After leaving Slovenia we moved South into Croatia and started on the coast visiting the town of Rovinj, which is definitely more Italian than Croatian. We saw some impressive Roman ruins in the town of Pula before heading inland to the spectacular Plitvice Lakes National Park. Then down the Croatian Coast to the majestic old walled city of Dubrovnik (the Pearl of the Adriatic). A long drive back up to Vienna for a few days before finishing off with a relaxing week in Madrid. We arrive home in Brisbane early December with the aim to return back to normal life (whatever that means). Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with this last chapter so ends our 2015 Gap Year.
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| The main square in the hilltop town of Motovun in Croatia |
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| The hilltop town of Motovun in Croatia |
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| Walking the streets of Rovinj on the Croatian coast |
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| Rovinj in Croatia - feels a lot like Italy |
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| Rovinj markets |
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| Roman Amphitheater in Pula, Croatia |
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| Markets in Pula |
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| Never too cold for an Ice Cream |
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| The fishing fleet offloading in Pula |
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| Passing through the town of Otocac - plenty of scars still around from the war in Croatia |
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| In Otocac again and this memorial outside the church made out of artillery shells |
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| The magnificent Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia |
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| Plitvice Lakes National Park |
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| Plitvice Lakes National Park |
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| Plitvice Lakes National Park |
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| Plitvice Selfie |
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| Plitvice Lakes National Park |
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| The bread-basket of Croatia |
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| The Pearl of the Adriatic - Dubrovnik |
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| Swimming in the clear waters near Dubrovnik (yes it's the end of November) |
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| Dubrovnik's main drag at night |
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| Dubrovnik city walls |
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| Climbing Mt Srd high over Dubrovnik |
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| Meeting the locals |
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| Looking over Dubrovnik, much of the town was damaged by artillery shelling in the war |
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| Walking the walls with Mt Srd in the background |
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| Looking out to sea from the impressive walls |
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| Lunch from the bakery before another swim |
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| Buried alive |
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| Farewell to Dubrovnik and Croatia |
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| Heading back up the Croatian coast and countless picnic spots like this |
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| Still finding cheap Bled cream cake at Lidl - yummmm |
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| Northern Slovenia locals |
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| Caught up with some friends in Vienna working with the refugees coming through |
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| St Stephen's in Vienna |
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| Hofburg Palace in Vienna (Hitler told of Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany on 15 March 1938 from the balcony) |
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| The Christmas Markets in Maria-Theresien-Platz Vienna |
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| The colourful Christmas Markets in Rathausplatz Vienna |
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| Cold night but suited the Christmas Markets |
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| Needed a Bratwurst hot dog to warm up |
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| City hall in the background at Rathausplatz Christmas Markets |
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| Giant pretzels and apple strudel also hit the spot on a cold night |
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| Vienna's stately architecture |
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| The unpronounceable but excellent Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna |
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| The Egyptian room in the Kunsthistorisches Museum |
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| Kunsthistorisches Museum automaton's - toys for the rich Habsburg kings |
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| Hamming it up in Madrid |
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| Madrid markets |
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| The fabulous Prado art gallery in Madrid, taking advantage of free entry every night from 6-8pm |
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| Dropped in for a morning session at Madrid Horse Week |
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| Cheap Madrid lunch |
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| Roman Aqueduct at the nearby town of Segovia |
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| Gothic Segovia Cathedral |
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| Valley of the Fallen north of Madrid (memorial from Spanish Civil war and Franco's grave) |
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| El Escorial Palace just North of Madrid |
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| A Spanish Bull Bar |
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| Madrid Christmas Lights |
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| Couldn't go to Spain and not have Churros |
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| Picasso - art? |
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| Storm troopers arrived in Madrid |
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| Maritime Museum and the oldest existing map with complete Americas |
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The last kebab!
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