2024 Crossroads of the Adriatic - Day #I - Letter from Ana

The Overseas Adventure Travel Crossroads of the Adriatic was a unique trip for Sharon and I. It was a small group, only 16 people, with a tour leader. The tour leader, Ana, was very good. We got a letter and some group photos from her today.

Dear all,

fall has come officially, it is raining in Zagreb and it is beautiful!

It feels we have the four seasons again and it makes me happy:)

You know already what I'm about to write:

This was a terrific trip and you have been an amazing group and it was absolute pleasure to take you around my region!

Hope you are all well, getting some well deserved sleep and eating less:)

On Sunday in Tivoli park in Ljubljana my dog who dislikes water and has never wanted to swim took a plunge into the pond trying to chase down some swans! I was ready to dive right in and save her, but of course, she swam!! And now we know she is one skill richer and good on her, otherwise, it would have been a wet day in Ljubljana for me, and not for the rain...

I want to share with you a few of the group photos (I love them, we look like a high school class) and a short recap of our experiences, maybe some of you will appreciate it, if you are journaling or naming photos and such.

I am glad you explored this little hidden corner of the world and I hope that you feel that you now know it and understand it a little bit better than before:)

We walked the Wall of Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic, where we met Iva. We went into the farthest corner of the Bay of Kotor and met the lovely Rajan. In Dubrovnik we talked with Vera and heard her incredible stories of life under the siege of Dubrovnik and we learned so much about olive oil and orange candied peel at Dario's farm in Konavle:) And dubbed Sophie the Belle of the Ball!

We visited Mostar with the Old Bridge, an architectural wonder of Ottoman construction and had our first delicious Bosnian meal.

We went to the Jerusalem of Europe, Sarajevo, and we saw the Latin bridge where the Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, the copper alley with coffee sets, had lovely pita (pastry with different fillings coveted by pigeons nearby!) and we celebrated Maureen's birthday, once in her absence at the homey Nana's kitchen and the day after with some almond cake at the hotel, long live Maureen! We met Vuk and we learned from his stories living as a Serb under the siege and we saw the war tunnel and the Srebrenica gallery. You had the incredible opportunity to get to know real Bosnian families with Semka, Senada and Sanela. And we will never never forget Enes!

We had a great photo op near Bosna river in Maglaj, stepped into Republika Srpska for lunch in Čarda and then sailed all the way to Denis and Goca in Karanac.

So many of you cooked, baked bread and served me breakfast, as it rightly should be, thanks! You met two lovely families in the village, you ate spicy sausage Kulen and its sister Kulenova seka and you made cheese and beans soup, thank you Baranja! And Stephen made artists of all of you!

We had some delightful times in the central European capital Zagreb, meeting with the lady in pink, Anamarija, walking on the Horseshoe, the botanical garden, and considering divorce in Broken relationships museum, or not;)

We met the lovely Nermina in Plitvice lakes and admired some of the most beautiful scenery in the world!

We went on top of Trsat fortress with Tina and had a nice lunch in Rijeka, went then to Opatija, the Old lady of tourism. Most of us had a great time over in Istra with Alessandra, learning everything about truffels and eating them too, and some had a beautiful downtime in Opatija, enjoying walks and taking in the sea air.

We went chasing dragons in the beautifully lit Postojna cave on a chuchu ride where we were dazzled by stalactites and stalagmites and saw the small dragon, the olm!

Finally we landed in Ljubljana, where we met Irena, a city that is the gem of gems at the end of our adventure, a place so sweet, delightful and snug, we could just stay there forever, no matter the rain. And Bled! Bled cake, castle on a rock, naked people getting the sun cure, the Carniolan bee, Pletna boat, the Church of Mary where we tolled the bell so many times, something good must come out of it!

I am especially happy about some extra pleasures some of you have enjoyed, for some fine dining, for some a ring or two, a bag, a blouse, souvenirs and keepsakes that will remind your of our trip together, and especially I am glad of the two classical concerts, Jose Carreras in Zagreb and the Philharmonic in Ljubljana, those are precious jewels of experiences that I am sure you will never forget.

And last but not least, two helpers, Pogi star, our expert s(L/W)eeper, we would have lost our way without you and Carol - the weather queen who has graced us with amazing weather all the way through, thank you, you are our stars!

I have enjoyed all our talks and all the great times we had together.

Don't be strangers, drop a line here or there and also, maybe some of you will end up meeting on some future trips, OAT works in mysterious ways, I hope you do!

Many warm greetings,
Ana

All in all, delightful times on the Crossroads of the Adriatic!

2024 Crossroads of the Adriatic - Day #13 - Zagreb, Croatia

Day 11 Explore Zagreb

• Destination: Zagreb
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodations: Best Western Astoria Hotel or similar

Breakfast: Included at the hotel.

Morning: Explore Zagreb on a walking tour with a local guide. A city of more than 800,000 people, Zagreb has been Croatia’s capital, intermittently, since 1557. First, we’ll explore Zagreb’s modern Donji Grad, or Lower Town, whose well-designed street grid was laid out in the 19th century. This area is home to many of Zagreb’s civic and historic monuments.

Next, we’ll take a ride on a funicular (the shortest in Europe) to view the medieval monuments in the city’s Gornji Grad, or Upper Town. In this older part of the city, two medieval settlements, Gradec and Kaptol, developed between the eleventh and 14th centuries on neighboring hilltops divided by a brook. Fortified by ramparts and moats, the two rival towns fought over the centuries—the nearby street called Krvavi Most, or Bridge of Blood, is a testament to the historic rivalry.

In contemporary times, Gradec and Kaptol form two of the districts that make up Zagreb’s hilly Upper Town. Among the highlights of Upper Town are the tall twin spires of the Cathedral of St. Stephen, an ancient church dedicated to the Assumption. The cathedral’s neo-Gothic façade was added after an earthquake in 1880 destroyed its dome and bell tower. Our tour concludes with a visit to Dolac Market, a bustling collection of open-air stalls located across from the cathedral near the 14th-century Church of St. Mary.

Lunch: On your own. Perhaps you’ll sample Zagreb’s popular štrukli, a dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream, or cuspajz, a meat and vegetable stew. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to provide recommendations.

Afternoon: The rest of your afternoon is free in Zagreb. You might choose to visit one of the city’s many unique museums, including Upper Town’s beloved Museum of Broken Relationships, an eclectic collection of items sent in by heartbroken people from around the world, along with heartfelt stories of their breakups.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: Continue your discoveries in Zagreb on your own, perhaps grabbing a nightcap with your fellow travelers in one of the city’s many bars.

Meeting in the lobby at 8:45 am, we walked to King Tomislav Square and met the local guide under the tail of the statue.


We walked to the funicular. Zagreb's funicular is a charming and historic mode of transportation that connects the Upper Town with the Lower Town. This iconic cable car system offers a scenic ride and provides a unique perspective of the city. The funicular has been operating since 1890, making it one of the oldest funiculars in Europe.


We wandered through the old town. We stopped at St. Mark's Church. The church's most striking feature is its tiled roof, adorned with the coats of arms of Zagreb and Croatia-Slavonia.

We passed through the The Stone Gate. It's one of the few remaining gates from the city's medieval walls and is now a popular pilgrimage site. It contains a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary.


We also passed the Statue of St. George Slaying the Dragon and the Cathedral. Unfortunately, the Cathedral was damaged in the 2020 earthquake is not open. Pictures of the towers without scaffolding are pretty amazing.


After the tour, Sharon and I walked the horseshoe. Lenuci's Horseshoe is a unique feature of Zagreb's Lower Town, a horseshoe-shaped system of parks and squares that forms a green oasis in the heart of the city. Designed by urban planner Milan Lenuci in the late 19th century, the horseshoe is a testament to Zagreb's commitment to urban green spaces.

Sharon and I toured the botanical Garden. The Zagreb Botanical Garden is a serene oasis nestled within the city's vibrant Lower Town. Founded in 1889 and opened to the public in 1891, it's a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and locals seeking a peaceful escape. It is home to over 10,000 plant species, including native Croatian flora and exotic plants from around the world. The tour guide had described it as a small botanical garden, but I was impressed by the variety.


We had a late leisurely lunch at Restoran Boban. I had Ricotta stuffed spinach ravioli in dessert wine sauce with prawns, while Sharon had Chicken marinated in mustard and honey, zucchini, feta cheese, crispy croutons, and pine nuts on a bed of baby lettuce and cherry tomatoes. I liked my meal more than she did.

After lunch, we went back to the old city. Sharon did a little shopping on the way. We ended up at the Museum of Broken Relationships. It is a unique and thought-provoking museum. It's a collection of donated objects from people all over the world who have ended significant relationships. These items, accompanied by personal stories, offer a glimpse into the emotional experiences of love, loss, and heartbreak.

We had toured the Love Stories Musuem in Dubrovnik. I was pleasantly surprised by the Broken Relationship Museum; I enjoyed it more than I expected.

Sharon and I had a drink in the bar at hotel. Holly, Van, Sharon and I finished the day with dinner at the Michelin rated Pod Zidom Bistro. For starters, Sharon and I shared CHESTNUT AND MUSHROOM SOUP [chestnuts / mushrooms / mushroom oil / hazelnut praline paste] and APPLE AND KOHLRABI SALAD [apples / kohlrabi / apple gel / mint and lemon dressing / almonds]. We both had PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CORN AND PUMPKIN [pork tenderloin / pumpkin puree / polenta cakes / pickled pumpkin / kale chips]. The starters were very good, but the main was uninspired...

Wandering back to the hotel, we crashed just before 10 pm.

2024 Crossroads of the Adriatic - Day #12 - To Zagreb, Croatia

Day 10 A Day in the Life of Karanac village • Travel to Zagreb

• Destination: Zagreb
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodations: Best Western Astoria Hotel or similar

Breakfast: Our A Day in the Life experience continues as we share breakfast at the farmstead with our hosts. Don’t forget to try the cheese we made yesterday.

Morning: Early risers can choose to wake up before breakfast and help our hosts around the farm. Perhaps you’ll join a grocery run, followed by checking on the animals or collecting eggs and vegetables from the garden. You might also head to the kitchen to help get ready for breakfast, either by setting the table or making coffee.

After breakfast together, we’ll engage in some hands-on activities around the farmstead. Then, we’ll walk around the village with our Trip Experience Leader for a glimpse into daily life here. If we visit the farmstead during the weekend, we also have the chance to attend mass.

Lunch: At the farmstead.

Afternoon: We’ll depart Karanac after lunch, leaving village life behind us as we journey overland to Zagreb, Croatia’s modern capital. We’ll arrive and check in to our hotel in the mid-afternoon, then our Trip Experience Leader will guide us on an orientation walk around Zagreb.

Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to provide restaurant recommendations. Perhaps you’d like to try knedli, sweet potato dumplings stuffed with apricots or plums.

Evening: The rest of the evening is yours. Perhaps you’ll stroll Zagreb’s modern streets with a gelato, or sample some of the city’s craft beer, which has become popular in recent years.

We spent the morning in the village of Karanac. A Day in the Life Experience included:

• A hearty group breakfast, including the two cheeses that the group made the previous night.
• Working with the hosts, several people chopped vegetables. The hostess put all of the ingredients for a goulash for lunch into two clay pots.
• The son took the group on a walking tour of the farm. He has several innovative crops, including raspberries, fast growing walnuts for wood and christmas trees. He is intended to sell the Christmas Trees as live trees.
• The son and mother did a roller steniling demonstration. The mother is a master of the lost art. The rubber rollers are no longer made. They have been buying them from other families and now have a large inventory. The group did a arts and craft project with a tile.
• Anna took the group on a walking tour of the village.
• We had the goulash cooked in the clay pots for lunch.

We were back on the bus about 1:00 pm. With one stop, we were in Zagreb about 5:00 pm. We are staying three nights at the Best Western Astoria Hotel. Although the rooms are a little small, it is a nice historic hotel.

After getting settled in the room, we did an orientation walk with the group leader. Holly, Van, Sharon and I broke off and had dinner at rougemarin City. I had a Tuna bowl [marinated tuna, premium tilda rice, edamame, creamy sauce with cucumbers, kimchi furikake, onion chips, siracha mayo, spring onions]. Sharon had Katsu bowl [chicken breast in panko crumbs, creamy sauce with cucumbers, basmati rice, edamame, tonkatsu sauce, aji mayo, onion chips, kimchi sesame].

We wandered back to the hotel and crashed just after 10 pm.

Mother's Day 2022

Sunday morning, Sharon and I made a run to the dump (one of her favorite things!?!). We stopped at Lowe's for some plants on the way home. Drew called Sharon to wish her happy Mother's Day as we were heading home from Lowe's.

Jack rolled back from the bay area in the middle of the day. Sharon's brother Tom wandered over about 3 pm. Rather than a relaxing afternoon, Jack and I spent some time dealing with some drama with Tiber.

Like two years ago, I made veal piccata for dinner with angel hair pasta and green beans. I don't feel like it turned out as well as before. I get stressed when I try to make a more ambitious meal... After all of the drama with Tiber and the anxiety pulling together the dinner, we had a nice relaxing dinner. I always enjoy Tom's company.

For presents, I got Sharon a Honeybee Statement Necklace from Julie Vos. Jack got her a succulent garden and a card.

[Note to self], I should have taken a picture of Sharon and Jack!

2021 Oregon - Day 4 - Cape Perpetua - 25th Wedding Anniversary

After packing up the room, we had breakfast in the lodge. We both had Seasonal Garden Vegetable Frittata with spinach, mushroom, sweet pepper and feta cheese. It was served with potatoes, homemade toast and Northwest Peppered Bacon.

We rolled from the Tu Tu' Tun about 9:15 am. We had a number of stops planned for the day. We broke the day into four one hour hops.

The first stop was Bandon Dunes. When we first started planning the trip in May, we tried to book a couple of nights there. It was already completely booked. We decided to stop there and check the place out. I am intriguted. Maybe we will come back with the Wongs or the Gainsleys for a golf trop.

The second hop was the Dean's Creek Elk Viewing area. This was a little of a kerfuffle; they were sealing the road. Regardless, we got a chance to see a number of elk.

The third hop was a lunch stop. We had a nice lunch at the Luna Sea Fish Market in Yachats. Sharon had halibut fish and chips and I had a halibut sandwich. Sharon said that it was the best fish and chips that she had ever had!

The last stop for the day was Cape Perpetua. We parked at the visitor center and hiked the Captain Cook Trail down to the ocean. The area includes Thor's Well and the Spouting Horn. Looping back to the Visitor Center, we hiked the Giant Spruce Trail out and back. In total, we hiked a little over three miles in an hour and a half.
We finally rolled up to the lodge about 5:45 pm. We are spending two nights at the Salishan Coast Lodge. This is a large rambling property with a number of buildings spread across the hillside.

Sharon was not very happy with the room. It is a little dated. Apparently, the property has changed ownership recently.

We walked back to the main lodge. One of the struggles is going to be finding somewhere to eat. Most of the restaurants on the property are closed on Monday and Tuesday. We knew this ahead of time.

After some discussion and research, we ended up getting dinner at the Provision Market in the lodge. I had a Vegetable Chop Salad [romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, corn, red onions, carrots, poblano avocado ranch dressing], while Sharon had a Ancient Grains Saiad [quinoa, arugula, tomato, carrot, almond, green goddess dressing]. We split Vegetarian Dumplings.

We finished the night watching episode eleven of season two of Ted Lasso on the AppleTV.

2021 Petersen Shootout - Day 1

For the ninth time in twelve years, Larkin and I played in the Petersen Shootout [2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019]. We missed 2013 when Rod kept moving the date around and it finally landed on a weekend when Sharon, Jack and I were in H@waii. In 2015, Larkin wasn't available. I signed up with Borja as my wingman, but when he canceled at the last minute, I bailed. In 2020, the original dates for the tournament were cancelled due to the pandemic. Rod ended up having a taking a smaller group in late July, but both Larkin and I were uncomfortable with the idea.
Leaving the house about 8:30 am, I rolled up to the Eagle Valley West Course about 11:30 am. I skipped Rod's chipping contest and spent some time on the driving range. I actually felt like it was the best that I had ever hit balls on the driving range!

Teeing off at 1 pm, Larkin and I ended up playing by ourselves. The guys that we were supposed to play with (Kenny and Bob) jumped over to play with a couple of other guys. We had Kevin, Rick, Art and Colin in the foursome behind us... Larkin has played this course a lot with his buddy Myers.

I was pretty happy with how well I played. I ended up with a 107. Par fives continue to be a struggle; I had eights on all four of the par fives. My focus suffered over the last four or five holes.

After the golf, Larkin and I headed to the Courtyard Marriott in Carson City. We are spending two nights there. Somehow, Larkin and I ended up in a suite. We walked over the to the Casino Fandango and used one of our drink coupons before taking a shower.

After getting cleaned up, we ended up walking to an Olive Garden about a block away. We both had spaghetti. We ended up crashing in the hotel room just before 11 pm. We never tried to figure out where Rod, the suite and everyone else were.

2018 - Big Island - Hawaii - Day 3

Sleeping later, we had breakfast in the condo and made some sandwiches for lunch. The plan for the day was to explore the Hamakua Coast. Hamakua was a large problem loan when I was with Farm Credit in the 80s and 90s. Every time, I hear the word it invokes a number of memories from working at the banks.

Our first stop was the Kapola State Recreation Area State. Although there were some longer hikes in the park, we hiked the 0.7 mile nature trail. This stop didn't meet my expectations... I don't recommend it.

From there, we went to Akaka Falls State Park. We walked the 0.7 mile trail through the park. There was a great view of the falls. It was definitely worth the trip. We ended up having lunch at picnic table in the parking lot.

Leaving the falls, Sharon made a quick stop to get a coconut to drink. She and Jack had one when we drove to the hotel on Kaui. She wanted to get one and send a picture to Jack.

The next stop was the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden. We toured the garden down to Onomea Bay. As we got to the ocean, it started to rain. Running back to the car, it rained harder and harder. We ended up spending over an hour in the Garden.

With the rain getting heavier, we headed into Hilo for some gas. We made a decision to go back to the other side of the island via the Saddle Road. In one of those interesting coincidences, as Waze was leading us across Hilo to the road, we passed the Hawaii Farm Credit Office in Hilo. Sharon has done business with the staff for almost 30 years. We stopped and she spent some time visiting with Linus. Although it was probably more Sharon's idea, I really enjoyed the drive back via the Saddle Road between the two volcano peaks.

Back on the Koholo Coast, we had a drink at happy hour in the Tommy Bahama restaurant near the Mauna Lani Resort. We watched Lindsey Vonn get the bronze medal in the Olympic Downhill.

We finished the day with dinner at the Canoehouse. The restaurant was right on the beach and we had a gorgeous view of the sunset. We split appetizers of Hilo sweet corn bisque [with homestyle bacon, garlic cruotons, espallete pepper] and roast beets [hawaiian salt & garden herb roasted beet, fresh picked peashoots 18 big Island chevre, li hing mum dressing]. For our entrees, Sharon had seared furikake crusted ono [served rare, local fern shoot salad, enhanced with pickled ginger dressing 21/40 tamari shallot and peppercorn reduction, ogo and tobiko] and I had a special with snapper and pasta. Although not as good as the food at Merriman's, the meal was good. The view was spectacular!

It was a 45 minute drive back to our Condo in Kona. We have talked over the last two nights about exploring Kona, but ended up crashing.

2014 Lake Almanor Day 5

With the Tomasin's taking off for Redding later in the day and the lake very windy, I convinced him to go with me on a mountain bike ride. We loaded up the car and went to the Mason Trailhead of the Bizz Johnson Trail. While I have hiked and biked most of the lower two-thirds of the trail. I have not explored much of the top part of the trail. Sharon, Jack and I did a short hike from the Mason Trailhead in 2005. Tomasin and I ended up doing a 7.25 miles round trip.  This section of the trail is not as interesting as the other parts of the trail that I have ridden with Jack. I am going to do a longer post next week that pulls together all of the different rides and hikes that we have done along the Bizz Johnson Trail.

When we got back to the Dorado Inn, Tomasin et al took off to visit his mom in Redding. I picked up Jack. We went into Chester and had lunch at Subway while playing cribbage. After lunch, Jack and I went to the driving range. Jack has not played golf in more than a year. With golf on the schedule for Thursday, he wanted to hit some balls. He and I ended up hitting more than 100 balls a piece. Although it did not seem to translate to Thursday, I felt very good. Jack struggled and was hitting everything very right.

After we got back to the cabin, Jack, Tiber and I headed up to the Chabrier's cabin to let Tiber play with Raider. Sitting and watching everyone work on a jigsaw puzzle, I got a panicked call from Hunter. The afternoon wind had shifted from the southwest to the west. As a result, tied to a dock at the Chavez Cabin, Hunter's boat had taken on a lot of water. By the time, I got back to the Chavez Cabin, the back end of the boat was sunk. I ran back to check on the Tomasin's boat.

We spent some time trying to figure out a plan for getting Hunter's boat out of the water. He actually got the truck and trailer down on the beach in front of the Chavez Cabin, but with the back of the boat sitting on the bottom, there was no way we could get the boat on the trailer.

After struggling with the boat, we got cleaned up and took a group of nine (2-Hunters, 5-Chabriers {Kay, Brian, Alison, Dana and Carly} and 2-Heringers) to the Happy Garden for chinese food. It turns out that the Tomasins also had chinese food in Redding.

Hunter, Yuli, Tomasin and I finished the night playing pool at the Red Onion on the peninsula until after midnight.

2009 Lake Almanor Day 7

With the weather still very unseasonable cool, Jack and I took off for the Bizz Johnson Trail with our bikes. Last year, we rode from the start of the trail in Susanville up past both of the railroad tunnels. This year, we started at the Devil's Corral. We hiked east from here to the railroad tunnels six years ago...

Jack and I headed west. The terrain is much different than the section that we did last year. This section climbs away from the river up on the ridge, while the lower section runs along the river. We covered about 11.3 miles round trip.

We got back to the cabin in the early afternoon. Tomasin's brother, his girlfriend, three of their kids and Tomasin's mom showed up for the day. Tomasin took them out in the boat. Although still fairly rough and cool, Snipes and I followed them out on the lake. While they wakeboarded, Snipes and I drifted and tried to solve world hunger. Hunter also brought his boat out on the lake with Debbie and Tyler.

Jack finished the afternoon playing catch with Nate and cribbage with me.

We took a group of 22 to dinner for chinese food at Happy Garden. We finished the night back at the cabins watching the Giants blow a two run lead in the eighth and lose to the Reds by the score of 10 to 5.

At the Happy Garden

At the Happy Garden Restaurant for Dinner
Robby Hunter, Drew, David Tomasin, Danny Hunter and Jack

2006 Almanor Day 3

I got up and went for a four mile run north from the Dorado Inn along Highway 147. After a quick breakfast, Drew, Jack and I went out on the lake with Jill Wallen in their boat with Carol Wallen and her friend Sara. Drew wakeboarded and Jack went on the kneeboard.

We spent a long time parked on the lake with Hunter's boat just drifting. Everyone went swimming and went back and forth between the boats. I have always enjoyed these types of times.

Back at the cabins, we had a quick lunch and headed up to play golf. We took four foursomes to Plumas Pines. I ended up in a group with John and Jill Wallen and Jack. I had a 57 on the front nine and then a 50 on the back nine. I actually had three pars.

Jack was essentially playing best ball. He would hit this ball and then most of the time we would pick it up and he would hit from my shoot. Jack got stronger as the day wore on. Several of his shots were better than mine!

By the time, we got back to the cabin it was almost 7:00 p.m. Although it took some time, Hunter and I successfully rallied everyone to go for chinese food in Chester. We took 22 people to dinner at the Happy Garden Restaurant. The one sour note is that it appears that the nearby Ranch House is closed. We have gone there for almost 20 years to play pool and shuffleboard. It was almost 10:00 p.m. by the time we got home from dinner.