Art By Tali Landsman

The Bay Of Kotor, Montenegro  From Dubrovnik, we drove south along the seaside route, to the Bay Of Kotor in Montenegro. Crossing the border took a bit longer than it had been taking, and for the first time, we had to show our “green card,” which is a permit to cross borders with a car and proof of insurance for the car that we had rented in Zagreb. For those who did not have a green card, there was an insurance agency at the border, and they were required to stop and buy insurance on the spot. Montenegro immediately felt very different than Croatia. There were only a fraction of the number of tourists and finally, after lots of mediocre food along the Dalmatian Coast, the food was superb. We decided not to take the ferry to Kotor, but to drive along the old coastal road that meanders along the Bay, to see the area. We stopped in a restaurant that had vast views of the bay, just for cappuccinos, but we ended up eating one of the best lunches we had enjoyed on the entir...

Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic In Croatia... or is it? In order to get to Dubrovnik, we had to cross the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and then cross the border again, back into Croatia. That is the way the road from Split runs south along the coast, and the way that the border of the two countries has been set. There is no way to avoid it, but it was no hassle at all. While in Bosnia for about half an hour, we stopped for a very good Burek and coffee along the road, which made for a lovely lunch. The first thing I saw as we reached Dubrovnik, was a massively large cruise ship. It was the biggest cruise ship I have ever seen in my life. It was bigger than a few high rise buildings, all bunched together. Parking in Dubrovnik is a nightmare. In all the old cities we have visited along the Adriatic coast, we have had to park outside the walls of the old city and walk to our hotel or apartment with our backpacks, and parking was between ten and twenty euros per night. In Dubrov...

The Old Cities of Sibenik and Split, on the Dalmatian Coast In Croatia  From Zadar, we continued to drive south along the Dalmatian Coast. The landscape along the coast is mostly rocky, with vegetation that is able to grow in rocky soil and endure salt spray. Gone are the olives, apple orchards and grapevines that we saw on the mainland and on the Istrian Peninsula. As in all of Croatia, the coastline does not have any sandy beaches, but is instead made of small rocks. Instead of beaches, there are concrete platforms or wooden decks by the sea. But despite the lack of sandy beaches, the sea does look clear and clean and very inviting. The coast is lined with accommodation options, ranging from campsites to apartment rentals to hostels, pensions and hotels. During the high summer season, all of these places are packed with tourists. Most restaurants and cafes are set up for outdoor seating. They spread large umbrellas and load every deck with dozens of pieces of garde...