CROATIAN TORTURE DEVICES.... DAY 2

Jetlag woke me up very early.  Savage was out for the count -- I think he is really sick too, maybe his sinuses are acting up, not just hungover.  Not fun for me, nurse I am not.  As such, I went out to the balcony and enjoyed a beautiful Croatian morning and sunrise.  Then the fun part started....  taking a shower in this:

A man can stay just about anywhere, I like a few luxuries -- bathrooms and toilets.  Bathrooms vary between countries, I am used to that idea.  But this was very odd -- it was a shower with a curtain.  There was the typical European shower wand, but no hanger for the wand -- how are you supposed to wash your hair and hold the wand at the same time?  Don’t even go into the shaving your legs.  Let’s just say that I was very inventive getting clean and having smooth legs.  Southern Belles can be very resourceful when necessary.

The nice dining room was set up for breakfast (in the back they had a little pool that was empty -- our luck plumbing problems).  I tried a pear for the first time in my life, I thought  my travel buddy was going to pee in his britches laughing at me.  Yes, I don’t eat a lot of fruit, but that is going to change this trip :). I can change, maybe? He told me I had an unhealthy lifestyle, let’s see what I can do about that.  

We struck into town and took the little rowboat again, I am going to like Croatia I can tell.  It was quite warm out and walked around town.  Looking for an internet cafe..... 

Did ya’ll know that Croatia is where the cravat (and thus the necktie) came from?  I guess those Croatians knew about torture for males too.

We located the internet cafe but it wasn’t open yet.  So Savage, yes, he was sick not just hungover, decided he needed cold air.  Who was I to argue?  In a cute little pizzeria we found interesting attired folks and good pizza.

The internet cafe was very different.  Not exactly like ones from the US.  There were about 5 computers and it was a room about 20 by 8.  The internet worked fast.  

I checked out the row of junk stalls and they had a church with an awesome dome.  I liked the cobblestone streets, thankfully I didn’t fall again.  Zadar was a very ancient town.  The sea organ wasn’t playing today.  

you can see the holes that allow the music :)

Croatian Lace on sale - check out the display method - very old school

our rowboat

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big ferry boat

cool sundial that lights up like a disco floor at night (yes I have a thing for disco)

St. Anastasia Church (it was closed)

What are these?  Oh yeah, antique film .. a paper ticket and film processing -- the dark ages here

kids love these everywhere :)

This is a street sign

cool outside restaurant near the tower and ancient church

don't really understand the taxi pizza business

I don't think she liked the bells ringing... Savage is like this too with noise, and he's a little older than six 

tourist stalls

scary what they sell -- yes these were toys FYI

There were some very large boats out along the water.  And our boatman on the way back to the parking side, had hobbit feet (they were very large and he was almost my height -- ie short).  Why didn’t I get a picture?

In the room, took a nap (is this going to be a daily occurrence?  Are we that old now or is it just jetlag and sickness?).  

Savage had gone to the Petrcane “Garden Party” (that’s where he got hungover and sick) and I had bought a ticket online before I left so I could go too.  It was a long weekend thing.  Petrcane is a small beach town, that didn’t really have any shops or lots of restaurants.  They did have lots of people though.  When I checked in for my tickets I got something that I might use if it stays this hot out -- a wonderful little paper hand fan. 

I have been to many a concerts in my life.  And I used to be a regular at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival -- FYI if you have never been you need to go.  I am no stranger to concerts nor music festivals.  But this was a little surreal.  Check out the seating:

What’s up with this?  Where are the bands?  The carnival food (corndogs) or local food stands?  No where to be found.  This is strange.  We hung out on the sofas and people watched for awhile.  It was kind of fun just to sit around and do nothing, I am so not used to that.  I tried to be good and not talk too much (I am known to be a chatterbox).  I liked sitting in the plastic chairs by the water better.  It’s much easier to be quiet when you are enjoying the water.  

Some things are just wrong.com I was taught on this trip

We ended up at this wonderful little restaurant by the water.  There was a boat attached to the roof.  (And they had Tabasco on the tables -- yes the South is everywhere.)  Savage had sardines (I had never even seen those in real life not in a tin -- and I don’t eat them out of there either).  I tried them and they weren’t bad.  Also had grilled vegetables -- goodness he is a healthy eater.  Doubt I will be getting a hamburger on this trip.  

Finally located Savage’s UK friends and took a couple of them to the airport in Zadar.   On one of the housing projects there was a confederate flag painted very big -- what do these people watch on TV -- the Dukes of Hazzard or something?   

Savage’s friends were very interesting.  She was a beautiful girl who didn't have any common sense or maybe just bad morals?  She had a dramatic run in with the Croatian law (not a fun experience I would think), poor choices sometimes lead to bad results.   You can't be a professional person and do what she was into. 

At the Zadar airport, they had a cop who was watching very closely for us NOT to park near the front, what’s up with that, even in post 9/11 US we can drop people off at the front door.  On the way out it reminded me why it was like that -- there was a helicopter from their war.   I still was shocked when I thought of the war they had during my lifetime right here.  How could people hate each other enough to do this to their neighbors and fellow countrymen?  Would this keep haunting me the whole trip?  I so was falling in love with the Dalmatian Coast.  How could anyone be so hateful in such a beautiful place?  

It is such a tranquil place -- not a lot of traffic or activity -- and the colors are all so soothing.  I can feel my stress disapating (it will take a good 4 more days for me to get relaxed about not being at work).  My goal this trip is to enjoy myself and try to get a better perspective/attitude on things.  My wrist is developing carpal tunnel syndrome and my high blood pressure is not a good thing.  I think 20 days away is going to do me good. Savage always provides a different perspective on things as his life philosophy is dramatically different than mine.  Somewhere inbetween is probably a good balance.  We'll just see if we can survive this trip without killing each other. 

Savage was still not feeling great so we went back to the room and he went to sleep, did he have enough medicine?  I don’t think I can do this the whole trip.  I only brought so many books to read and I did want to SEE some of Croatia.  So I worked on our plan for tomorrow -- heading out of Zadar toward the Plitvice Lakes area.   Hopefully they won't have Croatian Torture devices there -- I mean maybe they will have a real shower so I can put my soap and shampoo in the shower with me and I can use my hands to soap my hair instead of trying to hold the European Shower wand... Maybe .....