Balkan Blast: (Croatia, Montenegro & Bosnia)

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Sept, 13

 Dear Diary:  Pappi Coconuts ( our good friend, Mitch)arrived last night.  We are excited to have him join us on the motorcycle tour of The Balkans.  This morning we picked up our bikes, and got our instructions, our gear, some directions and we were off!  The weather is warm and sunny. Driving though the country side of Slovenia is very pleasurable because it is a gorgeous country, clean and manicured.  Not many vehicles on the road ,either.  We went through the border crossing out of the Schengen and into Croatia.  We headed straight to one of the most visited tourist sites, Plitvice Lakes. We quickly found an apartment and spent the evening hiking around this magical place laced with waterfalls,lakes, and a pallette of pretty pastels.  This place is mystical and it felt like I was in an artists’ dream.   Heavenly, so heavenly.  We left the park in the dark and blindly found our way to a very traditional restaurant at the top of a hill overlooking the park and  open to the star studded sky.  The place was crowded and without reservations, we had to wait.  We had a very pushy, cocky but informative and endearing waiter.  We ordered a plate for three people that had more meat than I could even ever imagine.  When in Croatia, one eats meat and lots of it!!! There were a few small delicious side dishes and a wonderfully chocolate dessert…so we forgave the waiter and moved our satisfied bellies back down the hill and to bed.

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Pappi!!!!!!
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Plitvice Lakes in Croatia
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Plitvice Lakes in Croatia

Sept. 14

Dear Diary:  We are up early, and hiking again in the Plitvice Lakes to finish what we couldn’t in the dark last night.  Stunning  dawn light made for great photos this morning.  On the bikes and off to the next destination.  Not sure of how far we could make it along the Dalmatian coast, we finally quit riding at dusk and landed in the charming village of Trojir.  We walked the promenade and dreamed about life on the lavish yachts that were docked.  The money, the stuff, the people eating   five star meals on their boat decks with waiters and servants and yacht workers busy.  The harbor was lit up, the sea was an intense blue and the Promenade was busy with hungry tourists wandering just like us.  We had a very nice meal and ordered fish after the meat fest the night before.

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Plitvice Lakes in the morning light
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Dreamy, heavenly Plitvice Lakes.
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Small port village of Trojir

Sept.15

Dear Diary:  We are not sleeping in on this trip.  Being on the motorcycle with destinations that must be reached and goals that must be met….we were up early, made a quick breakfast and we were on our way to the ferry at Split and then floated lazily to the Croatian Island of Hvar.  Split was insanity and the driving, traffic and cray cray just to get TO the ferry and ON the ferry was nerve wracking.  Once on the ferry, we could only sit, enjoy and even catch a few Z’s.  Once off the ferry, we drove the entire length of the island with a quick stop for lunch in Jelsa.  We had the greatest waiter, a quiet lunch looking at the sea and a most fantastic hamburger and fries.  This was the little bit of rest we needed before jumping back on the bikes. We made it to the end of the Hvar and the only other ferry terminal.  I voted to leave this dingy little fishing village and catch the last ferry to the mainland.  I was outvoted by the guys….but, ended up discovering this secret gem of a place was a real jewel.  Looks are not everything.  The evening light was so incredible and the walking path to the lighthouse was  just enough exercise to satisfy.  My guess is most people opt for the last ferry, but we stuck it out in Sucuraj and we struck gold!

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Lunch in Jelsa, Hvar Island
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Fishing village of Sucaraj.
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Village life.
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Evening light in Sucraj made this quiet little village appealing and inviting.

Sept. 16, 17

Dear Diary:  Okay, first ferry to the mainland and we are headed to Dubrovnik.  I am so excited…I love the big cities, I love the old towns, I love the crowds and people watching.  Will and Mitch do not, so we stopped short of Dubrovnik and settled in the small village of Orasac.  We had the nicest apartment, the sweetest little grandmas taking care of us, and a balcony with a sea view in front, village below and mountains behind.  We chose to stay put, find dinner and attack Dubrovnik in the morning.  Our first choice for dinner…CLOSED.  Second and only other choice for dinner was pizza down, down, down a steep road all the way to the sea….in the dark.  Glad we had our headlamps!  Pizza was great, the walk back up was heart throbbingly painful, but a good thing to do to get rid of those pizza calories.  I am going to sleep well tonight!!!!  Up and out in the rain to Dubrovnik.  This fortified walled city did not disappoint.  The streets were crowded, the upper wall passage around the city was teeming with hot, sweaty tourists all looking for that perfect photo from the many viewpoints and we all were in line for a bottle of water.  Exhausting and a couple of hours of this was enough for the boys.  Getting on the bikes and  riding up above to an ancient war site was their mission.  We found fewer people, a cool breeze and a resting place with scenery everywhere.  WE headed back to Orasac for dinner at a small and traditional village restaurant.  It was at the home and in the back yard of a husband and wife cooking team.  This was our favorite food, favorite view from an eatery and our favorite waitress.  The dish for three fish and veggies was incredibly tasty and well presented.  We were more than satisfied.

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View from our balcony in Orasac
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Just chilling’ on the balcony.
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Dorks in Dubrovnik. City wall tour.
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Looking ver the edge of the wall and counting all the dropped hats below. The wind can get ya!
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Enjoying our favorite restaurant in Orasac and the view.
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As the evening went on, the view got better.
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Charming everything at this eatery.  Six tables and one serving a night.  Views for everyone.
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Looking down into Dubrovnik from upper ancient city wall path around the fortified city.
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The overlook way up above Dubrovnik. A wild ride!!!!!!!!!!
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Looking across the at the fortress from Old Town, Dubrovnik.
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Dubrovnik, Croatia
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Remnants of the not too distant history of war in The Balkans. Above Dubrovnik.

Sept 17:

Dear Diary:  Yup, up early and on the road.  We are headed to Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor and Kotor city.  I have heard so much about this place that I can’t wait to get there.  However, we are learning that all does not go quickly and smoothly on the motorcycles.  Sometimes there are ridiculous lines at the border crossings and sometimes the weather shuts us down.  We had a bit of each and we finally arrived at this much heralded walled city with not much of the day left to explore.  We are getting used to this.  Found a place to stay, got off the bike…quick change of clothes and off we go.  We list our top three wish list things to do and try to get them all accomplished.  We were so happy to see the cruise ships departing and the throngs of tourists going with the ships.  Kotor city was easy and fascinating to walk through.  It was unusually quiet, charming us with the many skinny, dark cobblestone side streets and a stunning array of historical landmarks all around us.  Many museums, many churches and statues.  We felt satisfied….well, the guys did.  I could have used an additional day to see every shop and every side street but we still had 1348 steps to go up to reach the famous St.John’s overlook….and it was getting late and a bit dark.  None the less, we bought the ticket and arrived at the top breathing heavy with shaky legs and then had 20 minutes to absorb the enormity of the bay, the city, the sea and the amazing ancient wall that continued to creep up the mountain and back down to the sea…built oh so many thousands of years ago.  Steps down pushed my quads to new levels, but we still had time for dinner.  Eating is always a goal and eating local and traditional was the first choice.  We found a great little eatery close to the sea and shared a communal dish of fish and vegetables, ending this fishy feast with a chocolate delight!!!!!   Over dinner, we planned the next day and all agreed it had to be a very early start to avoid the huge torrential rains that were in the forecast for the mountain passes we needed to travel.  Good Night!

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Entering the Sea Gate to Kotor City
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Kotor City
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1348 steps for this view….worth it!
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Church and clock tower in Kotor City.

Sept.18

Dear Diary:  It is early and we are climbing up and up on winding roads and screeching turns.  No rain…but this amazing rainbow appeared as a result of the rain below us.  We beat it!!!!!  NOT.  We did get rain and it was torrential for about an hour.  Luckily, where we thought there were no humans, we found a cafe and had coffee and Scrabble until the weather cleared. As we dropped down from the mountains we came upon the Piva Gorge.  First a lake that went for miles and miles and was full of fluorescent blues and turquoises.  Water so clear, you can see the big fish.  Then, the Piva Dam.  I have never seen a structure for damming water quite like this.The architecture was mind boggling.  The surrounding area in all directions was so beautiful and full and intriguing.  We stood on the bridge for an hour just watching the massive river flow, the fish in schools swim and the peaceful lake exude color and tranquility. AHHHHHHHH!  From there it was down, down, down to MoStar, Bosnia as our goal destination.  AS we head to the border crossing we run into a line of traffic.  STOP!!!  An accident in a dark bridge ( bridges in Montenegro are dank, long and pitch black, creepy and scary).  This accident is serious, there are fatalities and the road from both ways will be closed for at least three hours.  WE are advised that with our bikes, we can take another small road and get through to the other side.  We decide to do that and so does everyone else including busses who have no business trying to fit on that ONE way road.  Long story short, this becomes a total cluster at the top and you have vehicles nose to nose and cars lined up and down both sides.  We were in front of the bus that started the cluster and Mitch was behind.  Add rain and cold to this mix plus angry and impatient drivers and we had a mess.  Once we were out, all traffic on both sides going the shortcut were closed and we were  one of the lucky ones.  Mitch did not come out for another hour and we waited in the rain at the bridge for him. The small village of Nicsic was in a state of chaos and the hotels started to fill. We had to spend the night here and eat the worst pizza EVER .  But we were safe, alive and well.  So, okay.  Good Night Montengro.

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Just as we were heading into the Montenegro mountains, snapped this view of Kotor city and bay.
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That rainbow, though. Kotor Bay. It dumped on us shortly after that photo.
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Will the Thrill with his best friend.
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This stunning lake goes on for miles. Part of The Piva Gorge and Dam Project.
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Resting at the lake to see through the clear waters and gawk at the schools of fish.
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And the lake goes on and on.
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Autumn colors as we look up river at the damn site. Vibrant scenery, rushing river and genius dam architecture.
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Will the Thrill loved the Piva Gorge. One of his favorite places thus far.
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Will and Bon

Sept 19:

Dear Diary:  Another border crossing ( pretty smooth) and then the landscape changes.  The roads in Bosnia start out rough, the country is barren and we miss the mountains and the sea immediately.  But, it gets better and we start to see evidence of life.  We had an interesting lunch in a small village with what we thought looked like a nuclear power station or a nuclear reactor up road from us. It was creepy, we ate quickly and took our leave.  Bosnia is expansive and barren and then, we begin to enter into village and city life.  The Mostar skyline immediately pops out at us with many mosque, minarets and iron crosses reaching for the sky at dusk.  The Islamic presence in Mostar was very evident.  I wasn’t prepared with my history lessons for this city and its’ struggles.  This is a peaceful town with very distinct  trinket kiosks, a cobblestone market place and the famous Stari Most (Old Bridge).   The bridge is the number one tourist attraction and has impressive history of destruction and restoration.  The city itself is a cool mix of Christians and Muslims living in harmony after the Bosnian War in which there was an ethnic cleansing of the Muslim peoples.  We spoke with a few who say life is good, peaceful and harmonious for the most part.  I thought the city was very unique and different from Dubrovnik and Kotor. The dichotomy of Islam and Christian was clearly stated, but the overall feeling of the city and it’s people was quiet and contained.  I liked the feeling of Mostar.  It exuded hope, strong community and a special spirit of peace.

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Stari Most (Old Bridge) Mostar
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Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia
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Minarets light up in Mostar
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Islamic Trinkets in the market at Mostar
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Colorful Mostar. Always a minaret. Crosses are harder to spot, but they are there.
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Neretva River running through Mostar, Bosnia

Sept 20:

Dear Diary:  How fast can you get us to Paklenica?  Will’s been dreaming of this place for the entire trip….except we did not bring our climbing gear on the motor bikes.  We were here ten years ago and he loves the climbing at this National Park.  Once we were settled at our beach front apartment, we headed to the park to make our plan for a hike the next day.  We were all pretty tired and walked along the beach path at dusk for photos and some food.  This place has a climbing community feel and we were regretting that we did not try to fit our gear on the bikes somehow.  Oh, well.  It is a beautiful place and the sunset shots were the best of our trip so far.

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Paklenica Rock….Climbers Delite!
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Our beachfront at the apartment
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Resting at the beach after a long day on the bike.
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Peaceful Sunset in Paklenica
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Stunning sunset in Croatia

Sept 21:

Dear Diary:  The climbing in Paklenica is fantastic and the hiking is pretty great as well.  We chose a classic hike to the summit of Anica Kuk.  It was pretty much straight up and then, straight down.  Rocky, steep, and polished made the hike down a bit challenging.  We did not quite make the summit, but we were close enough.  I LOVE LOVE the white sticky, sharp, big holds limestone that is widespread over all of Croatia.  The last part of the hike was a limestone scramble and it was fun!  Great views of the Adriatic Sea and the rest of the park was a highlight.  It was a day well spent and exhausting.  We had enough time to enjoy our beachfront and Will went for a swim.  Dinner, exhaustion and bed.  Great Day!!!

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Hiking in Paklenica
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Paklenica National Park in Croatia
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Diverse landscapes in Paklenica….not just for climbers.
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Love this limestone….rest stop!
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Sticky, sharp limestone and well marked trails….love it!
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More Rock!
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Climbers everywhere.
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Damn…we wish we had brought our gear.

Sept.22

Dear Diary:  Leaving Paklenica not having the opportunity to climb was a bit of a bummer for all of us.  Will vows to come back….he will.  We are now headed towards Slovenia where we will drop off the motor bikes.  One more stop in Opatija, Croatia.  This beachfront village has beautiful Venetian influence and architecture. It was all the rage for wealthy tourists and yacht loving folk at the turn of the century.  The boardwalk was delightful to stroll with many impressive old hotels, excellent restaurants, parks full of fabulous sculptures and upscale shopping.  This was a perfect place for us to spend our last night on the road trip.  Our Italian meal was notable but our apartment… not so much.  Although we are really tired of moving and packing everyday, we are sad to get to the end of this road trip.  We were just getting in the groove of motorcycle touring.

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Solo sunrise hike in Opatija
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Was glad I had my headlamp…. Still dark at the hilltop.
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Opatija rest stop. Wine, beer and cell phone.
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Sunset in Opatija

 

Sept 23

Dear Diary:  On the freeway today to get to Ljubljana by 11:00 AM.  Turn the bikes in, get a car, grab the rest of our stuff and head back out of the Schengen to the Istria Region of Croatia.  Bittersweet!!!!!!!

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It was a scenic drive back to Ljubljana.

 

 

S’love’nia (Lovely Ljubljana)

 

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Ljubljana River runs through the city center.

 

Slovenia:  We ❤️ You!  It is difficult to put our thoughts into words.  This is a very clean and organized country.  It feels comfortable and familiar here.  The way of life is similar to ours, yet different.  The mountains and countryside are very beautiful.  Lovely Ljubljana is, well, lovely and lively.  It feels peaceful yet stimulating.  There is a slightly hip energy and a strong sense of historical and national pride.  The economy seems to be thriving and success is attainable.  Family is important.  Sloveians seem happy and satisfied.  They are kind, curious and friendly.  They are sensible and hopeful.  This was a “feel good” place, for sure.  Maybe, my favorite thus far.    In Slovenia, I am a pensioner NOT a senior citizen.  I ❤️ That!!!!  I embraced the title and took the discount!!!!  Ljubljana is often referred to as the “Paris of The Balkans” and it is deserving of that title.

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Ljubljana Energy
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The Dragon Bridge
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Ljubljana Fun!

 

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View from the clock tower; Ljubljana Castle
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Peaceful Ljubljana.
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Quaint and quiet riverside bar.

 

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Unique bar seating….

 

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Lovely Ljubljana❤️❤️❤️

Austrian Antics (Carinthia)

Thus far, we have seen many regions of the Alps.  Whether Bavarian, Swiss or Austrian, they are all uniquely stunning and each region has it’s own personality based on geologic features, hiking paths, accessibility, huts, historical features and summit elevations.  We especially loved the rugged, craggy, exposed limestone of the Julian Alps. We spent much of our Austrian/ Julian Alps’ time with lots of people and always being active.  If we weren’t hiking, climbing, camping or boating, we were eating and socializing. It was purely coincidental that we were staying in a small Austrian village during the Euro Bike Week.  Will would describe this as the ‘Sturgis of Europe’.  There were 13,000 Harley’s on parade around the Faaker See on Saturday. We missed that(I think we were glad). 

This portion of the trip was about being with the local people.  The folks we knew and those we met were so fun, very inclusive, accommodating and hell bent on showing us a good time.  They all live and work in the Carinithia region of Austria. Caritithia consists of many small villages nestled in between two big cities Klagenfurt and Villach . It is populated by folks who were born there and have lived there for generations.  They are mountain people who love to be active in the outdoors EVERYDAY.  Socializing together is very important to their livelihood and we enjoyed being immersed in their culture and will remember all the wonderful new friends we made.

We love you Volte, Ulli, Louisa, Matius, Lenka, Max, Mark, MiMi, Martine, Monica, Micah, Milo, Karen, Marianne, Timo, Simon and Jacob!

Day 1:  We arrived late the evening before and were greeted by 14 year old  Simon.  He had prepared the most delicious plum dumplings ( knödel bread) for our dinner.  We were awakened early and headed to our first hike with host and longtime friend Volte Mak and his girlfriend, Ulli.  They took us to the beautiful Dobratschb National Park with many hiking choices.  On our way to the summit, Volte and Will did a few short climbs and we all met at the hut on the summit later.  At the summit, resides a big, beautiful hut and the two highest churches still standing and used sparingly.

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Our first Austria summit with Volte and Ulli.
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    Historical landmark at the summit
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    Hiking down with these two means finding another way off the beaten path. Always an adventure!

    Day 2:  Relaxing day at the local climbing crag at Feistritz Em Rosenthal.  Will was just happy to climb.  Volte was just happy to have a partner.  Bon was just happy to hike and work on the blog!

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Local climbing
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R E A C H …..
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Feistritz Em Rosenthal

Day 3:  A very early start with Volte took us to The Karawanken hiking and climbing area.  We hiked  up and up together to the multi pitch climbing approach.  I let the guys do the last bit of approach in the slippery skree.  I watched until they were out of sight and then hiked solo back to the hut.  I added an additional 90 minutes to my hike and then waited with my Kindle and a latte.  They returned a few hours later.  We celebrated their successful summit and my solo descent by feasting THE BEST DUMPLINGS EVER and an ice cold beer.  A fabulously exhausting day!

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Volte ready to climb!
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View from the top
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View from the top
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Summit shot with an old friend.
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Back down… No problem. Great climb plus a via Ferata!

Day 4 & 5: Somewhat leisurely start to a 2 day camping trip in the Soca River Valley in Slovenia.  We drove through Austria, passed through Italy and into Slovenia. We met our two other camper vans at a private camping area on the river…. ‘Glamping’ if you ask me.   This is a very famous River for two reasons.  1.  It is the most intense turquoise blue in color and while it looks warm and hot springs like…. It is the coldest water I have ever been in.  I did NOT swim.  2.  It is home to a rare species of trout called the marble trout.  They reside ONLY IN THIS RIVER.  A fishing license is extremely expensive and it is also very expensive if you order this trout in a resaraunt. Folks come from all over the world to fish for this trout.  Camping was very social with lots of swimming, boating, jumping and eating.  We were surprised when a mobile market drove around the camp ground playing the classic ice cream truck music.  A grocery store on wheels with fresh, warm bread and anything you needed to cook or eat!  We had perfect weather both days!

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Lunch before heading home.
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So blue, so relaxing looking, so frigid cold. I could not jump?
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Rowing through this majestic canyon.
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There MUST be climbing at the campground.
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And, there must be bouldering for the kids, big and little.
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Boating in the Soca River. Easy glide…. But don’t fall in Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
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Van camping. Glamping for us!
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Beautiful walk to the climbing.
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Happy Hour!
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Louisa and Max… Who will jump first?

Day 6:  We visited Klagenfurt today and had lunch in the oldest eating establishment in the city.  The waitresses were really brash and loud (typical, supposedly) and we had some tasty traditional food and the best goulash in town.  We hit the grocery store and bought provisions for our BBQ tonight and I bought a boutique!

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Best goulash in Carinthia!
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Will the Thrill at the BBQ!
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Come see me and I will make a deal just for you!
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Teaching the Austrians a few American BBQ tips!

Day 6:  It was a rainy, dreary day.  We worked on the computer and went to Voltes’ bouldering gym.  Later we picked up a couple of friends and headed to the Harley Davidson gathering at the Faaker See.  It was a very wild evening that included great music, awesome people watching and thousands of motorbikes…. Really big bikes, beautiful bikes, fascinating bikes and unbelievably crazy machines.  We were out until 1:00 AM, which is a record for us.  We had a blast!

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Just a sample and they were everywhere!
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ACDC cover band was phenomenal!!!!

Day 7,8,9:  These last three days were spent hiking to huts in perfect weather.  Hut hiking is the best because you know you get a treat at the end when you reach the hut at the summit.  Thursday was the best treat,though, as we had dinner at Ulli’s and she prepared a fabulous traditional Austrian meal.  Our feast included: Käsnudel, reindling and pohaca!  (Stuffed noodles, soup and deliciously sweet cake). Thanks Ulli!  Our last evening was spent at a favorite local village eatery. Every two weeks, there is a fish frenzy and a social gathering of locals ( we are locals now).  Will and I could not decide and ordered the combo plate for two.  The fish was so incredible and Will is not-particularly a fan, but he still describes it as the best fish he has had EVER!!!!  What a SUPER way to end our ten day stay.  Thanks to our new and forever friends for all the activity, food and fun.

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Special side hike into an Art garden… Mystical and reflective.
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Miss covered cross
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Musical tree.
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Dancin’ with  the ladies.
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Our last summit in the Alps.
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Pohaca cake.
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Fish frenzy! So good.

Best of Bavaria (Mittenwald)


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Best of Bavaria
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Best of Bavaria

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Best of Bavaria. Our hosts, Peter and Simone Storp. Dinner without the kids…. Too quiet, though.

We have been to Mittenwald three times in the last fifteen years and nothing changes in this “off the grid” traditional Bavarian village.  To us, it felt the same and looked the same.  No change is a beautiful thing and gives this quiet, charming village personality.  Most of the restaurants and beer pubs still say “NO” when you ask if they have WiFi.  Men and women wander around town in their lederhosen and drindls regularly.  The lines at the local butcher and bakery are longer than those in the supermarket on the other end of the village.

What did change was; our dear friends Peter and Simone added two stories to their house and three children to their family.  Leah who is five and Kilian and Luisa who are 20 month old twins gave Will plenty of grandpa practice.  We had a delightful time and many “kid” related adventures with them.  The scenery from their guest bedroom was a stunning view of the Bavarian Alps.  We couldn’t believe our good fortune each morning when we opened our blinds.  Each evening, we stared at the alpenglow during sunset.  We enjoyed traditional German meals and BBQing American burgers in the back yard.  We were so lucky to have walking access to dozens of notable hikes in the Alps and mountain bikes available whenever we wanted to ride. We improved our German by learning important words like: pacifier (Tusui), bottle (flasche), me(mich), out(aus), in(ich), finished (finish),hello (Hallo), eat (essen) and good night( gute nacht).  These words sort of helped, but not until we learned to pronounce them correctly and put the baby inflections in the right places (whew!!!!!!!).

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Practicing grandpa skills with Luisa.
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American burger and German beer make for a great backyard combo.
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This is the House That Peter Built.
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Host Family, Storp. Peter, Simone, Leah, Kilian and Luisa. WE loved our time with this family. Thanks again!!!!!!

Will describes Bavaria as “very well manicured”.  Everything from the biking and hiking trails to the traditional villages, homes, and seaside swimming areas are clean, expertly marked, clipped, cut and orderly.  It feels a little like Switzerland but with a human touch and it is less expensive here.  Unlike the Swiss ( cordial but curt), Bavarians are kind, genuine, helpful and proud.

We found mountain biking for me (ahhhh, paved) and mountain biking for Will (uphill, graveled, and long) offering both Alpine scenery and humming villages.  Our favorite ride was UP to the lakes along the forest and through the woods.  The seaside (lakes) swimming areas are equipped to support the family tradition of daylong picnic, play and swim gatherings.  Shops in the village still close down at 4:00 PM on Saturdays and open when they want on Monday.  Thus, giving families time to be together and cutting back the work hours for the working folk.

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Typical flower laden Bavarian house with a view.
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Biking to The Lautersee (favorite ride to the lakes)
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Downtown Mittenwald
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Downtown Mittenwald
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Yes, that is gravel and I DON’T LIKE IT!!!!!!
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Biking with Peter was always more exciting than biking with Bon.
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Big Building behind Will was the site of 2015 G7 meetings. Obama was here. So, we’re we!
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Resting at the lake…. Contemplating a hike?

Our favorite hikes in Bavaria took us up on the chairlift or gondola and, then, we got to hike the rest of the trail UP to the top.

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Chairlift to the Kranzberg Hut.

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Hike down from the Kranzberg through the forest and to the Lautersee (lake). So lovely.
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View from the top of Karwendel Region.  Spectacular!
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Will pondering the immensity and beauty of The Karwendel.

This was a very special piece of our journey.  So glad we had the time to stop and enjoy our friends and immerse ourselves in Bavarian traditions.  A fantastic place to visit!!!!!

Danke Schoen Peter, Simone, Leah, Luisa and Kilian