As a late winter snowstorm barreled toward Washington, D.C., this week, my seasonally depressed thoughts turned to the Mediterranean climate of Croatia, whose island residents enjoy up to 2,800 hours of sunshine each year. It certainly isn’t fair to the rest of us, but it helps explain why the Dalmatian Archipelago is quickly becoming one of the world’s most desirable vacation destinations.
On May 21, 2006, the people of Montenegro flocked to the polls to cast their ballots in a referendum for independence. It was a dramatic proposition for this small Balkan region, whose populace had spent much of the 20th century under the umbrella of Yugoslavia. But by the slimmest of margins—2,300 votes out of more than 400,000 cast—Montenegrins declared themselves an independent nation.
As the 2012 presidential campaign finally came to an end this week, so concluded an election season that for two years had locked Americans into a fierce partisan divide. Thus, it’s little wonder that I find myself in desperate need of someplace tranquil. Someplace quiet. Someplace neutral, perhaps.
Today, it is known as The Pearl of the Adriatic. But in 1991, as the Croatian War for Independence raged through the region, life in Dubrovnik was anything but beautiful.
The good old Washington Post has announced the results of its 2012 Travel Photo Contest, and I’m very excited to report that one of my photographs is a finalist. After receiving nearly 1,400 entries, the Post selected four winning photos and 11 finalists—one of which was taken by yours truly.
The Long Weekender 