Prime
The boat ride on Zadar coast
Scenic boat rides on Zadar in Croatia. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Zadar was probably one of the worst I had in a long time. So, if tasty food is top on your list, that is not your city!
Continuing my journey in Croatia and I did not venture out to the interior part of the country, I did go on a boat ride around the coast of Zadar. Fortunately, speed boats on calm waters do not cause motion sickness, hence I enjoyed a few hours of sightseeing.
The skipper showed me many islands that looked abandoned. He mentioned that sometimes there is only one house on such islands, and as for the bigger islands, during winter. There were only few people who lived there.
I noticed that most of these islands had olive trees on them, the guide told me people here like their olive oil. However, I found the oil to have a bit of a bitter after taste, something that did not go well with my taste buds, but when used to season grilled fish, it was actually very tasty.
On that day, as there was not much to see, the skipper took me to a sunken ship that has now turned into a sort of tourist attraction. People would snorkel around the ship to discover how marine life has turned the ship into an underwater garden. When we reached the ship I got my snorkelling equipment on and I jumped into the water. Well, I thought of the beautiful calm waters of Maldives that I was snorkelling in some years ago, this was definitely different, the currents, though not seen on the surface, were pulling me down and further from the ship and the boat, where did all my swimming abilities disappear?
For a minute, I recalled movies of people who drifted in the middle of the sea. I have never experienced such a situation and to be honest, I became a bit anxious, although I knew there was a professional skipper he could pull me out of the water.
The moment I was leaving the water into the boat, I felt a sharp sting on my left leg, and once on the boat, the skipper said he saw a jellyfish. Yes, I had been stung by my worst nightmare in the sea.
At that moment, all my knowledge about how to deal with such a situation completely disappeared, I could have used any plastic card to wipe the area clean of the poison. My hotel keycard would have worked, but I lived with the pain, a big mistake, because almost a week later, the area of the sting, is increasingly sensitive and I think I need a proper treatment now.
The positive side of this trip was a nice fish meal that we had at a local restaurant on one of the islands, and why would I mention that? Because the culinary experience in restaurants around Zadar was probably one of the worst I had in a long time. So, if tasty food is top on your list, that is not your city!
