Croatia
Croatia July 24th - 31st:
Arrival day was an exhausting day, we did not arrive in Croatia until 1am due to a late flight from Prague. For the first 3 days we stayed in the capital Zagreb. Our airbnb was an old antique style studio that needed some cleaning and updating, unfortunately the pictures were far different from our actual room but we made due and enjoyed the city just the same.
Day 2/3:
Our studio was located at the top of the old town, which is one of the primary tourist areas in Zagreb. So we were very lucky to have such a central location and be able to walk anywhere we wished. We started our first official day off by having brunch at a restaurant that was located on a very famous street in the old town which is home to dozens of cafes and eateries. It was a foodies dream, there were so many different types of cultural food and opportunity to explore different cuisine, I have never seen such diversity in one area. I tried so much new cuisine I was never exposed to before it was truly a memorable experience. We also ventured to see the largest farmers market in Croatia, Tržnica Dolac, there were just rows and rows of people selling their produce it was so cool to see! 
Following the farmers market we went to the Zagreb Cathedral. I was very excited to go see this beautiful church not just because of its architecture but also because I am catholic and have found it very fascinating to see all the different types of churches across all the countries I travel to. Upon stepping into the church and being aw-struck by the beauty and detail of the interior, a local older man approached me and began to scream and yell derogatory slurs toward me about the clothes I was wearing in a church. At first I thought he couldn't possibly be serious but it turns out that this man preys upon young women and how they dress almost every single day at this Cathedral, he has no significance to the church other than the fact that he is a Croatian man. This was truly a heartbreaking situation to be, however it truly did open my eyes to realize that toxic masculinity is truly still an issue in our world and that women are still being targeted for their bodies and dress. Needless to say we did not spend very much time in the Cathedral nor did we return. 
After a very interesting interaction in the church we decided to venture to the Oprah house which was little ways out of town. Unfortunately it was not open to access the inside but the outside was truly beautiful. There were lovely gardens all around the building and it truly provided such a warming feeling to the whole building. We continued to walk around the building and found a green house and small botanical garden. This setting was truly the peace and serenity that I need in the heat of the day. There was a beautiful pond that was home to various fish and turtles and a little bridge that extended across the water which offered a unique view of the green space. There were benches throughout the garden where there were several people eating lunch or relaxing with a book, it was a nice contrast to the busy tourist city life. 
For dinner we went to a greek restaurant which was unique for me because I had never been to one before. The food was amazing and we later went back to that same restaurant again before leaving! For dessert we found a gluten free bakery and ice cream shop. Wow I was so excited to have a gluten free dessert , the apple pie was to die for it was truly some of the best i have ever had. Lastly, we walked the streets of the town at night fall as it offered a different view on the city.
Day 4/5/6:
We traveled to the coast to a city called Zadar via bus. The original bus route was supposed to take 3 hours but ended up taking 6 hours. The result of the long excursion was a tunnel was closed and that caused an excess amount of stopped traffic. Naturally our bus had no bathroom so that was a fun experience! But none the less we made it Zadar safe and sound where our airbnb was in the heart of the old city with a beautiful balcony view. Our host was great and we had a very local experience here which was really cool. Once we got unpacked and acquainted we ventured into town to get a late lunch and then walked along the coast where there is beautiful crystal clear water.
Zadar is a very small town and it separated into the old and new side. The old side is where we stayed and where most of the tourist attractions are, churches and a surplus of museums. On the new side is mainly all hotels and residential living also a lot of deteriorating buildings. 
We spent our evening at the famous Sea Organ which is a system of pipes in the ocean that when the water goes through them they produce different sounds that result in a music type of production. It is so peaceful to sit on the steps of the sea organ at night and just listen to the sounds of the waves crashing and the music being produced. Truly a unique experience. 
Croatia and Sustainability:
As it stands now, Croatia still has a lot of room to grow in order to be where it needs to be in the world of sustainability. Currently, Croatia is the least successful country in the EU to minimize their general waste and increase the recycling. While in Croatia I never saw a recycling container, they were all general waste, the issue with this lack of separation is that when garbage companies go to separate the recycling from the waste it is not a complete job so the general waste percentage continues to grow. Not only does Croatia have the highest general waste percentage in the EU but they also out sore their recycling so the country does not make any profit from recycling which could be part of the issue as to why they seem hesitant to participate in the EU's sustainability movement. It seems that if Croatia kept the recycling within their country they could produce more jobs and make a profit from the process. Hopefully they will make some progress in at least implementing recycling bins in their country more frequently to minimize their general waste.
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