Hvar, Croatia

We woke up early this morning to catch the ferry from Split to Hvar, which was about a two-hour trip.  We chose to utilize the ferry for the majority of our adventure around Croatia, but many have also rented cars without any issues.

The bakeries in Croatia are AMAZING! Everything is baked fresh. I highly recommend the burek, which is phyllo dough stuffed with either meat, cheese, or a chocolate/sweet filling. I had this almost everyday.

We arrived around 9am in Hvar, which gave us plenty of time to check-in to our apartment. The apartment was recommended over a regular hotel so that we could stay closer in the heart of the city. It was also much cheaper (around $60 USD/night in late May, pre-peak season).

The views around the port of Hvar were so picturesque. The turquoise waters were so clear that we could see to the bottom.  It was almost as if the boats were floating in thin air.  Every morning when we went down to the port, the boat and yacht owners were eating breakfast with their friends and remained there for the majority of the day. Makes me wonder what else they do all day!

View of the port of Hvar

Take a walk around the island, lots of little hidden beach entrances and spots to discover. You will not find a bad view, even if you try.

Tourism is one of Hvar's biggest industries. If you're not one for crowds, late May is one of the the best times to go (which is also pre-Yacht week)

Although there are several beach entrances around Hvar, make sure to take water shoes if you want to go in. It's a rocky beach and there are sea urchins everwhere!

We were able to walk around Hvar without needing any other modes of transportation. However, you can rent a moped if you'd like to explore the island a little more.

The entrance to Hvar's Fort, also known as Spanjola, which was built in the 16th century.

Just as Marjan Hill is to Split, Hvar Fort holds the best views of Hvar. Just look at this!

View from Hvar Fort

View from Hvar Fort

We spent a good majority of the day here, but who wouldn't?

Another view from Hvar Fort

The entrance to the prison cells of Hvar Fort.

The prisons of Hvar Fort. The windows were just big enough to let light in, but too small for one to climb out. A lonely place indeed.

Why can't the gift shops in the U.S. hold as much character as the ones in Europe? Unfair to compare, I know.

Bird's-eye view of Hvar Fort

St. Stephen's Cathedral in the center of Hvar's town square

Today marked our actual anniversary!  So, we spent it celebrating at this highly-recommended restaurant, Dalmatino's in Hvar (not to be confused with the Dalmatino's we will later visit in Dubrovnik).

They start you off with a carob liqueur to clear your palate

Carpaccio "Amor"; sliced octopus, olive oil, lemons, capers, and fresh bread

Gnocchi "Istria"; black gnocchi with black truffle and shrimp in a creamy wine sauce. I would like to re-name this dish "pillows from heaven." It's one dish that I dream and reminisce about often; one reason alone why I would travel back to Croatia. 

The sea bass with fava beans and feta mousse was also good, but not as memorable as my Gnocchi. The gnocchi was just that good.

Lavender liquor to finish the meal

...or so we thought! Dessert wine, made in-house. Delicious touch to compliment the end of our meal.

Our usual stroll around the city at dusk, waiting for pictures at sunset.

Hvar at dusk

Sunsets always seem more memorable when you're on the other side of the world. Either that, or you make more time to stop and enjoy your surroundings...

Sunset on Hvar

Bird's-eye view of Hvar at sunset. Can you spot the fortress?

Comparable to Split, the Main Square of Hvar has lots of restaurants with outdoor seating. Most of which tend to come alive after 8pm. The marble cobblestone pathways seem to also be a common theme around Croatia, which adds to it's hidden and unexpected charm.

The alleys of Hvar are narrow and filled with many stairs. Keep this in mind if you happen to get an apartment in the city. Luckily, we had rolling luggage that also converted into backpacks. A lifesaver for us!

As mentioned before, night-time shots are some of my favorite ways of capturing the beauty of a city.  Life is calm, the day is done, and everything is back in it's place. We signed up to take a day trip to some surrounding islands tomorrow. Stay posted to see where we go!

Split, Croatia

For our one-year anniversary, we decided to head back to Europe for another coastal adventure. This time, our destination was on the other side of the Adriatic Sea in the lesser-known country of Croatia. Why Croatia? You get all the perks of Italy (food, views, weather, etc) without the crowds or high costs. Besides, it's also where King's Landing is! Mind you, we didn't have high expectations (Italy and Greece were GORGEOUS, see blog posts from last year's Honeymoon). However, our initial assumptions were quickly blown away...

We landed in Split, which is the second largest city in Croatia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A view of the city from the ferry.

Split is also home to Diocletian's Palace, which was built for a Roman Emperor around the 4th century AD. It was built with local limestone and high quality marble. At night, those steps turn into seating for a nearby restaurant, where you can enjoy cocktails and live music.

The inside of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. You can pay a small fee to climb to the top. As with most European churches and historical sites, it's not for those who are claustrophobic. Not pictured: the very narrow, winding marble staircase leading up to this point.

The view from the top of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius.

The charming alleyways had similar characteristics to those of Rome.

Another view of Split from the pier.

Steps leading up to Marjan Hill, which has some of the best views of Split.

A small, magical cafe that is hidden along the steps to Marjan called Vidilica.  The perfect place to stop for a drink (especially after climbing all of those stairs!)

The view from the cafe, Vidilica, in Marjan.  By the way, we were able to walk here from where we were staying in Split.

Another view from Vidilica, where we stopped for drinks. A true paradise on top of the hill.

Situated between the dense forest of pine trees and the Dalmatian Coast, is a small church on Marjan Hill.

Marjan is a great place to see amazing views of the city, as well as take a nature walk or go for a jog.

As you can see, the views are comparable to those of Italy!

You can see as much or as little of Marjan as you like, there's something different depending on which path you take.

Europe always amazes me on how well their architecture withstands the test of time. Croatia was no exception.

The Bell Tower of St. Dominius

The basement of Diocletian's Palace...also where Daenerys' dragons were kept

A small part of the basement of Diocletian's Palace is open to the public for shopping (individual vendors selling local goods). However, find the side path where you pay a small entrance fee to tour the remains of the basement. You will find this part to be much less crowded.

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Another view of Diocletian's Palace at dusk. You can see that people are already congregating on the red cushions, waiting for the live music.

Cheers!

Croatia has a mix of Italian, Mediterranean, Bosnian, and lots of fresh seafood!

Pizza is always better in Europe

Stuffed bell peppers (punjena paprika) is part of the local cuisine of Croatia

Fresh calamari

Black seafood risotto with cuttlefish

Split is beautiful at night. Lots of restaurants along the bay stay open late. Even in late May, the weather was cool and perfect for sitting outside.

Night strolling is one of my favorite/must-see things to do while on vacation. The bright lights and lighter crowds make for some good photo opportunities.  Two nights in Split was plenty of time to see and do everything that we wanted to. Taking a ferry to Hvar tomorrow, get ready for even more incredible views!

Flying the Drone Over Houston in 4K

This is one of the things I've been working on lately. It's been a while since I've done video and I'm slowly getting back into it.

Have a look and let me know what you think!

The Houston Water Wall

Hidden in a park right in Uptown by the Galleria, the Water Wall is a huge 64 ft tall U-shaped fountain.  The park is a great spot to take the kids, walk the dog, or have a picnic on a nice day. You may even catch a proposal or two while you're there!

Downtown Houston with the Mavic Pro

So I recently picked up the Mavic Pro to add a new perspective to my photography.  After some short flights from my front yard, this is quickly becoming my favorite camera and here are some of my first impressions of this drone.

To start, it's incredibly easy to fly.  The controls are intuitive and it's so compact that it's really easy to bring around anywhere.  It flies incredibly smooth and stable as long as it's not too windy out.  It's so solid that you can even do some long exposures while the Mavic hovers in the air.

So far, the only downside that I have for it is that the low light performance is not that great and the noise creeps in pretty quickly once you start raising the ISO past 400, but it's kind of expected due to the size of the sensor.  All in all, its a very minor trade off for all of the other features you're getting with it.

If you're in the market for a drone, the Mavic Pro is definitely my top choice due to how small and compact it is.  It will easily go with me in my travel bag when I take trips and it gives me a completely different way to take photos.