Dobrodošli na Dubrovnik!

Welcome to Dubrovnik!



We arrived in Dubrovnik with no place to stay. Deciding to be adventurous and not waste time better spent venturing the city, we approached a group of nearly 30 gawking men and women that swarm tourists when departing nearly any mode of transportation in Europe. Completely intimidated and unsure how to handle the situation we stood in horror for a minute or so, like innocent bystanders, but alas we were spotted and a woman ran over showing us pictures of her room, the beautiful terrace and informed us it had a private bathroom. We accepted, climbed into her tiny car and off we went to some unknown room...

Yelena, our host, had informed us our room would be about a 20 minute walk into town. She was in fact correct, but forgot to mention we would descend about 200,000 stairs on the way into town, and yes…that also means we got to climb that many stairs to return home. It felt as though we were on a Stair Master for the entire time we were in Dubrovnik. Our butts and thighs are loving and hating us! Our room was fine…clean and comfortable…and it did have a lovely view. The decorations were a bit skeptical…with tacky, brightly covered sheets complete with smiling sunflowers. The walls felt as though we had stepped into a catholic church covered with pictures of angles, Mother Mary, and various saints. The terrace looked out over the entire city and far off into the distance. There was also an awning of ripe grapes over head. They were perfectly ripe and a free snack…unfortunately Matt hates grapes with seeds (which is the only thing we have been able to find).

We set out on our first descent into town, headed for the beach, only to bestow upon Stari Grad, the Old Town. The city walls themselves are an incredible sight…powerful and protective. According to Lonely Planet, “the entire Old Town is contained within a curtain of stone over 2km long and up to 25m high.”


Upon entering the drawbridge we found ourselves meandering down small streets and alleys...the floor being the most beautiful, shiny marble we had ever seen…it looked like sleek shiny pearls…so (naturally) I was in heaven!





As we walked through town we came across a traditional Croatian folk dancing group with dancers of all ages performing a jig.



Further up the road we heard the echo’s of men singing loudly, chanting, and quite drunk sounding cheering. As we walked closer we came across a large group of people parading through the streets…which in fact was a wedding procession. The men seem to all gather around an accordion, swaying back and forth singing…followed by families…trailed by the bride and groom. We stumbled upon a few other wedding processions throughout the day…all of which followed this same tradition.




The rest of the afternoon was spent at the beach…yet again a very rocky beach…with crystal clear water.



After trekking to and from town again we ate in the Old Town....



...strolled the streets, and ended up going to The Irish Jig Bar for a beer and some lively Irish music…we sang and danced our way up the hill once again...



The following morning we had quite a similar day…taking in the city and the beach. We also had to figure out how we would be getting out of Dubrovnik the next day…which proved to be a great challenge. Everything closes much to our surprise on Sunday around 1pm, so when we tried to rent a car or buy bus tickets that afternoon we were out of luck…and unlike the U.S. one is not able to buy or rent these things online. However…the next morning we did find that when the man we asked where to buy bus tickets told us Kosum (the grocery store), he actually meant the bus station was behind Kosum…fortunately we figured that out the next morning within minutes of missing our bus!

Back at our sobe (guest room) we sat out on the terrace and watched as an intense storm moved our way. We both marveled at the sky…to one side of us was complete sunshine, to the other was a lively thunderstorm, and in front of us the sun was setting.




I have never seen anything like it…I must have taken 100 photos!





Our stay in Dubrovnik was brief but well worth it. It is an incredible place, unlike any other, however Matt and I found it to be extremely touristy. Cruise ships will enter port and load the passengers on buses dropping them off by the thousands at the Old Town. It was very overwhelming. We were there on a Saturday and Sunday but one man we spoke to claimed the ships come through every day just the same as the weekends. I think we were spoiled by the island attitude experienced in Hvar...

We took a 5 hour bus ride from Dubrovnik back to Split where we had 8 hours to shop around the bustling outdoor market...



...go to the beach...



...and enjoy a lovely dinner on the water before boarding a night train to Zagreb followed by a 7 hour train to Vienna…where we will meet up with Matt’s dad for a few nights. Back to the cold we go…

Hvar remains in #1!

Stay thirsty my friends,

Lindsey and Matt

Dobrodošli na Hvar

Welcome to Hvar!



Two trains and one boat later, we found ourselves on a small island off the coast of Croatia called Hvar. Our original plan from Budapest was to stay a couple of nights in Split (a small port town). Thankfully, on our second train we met Helene, a women we will be forever grateful to. Helene, a native of Croatia, told us we had to go to the island of Hvar explaining there was no need to spend more than a couple of hours in Split.



Relying entirely on her advice, we arrived in Split, grabbed a cup of coffee, strolled through town, and booked a ferry and last minute hotel on Hvar.



As we stepped off the ferry we took a look around. It was 80 degrees, not a cloud in the sky, and it felt like we were in the Virgin Islands… but better. The town was situated on the edge of tall mountains that lead straight into the crystal clear water of the Adriatic Sea. Our hotel was located in Milna, a neighboring town to Hvar. As we pulled into Milna our cab driver told us we had made the right choice as this was his favorite town on the island. We were wondering what he meant by "town".…there was a hotel, a beach, and a couple of small restaurants covering at most about an eighth of a mile.



We were greeted by Jurica, the chef of the Hotel Fortuna who carried our bags up to our room. We later found out he was also the owner. Jurica was extremely welcoming, friendly, and laid back. If anyone decides to go to Croatia you MUST stay at the Hotel Fortuna. He truly made us feel at home.



Once settled in, we were ready for the beach. The beach was nestled in a protected cove. The description on the website said it was a sandy beach, but sandy in Croatian must mean rocky. The right way to describe it was a pebble beach. It was beautiful. The water wasn’t as warm as we anticipated, but was the most refreshing/clean water we have ever swum in.





We spent the entire first day in the small town of Milna. We enjoyed lunch and dinner at our hotel. We know this isn’t a food blog, but we feel compelled to tell you about our meals at Hotel Fortuna. Jurica is one hell of a chef. For lunch we had his special fish dish and the best Greek salad ever. It reminded us of the one’s Betsy makes back home…no lettuce and an incredible fusion of flavors…not to mention more feta cheese than one should consume in a year. The fish dish was delicious as well…it was perfectly cooked (although I think they eat the bones and skin in Croatia)…and covered in a creamy sauce, hard to describe, but almost a tomato, peppery, cheesy...oh I don't know...simply perfection! For dinner, I decided to be adventurous and ordered the shark dish the waitress recommended. It was grilled and only lightly seasoned as to allow the true flavor to come through..again, absolutely delicious! Our entire meal including drinks was only $30.



On our second day we wanted to go back into town but were a bit deterred by the expensive cab fares…$20+ for 5km. We asked Jurica to call us a cab and he immediately offered us a ride. We offered to pay him which he adamantly refused. On the ride into town he drove us up to see his vineyard…oh by the way, he also makes his own wine which is cheap and delicious…Matt who doesn’t drink white wine…said it was the best wine he has ever drank! He also has a vast olive tree grove where he makes his own olive oil.

We decided the best way to see Hvar would be by renting a scooter. The two of us climbed on, strapped on ridiculous looking helmets, and headed off to explore. We took the “scenic route” which was beautiful but extremely frightening. Our parents would not have approved. As I clung onto Matt for my dear life we rode through the mountains cutting around tight turns with no guardrails!!

The highlight of our exploration was discovering Zarace…a secluded lagoon well hidden from the hustle and bustle of the main towns. The pictures are the only way to adequately show you how special this place truly was.


We went into Hvar to return the bike, grab a drink and have dinner. Beforehand we explored the town...getting a bit lost in the splendor of the narrow and steep streets...which were more like a labyrinth of alleys.


However, after having two glasses of wine on the waterfront that were more expensive than an entire liter at Hotel Fortuna…and not nearly as good...we changed our minds, got in a cab, and went back to eat yet another unforgettable meal prepared by Jurica. There was no restaurant in town that could compare to his meals and the even more appealing prices. We began our meal with gnocchi smothered in Gorgonzola sauce…and savored every bite, even managing to clean the remaining sauce off the plate with our bread. Following our “first course” we had mussels and grilled shrimp brochettes…all I can say is YUM!



We needed to travel 20km across the island to catch our early morning ferry to Dubrovnik the next day. Matt asked Jurica how to get there and confused he responded “what, I bring you!” as if we were crazy to think differently. After preparing us a free breakfast, before the kitchen officially opened, he kindly brought us to the ferry and showed us where to go. It was as if we were saying goodbye to friend as he pulled away…and we told him we would come back…I feel compelled to keep that promise! We are now on a 6 hour ferry down the Dalmatian Coast to Dubrovnik…a place I have always wanted to visit as my grandmother says it is one of her and my grandfather’s favorite places.

The island of Hvar is now in first place!


Stay thirsty my friends,

Lindsey and Matt

Üdvözöljük Budapesten

Welcome to Budapest!



We arrived in Budapest by train Monday morning, and we were settled into our apartment by noon. We were a bit worn out from the long overnight train so we decided to spend the afternoon relaxing in the famous Hungarian thermal baths. We packed up our bathing suits and walked down Andrassy Blvd. to the Széchenyi Baths. It was a beautiful walk. On the way we passed through Heroes Square. The statues were amazing.





The thermal baths were essentially a collection of hot tubs and swimming pools, naturally heated by the thermal springs of Budapest. We hopped in and out of the tubs and sat in the sauna (which was way too hot!), thinking we had seen and done it all, we discovered there was an entire outdoor area. It was absolutely breathtaking.

There was a large swimming pool in the center with side pools on either end complete with waterfalls, men challenging each other at chess, a whirlpool powered by people swimming around a hot tub in the center, and thermal bubbling jets coming from the bottom. One interesting thing was that the water is naturally heated to 34C degrees in the summer, yet 38C degrees in the winter (about 100F degrees). We didn't bring our camera...thanks google images for the pictures

After a relaxing afternoon we decided that we would take advantage of the kitchen in our apartment and cook our first dinner…an enormous pasta dish…which ended up lasting us for quite a few meals.



The next morning we strolled around the city slowly meandering our way to the top of Castle Hill where Buda Palace, the Fisherman’s Bastillion, and Matthias Church are all located. A gigantic wall encloses Castle Hill. Fisherman’s Bastillion looks like an enormous sandcastle.



Walking along the walls provided us with an incredible panoramic view of Pest...and a stunning place to enjoy a latte!

Matthias Church was yet again another beautiful church…but not necessarily one to write home about. We walked along the length of the wall, stopping to enjoy a sandwich along the way.





Buda Palace was remarkable. Unfortuantlely, we thought were arriving to partake in the world famous wine festival…but much to our dismay, it had ended the day before, leaving us to witness the breakdown of what would have been an unforgettable experience! The grounds of Buda Palace are vast and have magnificent views of the Danube River, Chain Bridge, and the Parliament Building in Pest. The palace had a beautiful fountain depicting a very plausible hunting scene, large and detailed lion statues, and a great statue of a vulture with its wings completely spanned.

[the camera died at this point...once we can figure out how to upload the pictures Matt took on his phone we will add them...so check back soon!]

We walked across the Chain Bridge and down the Danube to Central Market Hall (Pest Market.) It is a grand hall filled with vendors of all sorts. From meat (including the entire head of a pig) and fresh produce, to clothing, tablecloths, and pocket knifes there is something for everyone here. This market was unlike any other we have seen with three floors and hundreds of vendors harassing you to buy something from them!



At 8:15pm we boarded the Legenda for a night cruise on the river. Budapest takes on a whole new life at night. It is remarkable how spectacular the city looked under the lights. Every bridge, building, statue etc., seemed to be glowing.






With a bit of time to spare on our final day before catching a train, we headed over to St. Stephens Basilica and we are so glad we did. Every aspect of the church was ornate and picturesque.



Though our stay in Budapest was brief, up to this point it has been our favorite. We will see if that still remains true after our next stop…Croatia.

Stay thirsty my friends,

Lindsey and Matt