Last Full Day in Zagreb

September 2nd Last Full Day

We are on our own so we took the Tram 12 outside the city to see more of the typical residences. The trams are clean and quite fast. A stop at the Botanical Gardens where it is nice an quiet. The city is one of the top 50 Green Cities selected because of its many parks. Overall Zagreb is clean only marred with graffiti like most European cities, not so bad as others. Back to the Ban Josip Jelacic Square for lunch with Larry and Myrna followed by a trip to the elaborate and beautiful Mirojo Cemetery passing by the St. Marks Church with it colorful tile roof . Our group went out together for a farewell dinner of Stukli (cottage cheese stuffed in pastry), veal, vegetables, and apple studel.

Walking through Zagreb

September 1st Zagreb

Our day was spent on a walking tour of the capital city. A long history of rule by the Austro Hungarian Empire is reflected in its architecture. A large square in the heart of the city is the meeting place with hundreds of restaurants. High on the upper city is the magnificent Zagreb Cathedral surrounded by a preserved wall built in the mid 13th Century. A very efficient and modern tram system funnels citizens in and out of the heart of the city and its large town square. We next visited the Museum Naiive which contains paintings and sculptures by unschooled often illiterate artists. Several became world famous like Grandma Moses. The afternoon was spent wondering through the large flower, vegetable and art markets.

On to Zabreb

August 31 Leaving Split for Zagreb

Last nights event was the Captains Farewell Dinner aboard the Athena with the traditional Baked Alaska. Our traveling companions Larry and Myrna Brown shown here with Miriam enjoying the delicacy. Today we travelled through Croatian farm land to the National Park of Plitvicka. The park consists of many lakes and waterfalls surrounded by trees and ferns and wooded pathways. The waters are crystal clear and deep turquoise in color. It takes about three hours to walk both the lower and upper lakes. The remainder of the day was spent driving to the capital city of Zagreb. We are staying three nights at a former palace now a modern hotel in the heart of the city.

Split

Split August 30th

Split is the second largest city in Croatia and the largest sea port on the Dalmatian Coast. The port is filled with ferries and cruise liners. The main attraction is the Palace of Diocletian which he built and where he retired till he died of natural causes. He was the only Roman emperor who abdicated and lived a long life afterwards. This hugh palace was built in eight years by 30,000 slaves, about one third of which died during construction. Diocletian was the last emperor to persecute Christians and was replaced Emperor Constantine who embraced the religion. Inside the vestibule we were treated to concert of an acapella (sp?) singers and later by the changing of the roman guards.

In the afternoon we are off for our last swim in the Adriatic Sea.

Hvar Island

Hvar Island August 29th

We landed on the island of Hvar, a popular resort area for the rich and famous. Like Korcula the city of Hvar Town is very picturesque with winding streets, a fortress high on the hill behind the port which is loaded with large expensive yachts, ferries, and water taxis. The island was invaded by the remnants of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th Century which led to the building of several fortresses. We next stopped at a small winery which produces dry white wines, a Palvic Mali (cousin to Zinfandel) and Uszo. The vineyards are dry farmed. Back to the ship for lunch and on to Split for a quick city tour including parts of the Palace of Diocletian build by Emperor Diocletian around 300 AD. After dinner we were treated to traditional folk dancing and music by a terrific youth group dedicated to retaining Croatian heritage.

Korcula

Korcula Island August 28th

Our ship landed this morning at the island of Korcula. The beautiful walled city of Korcula town is filled with twisting narrow streets positions to take advantage of the seasonal winds. Our morning tour took us to the main Cathedral dedicated to St. Paul, the city museum, and the home of Marco Polo. The later landmark is disputed by the city of Venice though most evidence points to Korcula. We continued on for a three mile hike high above the city. The cool winds from the north made the trip enjoyable. We enjoyed a swim in the cool waters on a rocky beach next to our ship.

Dubrovnik

A Day in Dubrovnik August 27th

Our day consisted of a drive above the city looking down from a very narrow highway onto the old city. We were then dropped off at the Pile Gate for a walking tour. Although we arrived early in the morning the crowds from the cruise lines were also entering. Our guide took us through the Franciscan Monastery, onto the less travelled narrow side streets and thorough the Rector’s Palace. We then wandered on our own atop part of the huge wall and the Maritime Museum. Part of the Palace was devoted to photos of the bombing of the city by the Serbian and Montenegran Armies in the early 1990s. A real shame of this war beside the useless killing was the damage caused by thousands of mortar shells falling on this UNESCO Heritage Site. Although the destroyed roofs and all the buildings have been restored marks can still be seen of this senseless act.

Our activity tonight is attending a dinner prepared by three local families in their homes. The traditional meal started with home made lemon and walnut brandy, peppers and prosciuto. Main course was stuffed peppers with lamb and mashed potatoes. Dessert was a nice creamy flan. We finished the night with traditional Croatian music and dancing with our host.

Montenegro

Montenegro August 25th

Today our ship takes us along the beautiful coast of the tiny country of Montenegro, about the size of Maryland, population 680,000. We travel into the outer and then the inner harbors of Kotor Bay to arrive at the walled city of Kotor. The area is protected by narrow passages at two points of the harbor which were easily defended with cannons. High atop the mountain behind the city is a fortress erected for protection against pirates and the Turks. Also on the trail is a church erected to thank the saints for rescuing the city from the black plague. It is about 104 degrees this afternoon so only madmen are crazy enough to make the trek to the top. The city consists of several palaces, churches, and many windy streets. At night when the weather cools down the city and hillside comes alive with lights and music.

Albania

Albania August 24th

After a short trip from Corfu we arrived in the coastal city of Saranda, Albania. This country remained isolated from most of the world after WWII under the rule of a communist regime. The government was so paranoid of potential attacks from other countries that it built 300 thousand bunkers to repel invaders. We visited some of these small igloo shaped structures. The communist lost a major election to the Democratic Party in 1991 and the new progressive government made major reforms bringing about capitalism and enabling the economy to expand. Saranda is a rapidly growing tourist spot with many resorts, too many. When the old communist system feel the people thought they were free to do anything and started building homes without permits. The government however responded by demolishing hundreds of these and the wreckage remains next to other completed units. After passing through the city we drove on to the large excavation site of a former Greek colony and later a Roman city constructed in the 3rd Century BC. The ruins initially excavated by Mussolini prior to WWII is one of the finest sites found to date with magnificent city walls, theater, temple and forum. We were surprised to learn that the head of Albania was also visiting the site and we had the opportunity to shake hands with President Topi.

Back to our ship we had time to go swimming in the crystal clear waters on a rocky shoreline. Following dinner our group watched the movie “No Man’s Land” depicting the absurdity of the war between Bosnia and Serbia. Our guide, Vasea, from Croatia had suffered during the conflict with multiple shelling of her family’s home by the Serbian army.

Corfu

Arriving in Corfu August 23rd

Our ship arrived this morning at this small island near the coast of Albania which was the subject of Homer’s Odyssey where Ulysses was washed ashore after having slain

the giant Cyclops. The island part of the Seven Ionian Islands is now primarily a tourist destination and home for foreign retirees. Another source of income are the orchards which produce very small but valued olives, koum kouat and almonds. A bus tour took us around the beach resort area and quaint villages high in the hills on very curvy roads.

Our last stop was in the old center of Corfu town where the bulk of the islanders live. A protective fortress built in the 13th century dominates the western edge on the old town. The architecture of the island is primarily the result of occupation by Venice, France, Germany, and Russia.

Arriving in Itea August 22nd

Arriving in Itea August 22nd

We docked overnight and after breakfast today we boarded our bus to take the windy road past the “sea of olive trees” to the top of Mt Parnassus where in mythology the God Apollo took up residence after slaying the serpent Python conquered the surrounding area and established his cult of Delphi. Here the the Oracle of Apollo became the center for world culture and a huge complex of temples and treasuries were established. This cultural center lasted for nearly a thousand years including the era when Rome ruled over the area. Today the complex encompasses a large museum, oracles, stadiums, theaters and the surrounding supporting community. Many paths lead past columns and marble structures of this bygone era.

We returned to our ship for lunch, relaxation, swimming and exploring the small attractive town of Itea Still hoping to solve my photo uploading issue.

Third Day in Athens

Today, August 20th, we will have a short tour of Athens with our group of OAT travelers, some free time to visit one of many city museums and then head for our 50 passenger ship, Athena, leaving from the port city of Piraeus. We stopped to view the changing of the guard with their colorful shoes and pleated skirt. Although there has been much publicity about the turmoil in Greece due to financial cut backs there is little evidence of that aside from the numerous graffiti messages on building walls. Athens is generally considered to be the graffiti capital of the world, a label the city seems to embrace. Overall Athens is clean and functioning like a normal large metropolis.

Second Day in Athens

Today we arose for a quick start to tour the Acropolis before the heat set in. A strong breeze kept the temperature down but at times nearly blew us off the mountain. Athens now charges 12 euros for entry but the money is being well spent along with that gathers from the EU in restoration of the temples and walk ways. The site is so much nicer than what we had experienced 30 years earlier. Our walk then took us to the new (5 years old) Acropolis Museum for 6euros. This is a fabulous museum with great displays of statues, frezes, vases and artifacts salvaged from the ruins of the temples. Although there has been much distruction and pilfering from invaders and others the the display of these historical treasures are very impressive. Back to our hotel to await a reception and dinner with other travelers on our Dalmatian Coast cruise. Although we have taken great pictures of the Acropolis and other parts of Athens I found that my software is not allowing me to attach them to this blog. Hopefully I will find a solution around this problem.

First Day in Athens

Having left SFO at 7am on Wednesday and arrived in Athens at 10am on Thursday we took a walk around the lower level of the Acropolis and had dinner at a restaurant with a great view of the illuminated Parthenon. Remainder of evening was spent walking through the Placa, a pedestrial-only center populated with many restaurants and shops. This large gathering area is loaded with tourists and locals out for a good time. Some street musicians perform here also. A short taxi ride home for 3.5 euros and a night's rest. No photos yet to post.

On our Way to Croatia

Miriam and I are about to leave in two days for our trip with OAT (Overseas Adventure Tours) on a small 50 passenger boat leaving from Greece and traveling along the Dalmatian Coast. Everyone who has been there or seen pictures tells us it is very, very beautiful. We will post pictures and narratives as we travel along.

Vina del Mar and Valparaiso

3/6

Our journey today was to the beach community of Vina del Mar passing through many vineyards and wineries south of Santiago. We made a short stop at the commemorative park, which was closed following a large international music award ceremony. Next stop was for a tour of the Fonck Museum largely dedicated to the history and culture of Easter Island. After lunch with music at a beach restaurant, we moved on to tour Valparaiso, once a major seaport until the completion of the Panama Canal. The city suffered from the 2010 earthquake resulting in the condemnation of several large apartment buildings and visible cracks in many others. Our next stop was at the former residence of the Nobel Prize wining poet Pablo Neruda. His house sits high on the hillside overlooking the seaport and is a museum of his fanciful collection of art, etc. The surrounding area is an esoteric collection of houses, some expensive and some derelicts.

Last Day in South America

3/7

Today we had an escorted tour of Santiago. The city of 7 million is quite modern with many nice buildings and parks. It however suffers from lying in a bowl which traps the auto emissions. The Andes are only visible during a few days a year. Chile is fortunate to have the Andes as they are able to use rain and snow melt to generate 80% of their electric needs. We walked past the government buildings, central fish market, the stock exchange, and the Presidential Palace where mounted police serve mostly a ceremonial role, and into the Catedral de Santiago. This structure was built by the rich order of the Jesuits and displays a wealth of gold, silver and marble. The Jesuits were so wealthy and powerful that the Spaniards arranged to have them driven out of Chile. We last travelled to the most exclusive residential area of Santiago where the very rich live over looking the rest of the city. A stop made at a lapiz lazuli where Miriam bought some gifts. Returning to the fish market we enjoyed a meal of sea bass just outside of the market and then did a walk through. The fish market is huge, as are the fish. It was established within what appears to be a train station with ornate iron latticeworks but was originally to be an arts and crafts center. Having the afternoon free, we walked to the University area where Miriam bought a ring for herself and I bought my obligatory coffee mug from Chile. A long walk brought us to our hotel to gather our bags and head for the airport. After a four hour flight delay in Lima we arrived home to San Francisco and the good old USA.