Croatia's Dalmation Coast

Ever dreamed of hitchhiking across the country, Kerouak style, with nothing more than a backpack and a sense of adventure? Though less common in the United States, seeing hitchhikers is not unusual on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. My friend Iva and I passed by several of them as we drove along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, on our way from Murter to Šibenik. Iva drove while Ino, her adorable two-month-old baby, traveled with us. He was quite peaceful, sleeping most of the time, and waking up only when he was hungry. Ino's nickname is "Little Buddha."

The coast of Croatia is stunning.  Sunlight glitters on the Adriatic Sea as waves crash against the rocks.  There is no sand here;  pebbles line the shores of the beaches. 

On our way back from Šibenik, we noticed a sign to alert drivers to the presence of wild board crossing the road. Then at one point, traffic came to a halt. Iva, who is from the Dalmatian Coast, was surprised that we had encountered total gridlock, with continuous columns of traffic stretched in both directions.  The reason?  There was a donkey in the middle of the road!