Leaning Tower
Rugged Hills
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
A Quick Trip to Montenegro -Day 13
A Quick Trip to Montenegro -Day 13
We met Izador, the tour Director, and he introduced us to Joseph the driver. This was an unscheduled trip, as our regular tour included a free day in Dubrovnik, and we had seen most of it yesterday. Eight of us piled into a van for the trip across the border to the town of Kotor. The border crossing wasn't too bad, and it was 2 hours to Kotor. The mountains were more beautiful than those in Croatia. Taller, steeper, and less vegetation leading to a very stark impression, but pretty. We eventually got to the coast and travelled along the water of the outer bay. There was an isthmus leading to a very well protected inner bay. A few towns dotted the periphery of both bays.
Half way around, we stopped in a small town to take a short boat ride to an island in the middle of the bay with a church on it. Any time you turn around, they built a church.
We finally got to the town of Kotor, which is another walled city like Dubrovnik, just smaller. We had to wait a while to get our guide, as Izador had not provided the correct phone number to Joseph so he could alert her. Not terrific planning.
The town was originally Roman, with the name Dekator. This lasted until the 7th century when Rome collapsed. They were semi-autonomous until the 13th century until the Slavs began to come from the east over the mountains. In the 14th and 15th century, the Ottomans were on the move, and in 1420, they "invited" the Venetians to come in for protection. You can tell on a city's walls how the Venetians arrived, by the symbols of a Lion with a Book. If the book is open, it was a friendly takeover. If the book is closed, it was somewhat more hostile. The lion medallion on the entrance to the city is holding an open book.
The Venetians remained in charge until 1797 when the Austrians arrived, then Napoleon, then the Austrians again until 1918. Then, as we know, "All the Slavs" were joined under Tito as Yugoslavia. Then the wars of the 90s, and Montenegro finally achieved independence in 2006.
The city of Kotor itself expanded, and the current walls were built in 1555. The central clock tower was built in 1612, and the still working mechanism was installed in the early 1800s by Napoleon. Over the years, the ground has settled some, and it leans a few inches, so it qualifies as the "Other Leaning Tower".
Inside, there are a few squares with multiple little streets with no rhyme or reason to the plan or direction. A main cathedral to Saint Triphon contained some relics of the Saint from 809. The original cathedral was built in 1166, and recently celebrated its 850th birthday. We also walked into the Orthodox Church to find they don't have pews, as everybody stands for services.
A nice lunch of seafood risotto and a salad, and we piled back into the van for the return trip.
Our farewell dinner was at a local farm for home hospitality. The owner showed us his 250 year old olive press, and the classical ways of crushing the olives with a horse drawn crusher and pressing them by hand with a large log to turn the screw. The first press with cold water is the best oil for salads, the second with hot water is for cooking, the dregs are for making soap, and the final paste and pits are for compost. They waste nothing. The modern methods are much faster and use spinning centrifugal force to separate the grades of oils. This press is only used now for us tourists.
We met Izador, the tour Director, and he introduced us to Joseph the driver. This was an unscheduled trip, as our regular tour included a free day in Dubrovnik, and we had seen most of it yesterday. Eight of us piled into a van for the trip across the border to the town of Kotor. The border crossing wasn't too bad, and it was 2 hours to Kotor. The mountains were more beautiful than those in Croatia. Taller, steeper, and less vegetation leading to a very stark impression, but pretty. We eventually got to the coast and travelled along the water of the outer bay. There was an isthmus leading to a very well protected inner bay. A few towns dotted the periphery of both bays.
Half way around, we stopped in a small town to take a short boat ride to an island in the middle of the bay with a church on it. Any time you turn around, they built a church.
We finally got to the town of Kotor, which is another walled city like Dubrovnik, just smaller. We had to wait a while to get our guide, as Izador had not provided the correct phone number to Joseph so he could alert her. Not terrific planning.
The town was originally Roman, with the name Dekator. This lasted until the 7th century when Rome collapsed. They were semi-autonomous until the 13th century until the Slavs began to come from the east over the mountains. In the 14th and 15th century, the Ottomans were on the move, and in 1420, they "invited" the Venetians to come in for protection. You can tell on a city's walls how the Venetians arrived, by the symbols of a Lion with a Book. If the book is open, it was a friendly takeover. If the book is closed, it was somewhat more hostile. The lion medallion on the entrance to the city is holding an open book.
The Venetians remained in charge until 1797 when the Austrians arrived, then Napoleon, then the Austrians again until 1918. Then, as we know, "All the Slavs" were joined under Tito as Yugoslavia. Then the wars of the 90s, and Montenegro finally achieved independence in 2006.
The city of Kotor itself expanded, and the current walls were built in 1555. The central clock tower was built in 1612, and the still working mechanism was installed in the early 1800s by Napoleon. Over the years, the ground has settled some, and it leans a few inches, so it qualifies as the "Other Leaning Tower".
Inside, there are a few squares with multiple little streets with no rhyme or reason to the plan or direction. A main cathedral to Saint Triphon contained some relics of the Saint from 809. The original cathedral was built in 1166, and recently celebrated its 850th birthday. We also walked into the Orthodox Church to find they don't have pews, as everybody stands for services.
A nice lunch of seafood risotto and a salad, and we piled back into the van for the return trip.
Our farewell dinner was at a local farm for home hospitality. The owner showed us his 250 year old olive press, and the classical ways of crushing the olives with a horse drawn crusher and pressing them by hand with a large log to turn the screw. The first press with cold water is the best oil for salads, the second with hot water is for cooking, the dregs are for making soap, and the final paste and pits are for compost. They waste nothing. The modern methods are much faster and use spinning centrifugal force to separate the grades of oils. This press is only used now for us tourists.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Dubrovnik -Day 12
Dubrovnik -Day 12
A walking tour through this old charming city. We saw the oldest continuously running apothecary in Europe. This dates to the 13th century. There were old bottles, etc.
Our guide spent some time recounting his experiences during the siege here in 1992. The Yugoslav (Serbian) army had occupied the hills overlooking the city and were lobbing shells down into the center of town. Buildings were destroyed, and food was scarce. He was a young teenager then, and obviously was extremely scared.
There were many churches, and little shops. We could see the different architectures from Venetian, Austrian, and French influences.
Of course, we had to see the "Steps of Shame" from the Game of Thrones. These steps were patterned after the Spanish Steps in Rome, but were used as Cercei walked. Dubrovnik is the set for King's Landing, and many scenes were filmed here. I did not take one of the many tours, but looked through the pictures they showed and recognized the scenes. Supposedly, some of the upcoming Star Wars movie was filmed here also. Maybe Rei and Luke lived here. We left them at the end of Episode VII on top of a Rocky Mountain that certainly could have been in the surrounding area...
Our tour included a ticket to the Wall Walk around the periphery of the walled city. The views were spectacular, and we could see the different roofs inside the city indicating which had been bombed during the siege and renovated and which were original.
We had lunch at a restaurant at the bottom of the wall with our waiter Zlatomir. Pasta for me, seafood risotto for Ann.
After lunch, we found the remaining Synagogue in Dubrovnik. There was never a large Jewish presence here, but of course it is all gone now. We saw some of the old Torah covers, ketubahs, and yellow "Jude" armbands from the war.
Before dinner, we stopped at the hole in the wall bar, which literally steps through a hole in the wall to steps and terraces overlooking the water. A beautiful sight to watch the sun go down over some drinks.
Dinner at a fish restaurant just outside the city walls. We shared a delicious gazpacho and salad. The fresh tuna entree with roasted vegetables which we also shared was such a large portion that one serving was more than we could eat. As we were walking back to our hotel through the old city, we were treated to a beautiful fireworks display over the harbor, courtesy of one of the day's wedding parties.
A walking tour through this old charming city. We saw the oldest continuously running apothecary in Europe. This dates to the 13th century. There were old bottles, etc.
Our guide spent some time recounting his experiences during the siege here in 1992. The Yugoslav (Serbian) army had occupied the hills overlooking the city and were lobbing shells down into the center of town. Buildings were destroyed, and food was scarce. He was a young teenager then, and obviously was extremely scared.
There were many churches, and little shops. We could see the different architectures from Venetian, Austrian, and French influences.
Of course, we had to see the "Steps of Shame" from the Game of Thrones. These steps were patterned after the Spanish Steps in Rome, but were used as Cercei walked. Dubrovnik is the set for King's Landing, and many scenes were filmed here. I did not take one of the many tours, but looked through the pictures they showed and recognized the scenes. Supposedly, some of the upcoming Star Wars movie was filmed here also. Maybe Rei and Luke lived here. We left them at the end of Episode VII on top of a Rocky Mountain that certainly could have been in the surrounding area...
Our tour included a ticket to the Wall Walk around the periphery of the walled city. The views were spectacular, and we could see the different roofs inside the city indicating which had been bombed during the siege and renovated and which were original.
We had lunch at a restaurant at the bottom of the wall with our waiter Zlatomir. Pasta for me, seafood risotto for Ann.
After lunch, we found the remaining Synagogue in Dubrovnik. There was never a large Jewish presence here, but of course it is all gone now. We saw some of the old Torah covers, ketubahs, and yellow "Jude" armbands from the war.
Before dinner, we stopped at the hole in the wall bar, which literally steps through a hole in the wall to steps and terraces overlooking the water. A beautiful sight to watch the sun go down over some drinks.
Dinner at a fish restaurant just outside the city walls. We shared a delicious gazpacho and salad. The fresh tuna entree with roasted vegetables which we also shared was such a large portion that one serving was more than we could eat. As we were walking back to our hotel through the old city, we were treated to a beautiful fireworks display over the harbor, courtesy of one of the day's wedding parties.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Travel to Dubrovnik - Day 11
Travel to Dubrovnik - Day 11
We piled onto the bus to begin our final leg of the trip. It is shorter to get to Dubrovnik by traveling the length of Hvar island and taking the ferry from there. We went over some more semi-treacherous mountains to Sucuraj and stopped for an early lunch. Sort of like the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. This was a teeny town. We got back on the bus and stayed on as we got onto the ferry for the 45 minute ride.
Once on the mainland, we turned southeast toward Dubrovnik. However, on the way, there is a little slip of Bosnia on the route, so we had to stop for two border crossings about 4 miles apart with a little town in between. Although Sandra, our tour guide, asked us to take out our passports at the border crossing into Bosnia, we were able to enter into Bosnia without having to actually show our passports to the border crossing patrol. A bit of a disappoint as we would have liked another stamp on our passports. Croatia and Bosnia have an agreement on border crossing so it was actually quite easy to pass through Bosnia. Does it count if you are only in a country for 20 minutes? At least we peed there, so we left our mark. And eating gelato which we have been trying at every opportunity. No, we're not in Italy, but the influence is there.
The name Dubrovnik comes from the Croatian work for oak, as there were once many oak trees here. It became a strong city-state and a trade powerhouse, flourishing in the 15th and 16th centuries. An earthquake in 1667 led to a swift demise, as Venice rose to power.
We checked in to the Imperial Hotel, which is a fancy upscale place. We took a quick walking tour into the old walled city. We found some pizza for dinner. Tomorrow, we take a more extensive tour. And then, on Sunday, our last day of the trip we are going to head to Montenegro for the day.
We piled onto the bus to begin our final leg of the trip. It is shorter to get to Dubrovnik by traveling the length of Hvar island and taking the ferry from there. We went over some more semi-treacherous mountains to Sucuraj and stopped for an early lunch. Sort of like the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. This was a teeny town. We got back on the bus and stayed on as we got onto the ferry for the 45 minute ride.
Once on the mainland, we turned southeast toward Dubrovnik. However, on the way, there is a little slip of Bosnia on the route, so we had to stop for two border crossings about 4 miles apart with a little town in between. Although Sandra, our tour guide, asked us to take out our passports at the border crossing into Bosnia, we were able to enter into Bosnia without having to actually show our passports to the border crossing patrol. A bit of a disappoint as we would have liked another stamp on our passports. Croatia and Bosnia have an agreement on border crossing so it was actually quite easy to pass through Bosnia. Does it count if you are only in a country for 20 minutes? At least we peed there, so we left our mark. And eating gelato which we have been trying at every opportunity. No, we're not in Italy, but the influence is there.
The name Dubrovnik comes from the Croatian work for oak, as there were once many oak trees here. It became a strong city-state and a trade powerhouse, flourishing in the 15th and 16th centuries. An earthquake in 1667 led to a swift demise, as Venice rose to power.
We checked in to the Imperial Hotel, which is a fancy upscale place. We took a quick walking tour into the old walled city. We found some pizza for dinner. Tomorrow, we take a more extensive tour. And then, on Sunday, our last day of the trip we are going to head to Montenegro for the day.
A Day in Hvar - Day 10
A Day in Hvar - Day 10
We took a walk around Hvar to see this city. It is a small town, but the largest on the island. Note that both the town and the island are named Hvar. The derivation is from the Greek name of the town, Pharos, and is actually pronounced in the local dialect as "for". The town was ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, the Venetians, the Hapsburgs, etc, similar to the rest of this area. The architecture is typical in limestone and small narrow streets. We saw an old church of St. Mark, with an old painting of the Last Supper. This is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, and there are lots of churches and shrines. We continues on to the central square, with the Cathedral of St. Stephen.
We got into the bus to go to the old city of the island, Stari Grad, which is Croatian for Old City. This was the original town of the island, but the Venetians moved the main city and port to Hvar on the south for a better view of the Adriatic. Stari Grad lies at the end of a long harbor which made it very well protected. On the north side of the harbor is the old Roman city of Salona, which was destroyed in the 8th century. The newer town was built next to it. The south end of the town is a huge agricultural area.
THe bus trip from Hvar to Stari Grad was via the scenic route over the mountain. Our bus traversed the loop backs to climb and descend the hills, but the road was barely wide enough for traffic. More than once, we had to back up 500' or more to a slightly wider section of the road to let another bus or truck get by.
We came back via the modern road and tunnel for lunch in our hotel. The afternoon was our own.
I chose to climb to the fortress overlooking the town, climbing about 1000 steps (at least it seemed that way) and up the ramp to the fortress itself. This overlooks the city and the harbor with a wonderful view. There was not a lot to see in the fortress itself, but there was a collection of old amphorae from a ship that had sunk in Roman times. There were dungeons which reminded me of Game of Thrones. The original fortress dated to the 1200s, but was destroyed in 1579 when the munitions storage was struck by lightening and blew up. The rebuilt fortress is called Xxx, supposedly because of the Spanish workers or the architect. No one is quite sure, but it is known that the Spanish never ruled here.
We had dinner at a restaurant named Fig. This is not related to the similarly named restaurant in Charleston, but is run by a guy named Jeff from San Diego. Our waitress was named Marta, and we had an uproarious fun time. The other couples we were with (Jeff and Jan, Jim and Harriet, Mike and Billie) were in stitches laughing throughout dinner. Of course, alcohol was involved. We involved an English family at the next table with 3 daughters, one of whom was a sullen 13 year old. We tried to encourage her to smile and eat with her family, but to little avail. Our meal itself was delicious, starting with spicy Margueritas and wine, a fig and feta flat bread, brochettes, and chicken and avocado tacos. The whole meal came to 300 kuna per couple, or $45 with an American sized tip to Marta who was a great sport dealing with us and giving back as much crap as we gave her.
Ann's notes
Our two and a half days on the island of Hvar have been wonderful, with amazing scenery. The island is mainly a tourist island, with the locals, as they are called, principally working in the tourist industry eight to nine months each year, with practically all of the hotels, restaurants and shops closed during the winter months. There are approximately 140,000 olive trees on the island and each local family has their own olive trees and vineyard. Olives are are harvested by hand, with field work being done in the off season.
Apart from olive oil, wine and tomatoes, lavender and herbs, most other food and merchandise is brought onto the island. Families own their homes, with multi generations occupying the same property. Our morning guide Nikol grew up on the island and returned after university to follow her parents into the tourism industry.
I have surprised myself at the amount of walking and hiking I have been able to comfortably do. I hiked to the highest point in Split for spectacular views of the city, and hiked up to the top of Hvar early this morning for more terrific views. I was only slightly concerned this morning on my walk as I was the only one hiking at 7:30am, but I wasn't too concerned because I was sure Steve knew where I had gone. But, when I got back I found out that Steve really had no idea where I had gone. He thought I had taken a walk around the hotel.
We took a walk around Hvar to see this city. It is a small town, but the largest on the island. Note that both the town and the island are named Hvar. The derivation is from the Greek name of the town, Pharos, and is actually pronounced in the local dialect as "for". The town was ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, the Venetians, the Hapsburgs, etc, similar to the rest of this area. The architecture is typical in limestone and small narrow streets. We saw an old church of St. Mark, with an old painting of the Last Supper. This is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, and there are lots of churches and shrines. We continues on to the central square, with the Cathedral of St. Stephen.
We got into the bus to go to the old city of the island, Stari Grad, which is Croatian for Old City. This was the original town of the island, but the Venetians moved the main city and port to Hvar on the south for a better view of the Adriatic. Stari Grad lies at the end of a long harbor which made it very well protected. On the north side of the harbor is the old Roman city of Salona, which was destroyed in the 8th century. The newer town was built next to it. The south end of the town is a huge agricultural area.
THe bus trip from Hvar to Stari Grad was via the scenic route over the mountain. Our bus traversed the loop backs to climb and descend the hills, but the road was barely wide enough for traffic. More than once, we had to back up 500' or more to a slightly wider section of the road to let another bus or truck get by.
We came back via the modern road and tunnel for lunch in our hotel. The afternoon was our own.
I chose to climb to the fortress overlooking the town, climbing about 1000 steps (at least it seemed that way) and up the ramp to the fortress itself. This overlooks the city and the harbor with a wonderful view. There was not a lot to see in the fortress itself, but there was a collection of old amphorae from a ship that had sunk in Roman times. There were dungeons which reminded me of Game of Thrones. The original fortress dated to the 1200s, but was destroyed in 1579 when the munitions storage was struck by lightening and blew up. The rebuilt fortress is called Xxx, supposedly because of the Spanish workers or the architect. No one is quite sure, but it is known that the Spanish never ruled here.
We had dinner at a restaurant named Fig. This is not related to the similarly named restaurant in Charleston, but is run by a guy named Jeff from San Diego. Our waitress was named Marta, and we had an uproarious fun time. The other couples we were with (Jeff and Jan, Jim and Harriet, Mike and Billie) were in stitches laughing throughout dinner. Of course, alcohol was involved. We involved an English family at the next table with 3 daughters, one of whom was a sullen 13 year old. We tried to encourage her to smile and eat with her family, but to little avail. Our meal itself was delicious, starting with spicy Margueritas and wine, a fig and feta flat bread, brochettes, and chicken and avocado tacos. The whole meal came to 300 kuna per couple, or $45 with an American sized tip to Marta who was a great sport dealing with us and giving back as much crap as we gave her.
Ann's notes
Our two and a half days on the island of Hvar have been wonderful, with amazing scenery. The island is mainly a tourist island, with the locals, as they are called, principally working in the tourist industry eight to nine months each year, with practically all of the hotels, restaurants and shops closed during the winter months. There are approximately 140,000 olive trees on the island and each local family has their own olive trees and vineyard. Olives are are harvested by hand, with field work being done in the off season.
Apart from olive oil, wine and tomatoes, lavender and herbs, most other food and merchandise is brought onto the island. Families own their homes, with multi generations occupying the same property. Our morning guide Nikol grew up on the island and returned after university to follow her parents into the tourism industry.
I have surprised myself at the amount of walking and hiking I have been able to comfortably do. I hiked to the highest point in Split for spectacular views of the city, and hiked up to the top of Hvar early this morning for more terrific views. I was only slightly concerned this morning on my walk as I was the only one hiking at 7:30am, but I wasn't too concerned because I was sure Steve knew where I had gone. But, when I got back I found out that Steve really had no idea where I had gone. He thought I had taken a walk around the hotel.
Synagogue in Split
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Split to Hvar - Day 9
Split to Hvar - Day 9
We spent the morning walking around Split. This is an old Town which got bigger in Roman times. The emperor, Diocletian, made the palace huge with room and more rooms. He live in the 300s. Much of the original structure is still intact. He was buried on the grounds in a large mosaleum, but was subsequently moved when the Christians took over and turned it into a church. They removed much of the inner structures of the palace, and built dwelling spaces. People still live there, but barely. Most of the buildings were nationalized during Tito's time and homeless people moved in. After independence in 1991, these people had basically a "life estate" as the buildings reverted to their former owners. The landlords are now waiting for the tenants to die off.
One of the subterranean rooms was where Daenyris Targaryen kept the dragons in chains. Or at least, where it was filmed.
After the castle, we wandered in the rest of the town. It is quite quaint, and reminded me of the old city in Jerusalem, just less noisy and dirty. Lunch on our own with a quick pizza.
We got on the ferry to Hvar, a 2 hour ride. My seat companions were some Canadians with their dog and cat who were cuddling with each other.
Our hotel here is lovely with a wonderful view of the water. Lavender is everywhere.
We spent the morning walking around Split. This is an old Town which got bigger in Roman times. The emperor, Diocletian, made the palace huge with room and more rooms. He live in the 300s. Much of the original structure is still intact. He was buried on the grounds in a large mosaleum, but was subsequently moved when the Christians took over and turned it into a church. They removed much of the inner structures of the palace, and built dwelling spaces. People still live there, but barely. Most of the buildings were nationalized during Tito's time and homeless people moved in. After independence in 1991, these people had basically a "life estate" as the buildings reverted to their former owners. The landlords are now waiting for the tenants to die off.
One of the subterranean rooms was where Daenyris Targaryen kept the dragons in chains. Or at least, where it was filmed.
After the castle, we wandered in the rest of the town. It is quite quaint, and reminded me of the old city in Jerusalem, just less noisy and dirty. Lunch on our own with a quick pizza.
We got on the ferry to Hvar, a 2 hour ride. My seat companions were some Canadians with their dog and cat who were cuddling with each other.
Our hotel here is lovely with a wonderful view of the water. Lavender is everywhere.
Moving South - Day 8
Moving South - Day 8
A long bus ride coming off the Itrian peninsula, coming down the mainland coast. Long, as in 3 hours. Yes, Paul, that is nothing to you.
We came to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is a series of lakes and waterfalls which we hiked and hiked and hiked. The course was about 4 miles along the rivers and waterfalls. We were walking on a wooden path next to, across, and over the falls. I was reminded of Myst. It was actually pretty spectacular, but there were no guide rails or protection, and I was concerned about falling from the narrow path, especially when a bunch of teenagers were coming the opposite direction. Luckily, there were no mishaps. But, as we were about to complete our trek back to our starting point, the path was flooded from all the recent rains, and we had to retrace our steps. Once we got back, we were on a boat to another falls, but there was more hiking up about 100 meters up the hill. No chest pain, but I was huffing pretty hard. Ann had no problems, though, even with her hips or back. My back was talking to me, but I tried not to listen.
And that was the day. Another 3 hours on the bus to Trogir which isn't too far from Split, where we spend tomorrow.
A long bus ride coming off the Itrian peninsula, coming down the mainland coast. Long, as in 3 hours. Yes, Paul, that is nothing to you.
We came to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. This is a series of lakes and waterfalls which we hiked and hiked and hiked. The course was about 4 miles along the rivers and waterfalls. We were walking on a wooden path next to, across, and over the falls. I was reminded of Myst. It was actually pretty spectacular, but there were no guide rails or protection, and I was concerned about falling from the narrow path, especially when a bunch of teenagers were coming the opposite direction. Luckily, there were no mishaps. But, as we were about to complete our trek back to our starting point, the path was flooded from all the recent rains, and we had to retrace our steps. Once we got back, we were on a boat to another falls, but there was more hiking up about 100 meters up the hill. No chest pain, but I was huffing pretty hard. Ann had no problems, though, even with her hips or back. My back was talking to me, but I tried not to listen.
And that was the day. Another 3 hours on the bus to Trogir which isn't too far from Split, where we spend tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Wandering -Day 7
Wandering -Day 7
We went to a little town, Moscenice, up on top of one of the local mountains. This was a medieval little town with 3 foot wide streets, and houses on top of each other. Cute and quaint. We saw how they used to press the olives for oil, and the differences between the "virgin" or first press and the later presses (not with cold press).
Lunch at a very pretty mountaintop restaurant, with a wonderful view. The lunch itself, however, was nowhere near as nice. Strange pasta with a weird sauce, and desert that was a sweet marzipan-like concoction. Totally inedible.
At the bottom of the mountain, they dropped us off to walk the 7 miles back along the coastal path. Took us a while, and we stopped once for gelato. Yes, not much of a day.
Drinks and dinner along the water with 2 couples on the trip. They have known each other from before the trip, and keep everyone in stitches. More gelato after dinner (why not?).
We went to a little town, Moscenice, up on top of one of the local mountains. This was a medieval little town with 3 foot wide streets, and houses on top of each other. Cute and quaint. We saw how they used to press the olives for oil, and the differences between the "virgin" or first press and the later presses (not with cold press).
Lunch at a very pretty mountaintop restaurant, with a wonderful view. The lunch itself, however, was nowhere near as nice. Strange pasta with a weird sauce, and desert that was a sweet marzipan-like concoction. Totally inedible.
At the bottom of the mountain, they dropped us off to walk the 7 miles back along the coastal path. Took us a while, and we stopped once for gelato. Yes, not much of a day.
Drinks and dinner along the water with 2 couples on the trip. They have known each other from before the trip, and keep everyone in stitches. More gelato after dinner (why not?).
Monday, May 16, 2016
The Istrian Peninsula - Day 6
The Istrian Peninsula - Day 6
We started the day in the mist. The bus climbed put the mountain behind us in Opatija and then through a 3 1/2 mile tunnel. On the other side, the weather had changed, and it was much brighter. Not sunny (yet) but looking up.
We made our way to the bottom of the Istrian peninsula which separates the Kvarner Bay from the Adriatic. This town, Pula, was an old town, but was at its height in Roman times. There is a fairly well preserved amphitheater with essentially the entire outer wall still intact. We walked in and there was some ceremony for a international youth soccer tournament. Noisy, but we could mostly hear our guide, Sondra, with our portable earpieces. Underneath, there was an exhibit of olive pressing and old amphora, which was interesting. There was a reproduction of an old roman map of the area, showing the distances not in miles or kilometers, but in days of travel. Interesting that Venice was not on the map, but it wasn't founded until about 400AD.
Then up the western coast to Rovinj, a pretty old fishing town with windy small streets leading to the church at the top of the hill. Think Montmartre, but smaller. Multiple little art shops and restaurants.
Most of the afternoon was spent wandering Ravinj, then back to Opatija for a nice dinner at a local restaurant. Ann had grilled "fish of the day", I had roast lamb. Somewhat more importantly, they gave us some wonderful olive oil to go with the salad and bread.
Ann's Notes
Travel for me is a lesson in geography and this trip is no exception. I actually had no idea how close Trieste and Venice are to the coast of Croatia and the Istrian Peninsula. Opatija, which is on east coast of the peninsula is 2 1/2 hours from Trieste and 5 hours from Venice. I did some quick research last night to see if we could escape for a day or so to either, but alas it would not work out. But the rest of our trip traveling down the coast of Croatia and finishing up in Dubrovnik should be great. And the weather may even cooperate a bit more.
Delicious lunch of pizza and salad in one of the cafe's in Rovinj. Being so close to Italy really does mean delicious pizza and gelato everywhere. And then a good dinner in a restaurant in Opatija of fried calamari and a local white fish, with delicious garlic spinach and roasted potatoes. The pastries, chocolate mousse cakes and chocolate is also quite good here.
We started the day in the mist. The bus climbed put the mountain behind us in Opatija and then through a 3 1/2 mile tunnel. On the other side, the weather had changed, and it was much brighter. Not sunny (yet) but looking up.
We made our way to the bottom of the Istrian peninsula which separates the Kvarner Bay from the Adriatic. This town, Pula, was an old town, but was at its height in Roman times. There is a fairly well preserved amphitheater with essentially the entire outer wall still intact. We walked in and there was some ceremony for a international youth soccer tournament. Noisy, but we could mostly hear our guide, Sondra, with our portable earpieces. Underneath, there was an exhibit of olive pressing and old amphora, which was interesting. There was a reproduction of an old roman map of the area, showing the distances not in miles or kilometers, but in days of travel. Interesting that Venice was not on the map, but it wasn't founded until about 400AD.
Then up the western coast to Rovinj, a pretty old fishing town with windy small streets leading to the church at the top of the hill. Think Montmartre, but smaller. Multiple little art shops and restaurants.
Most of the afternoon was spent wandering Ravinj, then back to Opatija for a nice dinner at a local restaurant. Ann had grilled "fish of the day", I had roast lamb. Somewhat more importantly, they gave us some wonderful olive oil to go with the salad and bread.
Ann's Notes
Travel for me is a lesson in geography and this trip is no exception. I actually had no idea how close Trieste and Venice are to the coast of Croatia and the Istrian Peninsula. Opatija, which is on east coast of the peninsula is 2 1/2 hours from Trieste and 5 hours from Venice. I did some quick research last night to see if we could escape for a day or so to either, but alas it would not work out. But the rest of our trip traveling down the coast of Croatia and finishing up in Dubrovnik should be great. And the weather may even cooperate a bit more.
Delicious lunch of pizza and salad in one of the cafe's in Rovinj. Being so close to Italy really does mean delicious pizza and gelato everywhere. And then a good dinner in a restaurant in Opatija of fried calamari and a local white fish, with delicious garlic spinach and roasted potatoes. The pastries, chocolate mousse cakes and chocolate is also quite good here.
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Back to Croatia - Opatija - Day 5
Back to Croatia - Opatija - Day 5
Up and out in the morning and drove about an hour to the Postojna cave. This is a cool cave where the remnants of the Ljubljana river dives into the rock to cut a channel. We took a little tram about a mile in, and began to walk. Never having been to Luray, this was quite impressive to me. The caverns were huge and the thousands of stalactites and stalagmites were very cool. The lights inside were strategically placed to highlight them well. We walked for about an hour. I took a bunch of pictures that I hope will come out, since I was pushing the ISO and speed to the limits of my camera. No tripods or flash allowed.
After lunch at the cafeteria, we went back across the border to Croatia. We got to the little town of Opatija which is not exactly a resort, but more of a spa town. The Austrians would come here for the air and the exercise of walking. We are doing a bunch of that. Luckily, the rain has mostly stopped, and we have even seen bits of sunlight! There were Benedictine monks here in the 14th century who set up an abbey. The word "abbey" comes from the name Opatija, which in Croation, means "abbey". The word in Italian is "abezzia". You can see how the etymology works. (Thank you, Bart).
A famous son of Opatija is Leo Sternbach, who invented benzodiazepines, which gave us Librium, Valium, klonopin, and Dalmane. (Look up "Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Chemicals That Changed History") We are having problems now with the misuse of "benzos", but it was really an important discovery. Also, a famous surgeon, Theodor Billroth, spent time here and died here. My surgical buddies will certainly know that name.
We spent the afternoon walking around the town and through the large Angiolina Park in the center. Lots of different plants and trees, including Sequoias. Down by the water is a statue of the "Maiden with Seagull". This was a replacement for a Madonna that was torn down by the Communists in the 50s. They are trying to promote this like the Little Mermaid of Copenhagen. The problem is you can't get quite so close, and the girl faces the sea rather than the shore where you can see her better. Nice try.
Dinner at the hotel and another walk by the water, and I'm pooped.
Ann's additions:
Even though I visited Lurray caverns years ago on a school field trip with Harry, I was equally impressed with the Postojna caves. But I was also impressed today with some of the recent history we learned about Slovenia and Croatia. Slovenia became a member of the EU in 2004, but thanks to Slovenia's efforts to block Croatia's entry into the EU, Croatia did not become a member until 2013. Although the Slovenian and Croatian people generally like each other, as we learned from our tour leader today and vacation in each other's countries, they are not always in sync politically. The major reason Slovenia blocked Croatia's EU entry is that Slovenia needs access through Croatia to make full use of its coast. It took years for the two countries to reach agreement on this issue and when they finally did, Croatia modified its opposition to Slovenia's EU entry. Not surprisingly, Slovenia, as a long time EU member uses the Euro. Croatia is not yet on the Euro and still uses the kuna.
Although our tour leader told us that the immigrant crisis was not really affecting Croatia because the immigrants weren't coming to this country, recent news reports tell a different story. In February 2016, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia all announced that they would each restrict the number of immigrants entering their countries to 580 a day. Their announcement followed Austria's clampdown on immigration.
Up and out in the morning and drove about an hour to the Postojna cave. This is a cool cave where the remnants of the Ljubljana river dives into the rock to cut a channel. We took a little tram about a mile in, and began to walk. Never having been to Luray, this was quite impressive to me. The caverns were huge and the thousands of stalactites and stalagmites were very cool. The lights inside were strategically placed to highlight them well. We walked for about an hour. I took a bunch of pictures that I hope will come out, since I was pushing the ISO and speed to the limits of my camera. No tripods or flash allowed.
After lunch at the cafeteria, we went back across the border to Croatia. We got to the little town of Opatija which is not exactly a resort, but more of a spa town. The Austrians would come here for the air and the exercise of walking. We are doing a bunch of that. Luckily, the rain has mostly stopped, and we have even seen bits of sunlight! There were Benedictine monks here in the 14th century who set up an abbey. The word "abbey" comes from the name Opatija, which in Croation, means "abbey". The word in Italian is "abezzia". You can see how the etymology works. (Thank you, Bart).
A famous son of Opatija is Leo Sternbach, who invented benzodiazepines, which gave us Librium, Valium, klonopin, and Dalmane. (Look up "Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Chemicals That Changed History") We are having problems now with the misuse of "benzos", but it was really an important discovery. Also, a famous surgeon, Theodor Billroth, spent time here and died here. My surgical buddies will certainly know that name.
We spent the afternoon walking around the town and through the large Angiolina Park in the center. Lots of different plants and trees, including Sequoias. Down by the water is a statue of the "Maiden with Seagull". This was a replacement for a Madonna that was torn down by the Communists in the 50s. They are trying to promote this like the Little Mermaid of Copenhagen. The problem is you can't get quite so close, and the girl faces the sea rather than the shore where you can see her better. Nice try.
Dinner at the hotel and another walk by the water, and I'm pooped.
Ann's additions:
Even though I visited Lurray caverns years ago on a school field trip with Harry, I was equally impressed with the Postojna caves. But I was also impressed today with some of the recent history we learned about Slovenia and Croatia. Slovenia became a member of the EU in 2004, but thanks to Slovenia's efforts to block Croatia's entry into the EU, Croatia did not become a member until 2013. Although the Slovenian and Croatian people generally like each other, as we learned from our tour leader today and vacation in each other's countries, they are not always in sync politically. The major reason Slovenia blocked Croatia's EU entry is that Slovenia needs access through Croatia to make full use of its coast. It took years for the two countries to reach agreement on this issue and when they finally did, Croatia modified its opposition to Slovenia's EU entry. Not surprisingly, Slovenia, as a long time EU member uses the Euro. Croatia is not yet on the Euro and still uses the kuna.
Although our tour leader told us that the immigrant crisis was not really affecting Croatia because the immigrants weren't coming to this country, recent news reports tell a different story. In February 2016, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia all announced that they would each restrict the number of immigrants entering their countries to 580 a day. Their announcement followed Austria's clampdown on immigration.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Eagle cam
I gotta say, even half way around the world, I am enthralled by the DC baby eagles.
WWW.DCEagleCam.org
A Day in Ljubljana - Day 4
A Day in Ljubljana - Day 4
A lazy morning with a late start at 9:30 for a walking tour of this cute little city. Of course, it is gray and threatening rain again.
The architecture here is relatively modern for Europe, as there was a large earthquake in 1895 which destroyed most of the town, and it was rebuilt in the early 20th century with an art nouveau theme. The name is thought to come from early Slovene "to love" as it is a lovely town. They are proud that Slovenia has "love" in it. There is a high mountain in the center with a castle dating to early Roman times. There have been many conquerors, from the Romans to the Huns to the Magyars to the Venetians to the Hapsburgs. This is on a trade route between Europe and Asia so everyone came through here.
There is a river running through the center of the old town with multiple bridges. The whole center is for pedestrians which is nice. There is the famous Triple Bridge which was originally a car bridge with two pedestrian bridges on either side(now all pedestrian), The Dragon Bridge, and others. The dragon is the symbol of the town, and there are dragons everywhere. The old Jewish quarter is still there, but most of the Jews were expelled in the 1500s. Our guide reported that the Jews had been invited to the city from Trieste in Northern Italy because the town was expanding rapidly and needed money lenders. She went on to say that they charged too much interest and so they did not remain welcome here for very long. Nevertheless, there is still a street called Zidovska Steza which translates as "Jew Street".
In the market square, along with the fresh fruits and vegetables, there was a "milkomat" machine which would dispense fresh milk into your bottle. There was also a cheese machine. Coming to a mall near you???
We took the funicular to the top to explore the castle. They have some excavations which were interesting. The rain stopped us from roaming too much. The view from the top was nice.
We walked down a steep and narrow and wet path (when we could have taken the funicular) back into the town. We found a restaurant just as the skies opened up again. I had John Dory fish, which I later found out was St. Peter's fish. Very nice. Ann had a salad with all kinds of grilled shellfish which was delicious.
Did a little shopping and rested at the hotel.
We met the group at 5 for a boat ride along the river, and to see the bridges. Of course, it rained, but the boat was <mostly> covered...
Dinner at a little restaurant we found along the river, with Vicki and Erika, cousins on our trip. Ann's seafood barley risotto was very good; my grilled tuna salad was only fair.
We walked around a bit now that the skies had dried up for a while, and saw that the castle was lit in green. Ljubljana has been designated a "green" city for its efficient use of energy, so there is lots that is green. To be sure, the city flag is green and white, so I am not sure that was completely the reason.
In a side square was a huge crane with a hanging restaurant. For €89, you could have dinner 300 feet in the air. You have to be strapped in, and you a hanging there with nothing under you. I'm not sure I would want to try.
Tomorrow to the caves, and back to Croatia.
Ann's additions:
I must admit that before arriving in Slovenia, I knew very little about this country other than it had been part of the former Yugoslavia. So, here are some interesting tidbits I have picked up.
Slovenia is a country of approx 2 million people, 280,000 of which live in Ljubljana. The country is bordered by Italy to the north west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east and Croatia to the south, with the longest border. Slovenia was the first republic to declare its independence from Yugoslavia followed by Croatia. And compared to what happened in Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo, Slovenia and Croatia had a relatively easy path to independence.
Like Croatia, higher education in Slovenia is free, with 55,000 students attending the university of Ljubljana. Medical care is also provided to all residents. Taxes to support the universal health care and education are high with income taxes beginning at 35% and reaching as high as 50%.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
A lazy morning with a late start at 9:30 for a walking tour of this cute little city. Of course, it is gray and threatening rain again.
The architecture here is relatively modern for Europe, as there was a large earthquake in 1895 which destroyed most of the town, and it was rebuilt in the early 20th century with an art nouveau theme. The name is thought to come from early Slovene "to love" as it is a lovely town. They are proud that Slovenia has "love" in it. There is a high mountain in the center with a castle dating to early Roman times. There have been many conquerors, from the Romans to the Huns to the Magyars to the Venetians to the Hapsburgs. This is on a trade route between Europe and Asia so everyone came through here.
There is a river running through the center of the old town with multiple bridges. The whole center is for pedestrians which is nice. There is the famous Triple Bridge which was originally a car bridge with two pedestrian bridges on either side(now all pedestrian), The Dragon Bridge, and others. The dragon is the symbol of the town, and there are dragons everywhere. The old Jewish quarter is still there, but most of the Jews were expelled in the 1500s. Our guide reported that the Jews had been invited to the city from Trieste in Northern Italy because the town was expanding rapidly and needed money lenders. She went on to say that they charged too much interest and so they did not remain welcome here for very long. Nevertheless, there is still a street called Zidovska Steza which translates as "Jew Street".
In the market square, along with the fresh fruits and vegetables, there was a "milkomat" machine which would dispense fresh milk into your bottle. There was also a cheese machine. Coming to a mall near you???
We took the funicular to the top to explore the castle. They have some excavations which were interesting. The rain stopped us from roaming too much. The view from the top was nice.
We walked down a steep and narrow and wet path (when we could have taken the funicular) back into the town. We found a restaurant just as the skies opened up again. I had John Dory fish, which I later found out was St. Peter's fish. Very nice. Ann had a salad with all kinds of grilled shellfish which was delicious.
Did a little shopping and rested at the hotel.
We met the group at 5 for a boat ride along the river, and to see the bridges. Of course, it rained, but the boat was <mostly> covered...
Dinner at a little restaurant we found along the river, with Vicki and Erika, cousins on our trip. Ann's seafood barley risotto was very good; my grilled tuna salad was only fair.
We walked around a bit now that the skies had dried up for a while, and saw that the castle was lit in green. Ljubljana has been designated a "green" city for its efficient use of energy, so there is lots that is green. To be sure, the city flag is green and white, so I am not sure that was completely the reason.
In a side square was a huge crane with a hanging restaurant. For €89, you could have dinner 300 feet in the air. You have to be strapped in, and you a hanging there with nothing under you. I'm not sure I would want to try.
Tomorrow to the caves, and back to Croatia.
Ann's additions:
I must admit that before arriving in Slovenia, I knew very little about this country other than it had been part of the former Yugoslavia. So, here are some interesting tidbits I have picked up.
Slovenia is a country of approx 2 million people, 280,000 of which live in Ljubljana. The country is bordered by Italy to the north west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the east and Croatia to the south, with the longest border. Slovenia was the first republic to declare its independence from Yugoslavia followed by Croatia. And compared to what happened in Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo, Slovenia and Croatia had a relatively easy path to independence.
Like Croatia, higher education in Slovenia is free, with 55,000 students attending the university of Ljubljana. Medical care is also provided to all residents. Taxes to support the universal health care and education are high with income taxes beginning at 35% and reaching as high as 50%.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Zagreb to Ljubljana -Day 3
Zagreb to Ljubljana -Day 3
On the bus slight late as we misplaced Ann's camera. It had been left under the chair I was sitting in in the lobby of the hotel, but I wasn't aware it was there. Luckily, no harm done.
Half an hour to the border to Slovenia and half an hour wait for border control. Since Croatia is not yet part of the EU, we had to go through the process to get new stamps in the passports. We drove past Ljubljana to get to Bled Castle and Lake. This is a very small country, maybe smaller than New Jersey or Maryland. The land changed to rolling hills and some mountains with valleys between. The weather is gray and intermittent rain, but the mist in the peaks was very pretty, as were the towns between. The lake is a remnant of the ice age from a receding glacier. There is huge outcrop overlooking the lake with a Castle dating to 1011. We drove as high as we could to the entrance, but still had a bunch of hill to climb. We went through the drawbridge gate and had more to climb. Inside, there was a wonderful view of the lake and a small island in it. The castle had a demonstration of printing (with a copy of the first Slovene printed book) and iron working and some old excavations of old jewelry and weapons.
Then to lunch on the shore of the lake. We stopped at a Slovenian restaurant. It was asparagus week and Ann had an asparagus frittata which was quite good. Yes, she even ate eggs!!! I ordered the kasha with mushrooms which was like a kasha rissota. and the waiter nodded approvingly, saying "Very Slovenian". It really was quite good.
After lunch we took a boat to the island to see the old church, dating to the 1600s. The boat was rowed by one of the ancient rowers; the profession passed down from father to son for generations. Think ugly gondolas. More pictures of the mountains and fog. At least it didn't rain while we were on the water or outside(it poured during lunch!).
Back to Ljubljana to check into our hotel. This is a small town, even for a capital. Walking tour tomorrow.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-2017
The Maryland State Medical Society
Sent from my iPad
On the bus slight late as we misplaced Ann's camera. It had been left under the chair I was sitting in in the lobby of the hotel, but I wasn't aware it was there. Luckily, no harm done.
Half an hour to the border to Slovenia and half an hour wait for border control. Since Croatia is not yet part of the EU, we had to go through the process to get new stamps in the passports. We drove past Ljubljana to get to Bled Castle and Lake. This is a very small country, maybe smaller than New Jersey or Maryland. The land changed to rolling hills and some mountains with valleys between. The weather is gray and intermittent rain, but the mist in the peaks was very pretty, as were the towns between. The lake is a remnant of the ice age from a receding glacier. There is huge outcrop overlooking the lake with a Castle dating to 1011. We drove as high as we could to the entrance, but still had a bunch of hill to climb. We went through the drawbridge gate and had more to climb. Inside, there was a wonderful view of the lake and a small island in it. The castle had a demonstration of printing (with a copy of the first Slovene printed book) and iron working and some old excavations of old jewelry and weapons.
Then to lunch on the shore of the lake. We stopped at a Slovenian restaurant. It was asparagus week and Ann had an asparagus frittata which was quite good. Yes, she even ate eggs!!! I ordered the kasha with mushrooms which was like a kasha rissota. and the waiter nodded approvingly, saying "Very Slovenian". It really was quite good.
After lunch we took a boat to the island to see the old church, dating to the 1600s. The boat was rowed by one of the ancient rowers; the profession passed down from father to son for generations. Think ugly gondolas. More pictures of the mountains and fog. At least it didn't rain while we were on the water or outside(it poured during lunch!).
Back to Ljubljana to check into our hotel. This is a small town, even for a capital. Walking tour tomorrow.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-2017
The Maryland State Medical Society
Sent from my iPad
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Zagreb City Tour - Day 2
Nice breakfast in the hotel with lots of choices. They even had smoked salmon but, alas, no bagels.
We got into the bus to tour the city. As I previously said, the downtown is largely early 20th century middle European city, looking like a mini Prague, but not as pretty. The main square near our hotel has a statue of Tomislav, the first King of Croatia in 925. Over the next few centuries, they gradually became subjected to the Venetians, the Ottomans, The Ottomans, the Soviets, etc until they became a free country again in 1990.
We saw numerous government buildings, and wound up at a major cemetery, Mirogoj, designed by Hermann Bolle in1876. This was interesting in how the entrance gates and close in edifices were designed. Behind the main church was the tomb of Franco Tudman, the first president in the 90s after independence.
From there, we went back to downtown, to see the Church of Saint Mark with a very distinctive roof, and the Cathedral. We walked around a bit and came upon an apothecary store dating to the 13th century. It is thought that Dante's grandson was an original proprietor.
We broke for lunch and got something at one of the numerous street restaurants. After lunch we were on our own and went to the Museum of Broken Relationships. Very weird, chronicling people's views after breakups and other partings. Anyone can contribute an item with a story. Keys to an ex-lover's car, police reports of a rape, suicide notes, an ax used to break the furniture of a lover who moved out. I was glad I'm still with my first wife and didn't have anything to contribute.
Dinner down the street at a tourist/tour bus restaurant. Very mediocre. Salad with a slab of beef over it(?). Turkey, ham and cheese fried in a thick batter. Nondescript cake for desert. The best part was when we ordered decaf coffee afterwards and had repeated to us "coffee without coffee"!!!
Tomorrow we go to Slovenia and wind up in Ljubljana.
Thoughts on Zagreb: a nice enough city but when the cemetery is the high point of the tour, one has to wonder.
Ann's thoughts on our day in Zagreb
The local guide on our morning tour was very good, his command of English impressive. He had studied at the Zagreb University which, as he explained, was very affordable. A year of tuition, room and board costs about what a meal plan costs at a US college or university -about $1200 a year!
I guess Steve didn't think much of the gyro he had for lunch but the pizza and caprice salad I shared with the two tour members we ate with was delicious. I do agree, though, that dinner was pretty lame.
One thing that really put our day in Zagreb in perspective for me was the conversation we had at breakfast with a couple from Australia who had begun their Croatia trip in Dubrovnik and were ending it in Zagreb, the opposite of what we are doing. They explained that Slovenia and the Dalmation Coast we will be traveling too is absolutely breathtaking and a whole lot more interesting than Zagreb. On to those sites from here!
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Zagreb Arrival - Day 1
Welcome to Croatia
We had relatively uneventful flights from DC to Frankfurt and then on to Zagreb. Our only hiccup was going to the gate printed on out boarding passes, which was not the actual gate. When we were the only ones at gate 54, we realized something was wrong, and checked the boards to realize it had been moved to gate 47. Short walk.
After a short flight from Frankfurt to Zagreb, we were met by Sandra, our local guide, who put us on the bus to our hotel.
The hotel, the Esplanade, is very old world. Very pretty with wooden hallways and marble floors and crystal chandeliers.
We napped for an hour or so and took a walk into the central part of the city. First we needed to hit a bancomat (otherwise known as an ATM). We walked to a few parks and found a little international fair hosted by some 9 year olds. We bought some Tapas for a little lunch snack and wandered back to the hotel. We had a beer with some of our fellow travelers and then our opening meeting to introduce each other. Most everybody is a seasoned traveler, so this should be a good efficient trip. The weather so far has not been cooperative, as it has been cloudy and in the 50's and threatening rain.
Dinner was at the restaurant of the hotel, "Zinfandel's", started with a Strukli. You put in the accent over the s as I can't. This was made with dough and cottage cheese, but tasted almost like a type of Mac and cheese. Not bad, however. Ann had the Salmon which she reported as excellent. I ordered a pork chop with mashed potatoes and a mushroom gravy. The potatoes were good. Desert was panna cotta with a coffee essence. That kind of coffee flavor is not my favorite, but it looked nice.
We closed the restaurant talking to our table mates. Very interesting people from a variety of backgrounds.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-2017
The Maryland State Medical Society
Sent from my iPad
We had relatively uneventful flights from DC to Frankfurt and then on to Zagreb. Our only hiccup was going to the gate printed on out boarding passes, which was not the actual gate. When we were the only ones at gate 54, we realized something was wrong, and checked the boards to realize it had been moved to gate 47. Short walk.
After a short flight from Frankfurt to Zagreb, we were met by Sandra, our local guide, who put us on the bus to our hotel.
The hotel, the Esplanade, is very old world. Very pretty with wooden hallways and marble floors and crystal chandeliers.
We napped for an hour or so and took a walk into the central part of the city. First we needed to hit a bancomat (otherwise known as an ATM). We walked to a few parks and found a little international fair hosted by some 9 year olds. We bought some Tapas for a little lunch snack and wandered back to the hotel. We had a beer with some of our fellow travelers and then our opening meeting to introduce each other. Most everybody is a seasoned traveler, so this should be a good efficient trip. The weather so far has not been cooperative, as it has been cloudy and in the 50's and threatening rain.
Dinner was at the restaurant of the hotel, "Zinfandel's", started with a Strukli. You put in the accent over the s as I can't. This was made with dough and cottage cheese, but tasted almost like a type of Mac and cheese. Not bad, however. Ann had the Salmon which she reported as excellent. I ordered a pork chop with mashed potatoes and a mushroom gravy. The potatoes were good. Desert was panna cotta with a coffee essence. That kind of coffee flavor is not my favorite, but it looked nice.
We closed the restaurant talking to our table mates. Very interesting people from a variety of backgrounds.
Stephen J. Rockower, MD
President, MedChi 2016-2017
The Maryland State Medical Society
Sent from my iPad
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