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We didn’t have anything planned for today, but being located in such a beautiful area, it would be a shame to not spend a least a couple of days exploring the locality.

As I mentioned before, getting off the beaten track always yields the best, most memorable days. I don’t have very much to write, because not very much happened. Despite this it was a day of peace, tranquillity and relaxation.

We set off early to the beach where we spent the first few hours of the day at the beach opposite our apartment in almost complete solitude. I made castles from rocks (its not often the inner 5 year old is let out…) and we swam in the ocean together. It is the child-like, responsibility free escapism without any time constraint that I haven’t felt in years.

As the beach busied, after picking up bread and water we made the half-hour walk back to the private beach outside our apartment. From one-beach to another we spend another half of the day sat on our private beach, including more reading and more swimming. It might have taken Alex some persuading to jump into the deep, rocky coast but the sense of unconstrained exploration is something I honestly can’t remember feeling since childhood. We spent many more hours there with no indication of time passing other than the sun traversing the sky in front of us, and the necessary moving of the parasol.

As the sun began to dip behind the far Western shoreline we headed for our first exploration of Primosten. Described by tour guides as a ‘love at first sight’ view I can’t say I disagreed. Of course its been touched by tourism as the number of apartments, restaurants and kiosks shows, however it hasn’t lost the sense of culture and tradition that we found missing from Krka National Park.

Juxtaposed amongst seaside restaurants are peoples homes, abandoned houses and every sort of local amenity imaginable. It felt as is the tourist attractions were an ‘add-on’ to the town, rather than the only thing there. As you scuttle through narrow streets it felt as if you’re the first foreigner to ever have walked there with nobody else in sight and total silence. Locals sat playing chess outside their homes and calling to others doing the same across the street. There’s a sense of community and that of a hassle free and simple life that I think everyone ultimately craves. As we walked up the main path to the church propped on top of the rocky outcrop of Primosten, the bells began to toll, breaking the silence. As we looked out to distant mountain islands we watched the sun slowly sink into the sea, dropping us into darkness.

We spend some more time at the harbour watching boats trundle around in the shallow water as we meandered back through narrow streets with waves lapping at the side of the walkway.

After returning home and reflecting on the day, I don’t feel like we’ve seen much of Croatia, but what we have seen has been totally immersive and utterly beautiful. It’s been a day of relaxation and total escapism from anything remotely home-like. I can only liken it to a sigh of relief, exhaling modern life and its associated stresses.

The importance of days like these is undoubtedly forgotten as we’re too busy chasing unimportant means to ultimately unimportant ends. Total satiation, absolute bliss is hard to come by, but a day by the beach followed by wandering deserted ancient streets and taking time to breath comes as close as I’ve known. This satiation and lack of worries is something that I found evaporate at some point in my early tends and its only through a day disconnected from our daily lives that we can rediscover it.