I love Saturdays. Except when the Saturday is my last day in Croatia. Then, I despise it.
Chopper and I had a grand plan for my last full day of traveling: lounge at the beach and then head out to a nice birthday dinner for myself.
He met me mid-morning and we headed to Buza Bar. For anyone ever traveling to Dubrovnik, 
this bar is a MUST. It is ridiculously easy to miss — a small wooden sign shaped like an arrow and mounted on a wall simply says “Cold Drinks.” Then, you walk through an arched iron door in the actual wall of the city and step into magic.
I think it is safe to say Buza places you in a fantasy world. Terraces of tables jut out from the city’s wall, dangling cliff side over the Adriatic. From our table you could see the waves crashing against the rocks below, boats out to sea, and, most impressively, the exterior of the old wall.
We sat there for a bit, taking in the sights, marveling at where we were, then ventured out of the walled portion of the city to find ourselves a nice beach.
I could see the beach for what seemed like miles before we actually arrived. From the gate to the city, there it was in the way far off distance — a tiny speckle of sand down below. It was about a 20-minute walk (although going there seemed a lot longer), and then dow
n some stairs (about 200 of them — yes, I counted).
After a delicious lunch on the beach, I soaked in my last day with passion. I swam. I tanned. I read. I snoozed. I closed my eyes and contemplated the What If’s of my life to this point and beyond.
Grudgingly, I left Chopper at the beach in the late afternoon to go and purchase my obligatory gifts for people who were taking care of my life back in Atlanta. But, not before stopping on the street to make one phone call.
“Mom,” I said, breathless into the phone on the side of the road in Dubrovnik. “I am in love with this country. I am coming back. And soon.”
“That’s funny,” she countered, thousands and thousands of miles away in Maryland. “I was just talking with your father and we were waiting for the call from Croatia where you say you are changing your life to go traveling.”
Talk about foreshadowing.
14 Comments on "Sun, sand and the best bar ever"
Ahhmazing isn’t it? When we tap into realizations. It happens to me every time I’m on the road, only to be torn away as cube life infects me. No longer, I swear.
And look at you now, on the way. Awesomeness.
I cannot wait! Nearly three weeks.
Love that last bit. Drowning in jealousy over here. Beautiful!
Thank you!
GRR D your screwing with my travel itinerary. Croatia looks so awesome I’m about to just chuck in the towel and just jump on a train now and getting off when I fee like it.
YOU SHOULD! Croatia is absolutely amazing. I cannot even convey it’s complete and utter awesomeness.
I LOVE BEACH BARS! Make sure to drink lots of frosty beverages in sandy environments on your coming trip!
- Garrett
Of course!
I would like to go to that bar, but I’m afraid of heights. I think that whole town would make me nervous! Couple drinks and I’d get over it though!
)
Would it help you if you were on a very stable concrete platform surrounded by railings and not too high above the water? Dubrovnik made me anxious — it was the most touristy of all of the places I had been, and it was the end of my trip and those damn stairs were everywhere. But, you are right, a couple of drinks and you get right over all of it.
Hey D!
)
As a Croatian I’m very proud to hear you talk about my country in such superlatives
But let’s put my patriotism aside…and you’re still so right about Croatia.
Having worked on cruise ships for many years, I had a chance to visit many hyped up vacation spots around the world: from Cabo to Cozumel, from Martha’s Vineyard to Lahaina, from Capri to Mykonos, from Jamaica to Aruba…
Although I have enjoyed many of these, there are some things I kept on searching for and only found back home: the intoxicating smell of pine trees, crickets chirping and organic food…3 must-have factors for the ultimate vacation, for me, besides the usual sun and the sea.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I love love love Croatia and cannot wait to go back this summer and spend more time there. I appreciate your note!
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