Visit Croatia again

        After the epidemic, I can finally set myself free and choose to visit Croatia for the second time. As for the European route, its price is close to the people. In September 2014, when I first visited the local area, I happened to encounter the once-in-a-century flood. Not only did it rain every day, but also the tour bus was soaked in water. Almost all my feet were immersed in the water, which was unbearable. I hope this trip can really see the beauty of Croatia.

                This journey is a total of ten days, entering and exiting from Vienna. After 13 hours of navigation, it was the second day after leaving customs. Drive to Graz, the second largest city in Austria, and our leader takes us on a fast march to explore art galleries, love locks, and floating cafes.

        From Vienna to Croatia, it is necessary to travel through Slovenia, and the travel agency has specially arranged a trip to Slovenia - Lake Brad. The beautiful castle is reflected on the lake, which is intoxicating, and there is also the cream cake that has been cherished for many years. It is refreshing and sweet without being greasy, really delicious! It is said that since 1953, 15 million copies have been sold. We found an outdoor location at the Kavarna Park Caf é founding store, paired with beautiful scenery, to leisurely enjoy afternoon tea time.

        On the third day, arrive at the capital of Slovenia - Rubiana, which is a city guarded by the Flame Dragon with love. We first bought delicious sea salt chocolate in the old city area, and then walked through Feilong Bridge, Triple Bridge, and Butcher Bridge in sequence. It is said that there is a romantic love story behind the Butcher Bridge: a noblewoman's daughter fell in love with a butcher. At first, the butcher felt ashamed, but the noblewoman's daughter waited for him on the bridge that the butcher must pass by every day. In the end, she successfully moved the butcher, and the lovers eventually got married. As a result, many chains were hung on the bridge, becoming a love chain bridge. As the upcoming itinerary will enter Croatia, before that, the leader will take us to the noble resort of Opatia in the east of Croatia to see the girls and seagulls, as well as the Angelina Villa.

        Along the Adriatic coastline, you will arrive at Zadar, Croatia on the fourth day. This city preserves many ancient Roman ruins and is surrounded by a considerable number of city walls. Before reaching the coastline, you will pass by a very special curved Saint Donna's Church. Although no longer in use, it remains a local landmark. We ate the century old Danat Ice Cream in the old city area, where there is also the world's only sea organ - the buried organ on the stone steps emits a melodious sound when the sea breeze blows in and the tide rushes in, allowing people to completely relax and enjoy the present. Next, head to Xubennik to see the sea. The old city alleys are narrow and winding, and the ground is bumpy. After finally walking up to the highest point of the castle, looking out at Haikou from afar, it is truly magnificent!

                On the fifth day, I braved the rain to go to Dubrovnik. Originally, I needed to pass through Bosnia (when the last tour bus arrived at the border between the two countries, passengers had to get off the bus to check their passports). However, due to the construction of a new cross sea Pereshaz Bridge during the epidemic, it is now much more convenient. Dubrovnik is a city in the southern part of Croatia, facing the Adriatic Sea and surrounded by huge stone walls built in the 16th century. There is a big fountain in the old city, next to the Fangjige Church and the monastery, there is also an ancient pharmacy with a history of more than 700 years. The maintenance products sold emphasize the preparation of natural herbs, and the counter is full of lotion, lotion, face cream, eye cream, lipstick, etc. Last time, I carried a lot of recommended rose toner from the internet back home, which was very moisturizing. However, because the glass bottle was too heavy, I didn't buy it this time. In fact, the best thing here is to stroll along the ancient city walls of the old city, but perhaps due to the surge in tourists after the lifting of the lockdown, each person now needs to pay an entry fee of EUR40, and coupled with poor weather conditions, after discussing with family, they decided to only stroll on the street. We strolled along Stratton Avenue, the main street of Dubrovnik, lined with restaurants, bars, and cafes, where we could buy many tourist souvenirs. Accompanying my niece, I picked out postcards and took photos at the St. Bryce Church, which commemorates the patron saint of Dubrovnik. This church belongs to the magnificent Baroque style, with a stable and elegant appearance, and a statue of St. Bryce on the roof. And another landmark, the Jesuit Stairs, is the prototype of the famous TV series "The Road to Atonement". The stairs inside seem to be endless, and the more you climb up, the narrower the stairs become, making people more afraid and worried about a unstable center of gravity and falling. It is worth mentioning that the attractions in this city are very concentrated, but unfortunately, the time for group outings is limited, otherwise you could really spend the whole day playing.

                On the sixth day, I returned to Split, the central coastal area of Croatia. It is the second largest city in the country and also one of the top three busiest ports in the Mediterranean region. The tourist bus stops near Split Port, where there are luxurious yachts, double track sailboats, and more. On this day, the main focus was on visiting the Diocletian Palace. The building materials were very exquisite, using marble imported from Italy and Greece, columns imported from Egypt, and 12 Sphinx statues. It took 10 years to complete. Each of the four city walls has a main entrance and exit, with the north, east, south, and west respectively referred to as the Golden Gate, Silver Gate, Copper Gate, and Iron Gate. Among them, there is an 8.5 meter tall statue outside the Golden Gate, holding a classic in his left hand and pointing to the sky in his right hand. It is said that this is Bishop Nimsky of Croatia, who bravely challenged the Roman Pope and fought for mass in Slavic and written languages, and was regarded as a defender of history. The most prominent thing on the statue is his left thumb, which is rumored to be able to fulfill his wish as long as he touches it. Therefore, it has been touched to a bright and clear state, and I couldn't help but touch it several times. Due to the proximity to the harbor, the dinner that day was a delicious seafood stewed rice and light dishes, paired with refreshing lemon wine, with a unique flavor!

        On the seventh day, I arrived at the must visit attraction in Croatia - the Sixteen Lakes National Park, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Before entering the park, enjoy a roasted lamb feast first, and then, under the guidance of the local guide, take a ferry to tour the lake. The color of the lake is indeed extremely beautiful, but more beautiful scenery needs to be achieved with two feet. Following the green wooden boardwalk, there is a large stone wall on the right and a lake on the left. Continuing down, there is an 87 meter high waterfall. Under the refraction of light, a rainbow appears at the bottom left of the waterfall, causing everyone to exclaim in surprise. Going further up, one can have a complete view of the route they have just passed by, and at this moment, it feels like being in a paradise, enjoying the wonders of nature. Tonight's accommodation is located within this national park. Due to the large hinterland of the park, the park also provides shuttle boats and buses, saving passengers a lot of walking time.

        The next day, we got up very early and prepared to go to the park to absorb Fenduojing well. Entering the park with a one day voucher stamped, taking a boat, and going for a small hiking trip to the Shanghu area, I found that the barriers between sixteen lakes were formed by the deposition of limestone over the years. The sound of water murmured, and I couldn't help but squat down to play with the cool water flow. There are also pavilions nearby where you can sit and daydream, which really relieves pressure!

                After leaving Wonderland, I turned to the city of Zagreb, the largest city in Croatia, for sightseeing. Unfortunately, due to the major earthquake that occurred in 2020, many places were still under repair, and even the iconic St. Mark's Church was surrounded by a circle of eagles. I could only vaguely see red and white mosaic tiles on the roof, depicting the badges of the past three kingdoms of Croatia and Zagreb.

        The midway station to Vienna is Maribo, the second largest city in Slovenia. We follow the banks of the Lava River in search of grape trees that have a history of 400 years. It is said that only 100 liters of wine can be produced per year. After arriving in Vienna, the team leader announced a 3-hour break, but seeing long queues in front of each boutique, we decided to fill our stomachs first, which was more practical.

        The beautiful leader said that European tourism is to see the "Kung Pao chicken" (the emperor's "palace", the city's "castle", the "basic" governor's church, the municipal "hall"). For me, no matter how gorgeous the buildings are, they will still be aesthetic fatigue after a long time. Only the Sixteen Lakes National Park is worthy of the world heritage, and you need to experience it yourself to understand how magnificent it is!

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