Dubrovnik, Pearl of the Adriatic

Flashback to April 2013...I remember the burst of pride and accomplishment at having completed my 30-day hot yoga journey. Hot yoga has become such an important facet of my life; it helped me recover from a breakup and it gave me strength, physically, mentally and emotionally. It is an avenue for me to relax and focus on myself, even if only for 1 precious hour. My resolution in 2015 is to continue to incorporate hot yoga into my life and work on improving my flexibility and strength.

2013 was indeed a year of self-discovery, and memorable for some of the less conventional travels that I embarked on, one of which was Croatia. So without further ado, here are some of my favourite highlights in Croatia:

The Old Town and Walls of Dubrovnik

Yes, Dubrovnik is yet another walled city in Europe. The walls were built to protect the city from barbaric invasions, as Dubrovnik occupied a strategic spot at the entrance to the Adriatic. Based on my recollection, I'd also walked the walls of York (England) and Rothenburg (Germany). On our first day, we spent our time getting lost in the old town, meandering through the maze of streets and alleys and perching ourselves at Bar Buza for drinks while admiring the view of the Adriatic sea. 

The next morning, as advised by many guidebooks, we set off early to walk the old walls. Unlike the other walls I'd walked, we had to pay an admission fee for this. Don't get me wrong, it was worth every cent...the elevated walk offered spectacular views of the harbour, old town and the distinctive orange-tiled rooftops. 

It was a good idea to start early as we didn't have to jostle with the crowds until mid-late morning.

And because we had such lovely (read: hot) weather everyday, we indulged in gelato as often as we liked. My favourite was Dolce Vita, a small parlour hidden in a narrow alley.