September 2019 feels like a century ago. The mechanisms of how our memory functions has always been quite a mysterious fascination and I am curious about how everyone is reviewing their lives this time last year. Back then, I had no idea what was in store for us in six months. For us it, it was the last month that we could capture a stunning summer from Europe’s Balkan coasts and arriving in Opatija on a landmark birthday felt like the beginning of an incredible memory. The weeks before were spent devouring gloriously fresh seafood by turquoise Adriatic waters, swimming in caves, photographing dolphins in the wild and sailing, and we saw in Opatija a moment of cool respite in a more upmarket setting. It was so different to Rovinj and Pula – both sensual throwbacks to Roman and Venetian glory days. Here in Opatija it was back to the Austro-Hungary touches that we first saw in Zagreb, but somehow made more flamboyant and luxurious given its seaside ambience. We didn’t stay long enough to know it, but the little we saw, we cherished.








When will travel be possible/sensible again? In 2021, let’s hope.
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Yes please… I fantasise of a return to normality next year.. eventually
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Hello lovely! Ah this was just gorgeous to read and take in, my friend!! I honestly felt like being there with you, and it sounds like an absolutely perfect holiday that you were blessed to experience:) Swimming in caves, photographing wild dolphins…sigh, I love it! Keep these gorgeous posts coming!! Love them, beautiful friend!! I haven´t been to the Balkan region yet, so this was an absolute treat and marvelous discovery:) Ah, and so interesting that we both share an interest in how the memory works! I did one of my major exams at Uni (Cultural Studies) on memory and how it works, super fascinating stuff. Sending you big hugs and much love! Have a great start to your week gorgeous ❤️🤗❤️🤗
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Amazing that you studied about memory.. how I wish to know more! I always find the concepts relating to encoding, retaining and storing after a long time incredible. Like why do we remember somethings so vividly especially when randomly triggered….. oh you would love this part of the world, full of nature, ancient architecture and incredible translucent waters! And we never even got to the south of Croatia, just the Istrian riviera in the northwest… I’ll never forget it, and so glad we did it before 2020’s ‘plague’ began…when this is all over, we all probably need six months off to travel again 🤣 If you want to see some visuals of the dolphin trip we took its here https://thehigherself.blog/2019/10/22/travel-anecdotes-dolphins-in-the-adriatic/ if you go to Rovinj I really recommend this company because its run by a marine biologist and expert who are eco friendly and respectful of these gorgeous creatures… they have strict rules about observation (not too close, not in a place with other boats) and they give you such an amazing education of the animals, including the specific ones who live in those parts of the sea. So you get a flavour of the dolphin’s true lives. Sorry for going on about this because we saw alot of 15 Euro dolphin operators who were just… exploiting the tourists and the dolphins by not respecting their space… anyway thank you so much my beauty for dropping by…. hope you’re having a delightful week too 💕💕💕💕
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Hello gorgeous, yep memory and how it works is such an incredibly fascinating topic!! i think we often remember things more that hold a strong emotional charge, good or bad! Thank you so much for sharing your fabulous travel experiences with the Croatian dolphins with me:) Love it love it!! How did you know that dolphins are my favorite animals? Will totally jot down what you wrote here and put a trip to Rovinji on my bucket list for …2021 or…2022? Let´s see what goes in the next years 😛 Well my lovely, I will check out your dolphin pics now. Thanks again, and wishing you an incredible rest to your week. Love and hugs 💖💖💖💖
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Thanks my dearest re how memory works… indeed, my sister and I were just saying to each other that we always feel so close to the best times of our lives like it happened yesterday… for her it was her Uni years and for me it was when living in Turkey… Im curious also about the more random ones… like having crazy detailed recollections of walking home from work and specific conversations with a friend that in hindsight doesn’t have too much impact.. Maybe we need a post on that 😂😂😂 And indeed have Rovinj in your bucket list when the skies open again please.. it’s just sooo intoxicatingly beautiful in a very sensual, natural way… I’ll never forget it… I’ve posted alot on the whole Balkan experience so don’t hesitate to ask me anything! (We did alot of research 😂) big hugs for your weekend lovely 💕💚💕
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Hi lovely, I would love to see more posts on the memory topic by you! That would be amazing to read. Aww thanks for sharing your gorgeous Rovinj-impressions with me, also! It sounds SO alluring! I will definitely put it on my list:) Big hugs!💚💕
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So hope you get to do it in the post-covid world.. I’ve listed down Portugal and Greece for my post-covid travel…
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Thank you, gorgeous! Great choices! I love that you are making plans for after the darn C-thing-time lol. I will be envisioning more for 2021 soon, too. We can´t let things get us to down, there´s always hope:)
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Absolutely… gotta cling on to hope! Argh so hoping for a relaxing weekend!
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Yes, hope is healing:) Fingers crossed for a very OM-style weekend for you lovely. Hugs!!:)
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Hey, I just went to your blog to see what you had recently posted – and at the same time I guess you were looking at mine.
It’s raining but very warm here in Paris – too warm for mid to end October!
Beautiful photos. I was looking at my photos of Portugal this morning. I miss it. I miss the sunshine, the cool wind blowing off the ocean, the friendly people, etc.
Anyway, have a pleasant Sunday.
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Hey Juliet…haha we have blogging telepathy! I always look forward to see your latest thoughts and posts… I can bet you miss Portugal, the photos look divine and I can sense how healing the trip was… the last time we had a beach break was for 3 days in September and I’m already itching for another one… lockdown is starting to crop up again here though so it may really just be us loafing around the apartment eating brownies :)! which could be fun in its own way I guess..have a gorgeous week Juliet!
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