years of Yugoslavia. It was always the the glittering tourist destination bringing in money. Until 1991 when it was the only coastal city in Croatia to be dragged into the war and the city was devastated and tourism gone. Today it is back and better than ever albeit too many tourists!

I went to Dalmatino on recommendation for great seafood and atmosphere and it didn’t disappoint!

I ordered cold dry glass of local Rose to start, Local Tuna Sashimi with Mixed Salad, Spring Onions and Black Risotto with Cuttlefish-made with the ink from the cuttlefish-it had a very distinctive briny taste, I loved it. The dinner was even better than I expected.

I don’t mind going out to dinner alone at all, I actually enjoy it once in a while. I like to read and enjoy my food slowly plus the waiters always talk to me so I enjoy learning about new people.

Probably the hardest part after dinner was where to go?! Every door in every alley was spilling with music and people. Outdoor cafes lined the streets too and every seat was full. Groups of friends were laughing and having fun going from place to place. Dubrovnik has a great nightlife!

The views from my window were pretty and right on the Stradun so I could hear all the fun but it was so hot I had to close the windows and put on the air conditioner.

The best time to enjoy Dubrovnik’s Old Town is early morning before the day trippers and cruise ship guests descend upon the town. I really enjoyed seeing the town like this!