Laura Hyatt couldn't dream that blogging as a hobby would turn into her real job. This 24 year owner of ''Heroine in heels'' usually writes about her London adventures, but nowadays she has a new adventure to write about – her solo trip to Dubrovnik! We caught up with her during her stay, just before she went for a cruise along the Croatian coast. We really enjoyed talking to this inspirative, young woman.
Why ''Heroine in heels''?
I called it that because it started as a blog for the modern women. I was thinking about women who have careers, go out and are into fashion, that I see as heroines. I started it when I was moving to London, when I had a full time job as a journalist. I was writing about the places where I went to in London, bars, restaurants. Now my blog is a full time job!
When did you start your blog?
November 2013. Two and a half years ago, but I've been only doing it full time for the last six weeks. I actually lost my job and I thought ''You know what? I'm going to make this full time!''. I've been making money of it before, but now I get a lot more time to do it. I get to travel more, before I was limited by annual leaves and now I can travel whenever I want to.
You had a blog post about travelling alone, what are the benefits of it?
That's what I'm doing now! I absolutely love it because you have to look after yourself. I have a boyfriend who is at home, we are living together, but he doesn't want to travel. That's his thing and that's fine. We are enjoying time together, but we also have differences. It's important to be an individual. I think there are so many people that go in the relationship and become emerged ''blob''. (laughs) At the end of the day, you never know what is going to happen. It's your life and you should do things you want to do. I went on holidays with friends, but you don't get to do so much of what you want to do. When you solo traveling, you can do whatever you want. When I went on my first solo trip I've went to the airport 4 hours early, I was like ''I don't know where I'm going, I don't know what I'm doing''. You need to have confidence to navigate around the city you don't know. It elevated my self esteem, just to know that I can go places and to things on my own and I'm ok. It makes me feel good.
And where have you been travelling?
This year I went to the Arctic, I was doing the charity trekk for five days. It was minus 25 degrees and I had to sleep in an igloo. It was absolutely amazing but one day it got so cold that I started to cry. Then to Paris, Iceland, Lanzarote, now here and next week I'm going to Switzerland, then Morocco. That's what I've got planned so far!

Why did you chose Dubrovnik for one of your destinations?
It was a place that I've always wanted to visit. I don't know how, but for years I've read about it in travel guides and then, obviously, Game of Thrones did its thing too. I think Dubrovnik is one of the places that jumps out with orange tiles and roofs. I'm always into the historical aspect and Game of Thrones got my attention so I decided to come.
And how do you like it?
I've been around the Old Town and it's beautiful. When I went to Lanzarote a couple of weeks ago – it's wasn't very pretty. But when I came here it was like every side that I turned was beautiful. I love taking photos and it's so great to me. You don't have to do a lot, you just can just enjoy it and walk around.
Dubrovnik is popular destination from where you come from?
Yes, a friend of mine just came last week! I think a Game of Thrones helped to that too. I see a lot of people going all the time.
Did you take a lot of photos?
Yes I've taken a lot! I'm going to write about Dubrovnik when I come back home.
Do you think you will come back?
Yes, I definitely want to come back! I like to come back in the different points of the year because you can see how the town is changes. I'm quite winter person so I would like to come then. It's nice to see it the what it is, not only the tourist aspect.
So, you could say that this is job that's fulfilling you?
Oh my God, yes! I remember when I was at my previous job, I enjoyed it, but I didn't get up in the morning and think ''I can't wait to go to work'', it was never like that. Now, I absolutely love what I do, it's a very good job. I get to travel, go to nice places. I'm working very hard, even weekends, I don't have a day of because it's a constant job, but I won't lie – it's good.
Do you have an advice for our readers if they want to start blogging?
Blogging is so different nowadays because it can be a job. I started it as a hobby and I think that's the best way to do it. Choose something you're passionate about, there's no point about writing about something you're not interested in. I think a lot of people now want to make a job out of blogging and they force it. It's a great job, but it's quite demanding and you have to live what you do. Write about something that you love – if it's travel, write about travel, if it's fashion, write about fashion, just start writing. Social media are such a big thing these days and I think that's the way I got so ''popular''. I promote a lot trough my Twitter, that's a good platform for engaging with people. For anyone who wants to start a blog: don't go in it because of the wrong reasons, write about what you're passionate about and that's when people will enjoy reading it.

''Roadtriping through Croatia and beyond'' is the name of the article that was published few days ago on The Boston Globe website that includes Dubrovnik. The author is describing a trip that starts in Zagreb, continues along the Dalmatian coast to Split and Dubrovnik, turns north to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through Mostar, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, and back to Zagreb.

While coming to Dubrovnik, they've stopped at Mali Ston on the Peljesac peninsula to try the local specialities. In the afternoon, they came to Dubrovnik and these were their impressions:
- Crowded Old Town has just hosted a “Star Wars” film crew (“Game of Thrones” also shot here). As we walk over an ancient bridge, following the porter into the main square, we too feel like we’re in a film. Magnificent Dubrovnik, restored by UNESCO after the war, has views of a startling blue sea that take your breath away, churches, palaces, narrow walkways, and steep stone staircases – writes the author of the article and adds that they've walked the City Walls for hours for a small fee, which is interesting because many people complain about the price.

After Dubrovnik they've continued their trip and were really satisfied. The powerful sentences end the text: ''We have seen cities and countryside a full two decades after bombs and violence were part of daily life. And quite close to one another, we’ve been surrounded by majestic beauty and sadness and hope.''

Ferris wheel might be another attraction that comes to Dubrovnik! Last week, representative of the company SkyView Attractions Perry Oerlemans visited the mayor Andro Vlahusic for the meeting with the director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board Romana Vlasic.

Oerlemans showed them the concept of the ferris wheels, like those in London Paris and Rotterdam, after what they discussed the possibility of making the similar project in Dubrovnik. -Ferris wheel is additional touristic attraction, but so much more than that – said Oerlemans and added that there are many benefits, as ferris wheel can be unique place for restaurants and business meetings, and suitable for job openings as well.

Mayor was interested in this project and said that it was very attractive, but for that sort of project requires a lot of documentation and approvals. The key is adequate location, and at the meeting they've mentioned Batala Park and Gruž Harbour as possibilities.

New cigarette packages with photos showing negative effects of smoking should be on the Croatian market by the end of this year. This is in line with the application of a new directive from the European Union regarding tobacco products which was enforced by the law at midnight on the 20th of May, 2016. The directive determines that illustrations warning about negative effects of smoking have to cover 65% of the total package surface of all tobacco products. Old tobacco packages have to be withdrawn from the market until 20th of May, 2017.

The directive is a legislative act of the European Union but is not applied to EU members directly. The EU member countries may themselves decide about their law for implementing the decision of the EU directive. The member countries can introduce even stricter regulations than those of the European Union. The regulations also include the ban of the tobacco products with aromas such as fruit or vanilla. Menthol cigarettes will be banned in the next four years, until 2020 because some governments asked for a longer transitional period.

The big tobacco manufacturers filed charges at the EU Court against this directive but the Court rejected the charges last week. The European commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis said, ''The decision of the Court confirms that public health in the European Union is more important than economic profit''. He also added that the directive brought instruments that could provide longer life and health of the European citizens and reduce the death rate. Tobacco is the largest cause of premature death that can be avoided. ''Every year more than 700,000 people die from smoking. That is more than the population of Malta'', said the EU commissioner.

Croatia found its place among other countries at the famous Youtube channel Geography now about ten days ago and the video has already collected over half a million views. Paul Barbato is the host of the channel. This American YouTuber tries to keep an educational channel with countries from all over the world, talking about politics, demographics and geography, all in a fun way.

Of course that Dubrovnik is mentioned, as well as Game of Thrones and if you want to know (or recap) some interesting facts about Croatia you should watch this 10 minute video.

It's funny that when he posted this on YouTube Barbato wrote ''Well, we're back to the Balkans. You know what that means. Comment section popcorn time!'' in the caption. Well, there is over seven thousand comments now, but most of them are not popcorn material.

Tourists and locals in the Old City of Dubrovnik last night were treated to an unexpected fireworks display over the ancient walls. “Does this happen every night?” one tourist joked with his tour guide. The answer is no, but it did look spectacular as the night sky was filled with bursts of light. With yesterday being a full moon it could be argued that the night sky didn’t need extra lighting.

It is believed that the fireworks came from a private yacht anchored between the Old City and the island of Lokrum, presumably a special celebration. The next massive fireworks display of this size will probably be for the opening of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

Our photographer Zeljko Tutnjevic was on the scene, as ever, to capture the image.

The sunshine has arrived in Dubrovnik; summer 2016 is on the doorstep. All weekend we will have endless blue skies and glorious sunshine. Yesterday, Saturday the 21st of May, the temperatures touched the mid twenties and guests to the city made the most of the warmer weather.

The sunshine should continue today and the forecast for the flowing week is for more settled weather and sunshine, temperatures all week are predicted to be in the low twenties. However if you were thinking of jumping into the Adriatic Sea you might want to think twice, the temperature of the sea yesterday was 18 degrees.

Photos - Niksa Duper 

This weekend the Livingstone Association and the Rijeka City Department of Culture organized a photo exhibition and live performances called ''Farewell my Hero'' as a tribute to the recently deceased world famous singer and artist, David Bowie.

The exhibition is a multimedia story about David Bowie told through the lenses of the “musical photographer” and rock' n' roll fan Brian Rasic also known as an official photographer of the Rolling Stones. This photography master and his camera were friends with Bowie for more than two decades from 1983 to 2005. His role in the visual communication with one of the biggest world known musical performers has great potential in revealing the enigma called David Bowie.

''Rock' n' roll music was a channel of subversion; it wasn't accessible and omnipresent like today. Bowie 'caught' frequency of personal motives: ''I wanted to be a musician because it looked rebellious, it was subversive and I felt that was the only way for me to make changes''. Walking on the 'dark' side of the road was actually a constant change for the artist and a rule that the rules are here to be broken. In a quest for his own identity he played many character roles, changed his image....He was Ziggy Stardust, android alien, a being of intersexual attributes...Always a showman...'', read the preface of the exhibition.