TravelswithCharie

The Epiphany Statue Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Europe. A little more than two thirds of it lies in North Macedonia and the rest in Albania. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and together with the city of Ohrid, it was given Natural and Cultural World Heritage Site status in 1980. Visitors are drawn to the lake for its expansive views, the historical sites of Ohrid situated above the lake and all the lakefront activities. You can catch  a ferry from the main harbor to go to other towns around the lake. There are many possibilities for lake cruising depending on your schedule. Some of the options include a boat trip to St. Naum Monastery and the Bay of Bones, a sunset cruise and a panoramic cruise with lunch. Signs are posted for times of departures at the harbor or check with local tour operators. You may take this red submarine for a spin around the lake. Found several stray dogs in Lake Ohrid. I think they love the weather here. Hills...

Cavtat and Luka Bay Many moons ago, I was lucky to have spent a week in Dubrovnik in the off season.  It was enchanting and tranquil then. I had a room at the Hilton Imperial with a view of St. Lawrence Fortress (Lovrijenac). The fortress glowed at night and it was magical! But Dubrovnik has changed quite a bit in the intervening years. Current hotel rates there are beyond my budget and the city is crowded with visitors who want to see one of the locations of Game of Thrones. So this time around, I chose to stay in Cavtat (pronounced tsav-tat). It is a small, relaxed village on the Rat peninsula just thirty minutes south of Dubrovnik. It turned out to be a great choice! Franciscan Monastery and Church of Our Lady of the Snow with  Supetar Island in the distance Račić Family mausoleum (on the hilltop) and marina Vlaho Bukovac Vlaho Bukovac (Biagio Faggioni) is one of the foremost Croatian painters and is considered an early exponent of modern Croatian art. He was born in Cavtat...

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean This is why people congregate to watch a sunset.  Jaco Beach Tuning in the blue mind. Waking up to this, palm trees, blue skies, and vitamin sea.    ⬇️⬇️⬇️ Iguana One of the staff members at the hotel told me that there are bigger iguanas in the garden. This is the biggest one I saw. Needless to say, I didn’t stroll in the garden after sunset. At the town plaza, the iconic “I ❤️ Jaco” and Pura Vida signs welcome visitors. The tourism slogan of Costa Rica Jaco’s restaurants and shops are clustered along the main highway. You can easily walk from the hotels on the beach to the commercial center of Jaco where you can rent a surfboard, buy souvenirs, arrange sightseeing tours or grab a bite to eat. Where to stay: Best Western Jaco Beach bestwestern.com This was the first time I stayed at an all inclusive resort. I liked the fact that I could get three meals a day, enjoy free drinks (yes, cocktails are included) and have a snack at the beachside b...