Hello Google!
In this post I’ll try to summarize why I do what I do and I’ll also provide you with some pictures of the places and stories behind them. Enjoy!
The story begins approximately a year ago in my hometown, Rijeka, when it (deservedly) started to become a more touristy place than ever before. I was happy to see it crowded more than ever and hear multiple foreign languages whenever I took a stroll down the promenade.
I think the part of that sudden popularity stems from two facts: One of them is that Game of Thrones’ King’s Landing scenes were filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia - and since Dubrovnik is located on the coast, the most direct way for foreign tourists to reach it is to land in Rijeka. The other fact, and the reason why this particular story begins a year ago, is a fact that Croatia managed to enter FIFA finals and ended up with second place in the world cup - which is certainly what put us on the radar. It’s also become less industrialized than it was in 20th century and is finally - slowly but surely - starting to realize its full potential as an attractive tourist destination…
…which brings us to the reason why I started contributing to Google Maps as a local guide. I’m a very attention-to-detail oriented person, and I’ve wanted to provide the most objective, realistic, and, if deserved, attractive reviews and photos of the places - not only for tourists but for the locals as well, since I’ve noticed that most places lack objective, lengthy reviews and quality photos. Also, the usage of Google Maps in my region has been on the rise lately, which is substantiated by the fact that the amount of views on photos I’ve posted is steadily increasing - which is also a contributing factor in me wanting to do what I do, and doing it well.
I’m not limited to only one domain - I write reviews of restaurants, historic landmarks, stores and whatnot - however, sushi and Japanese restaurants have a special place in my heart. I was the first person to post photos of the very first Japanese restaurant which opened in my hometown, and am now travelling around in search of the best sushi there is - wherever it is.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this short insight into my thought process of why I write reviews and strive to be an even better local guide.
Kind regards,
Dražen Bolf