A two-headed pickled lamb floating in a mysteriously murky colored liquid and a traditionally-garbed monk, sitting blissfully in the shade, are certainly not sights one has the privilege of seeing everyday. However, in Punat, this is standard operation.
Punat, a deliciously small coastal town in Croatia-or might I say Republika Hrvatska-could most definitely be considered a hidden gem. While most tourists find themselves wandering about the historic town of Dubrovnik, I noticed that Punat was relatively serene, aside from the hum of the German language coming from the few German tour groups. In addition, when ordering ice-cream in my horrendously broken attempt at Croatian, the flirtatious ice-cream vendor kindly impaled my vanilla gelato with a small American flag- a token which shows the town of Punat has seen a significant amount of fellow American visitors before me.
When in Punat, it is almost mandatory to take a short boat ride out to a miniature island which houses a Franciscan monastery where four ( I believe it's four) monks reside. If praying in a peaceful environment appeals to you, Punat is the place to go. If viewing a collection of quirky and slightly disturbing artifacts, such as preserved animals, appeals to you, then Punat is still the place to go. Now why a monastery displays such odd items in a museum they control is something I simply cannot figure out. **Check out this nineteen year old's travel blog at www.wanderlusted-cleo.blogspot.com**
