The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

[Stacia]

I didn't expect Croatia to look so Italian!

 

[Candy]

I had never realised how near to Italy Croatia is, until we had a holiday in Croatia rather a lot of years ago. It's actually just a short hop across the Adriatic Sea!
It's beautiful, but I prefer the food in Italy. Not that I plan my travel destinations according to the food, of course!

 

[Lisa]

Fantastic pics! Looks like a wonderful place to visit! Thanks for taking us along

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I didn't expect Croatia to look so Italian!

Yes, especially Istria (the north where we started). All signage was in both Croatian and Italian, so I had a hard time even thinking I was in Croatia. I kept thinking it was like Italy organized by Germans as it was all so tidy (and the drivers weren’t as terrifying).

Since Zadar, I definitely feel we aren’t in Italy, but there are still many buildings with an Italian, especially Venetian flair.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

It's beautiful, but I prefer the food in Italy. Not that I plan my travel destinations according to the food, of course!

Ok, this is definitely Emily talking vs Carbón because I make his food and he’s eating well - and he eats poop so it wouldn’t matter regardless.

BUT…the food here has been a real issue for me. I’m sure restaurant or home-cooked food is delicious. I’m sure what you can buy in local traditional markets is delicious.

However what is available in supermarkets - and I’ve now tried five different chains - is absolutely appalling quality, plus more expensive when compared to other countries I travel in. I’ve never been somewhere in Europe where the food quality is so bad, especially fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. I’m really at a loss as to what to eat. Which is ok - I need to lose weight and it’s just temporary.

I asked my Croatian teacher about it and he said he won’t eat these things - especially meat - from a grocery store. He goes to the open air market for fruits and vegetables and a local butcher for meat. So I’m not casting aspersions on Croatian cuisine or food culture. But for someone just trying to get basics at the local Lidl, ewwww.

So yeah, here’s me enjoying Croatia a lot but still looking forward to driving back to Italy in a week or two to get some good groceries.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Hola amigos! Here is my final word on Šibenik. Even though we went days ago, I still had some final photos to show. It really was that good. Our Croatian teacher Tomislav says that I should be the new Šibenik tourism mascot, and I agree!

Some buildings - and a door handle - that would be right at home in Venice, qué bien.




There were so many stairs, which meant I had mucho trabajo to do helping ML. But that is bueno because… more cookies!


Sometimes a Spanish gentleman just needs to chill.


Many special surprises around every corner.




@Stacia and @Candy, here is more Italy inspiration for you!




Here is a friendly Dalmatian I would like to meet.


Pues, finally today we went to Split. I did not smile the whole day. So get ready for 26 photos of me giving my Life Is Very Serious face.

Maybe Split is just a serious place. Or maybe I find it muy divertido, very amusing, to see ML tell me over and over “Smile, big smile, pleeeease big smile” while passerby laugh at her. Sometimes you have to make your own fun, sabes?

 

[M.F.]

I loved Split. I was worried it would be plastic and touristy. Touristy, yes. But so beautiful and interesting. We took one of those “free” tour guides that you tip at the end. He was amazing. I think he was doing or had done a PhD in history.

We were on one of those smallish boats (sleep 40) that you see everywhere. So we ate breakfast and lunch on it. Dinner in restaurants. I cannot remember one memorable meal! Drab comes to mind. But I do remember how expensive Croatia was! The change to the Euro sent prices skyrocketing. It was so disappointing, cos a year earlier it had been a cheap place to travel. Nevertheless I loved it. Would love to go back.

I am so enjoying seeing your photos! Of course, Carbon is the main attraction!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I loved Split. I was worried it would be plastic and touristy. Touristy, yes. But so beautiful and interesting.

I also thought it would be touristy in a bad way from what I’d read online, but also really enjoyed it. I loved that over from Roman times - when Diocletian’s Palace was built - to now, the inhabitants just kept building into and around the original structures. It’s a crazy mishmash that was fascinating to poke around in.

Split as a modern city looked like a nice place to live. Sure, Diocletian’s Palace is super touristy, but once outside of what is a pretty small area, it seemed like there were normal stores, markets, etc.

I can’t imagine what it must be like in high season, though. Carbón and I arrived on Saturday at 7:30 am and it was already hopping. I didn’t take many photos of him because there were too many people and delivery carts - he would have gotten swept up in it all or in the way. I think for this reason I liked Šibenik better - there were more quiet backstreets. But definitely still a thumbs up from me and I’m glad we went .

Agreed that Croatia is no longer inexpensive. Poor Croatians got hit with the double burden of switching to be Euro and post-COVID inflation at the same time.

For my own costs on this trip, it’s been more economical than if I’d stayed in Germany - and MUCH better weather - so I’m happy with the decision to come down here.

We were on one of those smallish boats (sleep 40) that you see everywhere. So we ate breakfast and lunch on it. Dinner in restaurants. I cannot remember one memorable meal! Drab comes to mind

Interesting! Maybe it’s not just me. Oh well, always pluses and minuses, right? I watched an Anthony Bordain episode (pretty old obviously) on Croatia and he found great food. So maybe you didn’t find the secret and I haven’t either.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Here comes Spleeeeet! Or ‘Split’ without my magnificent Andalusian accent, no? ML and I left before sunrise to get a parking spot in the old town. She was a leeeetle nervous about driving into another big city with tiny narrow streets, but I was not worried. There are no tinier streets than the lanes in Cornbeefwall and so far we have not gotten stuck between a stone hedge and a double decker bus, so I say she has pretty good driving nerves, sabes?

Now mañana when we drive into the center of Dubrovnik? That is something else. If I report back tomorrow, you know we made it. If not? It could be the TARDIS is stuck in a medieval wall and will feature in the next series of Game of Thrones.

Entonces, here is my first set of photos for Split. There are not so many of me as ML was a leeetle concerned I may get trampled by the crowds. Or that I would run into an open bakery. Equally likely to happen, de verdad!

Here is the new part of Split, which is still old, but not ROMAN old.




Now we are in the Roman bit. This was all a retirement palace for Diocletian. He was the first - maybe only? - emperor to retire. Which is pretty intelligente because some emperors who outstayed their welcome met a famously gruesome ending.



We liked that there were plenty of non-tourists doing normal Saturday morning things, like this woman going grocery shopping at the market with her trolley.


And here I am in the heart of the palace: peak Romanness, no?

 

[Stacia]

Carbon definitely has a Roman nose in the one photo Do you take the photos very early in the morning as not many (if any!) people about?

 

[Jacqui-S]

These photos are really so lovely.
So sad if the food is not inspiring cos the photos certainly are.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

We are on the road to Dubrovnik! It is very twisty and turny and we both will be very happy to arrive.

But also it is very pretty!

 

[M.F.]

Those Croatian roads are very twisty. And narrow! The trucks are wider than the lanes. And people drive soooo fast. We rented a car for two days. I drove. It was terrifying! Needless to say, I am impressed that you took your car!

 

[Stacia]

We are on the road to Dubrovnik! It is very twisty and turny and we both will be very happy to arrive.

But also it is very pretty!
View attachment 46094View attachment 46095

You look as pretty as the view and never get older