adventure – Bri Right Back

Zagreb and Split, Croatia: Beaches, a Fortress and.. a couple trips to the Hospital

April 8, 2021April 8, 2021 Brirightback

After an amazing time in Budapest, some friends and I made our way to Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. We checked into Chillout Hostel, a cool place with a bar downstairs. Just a warning: Croatia allows smoking inside in bars so if you’re not a smoker or smoking bothers you, I’d recommend not choosing a party hostel when visiting. It wouldn’t normally be an issue for me but I ended up getting very sick my first full day in the country. I had some sort of allergic reaction to bug bites and respiratory problems with a fever. The added smoke killed my lungs when they desperately needed a break. I quickly realized I had to go get myself checked out but, used to the American “healthcare” system and without insurance, I was nervous about the possible cost.

After two hospital visits and a barrage of tests, I was told I had tonsillitis and some sort of allergic reaction. I’ve had both in the past but I think both were exacerbated by my being essentially alone in a foreign place and the lack of home comforts. At the expense of seeming like an ugly American, I seriously missed air conditioning. Taking a cold shower every couple of hours just wasn’t cutting it. All I wanted was to be home but I also didn’t want to cut my trip short. The expense didn’t end up being as bad as I thought it would be and, hey, that’s why a good traveler plans for incidentals. It can’t always go our way. After a few days in a feverish nightmare, I was so grateful to finally explore some of the city.

Apart from walking around the city and having a couple meals (when I wasn’t puking in an alley), I enjoyed visiting the Museum of Broken Relationships. This is the most unique museum I’ve been to, with items that are donated and displayed beside stories of their significance in relationships. The website explains it best: “It is a museum about you, about us, about the ways we love and lose.” Basically, I went here to hurt my own feelings (very on brand), because why not bring down my mental health along with my physical health? All jokes aside, I highly recommend a visit if you’re in Zagreb or LA or wherever else these exhibits pop up. You won’t regret it.

“We go to foreign cities in search of sensuality and possibly love. And vice versa: we get in love in search of making the city in which we reside unfamiliar. All love affairs happen in foreign cities.”
From “Undying Love, Love Dies” by Jalal Toufik

Delicious meal after I got out of the hospital but I couldn’t tell you where or who I was at the time

I didn’t eat much in Zagreb besides crackers and soup, but I had some great falafel at Zrno Bistro. Really nice place.

(Lower left): Me in that alley, brought down by the hubris of thinking I could eat a french fry

As much as I wanted to have more time to experience Zagreb, I’d been there a week, got my nose scoped and a steroid shot in the butt, so I was pretty ready to catch a bus, plane, boat, or windowless van out of there.

I was definitely ready to “Split.” Sorry, not sorry, for the pun.

Something about the ocean air always makes me feel better so arriving in Split was an instant jolt and I felt energized for the first time since Budapest. However, the uptick in my mood may have been due to the lovely air conditioning at the Airbnb.

We checked out Diocletian’s Palace, both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Game of Thrones location. The Cathedral of St. Domnius was a highlight of the trip. Game of Thrones fan or not, the Palace is worth a visit.

The Klis Fortress was also used in the filming of Game of Thrones, as the city of Meereen. The views from the fortress are gorgeous. There’s also a room with excellent acoustics to practice your rendition of the theme song, not that we would have ever done that of course.

We took a ferry to Šolta to find a cool secret spot our friend knew about. It was a longer hike than we’d planned for but if you look at the picture below, you’ll see it was more than worth it to swim in this clear blue water.

My friend Jay/ How I felt after hiking in Šolta

Bonus points if you time your daytrip to Šolta to catch the sunset from the ferry ride home.

Croatia was full of ups and downs for me personally, but I’m so glad I was able to see just a portion of what it has to offer. I’d love to return and see Dubrovnik one day and more of the islands off of Split.

Next stop, Ljubljana, Slovenia!

Valencia, Spain: A Good Place for a Siesta

October 15, 2019December 14, 2021 Brirightback

Valencia, Spain! When I touched down in Spain, it may have only been May but it jump-started my summer. As usual, I got super lost looking for my hostel Home Youth Hostel Valencia. Once I got there, I was excited to see it was super clean and cozy and the staff was ready to tell me everything about this beautiful city. I’m not sure if it was the late hour or the dehydration, but my eyes began to glaze over as I remembered my friend’s highest recommendation: the agua de Valencia. To my luck, there was a great restaurant right outside the hostel called Escalones de la Lonja. The first meal I ordered there was a chorizo, egg, potato, and pepper dish with agua de Valencia, basically a boozier mimosa. Another night, I tried the potatas bravas. Everything I ate there was delicious and the location could not have been any better based on where I stayed.

Valencia’s Central Market was just steps away from my hostel. One could easily spend a few hours exploring all the stalls there. I went every morning while in Valencia. The market was packed with options but the fresh fruit juices were my favorite things to buy there. Outside one of the entrances, they sell churros and horchata, a non-dairy rice milk beverage. The horchata was interesting to try, but as someone who doesn’t really drink milk, it felt a little heavy. The churros were delicious but next time I would definitely order some chocolate to dip them in.

Another food I tried in Valencia were empanadas at a place called Dempanadas. The food was awesome and inexpensive and service was fantastic. I had a bacon and cheese and a spinach and cheese empanada.

Aside from eating your weight in tapas and empanadas, there’s plenty to do and see in Valencia. I went on a historical tour to see some of the sights. You can’t miss the Valencia Cathedral. I’d read online that it was really cheap to climb the bell tower there rather than visit the rest of the church. If you’re religious, this cathedral is home to what many believe to be the Holy Grail. The journey to the top of Miguelete Bell Tower consists of a 207-step spiral staircase that leads you to a viewing platform. Once at the top, you can see panoramic views of the city. If you startle easily, like I found out I do, be aware that the bells will be deafening from up there. It quickly dashed any fantasies of me becoming the next Quasimodo. Another warning is that this trek counts as leg day and you may feel like you need some new legs the next morning. I vowed to not even look at a staircase for several weeks.

My top recommendation for this city is to seek out as much street art as you can find. Valencians are very proud of their street art and some of it is even commissioned to be on buildings by the owners. Take a street art tour so you can hear about the artists that beautify Valencia’s neighborhoods.

Street art is everywhere in Valencia. Just take a look around when you’re exploring and you’re bound to find something cool.

If you’re planning a trip to Spain, you should definitely consider spending a few days in Valencia. The art, food, and general laid-back vibe make it worth a visit. My one big regret is not being able to try the Valencian paella (heads-up, the authentic restaurants only sell it to parties of two or more). I was too shy to seek out a paella buddy at this point in my adventure. My next destination will be Spain’s capital, Madrid!

Me after drinking my daily Agua de Valencia

Brussels, Belgium: Where Waffles are a Snack and Fries are a Meal

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019 Brirightback

I arrived in Brussels slightly nervous since Belgium was the first country I’d be visiting during this trip where the native language was not English (unless you count heavy Scottish accents and believe me, you probably should). It was time for me to drag out my limited French and see how I could get by on that.

The main attractions in Brussels are pretty easy to find and clustered together so it was super walkable. If you took a wrong turn (my specialty,) you would probably find something else worth seeing or better yet, find something worth eating. My first stop was the Grand Place, a beautiful market square surrounded and filled with lots of places to eat. I spent some time just people watching here and watching a free open-air concert that was being held that weekend. The buildings there just begged to be photographed from every angle. Nearby, I walked through the Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, the fanciest shopping mall I’ve ever seen. Manneken Pis, a cheeky statue of a boy relieving himself, consistently drew large crowds of tourists. There are similar statues, one of a little girl and one of a dog, but I didn’t go out of my way to find them.

One of my favorite things about Brussels was the Comic Book Route, a walk that exhibits some comic-book inspired street art. These pops of color along with the Rainbow crosswalks in the Saint-Jacques neighborhood set Brussels apart from many other European cities that can sometimes look interchangeable.

The tram system in Brussels was really easy to navigate so I made my way to the Atomium. Originally an exhibition for the Brussels World Expo in 1958, it attracts many tourists as a museum and landmark. I mostly just used it as a photo op and an excuse to get another waffle.

I am not a breakfast person by any means but I knew I had to try a fresh waffle while in Brussels. In a twist of fate I never expected, I went back for two more before I left town in search of the best waffle I could find. There were so many to choose from so I was left waffling (sorry, not sorry) over this big decision. The first place I tried was La Funambule. My half chocolate syrup and half vanilla syrup covered waffle was delicious. The next one I tried was at the Atomium- best and only waffle I’ve had from a van and a reminder that no matter where I am, wet wipes should be an essential in my bag. The last and favorite one I had was at a place that I never got the name of and couldn’t find on Google. It is in the Manneken Pis area and has a giant Nutella sign on the wall. If you find it, the cookie butter waffle is unbelievable.

You can’t go to Belgium and not try the fries! I did an embarrassing amount of french fry research and decided to get some fries from Fritland. These twice-fried treats were fully worth waiting for, which is fortunate because queues are usually long. I tried mine with andalouse sauce, a Belgian specialty combining mayonnaise, tomato paste, and peppers. They were served straight out of the fryer in the traditional cone container.

My last meal in Brussels was at a place called Houtsiplou. I had the cheese croquettes and they were amazing. I thought only being served three wouldn’t have been enough food but I was very wrong. I couldn’t even get through them all, let alone touch the fries and bread! Highly recommend this place.

I didn’t take advantage of it but Brussels is in a great location. If I return, and I truly hope I do, it’s possible to do so many daytrips and add some places to the itinerary. I would go to the Belgian cities of Bruges and Ghent and maybe even venture to Luxembourg.

Spain, here I come!