Beyond Croatia’s Beauty

Living in Switzerland has allowed us to travel to many places in the world that we may have otherwise not been able to see.  That said, seeing is one thing, experiencing these places is something different.

There are some places that can give you an aura or feel about them beyond that in which the eye can see.  Sometimes it may be their natural beauty that can point to and radiate something more to life than what we can visualize.  Other times it might be the architecture that can tell the stories of their past in ways only our subconscious can fully articulate.  And then there are the places that are still wrestling with their own identities as a country, more specifically as a people, that we are invited into and allowed to experience if and when we are lucky enough to visit.

At the beginning of the summer, we took a trip to the beautiful country of Croatia.  Our neighbor is Croatian, so he naturally had been suggesting for years that we must go to see this beautiful part of the world.  So that we did…and the beauty was breathtaking.  From its many islands to its old cities, to its beautiful sunsets, Croatia is absolutely stunning to the eye.

Yet laying underneath its beauty, interwoven in its being, and heard through the words of its people, is the reality of a region still experiencing the aftershocks of a war.  It was present.  It was real.  And we could feel it both consciously and subconsciously.

It’s only been 20+ years since the Yugoslav Wars erupted which would change the landscape of that region forever.  Therefore visiting this region you become immersed in their experiences.  Where their wounds are still fresh and their lives still uprooted.

Crossing the border into Montenegro and then back again was one type of experience.  Listening to the guide that we had for the day about the stories of his people and that of this entire region seemed to come to life right there at the border.  There was something beyond comprehension still going on there.  Tension.  Fears.  A generation still experiencing the after-effects of a war.

We even saw glimpses of these after-effects during the 2018 World Cup.  Whether it was the two native Albanian Swiss players who got themselves into hot water with hand gestures during Switzerland’s match against Serbia or the pro-Ukraine comments by the Croatian National Team coach after Croatia defeated Russia, both situations show a reality of a region still wrestling with itself.  Wrestling with the daily drama of instilling hope for the future despite the fresh wounds of its past.

All of this was and still can be experienced in and through the glorious sunsets.  The beautiful architecture of its ancient cities.  The breathtaking clear water that washes ashore onto its many islands.

In an age when we are able to see more of the world and its beauty through social media, traveling is always much more than just sights and sounds.  It’s about humanity.  It’s about experiencing the lives of others.  It’s about coming into contact with their fears and hopes.  Their joys and sorrows.  This is what remains well beyond the fading pictures.

This is beauty.