Where the Mountain Meets the Sea
Well, in Croatia. I have not, sadly enough, been to many places, but this country struck me with its beauty and I’m sure that wherever life takes me in the years to come, I will always remember Croatia dearly. Did you know that here you can have a walk by the seas side, while in the same time being in the shadow of the pine trees? It’s really amazing. If the sun at the beach becomes unbearable, in just a couple of steps, you will be in the woods of the mountain.
Croatia is a highly rocky land. Driving through its cities you will often see piles and piles of rock. It is not used for many things, but they do use it to make natural fences. The rocky land makes it difficult for the people to develop agricultural activities. And while you will see a diverse vegetation, you will also notice that the trees are smaller than the regular ones.
These rocks are common on the shore. So you will need to wear some special shoes, made from textile material and a rubber sole. We bought them at the beach I think for 50 Kuna ($10). Or if you have plastic shoes at home, just bring those along. The Croatian beaches are seldom sandy, so you will need to protect your feet.
The shoes will also give you protection against the sea urchins, very common here. You could buy, for less than $10 (I think I paid like $7 or so), a set for snorkeling, and you will be able to enjoy the view under water. If you do see urchins, then it means that the water is really clean; they only live in clean water.
