Awesome holiday to Croatia

We've been back from holiday a few days and I've finally recovered from the return journey (of which more later) enough to get started on this update. It really was a lovely holiday and I highly recommend Croatia to anyone who is looking for a relaxing beach holiday.

Welcoming our awesome house-sitter

On the road for our holidays

Having dinner with our friends

The sun comes up while we're travelling

Bosnia is a beautiful country

Dirty windscreen and mountains in the distance

I really struggled to take a picture of this river

Some big lumps of rock by the road

The first thing that has to happen for any holiday is our house sitter needed to arrive. Angela went to collect her from the bus station and Rosie got ready (including decorating her room and dressing up specially in her cape and grandma's hat) and was waiting when Donna arrived. She settled in very quickly, the puppies were very happy to see her, and it was great to know our life would be looked after so well for our return. We were up normally the next morning and didn't rush out the door but left about 8 or so and drove through the day to arrive up with Steve in the north of the country where we were breaking the trip. We relaxed and chatted (and I slept a bit) before heading out for food at a local village and then heading to bed early. For some reason I woke at 2am and so we left their house a little earlier than initially planned but this turned out to be a great decision. Our initial plan was to head up and over Serbia and down the length of Croatia so we set our satnav for this route. The first border between Bulgaria and Serbia was very quick with no traffic at all and we sped on our way following the satnav. Then we turned a corner and suddenly were at another border crossing (again with no queues) but this was actually leading us into Bosnia which we had initially decided to avoid! We were committed, however, and it turned out to be a really lovely drive and the country is beautiful. Rosie got a little sick at one point due to the super-windy roads through the mountains but she was fine after that one incident. We then reached the border between Bosnia and Croatia and suddenly we were in a nearly two hour queue to get through the single checkpoint and that was tedious! No matter, with much frustration, we made it through and then drove the last hour or so to our accommodation, including a 15km tunnel right through the mountain range!

A beautiful panorama from the balcony

Sat down for our first dinner on holiday

I must be on holiday

Rosie tucking in to her burger

Loads of fish in the sea

It was a little complex trying to find the location however we were able to ring the host and she guided us in and showed us where to park. What a stunning place, and the view from the balcony was out of this world. We settled ourselves in (having arrived at about 4pm) and went for a swim straight away before getting set and going for dinner at one of the two restaurants that were within a couple of minutes of the cottage. Food was really nice, the service was good, and I welcomed the holiday with a beer. Rosie enjoyed her burger very much and then was loving watching the fish swimming around just below the dock that the restaurant was built on.

Rosie looking at the long distance swimmer

There he is

Rosie had a doughnut for breakfast

Fishes jumping in the bay

Rosie doing some drawing while we prepare for the day

I was up early the next morning and went for my morning swim which took place off the rocky area directly below the cottage. Rosie wanted to join me to tell me about the fish jumping so she followed me down a little while after I left but was stopped by the hostess and sent back inside. She didn't repeat this stunt thankfully. The swim was lovely! After that I went back up and found everyone awake, because of Rosie's excursion, so we sat on the balcony for a bit and then I went and picked up breakfast from the bakery and ate that on the balcony. We were enjoying watching the sea and seeing all the activity including lots of fish jumping and a long distance swimmer who went all the way across the bay and then back again. It was a nice relaxing start to the holiday.

Rosie and I swimming together

Lunch time with Roo

Having a game of Snake on the table

Pizza on the balcony

The sun sets behind the ridge

Angela bought us some ice creams

More games on the balcony

We had been told about a nice beach that was a short walk up the cliffs from us so we packed ourselves and headed over, past very loud cicadas and some posh apartments. When we got down to the little beach there was only one other family there and we went straight into the water and had a lovely time, though all the time more and more people arrived. We stayed until lunch then headed back to the cottage for lunch and a game of snake and a rest. Dinner was pizza and ice-cream and then more games of snake on the balcony.

Rosie using Grandad's binoculars

A wind shadow reveals the gusts

The view from our coffee spot

Settling into our place on the boat

Rosie is loving her boat trip

This is the new bridge

Looking up the river

Rosie excited with her ice-cream

Meeting a little pony

It's time to paddle

Sitting right at the front of the boat

Beautiful reflections on the river

Crazy person on zipwire

Rosie with a sea food pasta

On the Monday we had arranged to meet one of Angela's friends who has lived in Croatia for many years. I was up early but a strong wind had picked up in the night and I left Rosie watching the wind-shadows on the sea before walking down to have my swim. It was pretty cold and I was not in for very long before coming back to warm up. We headed out early enough and met Angela's friend in a lovely cafe right on the banks of a river. We had time for a good chat before walking over to our boat hire which would take us up the river. It was absolutely lovely with such beautiful views and we all really enjoyed it. Rosie had brought her sailing hat and was the Captain of this voyage. The trip was up the river (under the new bridge which was quite impressive) to a location with food, ice creams and a little paddling beach. After ice-cream we made our way to the beach where me and Rosie did paddle (I also was asked to film a guy swimming in the river - strange but OK) and we saw some ponies both on the way there and back again. Too soon it was time to get back in the boat and head on the return trip which was stunning once again and included seeing some crazy person on the zip wire going over the river! When we got back to the starting point we all went into Maisie and drove a little way out of town to a really nice restaurant where we had some lovely food before Rosie and I went for a swim (the water was a little warmer by this time) and then headed home for a rest. It was a great day out!

Small waves of very cold water

That was bracing!

Wind blowing up spray! Incredible

Rosie is so beautiful

Makarska marina

Rosie loves icecream

Rosie with her new teddy on the submersible

Lots of fish 

Rosie watching the fish

Back top-side on the way back in

The next morning when I woke it was still very windy so I went to a different beach (the one we swam from the day we arrived) and there were actually waves and when I went in for my swim it physically hurt it was so cold! I was in and out in about five minutes. I went back to find Rosie waiting for me and we watched the spray blown up by the wind across the bay - it was VERY windy. After breakfast on the balcony (again from the bakery) we decided to change our plans. We had originally said we would spend the day on the beach here but it was too cold and too windy so we packed up and drove down to Makarska. This is a town I was aware of as a friend from years back lives here however I didn't have contact with her so couldn't reach out. No matter, it's a beautiful place and we had a lovely time. It was VERY hot so we were dodging from shade to cover. We walked round the bay to see if the big wheel was operating but it only runs at night so then we headed back, got some ice cream, and booked onto a semi-submersible boat/submarine thing. There was a yellow one but Rosie chose the red one. It was awesome, lots of fish, and Rosie loved it.

Sat on the high stools

Food arrived - noodles and a burger

Rosie reaching for the water

Lots of streets like this

A traditional sweet shop of awesome

Having a snooze after milk-shake

Getting a swim in late

Rosie with her prawn salad

Once we were off the boat we headed back to a street food place we had seen while walking around and had some lovely noodles (Rosie had a burger) and then we headed for a walk to explore the town. It was a lovely place as I've said, with beautiful architecture and open squares with fountains but Rosie was most impressed as we walked along and spotted a traditional sweet shop. We bought a load of sweets for all of us which was a lot of fun. It was super warm so we had a bit of a rest after drinking some lovely milkshake (bought from the same shop we got our ice-cream from at the beginning of the day) and then we were back in the car and driving home. The breeze had died down a lot so we made our way over to the "Party Beach" as Rosie called it (there were some inflatables moored there) and had a swim, went on the inflatable for a couple of minutes (we were supposed to pay but the guy gave it for free) and then we went to a new restaurant for our dinner. This was absolutely lovely, more expensive but higher class food. A lovely day all round.

Fire on the hills!

That night while I slept Angela was sat on the balcony and watching as a fire started to spread over by Makarska. She took a picture and showed it me the next day, though I hadn't realised this had happened and thought it was clouds, not smoke!

Sunrise through lots of smoke

A fire fighting plane heads to the fire

Meeting the bunny

Awesome classic car on the way in

By the lucky toe

The romans attacked us!

One of the many statues around

Heading underground

Really well preserved Roman flooring

Time for a rest and some ice-cream

The next day I didn't even try to swim as it was still very windy and I didn't fancy freezing myself again however I did get a picture of the sunrise through what I thought were clouds but then found out was smoke. We were meeting Angela's friend again today in Split to have a day of touristy stuff so headed off relatively early and reached her flat in good time to meet the bunny then get in an uber into town. It was another really hot day and there was a lot of walking but it was also epic. On the way into the palace we met some students dressed as Romans and got some pictures taken with them. Then more walking and exploring and lots of cool architecture and amazing history before we made our way to a lovely square the was open at one end looking out to the bay where we had ice-cream.

But you will have to wait for the next update to hear about that as this is already way too long! Back soon with the rest of the holiday.