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| Our Trafalgar Group Tour |
The High Cost of Stupidity
Before we knew it, we were outside the Chicago Airport security area, and therefore unable to make use of our United Club passes that had been generously supplied by Debbie’s dear sister, Kathy Zimcosky. Now we would need to pay for a lunch once we got ourselves back through TSA security at the International Terminal. And we wouldn’t have the creature comforts of the lounge during our five-hour layover. All okay, I said, we’ve survived worse. Besides, how much could lunch cost?
It could cost $44, if you eat at Rick Bayless’ Frontera restaurant. Turned out there were limited choices in the International terminal, although the food really was quite good. But then there’s this: had we reentered through security at Domestic Terminal, used the United Club, then made our way to our gate, we probably would have missed out plane. That particular security line took about an hour on top of the train ride over.
The second High Cost of Stupidity story involves romance, intrigue, genealogical adventure and hundreds of euros. Except for the romance and intrigue. Or anything remotely genealogical. The part about the euros is correct however.
For several months now, Debbie and I have been tracing our family genealogies. According to our information, my mother’s ancestors all came from the adjacent villages of Pobedim and Podolie, Slovakia. The area appears to be less than two hours from Vienna by car, so I hatched an idea to rent a car and go there and investigate cemeteries and churches to search for long lost relatives. Since we’d arrive in the morning of the best day for this, we could rent a car at the airport, drive on over to rural Slovakia, look around some, then return to Vienna in time for the Trafalgar tour group meeting and dinner at five. If we didn’t find any relatives, I thought, at least we would have tried. And walked where they walked, in the villages where they lived. Sounds like a plan, yes?
No. After fifteen minutes of trying to figure out reverse on the standard shift rental car (I am not making this up: you have to hold the shaft in the middle with your fist, and then stroke it up and down), and then two hours of driving through pretty countryside scenery and quaint villages, we stopped and finally determined that we were about as lost as was humanly possible. And when we did finally figure out where we were, we realized that we had made absolutely no progress towards Pobedim and Podolie; we’d only gone generally to the north of Vienna, now even more than two hours away from our destination. Worst of all, we never even made it out of Austria at all.
What went wrong, you ask? We followed the GPS lady’s orders (she had a German accent, you know), and not our Google map directions. An old fashioned paper map would have been best, but ours was not nearly detailed enough to figure out these rural roads and small villages. Where GPS lady thought she was taking us is anyone’s guess. I think we may have gotten there eventually – perhaps in a few more hours. Fortunately, she was able to get us back to the Vienna airport without further mishap after we decided to give up and turn back.
Here’s what else went wrong: cost of rental and taxes (over 90 US dollars, and possibly much more), cost of additional insurance that I thought I’d better take this time (68 euros), cost of petrol, as they call it (66 euros), cost of tolls, permission to go to Slovakia, etc (over 8 euros), cost of a transfer from the airport to the hotel that would have been free if we’d have just followed the script (37 euros), cost of an expensive lunch that would have been cheaper had be been more rested and willing to walk around (30 euros). And so on.
The Rest of the Story: it Gets Better, at Least for Vienna and Bratislava
The Hilton Danube was a sight for sore eyes and comfortable for our tired bodies. We met our Tour Director Jasmina and the rest of the group. After a good night’s sleep we got the morning tour of Vienna.
Not much happening early in the morning. We’d seen a great deal of Vienna during our previous Central Europe travels, so the walking tour wasn’t any big shakes. It didn’t help that it was cool, cloudy and damp. It started to rain just as we went out on our own a bit, so we wound up in a Viennese coffee house with some fellow travelers.
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| Debbie and Dan in Bratislava |
The afternoon in Bratislava was different however. For one thing, we finally did make it to Slovakia(!) For another, Bratislava is a wonderful city. It helped that the sun came out, warming things up for us, just as we arrived. Our local guide was wonderful, and we were able to see the castle (where there were great views of the river and city) and the extensive old town area.
Even though we never made it to the towns of my ancestors, at 45 minutes away, Bratislava is pretty darn close. I kept thinking that these people were my people. In fact, that local guide looked as if she may have come from my mom's side of the family, which she very well may have. I might add that the Slovakian food and the wine were also very good. I would go there again in a heartbeat.
From Vienna we went south for a long ride through the scenic Austrian countryside. How many hilltop castles can there be? After a stop in Graz for lunch and a walk up to the town’s hilltop castle, the mountains got higher and the scenery became even more spectacular. By late in the afternoon, we reached Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Slovenia – Lake Bled and Environs
From our vantage point in the world, it appears that Slovenia is as beautiful a country as any. Alpine mountains (these are, in fact, the Alps), hilltop castles, picture postcard churches, serene lakes and scenic villages are everywhere.
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| Lake Bled |
It wasn’t enough that we were staying at a beautiful lake – Lake Bled - that’s surrounded by mountains. No, not at all. We had to take a side trip to a different lake – Lake Bohinj – that was also scenic, and also surrounded by mountains. It looked pretty much the same – that is, very pretty – but there were a couple differences: Lake Bohinj was higher and colder, and a little larger. More importantly, it was also the starting point for our gondola ride to the top of Mount Vogel.
I am sure it’s wonderful at the top when the mountain isn’t completely engulfed in clouds and snow. As it was, all we could do was stand and shiver until the next gondola came to bring us back down.
Back in Bled, Debbie and I walked around the lake. That was a very nice hike, but I knew the way; I’d run the 6K circuit a couple times in the morning. Oh, and I also climbed – not quite hand over hand, but almost – to the top of the cliff where the lake’s castle is in command.
Speaking of demands, Debbie made one as we got back: that we get some of the famous Park Hotel’s cream cakes. They truly are something to write home about, so that’s why I mention them here. Unfortunately, our Park Hotel had other problems, such as needing renovation so that it no longer looks like something hatched from the Communist era (which it was), as well as awful crowding at the evening buffet – seemed like everyone on the entire planet had their feedbags on and was elbowing their way in. The second night in Bled was extremely much better, with polkas and traditional Slovenian food, and of course wine.
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| Polkaing in Bled |
Overall, Slovenia is a wonderful place. From Lake Bled, we drove through the capital city, Ljubljiana for an enjoyable stop, before traveling on to the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.
Croatia at Last: Plitvice
Croatia is the main destination for our travels this time around; it’s where most of our time will be spent. Our first stop was the Garden of Eden of Croatia: Plitvice Lakes National Park. Our 4K hike through park revealed dozens of the park’s thousands of waterfalls.
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| Plitvice |
Time to Split
Just a guess here: I may not be the first person to make a joke such as this.
Split is Croatia’s second largest city, and home to Diocletian’s Palace, an ancient palace built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at in the fourth century AD, that today forms about half the old town and city center of Split. It’s still being used as a place to live, shop and dine. We didn’t shop, but we did dine, and also managed to nearly get lost in the palace maze. The best part is that it finally warmed up for us, now that we’re on the Adriatic Coast.
A Hvar Away Island
The ‘H’ is nearly silent, so this joke isn’t as funny as it seems, not that it was funny anyway.
After sitting in the sun on the top deck for 45 minutes, the slow boat (aka ferry) from Split to Hvar Island took another hour and 45 minutes. By this time we were well cooked, and I wasn’t feeling well at all. Hvar looks like the perfect slice of Mediterranean pie, but we’re not ready to enjoy it just yet.
***Rant Interlude – Read at your own Risk***
Don’t get me wrong. I love Europe, and I truly love Europeans, especially my people: those of the central and eastern parts of the continent. Furthermore, I think they are way ahead of us Americans in their tolerance of others and care for the environment. Not to mention food. That said…
1) These people have a lot to learn about plumbing. They can’t seem to make a toilet that you don’t have to scrape the sides off with a brush after use. Or a shower that you can use without getting the entire bathroom soaked with water. Or even a sink that prevents water from splashing all over the place just by turning the faucet on. And don’t even get me started about this here “Ikea Designed” Hotel Amfora in Hvar with the outhouse type toilet seats. Not to mention getting into and out of the seven-foot high bathtub / shower combination…. I could go on and on about plumbing, but that would detract from my next few complaints.
2) We are two people staying in one hotel room. This means we have two suitcases. We need a place to put more than the one they have provided room for. This is not rocket science folks.
3) We absolutely love our tour guide / mom, Jasmina Bajde. She is completely wonderful. But the tour itself seems a little too rushed, and we feel a little too hearded. Yes, of course we understand that this is, indeed, a group bus tour. Maybe if we were both feeling better, or if we didn’t sign up for nearly all of the optional tours…
4) NO COFFEE FOR YOU! We are human beings, and human beings require coffee. Yes, the hotels have it at breakfast, but that’s much too late for some of us. It just isn’t available if you, say for example, want some at four or five in the morning before going out for a run. Nothing: not in the room, the lobby, just outside the hotel. Nada, nothing.
Okay, I feel better now. Did I mention that Hvar is lovely? It is. Both the island and the village with thee same name.
It is the Mediterranean at it’s best: at least as nice as Nice (sorry, had to say that) or any of the Greek islands we’ve seen. Some say the Dalmation coast is the Mediterranean the way it used to be. But not any more; now it’s the Mediterranean as it is today, with crowds and hoopla. Still this Coast of Croatia is truly beautiful. And Hvar is a serene, long, endlessly scenic island smack dab in the middle of it all.
Trafalgar includes a “Be My Guest” experience with each of their tours. Ours was to a partially restored stone village in the hills of Hvar, far from any civilization. I say village, but there’s really only one couple that lives there with no electricity or neighbors of any kind. Jasmina and Trafalgar arranged for them to treat all forty-plus of us to a gourmet meal of veal, lamb or octopus (our choice), cooked under an iron bell. We dined outside with plenty of wine to go along with the good food. And we topped it all off with homemade grappa. Jasmina surprised us with a small birthday surprise for Debbie, and everyone sang.
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| Be My Guest in Hvar |
Overheard conversation:
Trafalgar Guest after one grappa: “Wanna see my hidden treasure?” (‘Hidden Treasures’ are a Trafalgar thing)
Trafalgar Guest after two grappas: “Be my guest!”
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| Be My Guest in Hvar |
The singing continued to the tune of Abba for the hour long bus ride home. We’re all now much better friends than we were just the morning before we arrived.
The next day’s optional wine-tasting (Sights and tastes of Hvar) was not quite so wild and wonderful, but still very nice. Afterward, Debbie and I climbed up to the Hvar Hilltop Fortress, came back down, and ate a late lunch at a great place in the hills of Hvar town.
The three lovely days on Hvar went by much too quickly, but now it was on to Dubrovnik. And what a journey that was. A couple hours drive along the spine and length of Hvar Island, a short(er) ferry trip to the mainland, and then several more hours south along the indescribably spectacular Dalmation Coast. Along the way from Croatia to Croatia, of course we had to go through a couple miles of Bosnia. So naturally we stopped for some cheese and chips. By the time we rolled into the outskirts of Dubrovnik, it was nearly time for our sunset dinner cruise.
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| Sugaraj - enroute from Hvar to the Mainland |
Dubrovnik!
Notice the exclamation mark. It’s just like when we add one to the tail end of Oklahoma! Dubrovnik is a medieval walled city that is with good reason, the number one tourist destination along the Adriatic Sea.
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| Dubrovnik Sunset |
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| Dubrovnik Moonrise |
Our sunset dinner cruise and nighttime walk through the walled city lived up to it’s billing. It was every bit as spectacular, beautiful and fun as we thought it would be.
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| Dubrovnik by Night |
The next day we were able to see the city in the daytime. We finally got a relatively hot day, and that made things a little challenging – especially the walk around the top of the city walls. We made a complete circuit – it took us over an hour – but what sights we saw! We also had some time to relax with friends at a couple cafes.
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| Dubrovnik |
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| Dubrovnik Lunch |
There were plenty more opportunities to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Dubrovnik. But it’s time to discuss our side trip to Montenegro.
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| Dubrovnik from Above |
Montenegro!
Notice the exclamation point inflation. Well, if you put one on Dubrovnik, you surely have to do it for Montenegro!
Montenegro became an independent (from Serbia) country only ten years and a couple days ago. It was less than an hour to the border, but then the crossing itself took some time (Montenegro is not yet part of the European Union), as did driving all around the fiords, crags and crannies of this beautiful little country.
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| Kotor in Montenegro |
We stopped in Kotor, a walled city at the base of the Bay of Kotor. It’s a spectacular location, and we once again walked the city walls, and all round inside. The surrounding mountains form walls as well. We went on to explore Budvar, another (you guessed it) walled city on the sea.
There was magnificent scenery the entire way through Montenegro, and of course back into Croatia. It’s easy to take it all for granted, as in, “Ho hum, another knock-em dead gorgeous view. What’s for dinner?”
Food for this entire trip, by the way, has been just slightly underwhelming. In both Croatia and Montenegro, I had expected nothing but the freshest fish and other seafood. I did get some, including the previously mentioned octopus under the bell, but some of the other food just wasn’t all that great. The wines have been interesting, however, and I do mean that a good way.
I don’t know why this took so long, but it only now became clear that the name for the country of Croatia, in Croation, is Hrvatska. I didn’t know that! But the connection between the name Horvath, meaning, ‘Croatian’, or ‘From Croatia’, now makes a lot more sense.
Zagreb
There was another long day of travel from the southern Dalmation coastal area up to Zagreb. Zagreb is the capital, cultural center, and largest city of Croatia. It was originally made up of two medieval walled towns: an upper and lower one.
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| Zagreb |
We took several walks around town, and although tired from all the accumulated travel, enjoyed it all immensely. Zagreb is a great city.
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| Zagreb |
Earlier, I accused the food of being underwhelming, That was before the last two dinners. The final group Farewell Dinner in Zagreb was especially memorable. Also memorable, now that we were saying our goodbyes, was our outstanding guide Jasmina, and all our fellow travelers. As always with these group tours, traveling companions make for the best of (new) friends.
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| Our Wonderful Group Early on - We're all Best Friends now |
Finally, it was time to return to the States. Been a wonderful trip, but as always, we’re ready to go home. But don't go away just yet.
For a link to my running blog post for the trip, click
here.
