[GG] Italy

Last Stop: Italy

Aug 11

Venice – disembarkation from the ship, water bus to our apartment in the castello sistieri, and ultimately reunite with Bee who has been touring Ireland while Cee and GiGi cruised the Holly Land. Endless alleyways, bridges, piazzas, pizzas, wine (and at least 1 distillery who will fill any container for 3 euros/liter...water bottles never tasted so good...a hose & a funnel seems to be all it takes).

Aug 13

By train to Florence where for 2 days we toured on our own, visiting the Uffizi, Ponte Vecchio, galleries, shops, streets, Katherine from Germany who joined us on our last day, gluten-free pizza, chianti.

Aug 15

By train to Milan with a pleasant stay at the Acca Palace, just a short metro ride away from the Duomo, castello, and wide streets lined by designer shops.

Aug 17

And then it was time to turn the page and each head into our own next chapter.....

Cruising like Princesses

It's almost embarrassing to win so much out of all the prizes given, in so short of time. Almost, but not enough to give back the prizes. The tone was set the first day with Cee winning the raffle grand prize worth $200 of daily entrance into a select area of the spa for private sunbathing and whirlpool and me winning a 25 minute massage. Next we won on scratch off lottery – over $50 which we rolled into play on the slot machines and Roulette. Yes, we won and lost. Next we won $1250 grand prize on Bingo. And finally, Cee walked away with $70 dollar win on blackjack on the last evening of the cruise.

So what else did we do besides gamble? Well....

Patmos, Kusadasi, Port Said, Alexandria, Haifa, Ashdod, Dubrovnik, Ravenna, Venice: ports of call in our 12 day cruise.

Patmos is a new black dress and a dip in the Mediterranean.

Kusadasi is a guided tour to Ephesus and the Terrace Houses, followed by shopping in the bazaar for new shoes to go with the new black dress.

Haifa and Ashdod were on tour with Mickey of Israel Guided Tours, baklava in Jerusalem, fresh dates, the Wailing Wall, security into Bethlehem, the Jerusalem Cross, special blessings at a special church, “The” Manger, a fight between our bus driver and the driver of a large truck. Fists, rubber pipes. Job loss. Apology. Wine.

Port Said & Alexandria are remembered as an overnight stay at Le Meridien with its wonderful view of the pyramids from the pool, internet charges of $25/day so spending time at the Mercure with free internet, our visit to the pyramids, climbing inside the pyramid, Cheops (builder of the Great Pyramid) & Kefran (builder of the 2^nd pyramid), Sakkara and the step pyramid, the Sphinx, eating rice stuffed pigeons in the felucca on the Nile prepared specially for us by Waleed's mother, Cee practicing her Arabic (spoken & written) with our guide Waleed, and the Egyptian Museum.

Dubrovnik we spent on board and at an internet cafe, that evening time for Cee & I in the whirlpool with Class V waves.

Ravenna was a walk through the old town & viewing many churches and basilicas noted for their beautiful mosaics.

Venice...disembark the ship and another chapter begins. But first a shout out to Matt & Chris ("Kids, Grandma, Kids") who were not afraid to play.

[GG] Yay! A for Athens

Greece

What happens when you don't pay your bills? For one thing, people refuse to work without pay. International trains refuse to come into your country because they may not be able to leave. Services are drastically cut. This explains our flight from Istanbul to Thessaloniki rather than a train ride.

Our goal was Meteora, about 3 hours by car, 4 hours by bus from Thessaloniki. Fortunately and unbeknownst to us, Thessaloniki has its own charm & call for tourism. It is right on the Med. Our hotel, aptly named the Tourist Hotel, was located in the center of shopping, spas, hotels and restaurants and only 2 blocks from the sea.

The girls enjoyed a Turkish Hammam with a Grecian touch (imagine lots of water, suds, big sponge, & massage all occurring simultaneously on a marble slab in the presence of Greek statues). We walked around the beach, listened to music, ate doner-kebab, then to bed early for an early morning departure for Meteora to climb the pinnacles to the monasteries perched on top. Or so we thought. The bus ride was 4 hours each way. On the ride out I concerned myself with thoughts that it may be too steep for me, too hot for me or both. If I saw it was a significant potential problem, I would content myself with letting the girls climb as I waited below. I had seen pictures of the monasteries and although I lacked knowledge of the details, I was aware that they were perched on the top of very tall pinnacles of rock. When we arrived in Kalampaka, however, we were transferred to another bus that drove us to the top, along with numerous tour buses. When I saw folks older than I getting out of the tour buses, I knew I would be able to negotiate any climb that was offered. So steps rather than shallow foot holds and narrow paths was what I encountered. A bit of disappointment, especially for the girls who were really looking forward to something more adventurous, and dare I say it, relief for me. The 15th century monasteries themselves were interesting and the frescoes were very beautiful, but perhaps we expected a little more for our 8 hour bus ride.

The following day it was bye bye Bailey who was headed to Ireland & hello train for CeeCee & I, headed to Athens.

Six hours on the train brought us to Athens and a quick metro ride brought us to the Plaka, with the Acropolis perched above. Our hotel, A for Athens, is a fairly new, boutique hotel. It is tiny and narrow but very close to the metro, so convenient. Our room was defined by its magnificent view of the Acropolis from our bed and modern, delightful décor, in hues of brown and beige. Breakfast and the bar were on the terrace and from there we had sweeping, unobstructed views of the Plaka, the Acropolis and the surrounding areas. It was definitely a lively and romantic spot

We had both been to Athens before, so no need nor time to explore in depth on this trip. Just a walk through the Plaka, up to the back door of the Acropolis, doner-kebab on the street, and drinks on the terrace and we were good to go.

[GG] A Brief Visit to Turkey

Istanbul

The flight from Bucharest to Istanbul is short – about 90 minutes – and Tarom Airlines, Romania's National Airline, is clean, relatively roomy, with a smooth flight and landing. So much different than our experience with train travel.

Our entry into Istanbul was uneventful: $20 US Visa fee payable at the airport, walk through passport control, pick up checked luggage and look for our shuttle. We had almost an hour delay in getting our shuttle, but then we were off to Hotel Basileus. The location of this hotel was convenient: a 10 minute walk to the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia, 20 minutes to Topkapi Palace. There were lots of nearby restaurants and opportunities to shop for the typical souvenirs. True to our history, we shopped for nothing that wasn't consumable...that is, we extracted money from an ATM and had dinner. We love kebabs, yogurt, fresh tomatoes, and onions so we were in heaven.

During our 4 night, 3 day stay, we were able to visit the Chora Church, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Cisterns, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Bazaar, take a Bosphorus Cruise, and walk the side streets in Istanbul. We purchased scarfs, mostly as gifts, and the girls each bought a ring for themselves. We actually found our best prices outside the bazaar, but we can't complain in that most scarfs were about $1.20 and the most expensive $6 and they are beautiful. Sampling Turkish Delight was the start of a sugar overload as the girls bought a variety of fruit flavors, some covered in pistachios, some in powdered sugar. And along the way we enjoyed apple tea. We loved the doner kebabs and began to order 3 separate meals, rather than share. What we shared, in addition to laughs, was hooka. We huffed & puffed but never quite generated the smoke our restaurant manager could evoke; but we had enthusiasm....our enthusiasm ultimately made us a little sick, but nothing more than the 12-hour flu.

[GG] Throw Grandma On The Train

(aka White Girls Can't Jump)

July 21

It's amazing sometimes what one will do without much thought. I am not sure if my actions were based on movies I have seen, but I think that must have played a part. There were certainly issues of not wanting to be left behind. And mostly I have avoided replaying this event in my mind.

We were running really tight on time, meeting our train headed from Sinaia to Bucharest. We had just enjoyed a few hours of sightseeing – Pele's Castle and the surrounding gardens – and knew we were cutting it close getting back to the train station. Our taxi delivered us with just under 5 minutes before the train was to leave. The station was small and we could see the train on the tracks. Bee and I grabbed our luggage from the storage office where we had left it. Cee hopped over the tracks to let the conductor know we were coming. I waved at him in hopes that he would recognize we were on our way.

Bee grabbed the bags she could carry, jumped off the wall of the station platform, scrambled over the tracks and headed for our train. I took the underground route which I thought would be easier for me. I had a backpack on and carried my bigger bag in my hand as I headed down the stairs into the underpass. I was hurried along by the signal woman who kept yelling, “Go! Go!” as she ran along beside me through the underpass and up the stairs to the next platform. When I emerged from the underpass, there were two trains side by side, where I thought there had only been one. I was confused. Which one do I get on? Cee ran up to me, grabbed my big bag and handed me Bee's camera to carry in exchange. She encouraged me, “Come on, grandma.” and I saw her run towards the train on the left. I couldn't see Bee and didn't know what train she was on, so I just followed Cee, my heart racing as I ran as fast as I could. All the while the signal woman was yelling at me to “Go! Go!”. I thought I saw Cee up ahead of me get onto the train just as it started to move away. Oh No! I pushed myself to run faster. Suddenly I was running between the two trains and I saw people hanging out the windows of both trains, watching. I ran as fast as I could and was able to reach the open door on the last car. There was a man standing in the doorway, watching me. I could tell the train was slowly accelerating and soon it would be out of my reach. Focused only on catching that train, I reached out & managed to grab a hand rail on each side of the open door. Using all of my strength I jumped, trying to land with at least one foot on the lowest of the three metal steps. I held fast with my hands, but my foot slipped and I dropped to my knees on the bottom step. And the train continued, slowly picking up speed. I was out of breath and couldn't find the strength to pull myself up and climb up into the train. But I hung on. Suddenly the man who had been in the doorway leaned down and grabbed hold of me and the back pack and literally dragged me up the stairs and pulled me into the train. I was trembling when he helped me to my feet and then I saw Courtnie behind the training, running. Futilely. There was no way she could catch up. She stopped and threw up her hands in defeat. I couldn't believe it. How did she get behind me? We couldn't just leave her. And suddenly the train stopped. Once Courtnie realized what was happening, she gleefully ran towards the train and climbed up into the last car with me. I sat down and could hardly speak. I was emotionally and physically spent. Courtnie didn't know what had happened to me. I couldn't understand how she had gotten behind me. But we were safe and as it turned out, all three of us were on the right train as it started up again and pulled out of the station. The conductor came back to the last car, visibly trembling and shaking his head, repeatedly saying, “Don't ever do that again. Don't ever do that again.”

We each recounted our story. Cee had reached an open doorway just as the train started to move. The conductor waved her off and shouted, "No!" (It was obviously a "No!" that I didn't hear. ) Bee was at the door ready to help Cee get on when the conductor and his assistant held her back as the train pulled away. Neither girl had been aware of grandma hopping onto the last car.

I am not sure what had happened between the signal woman, the conductor, and the train engineer. Somehow, signals were crossed. Cee felt the conductor was waiting for us, but time was tight and they needed to pull out of the station before the other train. If I hadn't jumped on the train, it would have left both Cee & I and carried only Bee to Bucharest. It ended well so perhaps the means were justified.

That is the first and last train hopping for me. At least I am pretty sure.

[GG] Beautiful Romania

ROMANIA

July 17- 23

Although we had loved Eger & Szentendre, it wasn't all that hard to say goodbye to Hungary. It was goodbye to all the waiters who looked at us with disdain when we ordered “water, tap water”, with dinner. It was goodbye to the graffiti and trash in the streets. It was goodbye to a hotel who did not have air conditioning on three out of 5 very hot nights. It was goodbye to dirty, run down train stations. It was also goodbye to an excellent metro and tram system, delicious strawberry and raspberry beer, beautiful monuments & a satirical park, but all that was not enough to keep us. We saw “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” at the mall and then took our place on the overnight, 13 hour train ride to Brasov, Romania.

We were a little concerned about the overnight train. It had been so miserably hot in Hungary and we recalled all too vividly the sweltering train ride from Sarajevo to Budapest, that another long train ride was met with some angst. We had hoped to book first class accommodations which might have offered us a compartment with bathroom and shower facilities ensuite. However, the ticket agent advised us that there would be no first class on this train. We were resigned to 2^nd class travel and hoped it would at least be no worse than our overnight train in Croatia.

Fortunately, this 2^nd class travel turned out to be on a newer train and although our beds were still stacked three high, the compartment was air conditioned, larger, and offered a nice wash basin with towels, soap, toothbrush, and even some storage. We were delighted. So Bee on top; Cee in the middle; and I on the bottom bunk. The beds are too close for one to sit up, so pretty much you're horizontal once you've committed to be in the room. At least the position is conducive to sleep and for me, I had no problem. I love the sound and the rocking of the train.

When we awoke we were in Romania & it was Cee's 25^th birthday. A song, smiles, hug, and a gift preceded our exit from the train by only a few minutes. We were in Brasov. It was a 20 minute walk before we found our hotel: 3-star Hotel Ambient, a business hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful with directions and suggestions during our entire stay. We deposited our bags, got busy with internet stuff, took showers and Bee & Cee napped while I went exploring.

The Old Town, the historical part of Brasov, is very charming. Parks, cobblestoned streets, remnants of the wall of this once walled city, beautiful old buildings and churches, the narrowest street in Europe, the Black Church, a cable car to the top of Mount Tampa which towers above the city, lots of open air restaurants, a central square with fountains and popcorn stands, all make Brasov worth visiting and well worth remembering.

We took day trips to Bran Castle and Raznov, another to Sighisoara, and enroute to Bucharest we stopped off at Sinaia, our favorite with Pele's Castle (Palace) and the wonderful mountain scenery. Much of Romania looked like the High Sierras and Yosemite with the rocky face of El Capitan. The Carpathian mountains are beautiful. We didn't have time to visit the north east, near Moldova, but have saved that for next time when we can come back and visit the painted monasteries.

Sighisoara is a UNESCO World Heritage site, deserved by its very well preserved Old Town, once again with a walled city, citadel, towers, churches from the 15^th century, torture chamber, cobblestoned streets, and wonderful old buildings from the 14^th - 18^th centuries. The town was founded by the Saxons in the 13^th century and was the birthplace of Vlad Tepes (Vlad, the Impaler), Bram Stoker's inspiration for Dracula. It was a quick visit, being about 3 hours from Brasov, but worth seeing and had we known, we would have tried to stay here a couple of nights.

Bran Castle and Resnov were also interesting and entailed a fair amount of walking. They were not as impressive as Sighisoara, nor as impressive as Sinaia, which is famous for Pele's Castle (the summer residence of Romania's first king) and a 17^th century monastery named after Mt. Sinai. Pele's Castle was built in the 1800's and has beautiful carved woods, a wonderful medieval arms collection, with suits of armor and even a taxidermied horse covered in armor. We decided the castle was really more of a small palace and one of the most beautiful places we had ever seen. It's location was also wonderful with a park-like setting in the mountains, with fountains and statues. It was really, really beautiful.

We spent 2 nights in Bucharest at the Rembrandt Hotel. This was a very nice boutique hotel located within the historic district, on a cobblestone street, surrounded by beautiful buildings from the 1800's including the National Bank of Romania and the National Library. Bucharest was once referred to as “Little Paris” as they patterned many of their streets, monuments, and buildings after Paris. Cee and I went sightseeing while Bee got her hair cut and colored. The Parliament Building, also known as the People's Palace, is the 2^nd largest office building in the world (the Pentagon is first). It was impressive, but to Cee & I it looked as though it needed a dome. We decided even flags or colored Styrofoam noodles would help finish it off. The architecture is very interesting – neoclassical right next to the stark bareness of the communist era. We asked one cab driver how the people feel about communism, where they were vs where they are now. We heard a message we've heard throughout Eastern Europe. Some people preferred life under communism because everyone had a job and they could buy a house. Now not everyone can find work and it is hard to afford a house. Our taxi driver told us the average wage is just 200 euros/month. Many people work two jobs and the size of their families is dependent on how many children they can afford.

In addition to all the beautiful buildings, new shopping malls, wide boulevards, and fountains, we will remember Bucharest for changing hairstyles and eating sushi two days in a row. With both girls even more beautiful than when we arrived, it was time to head to Istanbul.

Bye, Bye Romania.

[GG] Hungary for Four

Hungary

I think it was 12 or 13 hours by train from Sarajevo to Budapest. With optimism and anticipation we looked forward to watching the scenery of Bosnia-Herzegovina become Hungary right outside our window. If one would try to find additional positives in this experience it is that we had a compartment to ourselves and there weren't many passengers on the train. Hmmm ...a clue,perhaps?. The window in the compartment opened & if we weighted it with a back pack, it stayed open, another positive. We had food to eat: a lunch of meat & cheese sandwiches, graciously packed by the Boutique Old Town Hotel. That was certainly another positive. We wouldn't have to change trains, another positive since it meant we could spread out and fully relax for the entire trip – sing, play games, read, sleep, just about anything our hearts desired.

So what could possibly go wrong? Three words which could turn anticipation into regret, joy into misery: No Air Conditioning. It was a hot, still day and the temperature in the train climbed with the rising sun, then lingered like the air in a hot oven, even as the sun relaxed from its zenith. We baked. We soaked and sizzled in our own sweat. It had to have been over 100° on the train. For me there was no singing, no laughter, just breathing the hot still air since that is all there was. For hours. And hours. And hours.

About an hour before reaching Budapest, our train linked up with a new car...one that was air conditioned. It was almost full but we managed to get our stuff together and get into the new car for whatever time we had left. And then we were in Budapest and our happy tribe of three became four, as we welcomed new blood and fresh conversation into the mix.

We spent 5 nights in Budapest which actually means we had 4 days to explore it. The days were filled with exploring cafes, museums, monument parks, and the baths. The baths are big, public swimming pools which vary in temperature, mineral content, and size. There are pools with currents. Pools with jets and bubbles and pools with waves. In addition there are saunas, jacuzzis, and an opportunity for massage. It is an all day event for many. They bring picnic lunches or eat at one of the cafes on site. They drink wine or beer. And always, they smoke. Bathing attire is typically speedos for the men and bikinis for the women and if you don't bring your own, you can rent one. We took advantage of massage and the pools, but frankly, it just wasn't my cup of tea. Too public? Perhaps. Too dirty? Definitely. Left over picnic stuff littered the ground; cigarette butts were ground into the grout of the tiles. Icky.

Budapest's most striking building is undoubtedly the Parliament Building sitting on the Pest side across the Danube from Buda.. Buda has a palace, museum, citadel, and a funicular. Pest has all the life and excitement including more museums, trendy restaurants, lots of shopping, and of course, Parliament. We quickly learned the metro and tram lines, a necessity for this city which is big, very big.

One evening we enjoyed a concert held in St. Micheal’s church, an ensemble of string instruments playing a variety of Vivaldi and Mozart. The acoustics in the church were wonderful and the experience was very relaxing and memorable. Afterward, we enjoyed a dinner like so many, open air restaurant perfect for people watching, shared food so that we can experience everything. In Hungary we enjoyed the cold fruit soups, goulash, and meat pies. We tried various beers (actually enjoyed raspberry and strawberry beer), unicum (ugh) and unicum next (yummy), becherovca (which we already knew from Poland...or was it Czech Republic...maybe Slovenia? This is what happens with so many countries: somethings blend).

We left Budapest for a day trip to Szentendre, a cute, traditional small town about 45 minutes by train. As we left Budapest, the countryside, though littered with small houses, was beautiful with small, rolling green hills. We followed a tributary of the Danube. Szentendre is very charming with cobblestone, winding streets, pretty whitewashed homes with flower pots and flower baskets on the windows.. Several streets are devoted to souvenirs, but again, we browse but do not buy. Anything we buy we have to carry and right now we are carrying quite enough. We returned to Budapest via the ferry, our chance to experience the river.

The next day we headed northeast to Eger, about 2 hours by train and a world of difference from Budapest. This is also a very charming town of winding cobblestone streets and public squares and lots and lots of sidewalk restaurants. Hotel Romantik welcomes us with a glass of wine in the garden, sort of priming the pump if you will. since this area is known for its wine. One of its more famous wines, Egrit Bekavir, I remember from my college days. It is just as bad today as it was then. There were some wines we did enjoy: Shri Leanyka – White; Egri Muscat Ottonel – White

As all good medieval towns on our trek through Eastern Europe do, Eger has a castle on a hill, a main square, and tradition, We arrive by train and walk 20 minutes into town, quickly charmed by cobblestone streets, winding lanes, and pastel painted buildings. July is a month of festivals and we have arrived on the first day of their 500 year anniversary. Many of the townspeople are dressed in period costumes. They are roasting a pig in the square. The stage is set and this all resembles a real Renaissance Fair. While three go off to enjoy the baths of Eger, I stay to enjoy the festivities and climb the hill to the castle. The costumes and folk dancing are exceptional and I enjoy the music.

Our time in Hungary has been spent and it is time to head to Romania. We say “goodbye” to our fourth and distract our sadness for his departure by seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the movie theater. Then it's onto the train for our overnight trip from Budapest to Transylvania, Romania.

[GG] Bosnia

Mostar & Sarajevo

July 7 – 9

Including Bosnia-Herzegovina in our travel plans evolved after reworking our Croatia departure plans for the third...or perhaps the fourth time. Mostar is a bus ride from Dubrovnik, but culturally feels like a world away. The bus was full for the morning departure. We had assigned seats & a small compartment overhead for stowing a toiletry bag...hmmm, even that might have been a tight fit. We definitely could not fit our back packs up there & my roller bag had to be stored in the luggage compartment of the bus. So our bags were piled around us. Cozy. Wedged in & held tight. This bus did not offer the amenities of our bus trip in the Czech Republic. No catered drinks or food. No movie.

We followed a river most of the way out of Croatia, then as we crossed into more mountainous territory, greens had dried to gold in the hot sun. Mostar is a fairly large city, 100,000 in population, most of whom probably had first hand experience in at least one war. Buildings still bear witness to the fighting. Bullet holes, evidence of fire, portions of buildings literally blown away, crumbled bricks and stone.

You know you're in Old Town when the wide, straight paved roads give way to narrow, winding cobblestone paths, lined with stores and souvenir stands. Much of the merchandise seems right out of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. Church steeples compete with the spires of the mosques, each vying for the tallest spire. So far, the Christians are ahead with a cross on top of a hill, looking down on the city and its three faiths: Christians, Orthodox Serbs, and Muslim Bosniaks.

As it turned out, our afternoon in Mostar was propelled by three goals:

1. Visit Stari Most, the Old Bridge, which was built in the 1500's by Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. This was a technological marvel and back in the day was the longest single-span stone arch on the planet. For centuries Stari Most served as a metaphor for the diverse faiths and cultures which were brought together peacefully in Mostar....the people found a way to bridge the gap. It definitely is a beautiful bridge and worth visiting. We saw young men jumping from the bridge, 75 feet down into the river. First they had a front man collect money & once they had “enough” the speedo-kid would engage in a little drama (will he jump? Yes, no, yes, no, and finally, yes). For centuries this leap has been a means to express fearlessness and prove manhood to the available women in the village. Today the leap is propelled as much, maybe more by economics. Certainly it would seem in the high tourist months that economics is the driving factor.

2. We were also anxious to explore the old town with its alleys of merchants. The winding cobblestone paths with merchant upon merchant reminded me of a miniature version of the bazaar in Istanbul.

3. Cee had been looking for a dress and in Mostar she was successful. She found not only a dress, but a also a necklace, and ring. Score!

The air was still and hot in Mostar so our main requirement when finding a place for lunch was air conditioning. As a bonus we had typical Bosnian food which was excellent.

On to Sarajevo – by train, arriving after dark. We had only a rough idea where the hotel was (“Old Town”) and no clear idea how to get there. Our options are always walk, bus or taxi. It was unclear which way to walk or which bus to take. So Bee negotiated fare with a taxi driver, 50 euros down to 6, and we were deposited at the Boutique Old Town Hotel, a comfortable, nondescript hotel located on the edge of Old Town.

Sarajevo was a bigger Mostar but without the bridge and with the “Sarajevo Rose”, red colored concrete filling the holes left in the street by bombs and mortars during the last war. The old town had a distinct Muslim feel to it and mosques outnumbered the Christian churches. We heard the Muslim yodeling call to prayer several times. The streets were cobblestone and lined with copper merchants and all sorts of trinkets and trash. Again, this reminded me of the bazaar in Istanbul.

We took a city tour from a chain-smoking, 50-ish fellow who had also been the tour guide for Richard Gere. He seemed quite knowledgeable about the recent war and the price Sarajevo had paid for freedom. It was disturbing to reflect on his stories about the war and how friends and family turned against each other.

And then it was time to go...an all day train from Sarajevo to Budapest.

[GG] Dahlink

Dubrovnik

July 4

It was hard to leave Korcula and our cute & comfortable little apartment, however, we had plans for three nights in Dubrovnik. A couple of hours by ferry, where we were met at the pier by Darko, our landlord's son who graciously came to pick us up at Port Gruz and dropped us at the Pile (pee-lay) Gate to the walled city. There his mother, Anka who calls everyone “Dahlink” and fancies herself as Zsa Zsa Gabor, led us into the old city and onto one of the narrow streets, up, up, and up the stone stairs to our apartment building, which she says is about 500 years old. Once again we are on the top floor, but this time we had to climb only two flights of stairs. Our apartment is spartan, one double bed, 1 twin, small night stand and table, tv on the wall, portable air conditioner on the wall & a small bathroom. It was basic and clean & came well recommended by Trip Advisor. Because we're here in high season, we are paying about $180/night for a room that is worth $40/night. Location & timing are everything.

Staying inside the walls of the old city adds a whole new dimension to Dubrovnik. It is very alive and noisy with people of all ages strolling the Stradun or main street and young people crowding into the pubs and restaurants. There is loud music, disco lights, & pillows on the stairs for the butts of those with a drink & a cigarette who are part of the party scene. All the streets are rock tiles. All the streets that are perpendicular to the Stradun and run upward from the sea are characterized by a narrow, alleyway feel, and rocky steps and stairs making each trip to and from a cardio work out.

Dubrovnik's appeal is its ambiance & the uniqueness of this walled, ancient city. Inside it is vibrant with souvenier shops, trendy dress shops, restaurants, pubs, a few small hotels, and street upon street of sobe (apartments).

On our first night, a pianist was giving a concert in front of the 18^th century Roman Baroque Cathedral. On our last night, we went to an outdoor movie – Jennifer Aniston & Adam Sandler – very funny movie & being out, under the stars, within the walls of the old city – a night to remember.

The city is more than 500 years old and especially flourished during the 15^th & 16^th centuries. The war of the early 1990's devastated the town, with evidence still apparent of the shelling that occurred. A lot has been repaired. Most of the red tiled roofs appear to be new. But a few of the buildings have not been rebuilt. On a rainy morning we walked on the walls around the city and in the afternoon took the cable car up the mountain where we could look down and get a different perspective.. It is very picturesque.

Dubrovnik visitors are from all over the world and some were very helpful. An Irishman named Joe had been to Dubrovnik on many occasions and readily gave us his restaurant recommend-ations for within the walled city. It was a little odd, but his two favorites had physiological associations: Lady PiPi (not pie-pie) and PuPo (yup). We did the PiPi - a tiny little restaurant at the top of our narrow street. We could see out over the city rooftops from our table - which we waited for about 2 hours to get - and had a wonderful dinner of grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and PiPi goulash. We left the Pupo to another time.

While staying in Dubrovnik we took a day trip to the island of Mljet. There is a national park on one end of this island, through which we did some hiking & then took a boat out on the lake that is on the island, to an island within the lake. There we swam in the beautiful, warm, blue, clear water. It was a great relief from the heat of the day.

Our pace has slowed way down while we've been in Croatia. Maybe it is the beautiful Adriatic or island life. I am not sure, but it has been very enjoyable. Korcula Town was my favorite.

Korcula

July 1 -4

Krilo Catamaran - 2 ½ hours from Split to the island of Korcula (“KOR choola”), landing in Korcula Town, where we are greeted by Pero, our landlord. He assists with the luggage & we walk into the walled town of Korcula to Apartments Lenni, conveniently located up a quiet side street. We have quick introductions to his wife Lenni & then climb the 5 flights of stairs to our small studio apartment at the top. It is absolutley delightful! It is bright and cheery, sitting just under the peaked roof of the 550 year old building. Pero and Lenni spent 28 years rebuilding / remodeling into 6 or 7 apartments, and we definitely have the niceset. We have sky lights, windows that open wide with a view of the sea if you stick your head out & look left, a washer, clothes line outside the window, kitchen, oven, frig, queen size bed and a small single bed right under the air conditioner. We have a nice stereo sound system, fire place (nice to look at), and a very large flat screen tv we are unlikely to turn on. This place comes highly rated by Rick Steve's and I can really see why.

We're off to explore this little Dubrovnik and have dinner at a little table overlooking the sea. We have 3 nights here, but Korcula Town is the kind of place we could easily spend a month, relaxing, writing, reading, enjoying the water. The sea is a beautiful blue, with pine trees and oleanders in bloom going right down to the rocky banks on the water. There are lots of small and not so small sail boats and motor boats moored at the various marinas. July & August are the busiest months, but tourist season runs from May/June to mid September. Pero tells me that from November to May there are only about 4,000 residents left on the island as many shops, restaurants & other business close down when the tourists leave. This year he is taking his wife to China for 3 weeks in November, then will spend early next year driving around Europe for a month or two.

Cee was interested in taking wind surfing lessons & I was interested in jet skis, but we never quite got it together. We spent one day on Hvar, an island only 1 ½ hours away by ferry. I forgot my drivers license, but the girls had theirs and rented mopeds. 6 hours, $48, for 2 bikes. It's the best bargain we've encountered. Off they go to explore the island while I explored the beaches. While I was sitting on some rocks jutting into the water, I saw a man exiting the water with something dangling from his hand. As he walked, he was saying, “Ow! Ow! Ow” and holding his hand out, away from his body. I got up & went over, realizing as I got closer that his hand was bleeding as an octopus was biting him. He had caught the octopus while snorkeling (although, really the octopus caught him) and he brought it up to take a picture. Once he had his photos, he threw the octopus back into the water. Once he was rid of the octopus, he didn't seem bothered by the bite.

The beaches are rocky and entry into the water is more comfortable in shoes than barefoot. The water is a little chilly at first, but it is so clear, so blue it is impossible not to go in. I walked as far as I could go on the little beach walk way & then turned and headed back into town. Near the Hotel Amfora, there are a lot of 20-30 year olds enjoying the sun. This island is known for it's party atmosphere at night & I am pretty sure this is the hub.

I am sure I spotted the Housewives of Somewhere. They & their husbands had apparently charted the Carpe Diem, a 150 ft luxury yacht - $175,000/week. Four loud couples, all loud and out-talking one another. They didn't seem to mind calling attention to themselves and while the men drank and ate, the girls were all about shopping. It looked just like what I've seen on tv.

[GG] Splitsville

Zagreb to Split

June 29/July 1

An afternoon in Zagreb can be easily filled with a walk through the parks, a funicular ride to the Old Town, and visiting museums. The most interesting of museums I visited was the Museum of Broken Relationships. This museum features items and accompanying narratives donated in memory of a good relationship involuntarily ended by death or more commonly, a bad, very bad break up with little left but pain and anger. There were poems between a father dying of cancer and his daughter; a beating heart key-fob left to a lover, garters never worn, a fur coat never retrieved, runner's shoes minus the runner, and a well used ax. Some of the stories were funny, some very sad, all struck a chord within me somewhere.

11PM found us stacked one above the other like the fixin's in a paninni (Cee & Bee were the bread; I was the chicken fillet). We were snugly (very, very snugly) tucked into our 2^nd Class overnight compartment on the train to Split which would arrive at 7:15 AM the next morning. So for the next 8 hours, this little cage would be our home. We had no time to decorate, barely enough time to decide who would sleep where (my choice is always dependent on the volume of air available), before the train jolted & lurched to a start. There was only enough room for one of us to stand at a time. When one is standing, the other two must stay in their bunks. The beds were relatively comfortable and from my perch in the middle, I was able to enjoy much of the air coming through the open window. We were provided with 3 bottles of water, two sheets, pillow and blanket. The ride was actually kind of fun for me. I didn't mind the brief stops in stations along the way, nor the swaying of the cars that could cause you to lose your balance if you weren't careful. I loved laying on my back, head near the open window, watching the stars. The big dipper was right outside our window, a good omen, I was sure.

Arrival in Split was uneventful and we were able to stow our luggage and explore the city with no trouble. We climbed the 5 story bell tower associated with the Cathedral of St. Dominus within the walls of the 4^th century Diocletian's Palace for a full view of the city. With the exception of my fear of heights, I enjoyed the view and the exercise.

Split is a lively hub with Diocletian's palace at the center of sightseeing. Ferries, buses, and even the train start or end here for the Dalmatian Coast, although the train goes no further south. We have 1 night and almost 2 full days to explore. The Riva is the main pedestrian way along the waterfront, lively with restaurants and cafes.

Our little apartment was located upstairs and partway down the block from the fish market and across the street from the butcher. Apartment Diocletian. It was basic, but adequate with an air conditioner, a two burner stove, and a small refrigerator. We made a trip to the fish market and then to the open air “green market” to purchase all the ingredients we needed for dinner. . We had quinoa, tomatoes, zucchini & onions, a fish that I think may have been red snapper & Bailey thinks was tuna. Whatever, it was very tasty pan fried. We also had crayfish, with the meat sweet & tender, like lobster. The wine we had chosen in Rovinj, however, had turned to vinegar. Undrinkable. It would have been perfect to clean the pans with, but we drained it into the sink, so it could at least clean the pipes.

After spending our time exploring the Old City and enjoying the waterfront, on our last afternoon we decided we were all in need of some hairstyling. Cee & I got shampoos & cuts for about $20 each; Bee got a perm and trim for $50. Cee & I are happy with our work. Bee's perm was pretty limp and burned her hair a bit. Within 2 or 3 days, her hair was already relaxing out of the perm.

6PM and it was time to take the ferry to the island of Korcula.

Rovinj

June 26, 2011

Rovinj (pronounced “Roh-Veen”, unless you want to try it in Italian & then it's “Roh-Veen-Yo”) was at the end of our road from Plitvice Lakes. Sitting on the west coast of Istria, Croatia's triangular western peninsula, Rovinj is only 1 ½ hours by car from Trieste, 2 ½ hours south of Venice by ferry., and, as it turned out for us, about 6 hours of sightseeing from Plitvice. With Cee again at the wheel and Bee navigating, I could sit back & enjoy the rolling hills and vineyards, small villages, and roadside stands selling homemade cheese and honey.

Yes, of course we stopped and bought cheese, and as Rick Steve's has pointed out, everything in Croatia is expensive. We paid the equivalent of $12 for a half round of cheese, a bargain when we looked back & I had spent $28 on about the same amount of cheese in Korcula. Croatian Kuna, like all the foreign currency, becomes like “funny money” and it is easy to lose track of the actual cost of things in US dollars. Coffee, called white when it is made with milk runs about $2.50-$3.00/cup – no refills. A plate of french fries, nothing special, the kid that are already peeled, cut & frozen in bulk, average $4-$5/plate – size equivalent to a large order at McDonalds. Our lodging, basic, clean & definitely not fancy, is averaging $150-$200/night. We are probably spending about $100 + per day on food ($12-16 for a salad; $16-$20 for a pasta entre; $20-$40 for fish or meat; bottled water is more expensive than beer; Schweppes Bitter Lemon (which Cee & I love) or a coke is about $3-$3.60 at a restaurant; $1.50 in the markets. But I digress. Anyway, I have no complaints...Can't put a price tag on a memory.

We did some unplanned sightseeing in Istria, before we found the town of Rovinj. It is right on the Adriatic, some buildings built right on the sea wall, and very lively at 8pm on a Sunday evening. It has a very Italian feel to it. We did not know how to find our “luxury” apartment, Villa Ernesta, so leaving Cee & Bee enjoying local libations, I went to the nearest hotel in sight and asked for their assistance. I got the Croatian eye-roll & shrug from the desk clerk, who reluctantly telephoned Ernesta and directed me tothe short walk. She charged me the equivalent of $1 for the less than 2 minute call and then lectured me about booking with someplace other than her hotel. Right.

We were a little taken aback when we saw the apartment. It was on the 3^rd floor of a 17^th century building that had been converted to small apartments. We had 2 small balconies, one looking out at neighbors' rooftops, the other looking into neighbors windows. We mainly used the balconies for hanging our laundry to dry and it was nice to have the fresh air. It was a 2-room apartment with a very small bedroom, queen size bed on the floor, small bathroom with shower, and a living room/kitchen with a sofa bed, table & chairs, small tv, and refrigerator. We had air conditioning in the main room. Thankfully. We wouldn't have defined luxury this way, but I guess Ernesta describes it thus. It would be a little off-putting for many Americans. A washing machine was located on the roof of this 5 story building and we spent one whole day washing all our clothes & hanging them to dry on our balcony. We maxed our time by editing photos & creating the text for the blog.

We mostly relaxed in Rovinj, just sightseeing and eating. We had planned to bicycle, but the bikes available were not in good shape, it was hot during the day, and it seemed good enough to just walk through the town, shop at the open air market, look in the shops.

On our third night, over drinks with Ernesta, we settled our bill, talked about chiropractic (there used to be one in Rovinj, but he died), and talked about our trip. Ernesta speaks only Italian, so all her translating is done through her business associate, Vedran, who was very pleasant and had been helpful during our stay.

Wednesday, June 29, found us on the super highway and toll road back to Zagreb to return our car, sight see, and take the over night train to Split.

[GG] Plitvice

Plitvice Lakes National Park

June 26

With our car freed by noon, we headed to Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of Europe's most spectacular sights. The park is within a lush valley of trees and ferns, a series of 16 terraced lakes and waterfalls, and miles of boardwalks. The water was clear and the color of the lakes was varied, like the blue crayons in a box: cerulean, aquamarine, robin's egg blue, Caribbean current. Trout and other fish were so plentiful, crowding around submerged branches, that they could have easily been scooped up in a net. No net. No fisherman. Just beautiful scenery and 4 hours of hiking exploration before we headed off to Rovinj for 3 nights in Istria, the most Italian area of Croatia.

[GG] Car-ma-ventures

With a little faith..

June 25/26

In the last rental car available in northern Croatia, we headed to Plitvice Lakes in our less than 2 weeks old Opel Corsa. Cee was at the helm, Bee was navigator, and I sat in the back seat & put together snacks of cheese and salami for the crew up front. Our little Opel (probably only a 4 cylinder) chugged along, reminding us with a lurch as it shifted gears, that this was a new adventure for it also.

It was about 2 ½ hours from Zagreb to our room at Plitvice Etno House, a country style home converted to room rentals. Typical of our experience, 1 queen size bed; 1 single. We were tired & rested all afternoon, then left after a dinner of trout (3 & each at least a foot long) and potatoes. We were in search of a area we had seen while driving in, offset from the road, a river & waterfalls, and a restaurant where we could get coffee and dessert. Unable to find the area, we turned the car around and headed back to our room at Etno House, it was, after all, dusk and would be dark soon.

A steeple illuminated in the distance, marked the area of a small village, and Cee turned off the main highway toward it at my request. A single lane road, twisting and turning, seemed to bring us no closer to the steeple, but lead to a T in the road. We “...chose the road less traveled by, and that (has) made all the difference.”

“→
Water Mill
Exploration Trail
Stari Grad “

Distracted from our initial quest by the thought of adventure and discovery, we turned off the main road in the direction prompted by the carved sign with the arrow.

The road was gravel, but well defined. Narrow, but wide enough, well in some areas barely wide enough, but enough. The road got a little rougher, a little narrower as we followed

“← Exploration Trail”.

We passed a sign written in Croatian. Not assigning any particular significance to it, we continued on. The road banked right and stretched up a hill.

The gravel gave way to larger rocks in the road, then small boulders partially submerged like icebergs. We scraped bottom on our way up the hill and paused, then slowly continued upward. Maneuverability was limited by the terrain: bushes and trees heralding a gradual drop off on our right; rocky, dirt embankment on our left sloping upward; and ahead of us, a steeper climb and larger rocks. Bee and I got out to investigate. As we hiked up the hill we realized the road was not passable for our little Opel. Retreat was the only option, and since there was no room to turn around, backing down was the only thing we could do.

We didn't realize it but the little Opel had already spent most of its energy on the hill and was more than ready to come back down. It just didn't know how to do it. Crowding left brought the threat of under-carriage damage and getting stuck on the large rocks. Aiming ever so slightly for the right edge of the road and sacrificing a small tree or two and a few bushes seemed a better option. Slowly, using gravity, reverse gear, and the brake Cee eased into the descent. The little Opel once aimed right was unable to move back to the center or left. It was truly a slippery slope and without power to move forward and correct our position, nor back because of the drop off to our right, the little Opel trembled, and spun its wheels in frustration when Cee tried to encourage it. It was painfully obvious we could go neither forward nor back without the real risk of losing the car to the embankment. Brake on. Power off. There was nothing more we could safely do. We needed help. There was none in sight.

Dark was settling in quickly. We locked the car with the MFB standing guard on the back seat, and walked back down the road. We all turned once to mentally wave goodbye to our little car, and silently promise we would return as soon as possible. The Opel was silent, reflecting a little moonlight, but mostly dark and fading into the shadows. It rested at a 20 degree angle to the right, clinging to the side of the road, secured by a parking brake, transmission in park, and a few bushes and trees it had trampled as gravity willed it over the embankment.

With a common sense of distress and frustration over the situation with the car, we reminded ourselves that we were all safe and it would look better in the morning. The white gravel road stretching before us seemed slightly illuminated by the moon or the very last, faint reflections of sunset. I am not sure which, but then it was dark. We talked. We sang. We reviewed worse case scenarios and what ifs. And we walked, with a purposeful stride, and as quickly as we could. In the dark. I thought of grandpa. He would have found a way, but probably even he would have had to wait until morning.

I believe it was a mile, not more than two, when finally up ahead we saw a light, then a house. We turned up the driveway, knocked on the door, and asked for help. The Croatian man did his best to understand our charades and pantomime, sign language and sound effects. He was rescued when his wife emerged from the house and translated . “Your car is where?” she asked incredulously. “Why did you go there? I have lived her all my life and even I have never been there. It is only for walking or bicycles.” Hmmm. That explains it. “Where are you staying?” Etnos House. “How will you get back?” Good question. Do taxis come out this way?

A telephone call to a brother and soon we could hear a tractor coming our way. Before we knew it, we were a little army back on the road to retake the hill and rescue the Opel and the MFB. With the farmer driving his tractor, its headlights leading the way, the three of us and our Croatian friend marched behind in the shadows. They did not speak English. We do not speak Croatian. But I think we understood each other.

The car was exactly as we had left it. In some respects that was a good sign. It hadn't taken matters into its own hands, so to speak, and somersaulted down the hill. The tractor stopped, lights shining on the car. The brothers walked round and round the car, occasionally looking up at us and shaking their heads or rolling their eyes. They got down on hands and knees & looked underneath it and finally, shaking their heads “no”, made a phone call, backed the tractor back down the road, and turned away.

I am sure as we walked back down the road for the second time, our heads were down and posture drooping, a reflection of our disappointment. As we rounded the bend to the Croatian's home, headlights and voices signaled that our hosts at the Etnos House had shown up to retrieve us. The kind Croatian man had called them to tell them of our problem. We paid our Croatian friends for their time and trouble and got into the car with our hosts.

During the 20 minute drive back to Etnos House, our hosts questioned us about what had happened. They too were in disbelief that we had actually driven on that path, er, road. They had grown up in this area, and had never even driven off the main highway. We tried to explain about living in the desert, dirt roads, 4-wheel drive, etc.. They did not seem to understand, but shrugged and told us we must contact our car rental place in the morning & ask them what to do.

In the morning it was still clear to us that we did not want to contact the car rental company. We were fully insured, but not if driving off road. So even if the car tumbled off the cliff, I was of the mind to get it hauled out of there & drop it off on the highway & then call the rental car company. We finally convinced our hosts to take us back to the farmers and see if they would have another look at the car in daylight.

There she was, still perched off the right side of the road, left rear wheel barely touching the earth, the three others in delicate balance in what looked like a pause. Still locked up tight. MFB asleep on the back seat. With the biggest Croatian brother wielding a sledge hammer and breaking up rocks, then using his ax to chop away trees and bushes, he cleared a path and widened the road. This is just what grandpa would have done. Then with a tow ring, a chain, the tractor, 3 men pushing & guiding the car, and Cee in the cockpit, there was no way this wasn't going to work. A few moments of angst, foul smell and a little smoke from somewhere in the engine, and our little Opel was free. She balked a bit, then regained her composure and headed safely back toward the highway, just as though nothing had ever happened.

[GG] Into Croatia

Zagreb, Croatia

Ljubljana to Zagreb is nothing but a train ride, although I suppose one could do it by bus or fly. No need. We have Eurail passes. The border crossing in Zagreb results in a train stop and passport review by border agents. We are fortunate enough to share our train compartment with 3 college age girls on holiday after attending a Bible study camp in Austria. They were all well traveled and alerted us to the procedures. Passport stamps and all is good & we are on our way. They are headed to Plitvice the next day & maybe we'll meet up.

The International Hotel was a 10 minute walk from the train station. Modern, 2 bedrooms, nice bathtub & shower. Air conditioning. Without ethnic distinction, it was nonetheless a comfortable stop for the evening.

Dropped our bags & out to explore in the evening. Bailey bought a hat & next stop: Kung Fu Panda 2. It was a cute movie, but our snacks were limited to popcorn. This is not Vienna.

[GG] From the Castle to the Cave

Ljubljana

Lake Bled was so pretty and there were still so many places to hike and things to explore that it was hard to leave. On her last evening in Lake Bled, Bee painted a sign for a coffee bar, alerting patrons to their new menu, which for the first time included food. It was Bee's legacy to Lake Bled, surviving our visit long after we have gone.

3 + 3 = 6. Six passengers is the minimum number to hire a taxi-van to take us to Ljubljana from Lake Bled. So we gathered up a few fellow passengers and jumped in the van, making our transit from Lake Bled in half the time than it would have been by bus or train and minimally more expensive. Our driver expounded on the good old days and how difficult it is now in Slovenia for people to make a living. It is the capitalist against the worker. Time for a revolution, but Slovenians only talk, they don't do. This was the philosophy presented by our driver. His “good old days” were under Communist rule and Slovenia has only had its independence since 1991. He rambled on about the high unemployment and unhappiness of the people. He told us how he and his wife struggle financially and how poor his business has been this year. It was only a 20 minute ride to Ljubljana but a very long story.

Hotel Allegro greeted us with warm smiles, cold drinks, and a beautiful room. It was absolutely the finest place we've stayed on this trip and we would highly recommend it to other travelers. They offered us schnapps, coffees, wine, struddles, whatever we wanted upon arrival each day and their breakfasts included pastries, fresh fruit, olives, and a variety of meats, cheese, yogurts, cereals, eggs, and fresh squeezed orange juice. The breakfast room was in cellar of this 3-story historic home turned boutique-hotel, located in the medieval portion of the city, on a quiet side street near the castle, cathedral, three-bridges, and dragon bridge. An ideal location.

Up, of course, was the Ljubljana Castle giving us a beautiful panorama of the city. Then down to St. Nichlas' Cathedral, past Triple Bridge area, across Dragon Bridge, through the open air market with a stop for cherries and raspberries, through the flower market, and past racks and racks of bicycles for rent. Window shop, stop for a cold drink, people watch, then Sushi.

Skocjan Caves, about an hour by train south of Ljubljana, is a UNESCO site. It has a fast flowing underground river and a small siphon, such that the chambers flood after heavy rain fall, causing the river to rise as much as 300' inside the caves. The largest chambers are certainly the largest in Slovenia and count among the largest cave chambers in the world. We chose to visit the caves for 3 hours, the first half on our own in a newly opened portion of the cave and the last half with a guide. Slovenia has built an elaborate dimly lit, steel walkway system in the cave, following the Reka River. Twists and turns, across bridges, up steps, down steps for more than a mile. We emerged very impressed by what we saw. Lunch and then joined our tour guide and group of about 15 people for our tour of another portion of the cave, about 2 miles in length. This portion of the cave was even more impressive. The caverns were beautiful and filled with stalagmites, stalagtites, columns, calcium carbonate pools, and the river. I have seen lots of caves in my lifetime and these were, by far, the largest and most impressive.

A night with lightning, thunder, and rain gave way to a cloudy and lightly drizzly morning. We caught the early afternoon train to Zagreb, our first stop in Croatia.

[GG] Adventures in Slovenia

Lake Bled

Slovenia is one of those places I have never really thought of. I have probably seen pictures of it (it's very picturesque) and thought it was Austria. When we decided to come here, it was a geographical decision as it conveniently lies between Austria, where we definitely wanted to go, and Croatia which has been on my mind ever since I saw Dubrovnik 5 or 6 years ago. So with a little planning we decided on two locations: Lake Bled and Ljubljana.

You have to really want to get to Lake Bled to make it happen with public transportation from Innsbruck. By train you travel back to Salzburg, then to Villach, and cross the border into Slovenia. It's about a 5-6 hour trip when you add it all up. The countryside flying by the train window is beautiful: green valleys, small villages, big mountains, and always a meandering river. Once in Slovenia your stop is Lesce-Bled. Exit the train, walk over to the bus stop across the street and take the bus into the community of Lake Bled. It's only about 3 miles and 10 or 15 minutes by bus. No fuss. No frills. Unfortunately, our excited exit from the train turned to disappointment as Cee realized she had left her scarf on the train. There is not much time to collect your thoughts, your bags & your travel mates once the train stops, before it takes off again. Once Cee realized her scarf was gone, the train was too.

In Bled we exited the bus and this time happily found our hotel less than 3 blocks away. True to form we put down our stuff and went exploring. First a walk around the lake (3.5 miles) hoping to find a kayak rental somewhere. Row boats were the best we could do, planning for the next day. The evening was warm and the walk was a perfect stimulus for our appetites. Chili's seemed to be our only resource for dinner after 9PM, but it turned out to be delightful. I ordered the trout fillet (trout is a specialty in Slovenia) and was impressed by the size of the trout and delighted with the flavor – cooked perfectly.

Lake Bled is like Disneyland or a fairy tale, complete with a medieval castle on a hill overlooking the lake, picturesque island with a church, and a backdrop of alpine mountains. Its natural beauty has made Bled Slovenia's leading mountain resort, popular with world leaders, celebrities, and us. Marshal Tito's home is now Hotel Vila Bled, a beautiful mansion just above the lake. This lake is also renowned for world class rowing championships held here. They even lengthened the lake in order to accommodate the long boats.

Next day we rented a row boat and Cee rowed us out to the island in the middle of the lake. We climbed the hill to briefly explore the church, relaxed a bit and then Bee took over the oars and brought us back to shore. Me? I was treated like a queen and could just sit back and relax while they did all the work.

Vintgar Gorge, just north of Bled, seemed like a beautiful way to spend the better part of the next day. I had an inkling I was in trouble when the girl at the bike rental shop described the route. “Follow this road up, turn right here and then you go up this road where you will see signs. Follow the signs up along here”, she said drawing her finger along the map. I heard a lot of “ups” in her directions. We adjusted our helmets and bikes, grabbed water and a few snacks, and off we went....up...then a little more up....then a long little more up...then a few short ups after a block or so on level ground...then another up, a down, level, then one little longer down ending in a short up. Sounds easy enough and I guess it was for the 20-somethings. The 60-something (me) was wheezing, red in the face, sweating reminiscent of my sauna experience, slowly climbing the hills, getting off and walking, resting when I needed to. Courtnie & Bailey were great, patiently waiting at the top of the hills or circling back to make sure I was all right. The effort was worth it. Vintgar Gorge is beautiful with the fast moving Radovna River cutting through the mountains and a convenient boardwalk and bridges following along. The water was clear and we could see fish but no fisherman. Waterfalls, ferns, narrow gorge, on and on we walked on the boardwalks for several miles and a couple of hours overall. At the end, we turned around and retraced our steps back to the bikes. This was a beautiful area.

More ups & downs and a new route back to Bled through a small village on a hill just above it. An open field beckoned Bee to recreate her “Sound of Music” twirls. A shady tree beckoned Cee and I. Our joy was short lived, however, as a woman farmer drove up on her tractor cursing us in Slovenian and making it very obvious she wanted us off her land, immediately. We apologized, tried to explain, and ultimately just got back on our bikes and rode back to the roadway. She's probably had her fill of tourists.

That evening we discovered a malted grapefruit drink, bottled by Union, that was very refreshing. A little rest, a few refreshing beverages, and a hearty dinner and we were ready to tackle the 10^th century Bled Castle on the hill overlooking the lake. We arrived just in time to witness a re-enactment of a typical day in the life of the king and his court, including the kidnapping and rescue of his daughter, battle scene, and a dance. The costumes were great & Bee showed her prowess in wielding a sword.

[GG] In and out of Innsbruck

Innsbruck

June 19 Sunday

An easy ten minute train ride from Hall put us in Innsbruck, a beautiful town with roots back to the Stone Age, that serves as capital for Austrian Tyrol. The surrounding Alps are breathtaking and we arrive on a beautiful blue sky day.

After a brief walk around Old Town center and a look at the Golden Roof (viewing box built in 1500 for Emperor Maximilian I), we followed the sound of beautiful church bells until we found the origin.

With that Bee was off to church and Cee and I were left on our own to explore for an hour. I should mention that the Golden Roof was actually made of 3000 copper tiles and not gold. Another example of “all that glitters is not gold.”

Innsbruck was Europe's center for culture and politics from the 15^th to the 18^th centuries, and the Old City reflects sophistication in its beautiful architecture, large central square, fountains, and statues. Cee & I meandered the streets, crossed the oldest bridge which was built in the 11^th century, and explored various shops. When we finally reunited with Bee, our prize had been the Schnapps sampling store. This cute little store was noteworthy for having perhaps 100's of different flavors of schnapps, bottled in what appeared to be over sized hamster water feeders (you know, the egg shaped glass bottle, with a spout sticking out near the bottom). It was hard to choose which ones we wanted to sample. Do we choose by color? Clarity? Name? As I choose my race horses based on color, I decided to go with this approach in schnapps tasting. Yummy. Mouth under spout, turn the spigot & enjoy the liquid flow. Well, not exactly. The friendly store keeper had her own ideas, including small plastic sampling cups, reminiscent of the small containers used in hospitals when dispensing pills to patients. At any rate we sampled several each and finally decided on a lemon flavored schnapps, something similar to Baileys Cream, and absinthe..

With more than a few swallows to fortify us we were off to Lake Bled in Slovenia.

[GG] A Short Trip across the Hall

Hall in Tirol

June 18

Austria is beautiful: green valleys & steep hills, and snow capped peaks giving way to the towering Austrian Alps as we near Innsbruck. The train ride from Salzburg to Hall in Tirol, just 10 km east of Innsbruck, was a beautiful journey. Hall is a UNESCO site as this town, remarkably preserved, dates back to the 13^th century. Its importance in history is primarily tied to salt and indeed, the coat of arms shows two lions hugging a cask of salt.

Off the train we are presented with our usual challenge: Where are we? And where are we going? With the benefit of local advice and a hand drawn map of crossroads and arrows, we marched off to Hotel Heiligkreuz, not more than 15 minutes walk through a modest residential area. We have a beautifully bright and cheery upstairs room with an unobstructed view of Mount Bettelwurf through our windows.

It was a drizzly day, but undaunted by weather and characteristically optimistic, we set off to explore old town. Marked by narrow, cobblestone streets and a central square dominated by a church, in my limited experience this seemed like a pretty typical medieval Austrian village. A quick cup of cappuccino to warm us up and we were off exploring and browsing the central market. Increasing rain showers made a decision to have an early dinner quite easy and then back to Heiligkreuz for an evening of sauna.

[GG] Savoring Salzburg

Salzburg

June 15, 16, 17

I think we loved Salzburg instantly. We had minimal problem finding our Hotel Mozart within a 20 minute walk of the train station (hauptbahnhoff, as we're learning to call it). We were greeted with a jovial “Guten tag...hello!) from our animated, impish hotel clerk. If we were in Ireland, I would have thought him to be a leprechaun. But we are in Austria, so I'm not sure what he is other than delightful.

During the check-in process he provided us with a map, recommendations for dinner, and ideas for sightseeing, all the time with a little bounce to every step he took behind the desk.

Up to our quaint little room to drop off our things and we were off exploring. Bailey and I have decided tonight is Wienerschnitzel night so after wandering a short way on the cobblestone streets we stopped in at the highly recommended “Old Fox” for dinner. The anticipation of Wienerschnitzel proved to be better than the actual wiener.... but Courtnie was quite happy with her breakfast skillet (or at least that's what it looked like to me with a skillet of fried egg, potatoes, peppers, and more.

The next day we explored the castle, modern art museum, a couple of churches, and platz (town squares). The views from the castle (they're always on a hill) were wonderful. Salzburg is in a narrow valley and a river meanders through it. Steady current, sage green. The hillsides in the foreground give way to jagged peaked mountaintops in the background, the greens yielding to purples. There are patches of green grass surrounded by forest and we were told that the Sound of Music was filmed here. There's no doubt that it was as you can almost hear Julie Andrews singing and see her twirling on the open hillside. The “Goatherder” song keeps playing in my head – a continuous loop I can't seem to shake. We stop for a few minutes to listen to an acoustic guitarist playing in the Residenzplatz. He is gray haired, intent on his music, and exceptional. Cee & Bee decide to buy one of his CD's, remarkable in that we really haven't bought anything we're not consuming during our travels: water, juice, cheese, salami, chocolate, and local alcohol.

Two twenty minute walks uphill divided by a cable car ride up a steep mountain. 700 steps up; 700 steps down. Freezing cold. All that adds up to the adventure into the largest ice cave in the world – Eisriesenweldt. This is located in Werfen, a 30 minute train ride from Salzburg. We've entered the mountains and we can see snow on the mountaintops in the distant. I am a little anxious about this adventure. Steps up, well anything up, has not been my forte, and I am nervous that any necessary rest stops for me will prove to be a drag on Cee & Bee's experience. It's not that I haven't been preparing. I have been taking the stairs rather than the elevator in each of our hotels as well as when we were on the ship and we have been walking extensively almost every day. I hope I'm ready. On the train to Werfen I meditate and try to calm myself. Cee & Bee, recognizing my anxiety reassure me. Once at the ticket station (19 euros/person) I look for other people my age or older. No success. Once we are on the trail up to the cave entrance, I scan each person coming down: are they older? Do they look like they are in similar shape? Oh, Oh. That person is covered in sweat. What will that mean for me?

Once at the cave entrance somehow C & I end up in front of the line, just behind the guide. Cee is given a small oil lamp and every fourth or fifth pair is given a similar lamp. They each emit one small flame, as though carrying a birthday candle, one, into the cave. The guide issues instructions, opens the door closing the cave and instantly we are hit with a blast of wind as the cold air of the cav rushes out to the warmer air outside. And we enter and shortly begin to climb. The ice surrounding the stairs is a frozen waterfall frozen in the tumble to a lake, 24 feet thick. The ceilings and walls sparkle with frost.

As we continue to climb, the icicles take on various shapes like an elephant and another formation looks like a whale. When illuminated by the magnesium coil the guides carry they glow light blue. And we continue to climb, our steepest a 45 degree angle. I huff a little, puff a little, but I am making it and enjoying it. After 700 steps up, there are a few ramps across the frozen ponds, and then 700 steps back down, passing through a tunnel of ice, made by nature, enlarged by man. We are wearing socks on our hands, being bereft of gloves, and the socks were fine to keep our hands warm and allow me to use the metal rails for guidance. Bee moves out ahead of the group, without a torch, searching for darkness. I think it would be pretty cool to have everyone blow out their lamps, but the guides are trying to keep us together and moving as another group is behind us. They do not allow cameras because photo stops would slow us down & spread us out too much.

Emerging from the cave we are propelled forward by the wind and awestruck by the panoramic view of the mountains and the town of Werfen below. A brief stop for pictures then back down the mountain to catch the bus and then the train back to Salzburg.

There is a drink Cee & I have found which compels us to return day after day to the same restaurant. It is a Holler-weitzawein-spritzer, made with white whine, sparkling mineral water, Holler syrup, and fresh mint. It is served with ice in a large wine glass. It is amazingly refreshing and slightly sweet. We love it. 2 glasses each of these & a bowl of soup & we call it dinner.

Aufwiedersehen, Salzburg.

[GG] Vienna Without the Waltz

Vienna

June 12

Vienna is a city of parks, statues, museums, palaces, Lipizzaner stallions, Mozart, cathedrals, monuments, coffee houses, chocolate, restaurants, hotels, trams, and lots of people. Anything that is not within reasonable walking distance is available by tram.

Speaking of trams, after a full day of sightseeing and watching the Lipizzaners practice, we were headed back to our hotel when we saw a movie theater playing "Pirates of the Caribbean". Theaters here are great – they have balconies; the chairs are big, soft, and covered in fabric; and you can eat in the theater. So we brought in a bottle of wine, salami, cheese, and bread and made ourselves a little picnic. Adding popcorn from the snack bar, we were set. After the picnic & drinking my third of the bottle of wine, I needed a nap. So I slept through part of the movie. Nonetheless, I enjoyed what I saw of it and it was a great memory. I think there were only about a dozen of us in the theater and from the smell of things, we were the only ones eating. Cee, Bee, & the MFB all seemed pleased with our day.

Our last day in Vienna found us exploring a museum and the Nachmarket, an open air market that sells produce, meats, cheeses, and cooked things. Cee had felafel and hummus and that evening we enjoyed “Giselle” at the State Opera House. Very fun ….. and we're out of here!

[GG] Water Aerobics

Cesky Krumlov

June 11, Saturday

We took the late morning 2 hr train ride from Pragueto Cesky Krumlov, a fairytale-like little Czech village on the southern border of the Republic. We fondly abbreviate it “Krumlov” because “Cesky” refers to Czech & we're still in a very Czechered area, but there is only one Krumlov. Our taxi took us to the Hotel Gold, a quaint little hotel located right on the river. We had a charming room with 2 twin beds & a sofa bed. Bee got the sofa sleeper this time. I finally had a bed near a window. We had a very spacious bathroom with a long, narrow tub and instant hot water.

We dropped our things, locked the door, and headed into the old town. Along the way we heard live music coming from a courtyard. Thinking there might be a wedding, we stopped in to watch. No wedding, but nice local music. We walked on, across a little bridge and into a fairyland. It was like the streets from Brigadoon, but only this was in Czech Republic. After making arrangements to canoe on the river the next morning, we explored uphill and down through the alleyways of the town. Bee found a church and was hoping to attend Saturday evening mass, only to be scurried out. Either they recognized she is not Catholic or they did not have services that night, whichever, she joined Cee & I for the perfect last meal in the Czech Republic.

We found a great restaurant overlooking the river, with a grill and outside seating. Did the sign on our table say “Reserved”? Well, yes, but not until 8PM and it was only 6:30. We were fine. As has been our style, we each ordered something different so that we could share. Grilled Camembert with cranberry sauce to begin, I had the “chef's surprise”, Cee had the house special chicken skewers, and Bee had another of the house specialties. We did not have Ribeye steaks. Big mistake. The table of 8 biker guys next to us all had the grilled ribeye & it looked FANTASTIC. Reluctant to barter an exchange we enjoyed our dinners, preceded by a delicious variety of hot ciders. And again a friendly dog at dinner – a Rhodesian Ridgeback. So far dogs have been everywhere, trains, trams, on the streets, in restaurants, etc. Europe, at least from what we've, is very doggy friendly.

We looked at the castle and its beautiful tower from a distance, hoping that tomorrow after our river trip we would hike up for a closer look. To this day, the interior of the castle remains a mystery to us, for unbeknownst to us we would never make it back in time from our adventure.

The next morning we were up to an early breakfast and checkout so that we could be at the boat rental shop to get our 3-gal inflatable canoe and get started on our great river adventure. It had rained during the night and early morning, which only meant that there would be fewer people on the water. Our instructions went something like this: “Ok. Now, one sits in the back and one sits in the front, each on their knees. This keeps your center of gravity lower so the canoe is less likely to tip over. The old girl gets the middle and other than stand up, it doesn't matter what she does. Now, head out to the right and just before you get to the first dam, paddle over to the bank and let the grandmother out so she can watch you go over the dam. Then pull over for her and let her climb back in. Call us when you get to the 2^nd dam. Good luck.” With 3 paddles, we 3 excited girls, and a blow-up boat full of enthusiasm but no real knowledge of what we had gotten ourselves into, we set off.

About 5 minutes into the current, we could see the dam. Pull over, pull over. And we did. I crawled out of the boat with my paddle and the important things we carried in a dry-sack, scurried onto the path above the river and directed my grandchildren back into the belly of the beast. They lined themselves up properly and with paddles only skimming the water to keep themselves aligned they made it over the dam and the rough water fizzing and churning at its base. Granted it was only about a 2' drop, but when you're new to this type of thing it isn't the size of the drop its the sizzle in the fizzle that can overturn your boat. Thankfully, the girls handled it like masters.

Once I was back in the boat we continued down the river. We were to cover about 9 miles in 4 hours but that distance, I'm sure is as the crow flies. We are not crows. We were more like the ball in a pin-ball machine: Left bank, right bank, to the middle and spin. Clockwise. Counter clock and back to the side. Sccrrrruuuuubbbbbbb the boat squealed as we scraped bottom and found ourselves stuck atop one of the river's many speed-bumps. “Quick,” yelled the captain, “use your oars, girls, more power. And now, scoot your butts, rock back and forth (the captain's technique for getting us off the sand bar and rocks) Oops. We're headed backward down the river. Ahhhh. It seems to be working. We are actually making some headway, so to speak, and we can see where we've been. A real advantage. Suddenly the boat bolted from our grasp and began to spin again. The captain became frustrated at this little boat that was getting the best of us. Again, to the right bank, then the left, then spin twice. And change. Our first captain, Cee, gave up in despair to put Bee in command.

At first, this looked like a good move as Bee initially seemed to keep us in a straight line. “Right paddle. Left paddle”, she called out. Things were looking up. Our little boat seemed to know there was a new captain at the helm and we moved forward down the stream. Then suddenly we were veering to the right, or at least one end of the boat seemed determined so. “Paddle harder”, our captain cried. “...less Cee. More GeeGee!” but no matter, our bow was headed in one direction, our stern the other. Or so it seemed. I couldn't stop laughing while the captain yelled for more paddle in the water, “faster” she yelled. She tried to yell out a rhythm which only brought me to hysterics, despite Cee telling me that it wasn't funny. “Stop laughing.” And finally in desperation, “Shut Up, Grandma.” I couldn't do anything but laugh. Telling me to be quiet while the boat was spinning simply sent me into hysterics. Even the bunny was part of the fray.

“OK. You're up, grandma.” Those were the final words that put me in the back of the boat as captain. It was my turn. I tried to warn them that this was not an especially good idea. But onward, with me still laughing like a madwomen and the boat careening first to one bank and then the other, finally settling into a slow steady counter-clockwise spin. Delightful, I say and we finally all settled into the rhythm of the river, spinning, spinning, ever spinning until miles later we spotted the 2^nd dam. Freedom. We delivered ourselves from the river and waited for our ride to carry us back upstream to Krumlov. Another perfect day except for the castle which must be left to another time.