Mljet, Croatia

Mljet (pronounced Mm-yet) is a beautiful island northeast of Dubrovnik. It was discovered by ancient Greco-Roman geographers, who wrote the first records and descriptions, calling it Melita, or "honey," for the swarms of bees they found there. I don't remember seeing any bees, but the sound of the cicadas in the trees was quite ominous!

We traveled by small boat for about 30 minutes to reach the northwest harbor. After a short walk to the entrance of the national park we found our local tour guide. She led us through the forested area and spoke about the history and geography of the island. I've included a bit of the folklore below.  Then we traveled by tiny passenger ferry past the Monastery of St. Mary, located on a small island within one of Mljet's saltwater lakes, and landed on the Island of St. Mary where there is a tiny stone church and a small walking path.

Mljet is awash in legends and folklore. The most oft-told story is the legend of Homer's hero Odysseus, whose ship supposedly was blown ashore at Mljet, where he was enchanted by the nymph Calypso and kept in her cave for 7 years.

Another legend says that St. Paul stayed on Mljet during one of his trips spreading Christianity. As with many legends, this one is based on a kernel of truth. According to historians, St. Paul was shipwrecked off the island of Melita and there is a debate as to whether Melita refers to Mljet or Malta. Nonetheless, St. Paul is held in high esteem by the residents of Mljet.

The water in the salt water lakes was a spectacular teal green!

Part reality, and perhaps part exaggeration, is the story of Mljet's relationship with snakes and boars. According to records, Mljet once was overpopulated with poisonous snakes, and in 1911 experts brought in mongooses to get rid of them. The little critters eliminated the snakes but created another problem by killing the island's rabbits and chickens, too. Currently, the island has a problem with wild boars, which prowl the forests. The boars supposedly swam 8km (5 miles) across the sea to Mljet years ago during a fire in their former habitat. I was a little freaked out by the boars, but I didn't glimpse one while we were there. Mostly just plant life, beautiful water and the incessant sound of cicadas in the trees.

We had a wonderful meal at a small restaurant on Mljet. I had this white risotto and Paul stuck with pizza...delicious! Then back to Dubrovnik for our final night before heading off on another adventure in Split.