Day 71 Hotel Borat

Today we awoke at 5am to catch the quick cat from Korcula to Split to get to Bol on the Island of Brac. (pronounced Bratch ) we sailed at 6.

Sunrise

We had purchased the tickets for the quick cat before the sword dancing last night so all was good.

We sat in the cabin where Cody slept on my lap all morning til we got to split at 9 am. It was a pretty un eventful cruise.

we went Korcula to split to Bol (not on map ) it is on the same island as Supetar but facing stari grad.

We then had to wait til 10.30 to get the ferry to Supetar on the island of Brac to get to our final destination. While we waited I did a reckie on buses to our destination before we fly home namely Split. So this was very worthwhile. As we sailed we were approached by a dodgy looking taxi driver who was offering to take us to Bol for 200 kuna which is 50 nz. We pondered on this and realized that it was indeed a very good deal. He had 2 others paying the same so it must have been worth his while. He drove as if his life depended on it.

at the pool

Zlatni rat.

Anyway we drove for 25 mins until we got to Hotel BORACK which I soon nicknamed it hotel Borat. As  some of the happenings were laughable.

Anna locked our safe with a pin number then we could not open it. We called housekeeping the lady came with a key to open it. All good

Then wi fi would not work they sent technicians who said unfortunately your room is the only room in the whole complex not to have service!!

Then Cody and I came back from the pool and alas our card to let us in did not work the staff on the desk knew us well by now and we had been at the hotel less than an hour.

Anyway all is good we spent a few hours at the pool and Luke and anna went into town. We then went for a walk along the boardwalk to the Famous Zlatni Rat beach. We also witnessed somebamazing kitesurfing. Itbwas the croatian nationals i think someone with an ic on the end of their name won.We worked out what we wanted to do tomorrow and walked to the head of the spit. We decided that we would hire a boat and go on an adventure.

We returned to the hotel got changed and had a lovely dinner. I was tucked up in bed and asleep by 9pm.

Day 70 RIP Mark Bishop.

Had some very sad news today my very good friend from Pontarddulais Mark Bishop has sadly passed away. We had a great friendship as kids and as adolescents. I remember often going to his house in Water street for a play after primary school. We sat next to each other on the bus to school in Ystalyfera. He came with us on holiday. Etc etc. a very sad sad day. RIP mate I will always remember you.

Having had a great few days we realized it was pointless hiring a car or a boat so we got experiences and culture in different ways. 

We went for a walk around the harbour and came across individual private little harbors where Luke and I decided to have an impromtue swim. As we headed back to Korcula Anna spotted a cafe for the boys to have pancakes.  Cody has been dying for pancakes for the whole time we have been away and has not been up to his usual big breakfasts.  the cafe overlooked the beautiful harbour so it was a great place to sit and do some watching of life go by.

We decided to go and get our togs and then head to the religious cites around Korcula old town. There are 8 in all as well as the birthplace of one Marko Polo. We climbed To the top of the belfry of the tower which gave an awesome view of the outlying islands and the old town itself.  It was a precarious climb that those scared of heights would have struggled with.  eilian told me that it said no children under 10 allowed to go to the top, but up we went and without paying too.  for some reason the guy just let me go.  ?the stairs were so narrow that it was only half the width of your foot.  and that is one thing I don't have that's big and just my luck it's my feet!!   the boys freaked me out as there were plenty of opportunities for them to fall as when you got to the top it was a wire mesh that you could see to the bottom with gaps at the sides.  At the very top you walked around the stone top and had to squeeze around each corner.  Beautiful views but with the kids jumping around it was short!!

Our street.

Anna and Luke looking down from the top of the belfry

View of Korcula town from the top of the cathedral

Paradise

So many beautiful boats and yachts.  this archipelago is a boat lovers dream!

The fortress at the top of this photo is now a bar to which you have cocktails at night.  That is is you don't have children, so that puts us out.  we did climb to the top to see the sunset, up a steep ladder which you certainly wouldn't want to be coming down after a few too many cocktails!

We did go to the pebbly beach near the cafe mentioned before. We did our bit for the environment and made an attempt to clean up the beach as you can see Cody collected all this Glass.

Cody with his collection come on guys.

Cody about to walk the plank Luke was about to help him.

Our street from the bottom.  lovely traditional street in the heart of Korcula town

Anna and I then had some prawn soup and we have teased the recipe out of the waitress.

Then we went to see the singers and sword dancers. Not much was made of the ensemble of kids and young people from the village they were awesome. The leader on the drums kept the whole thing going.

fantastic singing

The sword dance is only performed in Korcula for the last 400 years.  It is a story about a black King stealing a princess from the White King.  Over a period of 7 dances with the swords, the white King (in red) wins out and gets the princess back.  the boys of course were keen to get a sword afterward.  Pop is making them one so the hopes are high.  

Sunset to round off the day.

Day 69 - A day at the beach

Firstly I must say that dinner last night was phenomenal.  I had a prawn soup to beat all prawn soups.  I did ask for the recipe, but it's a secret, however, we will have it again and upon our return to reality will try to recreate it for all those prawn lovers out there!!

It was a slow start to the morning, with the kids sleeping in and us too.  We decided after a bit of search to head to a beach recommended, although as it was windy went to one further afield and one that was sandy!!  We caught a taxi there and had a great day swimming, snorkelling (although not a lot to see) played ball and I went and had a massage on the beach.  Lovely.  I don't think we will go home.  the temperature here is still hot, but more pleasant than the towns.  I walked a few hundred meters over through a small country road lined with beautiful vineyards to another beach.  we then walked back to Lambada and bought drinks and ice creams, and most importantly for the boys a small  ball with which we played beach volleyball ( or a version of it).  we caught the bus back to Korcula town had a quick swim to cool down and then back to our apartment to relax, have showers, a beer & bubbly then off to dinner.

Korcula old town.

Vela prizina beach.

Dinner well a real splash out 

What a dinner it was absolutely awesome. Good sized portions that did not overfil. The curtlefish and potatoe served in a margarita glass was nothing short of perfect. The scallops on polenta with beet root and garlic crea sauces was equally as good. The wine we chose with the help of the waiter was outstanding( I don't often drink red) to go withe the dark chocolate and marinated oranges. Every now and again you just have to splash out.

Another great day with a crescendo at he end.

Day 68 Life's Tough!

Well it's a tough life moving from one paradise to another!  We were up early again, for holiday mode I mean as early is 7 or 8 am.  I don't know how we will cope when we are back to reality going to school and work daily.  It doesn't bear thinking about at present anyway!!  we left the old town of Dubrovnik walking through a very quiet main street, filing our bottles up at the Onoferios fountain which is ancient and beautiful and provides nice cold water to drink from, fill your bottles up or if you are 5 or 7 to dunk your head under and generally cool down! 

Franjo Truman bridge.

 We then Caught a bus to the bus terminal, with a small hitch. We didn't see the terminal and although the driver knew we were foreigners and going to the bus terminal he didn't say a word.  Eilian was spewing!  This is one of the stressors of traveling, and I must admit Eilian has done 99 percent of the work in researching, asking and organizing the the trip so me and the boys just cruise around and he runs around and buys the tickets, catches buses to get security passes, validating tickets etc etc.  He rocks!!  anyway this time I asked the bus driver how far the bus terminal was and he said 4 km back!  Great.  You tosser.  So we had to hop off and fortunately a bus came to take us back and we managed to catch our bus to Korcula it cost about $75 bucks to get us here.

The drive to Korcula was stunning.  Croatia is a beautiful country.  It is quite dry and arid and looks like the foliage on Rangitoto Island but made up of archipelago's.  It's stunning!  after a lovely drive with both Cody and Luke having sleeps on the way, a stop with great views, a car ferry to the island,we arrived 3 hours later in Korcula.  after finally getting hold of the guy who manages the apartment we got into our accommodation. it is OK.  Quite well appointed, but no view or outside space.  However in the heart of the lovely little old town.  

The afternoon was spent for Eilian sleeping as he wasn't feeling well while Luke and I went for a swim and a quick snorkel.  Cody chilled out with the iPad.  At least it isn't quite so hot here and a bit more pleasant because of it.  

everyone then went for a swim, unfortunately we collected heaps of broken glass on the beach, which has been a disappointing phenomenon throughout our trip.  We call it man destroying nature and we have spent ages picking up and clearing up as most kiwis I would hope would do where ever they are. Back to the apartment for a chillout a bubbly or two and a beer or two then a nice dinner out!

Day 67 Dubrovnik.

Today we had to move apartments so I (Anna) woke up early and looked at the beautiful view over the old town and the beautiful Bay.  I researched what we should do that day to make the most of the lovely old town which we would be staying in the heart of.  then off tot the supermarket to get fresh eggs & bread for breakfast.  

Eilian was up by the time I was back pleasantly surprised that he didn't have to run around as usual.  At 8 we woke the boys up and went down to the beach for a morning swim,  The water was crystal clear and refreshing as it was already hot and I had already done about 200 stairs that morning. Honestly my legs should be slim and trim but alas no!  after breakfast and a search for the turtles to say goodbye we were on our way to the new digs.  We were sad to leave our spacious 2 bedroom apt with stunning views.  Our new place was the opposite, based in the old town in a building hundreds of years old.  it was two stories up a dark passage way filled with old framed pictures that you could only just maneuver round with a pack on.  Fortunately we realized that we had left our passports behind when they asked to see them.  so Eilian rushed back to get them.  Phew it would have been a disaster if we hadn't realized until we were due to fly out!!

The apartment was lovely with 2 small chandeliers and two lovely bedrooms off the lounge and glorious air conditioning as it was already over 30 degrees and hot, hot, hot!  We then got ourselves organised and went off up the cable car which gave an outstanding view of the old town.  there was even a lovely breeze up there. 

 On our return we grabbed some lunch from a bakery which has things like pastry filled with cheese and pizzas, and meter long thin pastry filled with a lightly spicy meat.  Delicious.  Cody is eating very poorly, not liking much which has only got worse since he was sick.  He is even off gelatos!!  but Luke makes up for it trying all the seafood and meat!  we sat in the old town overlooking the harbour while we polished off the food.  

our next stop was to a kiwi photographer who had moved to the country in 1990 who had an exhibition on the war and bombings that happened in Debrovick and Bosnia.  Cody was pretty fascinated as how people live.  we are trying to show the boys how things can happen out of your control, like war and earthquakes etc that can dramatically change your living conditions.  Funnily enough he lived in the apartment opposite us where the turtles lived.  eilian had met him, but didn't realise it was the same Kiwi.  

it was now very hot so it was time for a rest back in the hotel to cool down.  eilian & I took turns looking around the old town without children, while they proceeded to beef up on their karate skills in their room.  Just as well the walls are very thick in the hotel!  I went to the Franscian monastery and the oldest pharmacy in the world.  It was beautiful, unfortunately I forgot the camera, but it had some similarities to the cathedral in Almafi.  It did have some books from the 15th C and an amazing piece of art work one which looking better in my eyes anyway than the Mona Lisa.  

We met up at 5 to have a gelato at the towns port and then went for a walk around the whole of the city's walls which are all still intact.  it took over 1.5 hours and was fabulous. you could see how people lived and got some amazing views of the harbour and over the whole of the old town.  

Dinner out was a disappointment as the food was very average and the service extremely slow, causing me to complain and Eilian to get a discount.  But overall a fabulous day in Dubrovnik old town.