Rijeka

After my skipper training course, Alexandra and I do a quick handover in Rijeka. This week it’s Alexandra’s turn to take her ASA 101, 103, and 104 courses, while I get to relax and look after the dog.

Chilling

Person dining with a poodle in a restaurant, enjoying a plate of risotto.

Rocky shoreline with a dog walking near the water, under a clear blue sky.

I really needed a week of downtime in Rijeka. Even though I took it easy and became a bit of a running joke in the skipper training group for insisting on my afternoon nap, I’m honestly exhausted. I guess I’m feeling those 25 years of work in my bones. Sure, anyone who works a physical job would probably just laugh at this office drone, but sitting for 8-9 hours a day, staring at a screen, is pretty much the definition of inhuman. We were made to roam the savannah and keep our brains in energy-saving mode as much as possible.

Punk Rock

Sunset over a harbor with ships and cranes silhouetted against the sky.

Coastal landscape with sailboats, rocky shoreline, and industrial chimneys in the background.

Statue on a tall pedestal with colorful buildings and boats along a waterfront.

Old building with large ape mural, surrounded by modern buildings and parked cars.

Coastal cityscape with buildings, roads, and ships on a calm sea under a clear sky.

Coastal cityscape with a ship docked, mountains in the background, and rocky shoreline in the foreground.

There’s not much to say about Rijeka. It’s an industrial city with a port, shipyards, and refineries. Rijeka is also home to Croatia’s first punk rock band, Paraf, and people here are still proud of that.

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Rijeka has stayed true to itself and is still wonderfully rough around the edges.

Conclusion

Two people sitting on a couch, two standing, and a dog in a laundry room.

One thing I have to say: I experience Croatians here differently than in the tourist spots. Everyone speaks excellent English and is always up for a chat. Charly is the superstar and the key to everyone’s heart, especially the ladies’. I get to hear several life stories. Really sweet.

Still, I don’t find Rijeka a place I’d want to live. It’s just too dirty, too run-down, too loud, and way too car-centric. I guess I’ve gotten too old and boring for punk rock, too old to die young.