Slovenia and Croatia

8 months ago

@tomandelaine

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Ljubljana

Sep 04 2025

We had a leisurely morning after catching up on some sleep from traveling.

We walked through Ljubljana to have lunch on the 20th floor of the Intercontinental hotel. We met Ana and Josip, missionaries with CRU in Croatia who Beth and Joe support.

Oldest flute in the world?

Appetizer

View from top of castle

Lamb with a carrot

Restaurant on top of the Intercontinental Hotel

View from our Airbnb

Top of the Intercontinental

Ljubljana bridge

St Nicholas Cathedral organ

Our Airbnb

Casual saint

Going up the funicular to the castle

Door to Cathedral

Adriatic shrimp

@tomandelaine

Lake Bled

Sep 05 2025

Today we drove to Lake Bled.

We dove up to the castle which had some beautiful views.

Lunch overlooking the lake

After leaving Lake Bled we went a different way back and drove about 90 mins to a train station where we put our car on the train. \240This shortened the drive through the windy mountain roads. There was some beautiful scenery.

We had a snack before getting on the train.

Meat cooking in brick oven

Beef and mashed potatoes

Veal loin

We had lots of appetizers and salads as well as streudel for dessert. The meal also included a carafe of local wine and cost 40 euros each!

After getting off the train we drove 90 minutes to a restaurant Tom had found which served traditional Slovenian food. It was a very mountainous drive!

There was a large birthday party with a band and we may have been the only customers eating in the restaurant.

The food was all served family style and there was a lot! \240The meat was cooked in a brick oven.

@tomandelaine

Postojna Cave

Sep 06 2025

We left Ljubljana and drove to the Postojna caves.

We boarded a train first and road several km through the cave. The train was started on 1872 and then became gas powered in 1923.

About 9 km up the road was Predjama castle built into a mountain about 800 years ago. There is a large cave under it which is home to a colony of bats. We couldn’t visit it because this is the time of year the bats are active.

We got out and walked some through the caves.

After leaving, we had about a 3 hour drive to our next stop in Croatia.

Room inside castle

Predjama Castle

View from castle

BeaR’s Log. Our accommodations for 2 nights near Plitvice National Park

My dinner in the small town

@tomandelaine

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Sep 07 2025

Today was spent in Plitvice Lakes National Park, the oldest in Croatia. It has over 16 lakes and and waterfalls, the highest being 256ft high.

We also took a boat across the lake to shorten the walking distance

We walked over 18,000 steps so the hot tub felt really good when we returned!

We ate dinner at a restaurant just outside the park

Elaine’s lamb bundle

Tom’s veal tomahawk steak

Lots of wood trails. Not the best for my bad knee

Elaine’s lamb

@tomandelaine

Sep 08 2025

On the way to Split we stopped in the little town of Skradin, We went to the Oldtimer museum which had cars and other memorabilia. The man who owned it was quite a character and gave us a tour.

Fancy beetle

Oldest piece 1861 from Kentucky

Elaine’s dinner of grilled octopus and vegetables

@tomandelaine

Split

Sep 09 2025

We went to Kliss \240Fortress overlooking Split and to an Olive museum.

View from fortress

Tasting olive oil

Some our group

Our group going on cruise tomorrow.

Traditional Ragu

Views from rooftop bar

Making sweets at the Olive Museum

Explaining how they make essential oils

@tomandelaine

Trogir

Sep 10 2025

We got on the ship today. We couldn’t get on the ship until 1:00 so we checked out of our Airbnb and were able to check our bags in at the Katarina office and walk around for awhile.

First dinner

Joe and Beth on their balcony

Sailing towards Trogir

Our ship. Markan

Our room was downstairs. \240I forgot a picture of cabin, but it was a nice size. The shower was the same size as at home!

Sun deck

Front of the ship

Castle lit up at night

Relaxing on deck

Our ship parked in Trogir. We walked through 3 ships.

Elaine and Susan. \240Tom is on top of castle.

Sailing toward Trogir

Our captain parking in Trogir

Tom on top of castle

@tomandelaine

Šibenik

Sep 11 2025

We stopped here before the cruise

Hiking to Skradinski waterfalls

Wine tasting with food

We took a walking tour of Sibenik

Caprese salad

Seafood platter

Morning view

Water clock. 5:47

St James cathedral

Greek church

@tomandelaine

National Park Kornati

Sep 12 2025

Today we sailed into Kornati National park. There are 89 islands. It became private in 1988 so there is no new building allowed.

Croatia has 1244 islands and 48 are inhabited, with \24015,000 being the largest population.

Main economy of Croatia is tourism May-October.

Sitting on a rock. It was a very rocky bottom. This was as far as I could go with my bad knee.

We got off the boat and walked to a nature preserve. There were beautiful cliffs and a salt water lake.

Salt Lake

Another swim stop

Enjoying the hot tub

Evening view

Matching suits!

Swimming in the Adriatic Sea

@tomandelaine

Lošinj

Sep 13 2025

There were quite a few dolphins following our boat this morning.

Tying up the boat so we can swim.

Approaching Lošinj, Croatia

After the museum we had a short walking tour of the very small town of about 5,000. \240They were having a festival to celebrate the sea,sailing, and the end of the season. . There was a small “community” band that marched down the street. We heard Tiger Rag, When the Saints go Marching In and the Stars and Stripes trio. They weren’t bad for such a small group.

Dalmatians on the Dalmatian coast

Small community band

Walking tour

Band marching

Night view of Lošinj.

Our dinner cooking.

Alexandra made a some of us reservations at a place that made Peca, a dish that cooked under a dome for 2-3 hours. We had veal.

The chef showing the meat cooking.

Our veal and vegetables. So tender!

One of our bartenders and servers, Predrag

Apoxyomenos is a 2,000 year old bronze statue from Greece that was found at the bottom of the sea off the coast of Lošinj in 1996. \240The museum told how the statue was restored over about 3 years. We saw the statue, but could only take pictures through glass in the ceiling below and a window in the wall.

Lamb liver pate. It was delicious!

Tom and Joe

Dinner in the oldest restaurant in Lošinj. 1899

Losinj

@tomandelaine

Zadar

Sep 14 2025

Today we woke up to rougher seas.

Looks ominous, but we weren’t that close. \240No swim stop today so we got to Zadar early. \240

Water spout

The Roman Forum

Holes for Sea organ

The sea organ, which was built in 2005,has a series of underwater pipes and resonating chambers built into the steps that descend into the sea. As the waves push air through the tubes, haunting, harmonious tones emerge - a soundtrack created by the Adriatic Sea. \240It's the only instrument in the world played by the sea. It is frequently listed among the most extraordinary public art installations and unique musical instruments in the world.

The Roman Forum

The newer part of town across the water

Church of St Donatus

The Markan

Street in the old town

Cathedral of St. Anastasia

A solar sun and planets that changes its light based on music from sea organ

Beautiful sunset

Dinner with a view

@tomandelaine

Primošten

Sep 15 2025

Leaving Zadar at sunrise

Beautiful views.

Approaching our first stop,Vodice.

Another swim stop

Next stop, Primosten.

Sunset over Primosten

Tonight we had the captain’s dinner.

Sea bass

Entertainment

Small church

WW2 monument

We sat with the captain. (In white)

Lamb chops

@tomandelaine

Split

Sep 16 2025

The last day we headed back towards Split.

Going out for a walk in Split

Approaching Split

Our crew

Walking tour of Diocletian’s Palace

Mark stayed on the ship

Captain Peter

Brought over from Egypt

Last swim stop

Croatian bishop.

@tomandelaine

Sep 17 2025

Our crew and passengers for the week

Tom and I \240left the ship at 4:30 am because we had a 6:15 flight.

We flew from Split to Zagreb, Zagreb to Frankfurt,Frankfurt to Chicago and Chicago to Charlotte.

Frankfurt Airport was very difficult because it is extremely large and there are no trains to help. Many airports in Europe have lots of stairs and few elevators. When you have difficulty walking, it’s very tough!

We were delayed for a couple of hours in Frankfurt so we didn’t have much time in Chicago. We made it through customs,got our bags, went from terminal 1 to 3,rechecked in with American and went back through security in under an hour and made it to our gate with about 15 mins before boarding. We arrived in Charlotte on time and got to Winston-Salem about 12:30.

It was a great trip! \240I was nice being on such small ship that could go into very small towns. \240We also really enjoyed swimming off the back of the boat in small coves.

We’re so glad the Lineberry’s thought to invite us and that we invited the Robertson’s.

@tomandelaine