Warning: *Bomba*

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." — Martin Buber

How rude of me to slack on this blog post! With so many papers and tests for school, I haven't had time to sit down and write much. My deepest apologies to the fans (my mom) who have been waiting for a new update. But now it's here and I'm ready to teach you all about a lil place called Croatia. When you talk about Croatia, most people think you're referring to a city in Russia or something. But contrary to popular belief, Croatia is Europe's little hidden gem across from Italy. When we made the journey there, we had to take an overnight boat across the Adriatic Sea. A bumpy ride it was, but nothing compared to the white water rafting I was to experience the next day.

We arrived in Split, Croatia around 8 am and checked into our rooms. We then changed into our bathing suits and took an hour long bus ride to the Cetina River where we'd go rafting. The bus drove along the coastline, around huge mountains, and through little villages with the Croatian language written everywhere. I wish I had been able to understand it more, but I felt like I was listening to my little brother talk when he was two. Confusing, but still interesting. Anyway, when we made it to the river, we all had to put on wetsuits, water shoes (guess who had the smallest size), life jackets, and helmets. Our instructor, known as a skipper, had been white water rafting for 10 years. He kept telling us to "expect the unexpected" aka be prepared for him to SPIN THE RAFT AROUND when we were going through a rapid. The water was freezing, but we couldn't stop laughing every time we got splashed or almost fell out. We learned that the word "bomba" is an instruction to immediately get down in the raft, because some rapids are just too rough to paddle through. Our skipper was helpful through the whole ride and even mentioned that he met some Game of Thrones cast and crew when they filmed in Croatia last summer. Halfway down the river, we got to jump off a cliff and fall into the cold water. Seems terrible, I know, but it was a worthy adrenaline rush. The rest of the river was calmer and we eventually made it back to the beginning. I don't regret white rafting in the slightest. If you ever have the opportunity, grab it immediately and listen to your skipper. Lord knows if I didn't, all 5' 2" of me would've been flying out of that boat.

Later that evening, we went on a hike with our group to see the whole town of Split from its highest point. For a lesser known country, Croatia is too beautiful with its orange topped buildings and palm trees scattered aimlessly throughout. We even found a huge cross at the top of the trail, sitting quaintly against the sunset. Perfect for our Good Friday. After the hike, we went to a group dinner where we had fish, chicken, calamari, wine, beer, etc. But I wasn't expecting to make eye contact with the fish when the waiter set it on the table. Bravely, I managed to cut the head off before placing the fish on my plate. I ate as much as I could manage. Croatia is known for their seafood, so I couldn't leave without giving it a try. I'm no quitter.

Saturday in Croatia was dreary. But it didn't stop us from going on the boat cruise and visiting a few extra Croatian islands. It might have been too cold to swim, but we were able to shop around and check out the different ports. On the second island, we had lunch and our group made a huge bonfire to sit around. I can only imagine how rowdy these beaches must get when its sunny and 75. By the time we got back to Split, it was almost dinner time, so we changed and headed out to a restaurant. Paying in Croatia is weird because their currency, the kuna, converts much higher than our dollar. So our dinner bill for four of us came out to almost 450 kuna. This is when my dad would jokingly look around and ask if anyone broke a window. But in reality, it was only about $64 for four meals. We found a bar afterward and had some drinks before heading back to to our rooms.

The next day was EASTER! Normally on this day I'd wake up and have to search for my Easter basket hidden somewhere in the house. But I'll have to wait until I get home for that. Instead, because it was raining, we went out for brunch and then found a candy store to compensate not getting chocolate bunnies this year. I LITERALLY was a kid in a candy store, filling my bag up without any shame. No regrets. The rest of the day was still rainy, so we went souvenir shopping and drank coffee until it was time to get on the overnight boat again.

I was over tired and makeup-less when I hit my bed in Florence the next day. But I have to say, Croatia surprised me. Having known nothing about it before taking my first step in Split, it's aesthetics and locals taught me a lot. I heard it's a common vacation destination in the summer and I can see why. Everywhere we went reminded me of San Diego, with its waterfront setting and good vibes. Like with every country I've been to so far, I'd return without a second thought.

Since coming back from Croatia, my friend Casey visited me over the weekend and I finally got to show someone how adaptive I've become in Italy. Also, the other day, my abroad program brought us to a show called Cirque Eloize, a company affiliated with Cirque du Soleil. It's insane how talented and flexible those performers are. It's borderline inhumane, but mesmerizing to watch. I'd recommend their shows for sure.

Tomorrow is our Tuscan weekend, where we'll get the chance to experience natural hot springs and a wine tasting. My kind of relaxation. Don't worry if I don't text you back this weekend; I'll just be soaking up the sun with a glass of Chianti in my hand. The usual. Keep an eye out for my post about it next week! Ciao!

Lights out,

Britt