calling from some city...

Today was going to be a busy day of traveling because we were heading to Hvar, an island off the coast of Split, Croatia. Initially we were going to spend these 2 nights in Split, but Scott had been to Split before, and even though his visit was brief he didn’t remember much worth visiting. We had gotten several recommendations on our travels to go to Hvar, so we changed our plans about 10 days ago. I was very excited for beach time, and expected Hvar to be gorgeous. 

We wanted to arrive in Hvar as soon as possible, but that proved to be difficult because of the ferry times leaving Split. There was a ferry leaving at 11 am or a ferry leaving at 2:30. While we wanted to be on the earlier ferry, logistically it didn’t work out. We had a 3 hour drive from Plitvice to Split, and we needed to figure out where we would park our car for 2 nights. We also needed to buy tickets. We toyed with the idea of leaving Plitvice at 7 am, but the night before we were unable to find the owners of the villa to pay them. Since they were expecting us for breakfast at 8:15 am the next morning, we decided just to take the later ferry because that way we would not have to rush.

So Scott woke me up at 8, we packed up, and ate breakfast. We were on the road shortly before 9. A quick stop at the market provided us with sandwich fixings for lunch, and we started the drive to Split. Once again, this proved to be very easy given the good quality of the roads and the extensive signs pointing you exactly where you want to go. We arrived in Split shortly before noon, and had to decide where to park. We drove towards the port, hoping to find a lot as close to there as possible. A young woman directing traffic at the port proved helpful. She pointed us in the direction of the parking lot, but warned it might be full. Sure enough it was. Since it was a one-way street we had to keep driving. We weren’t sure what the next move would be, but we saw a blue “P” sign and checked that parking lot out. We immediately were thrilled to learn we could park for 2 days, at a very reasonable (actually, pretty cheap) price.

Parking was thus taken care of much quicker than we expected. It was then time to buy tickets for the ferry. Luckily, the ticket booth is right by the port and we had no trouble getting a ticket for the 2:30 ferry. Since we were literally standing right in front of where the boat would leave from, Scott and I decided to just to sit on a bench facing the port and eat our lunch. It was a beautiful day out, so it was nice to be in the sun, and I love just staring out at the ocean. 

Soon it was 2 and we boarded the ship for our 2:30 pm departure. Luckily this boat had outdoor seating, and we snagged a good spot to camp out for the next hour and a half. The ride went smoothly; mostly, Scott and I just listened to music, and he did some blogging. Unlike the ferry ride to Santorini, we never really entered the open sea, given that Hvar is so close to the mainland of Croatia. Thus, other islands were constantly in view, making the trip there very scenic. The only problem with the ferry ride was the fact that nearly everyone around us was chain smoking the entire trip. Scott and I constantly had other people’s smoke blowing in our faces, and it was disgusting. The number one issue I have with Europe is the fact that so many more people smoke, and it’s allowed in public settings. It’s really awful and I can’t believe people are just allowed to blow secondhand smoke in other’s faces like that. I mean, I saw people smoking at the Plitvice National Lakes Park! Ugh. Europe is so enivornmentally conscious compared to the US and generally much more concerned with being “green” which I think it awesome, but something simple like preventing smoking in restaurants, parks, and bars they don’t do. It’s mind-boggling.

Anyways. We got to Stari Grad, which is a town on the island, and had to take a bus to Hvar Town, where we would be staying. Luckily the buses are timed to meet the incoming ferries, so it was very easy to get on the bus and we arrived in Hvar after a 20 minute ride. We arrived at the bus station and after a 10 minute walk, we arrived at our hostel for the night. Because we booked the Hvar trip so late, we were unable to find a cheap place to stay for both nights. So we are in one hostel one night and then have to transfer to another one tomorrow that is close by. Our hostel is really nice with a very cool outdoor terrace patio and bar. We are in a 10 bed dorm, and the beds are absolutely crammed together. I can barely fit in the space between me and Scott’s bunk beds and the ones next to us. But it’s clean and the bathroom was huge and spotless, so it’s fine. Unfortunately for Scott, he was once again the only boy in the room (with 9 girls).

It was about 5 pm so we decided to relax on the beach for a couple hours. We walked around town for a bit to check things out, and just decided to sit on the chairs that were placed on the large rocks. Hvar is really pretty. All of the houses are cream-colored with terra cotta roofs, and there are a lot of flowers everywhere. Hvar is known for its lavender, apparently. There were lots of boats in the marina, and everyone was concentrated on the beaches, shops, bars, and restaurants that surround the marina. The sea is incredibly clear, with very blue-green water. I think of all the seas we have seen on this trip, the Adriatic is the most striking and beautiful. While Scott went for a swim, I was content just to stare out at the sea in front of me.

After relaxing and reading for a couple hours, we watched the sunset at 8pm and then headed to the supermarket to buy food for dinner. We decided on tortellini with meat sauce; I was excited because tortellini is my favorite food and Scott’s meat sauce with added hamburger meat, onions, and peppers is really good. We got all the food and went back to the hostel, where Scott whipped up the meal. We ate on the outdoor terrace, and it was delicious as usual. As we ate, we reflected on the trip as the whole and talked about how we were looking forward to the last 5 days. We knew Hvar and Dubrovnik would be a great- and relaxing- end to the trip. 

We showered and decided to go out. Unfortunately, Hvar is extremely expensive. It is, after all, a resort town. So we finished the sangria that Djuro and Ljubica had bought us, and then did some window shopping at all of the cute outdoor shops/stands along the harbor. We got delicious gelato- of course- and enjoyed walking around. It seemed like everyone was out partying; Hvar would definitely be an awesome place to be if you were with a large group of friends and had money to spend. At about 1 am, we decided to go back to the hostel and get some sleep. 

Full day of beaching it in Hvar tomorrow.