After getting to sleep in, we felt pretty well rested for the first time on our visit and we were actually up at a decent hour. It was also nice to have drama free evenings. =) We joined the family, who'd just returned from church, for a light brunch since we were having lunch with Anton B's family. Meals are serious marathons here, similar to Italy. You must pace yourself over the 5 or 6 courses that are served.
Turns out the concerns about getting married in the church were unnecessary. Uncle Dominik asked the priest after service if it would be okay for his son and his bride to get married the following year. The priest didn't even ask for details. He just nodded yes. Everything there is usually really relaxed. They don't have all these hoops to jump through or deposits to reserve a place a year in advance. It also turns out that the priest is leaving at the end of the year so I suppose he could care less what happens next summer!
So we headed over to Anton B's family home next door for lunch and a tour of their home. Their place has been under construction for a very long time (nothing moves quickly in Croatia). Last time we saw it there were just open brick spaces around the main house where everyone lived. This time most of it was finished, white walls, a sprawling front porch, and most of the rooms have windows and doors even if the room inside is incomplete.
The house is three stories high (not including the garage below) and includes a separate guest space, perhaps to rent out, Anton's room for when he visits, as well as room after room for future bedrooms and family room. There are random things stored in the spaces, like a very angry chicken, and two ram skulls. Staircases run outside the house and there's a balcony on the top floor with a view of the port. Unlike the States, they are not overly cautious, with yellow tape or BEWARE signs. The balcony does not have a railing yet and the stairs have no rail. It didn't necessarily look like there were plans to put a rail in even. They assume like most other countries, if you're smart and paying attention, you won't get hurt.
Down in the dining room, lunch was served. Two sprawling tables to accomodate the large party had place settings as well as the first course of prosciutto and cheese laid out. Anton's family was so sweet and we had to communicate mainly through translation though, spending enough time listening to the language and watching the gestures, we got the gist of some of the conversation. They filled us up on great food, finishing with ice cream for dessert, which Anton's nephew was particularly excited for.
We finally said our thank yous and goodbyes. Since there was time before dinner, we thought we should make the rounds to say hi to the rest of the aunts and uncles in the village. Some we missed either because they were still out working or napping for the time. But the ones we did get to see were thrilled we'd dropped in to say hi. We heard last time some of them were disappointed that we spent so much time at Uncle Dominik's and didn't come up to visit them so we needed to make a point to drop in a few times since we would be here for a longer stay.
Before dinner, we were invited for mussels at Cimo and Lenka's house. They are the sweetest people and have this great Croatian/ New Orleans accent since they've lived in New Orleans for so long. So there's a southern drawl to their English as well as the Croatian sound too. They had an obscene amount of mussels (which they plucked from the ocean by hand) steaming in a huge pot of garlic broth which was spooned out into a bread dipping bowl. Divine. We sent the picture to Michael who, in turn, responded back with something like, "I hate you". After that amazing appetizer and sharing some dirty, totally inappropriate jokes, us kids said goodbye and headed into Gradac.
Gradac is a fun port town with restaurants and bars dotting the shore. We made our way down to the Rock Bar, a great place to have cocktails especially if you can snag a table on the dock. Then you're out in the water, under the stars. Tihana was able to join us after her shift at work for a drink or two before we headed home. It was a great time spent chatting and getting to know Ayelet a little bit more. She is such a great fit for Anton!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
A New Boat and a Private Beach
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| The Adriatic at 9AM |
We pushed off and cruised across the glassy water, astounded by how still the sea was at this hour of the morning. It was perfect for wakeboarding. The family, in searching earlier in their stay, found a great little cove which they made their private beach. They'd slowly cleared junk fro the shore and even made a little table from driftwood under a little tree so as to have a place to lay out the lunch spread.
We paused further up the shore to see another little town where some of the family originated from and then made our way to the beach. It's a picturesque cove with a broken down little shack possibly from war times. The water, like everywhere else, is clear glass that allows you to see to the ocean floor. We anchored, brought our supplies to the shore, and spent the morning exploring, snorkling, and lounging in the water.Lunch was spread out on a cloth on a wood flat balanced on some rocks, under a tree for some shade. It consisted of the traditional Croatian bread (think really large sourdough round) cut into slices and used as an open face sandwich with slices of tomato, cheese, prosciutto or other meats, and an option of pieces of bacon, pate and accompanied by beer or iced tea. There's something so satisfying about sinking your teeth into this simple and fresh combination while seated in your bathing suit by the shore.
After our meal, we headed back into the water, the boys quietly exploring the water in the cove while us ladies sat along the shore with our legs submerged while we chatted and searched for sea glass for Auntie Karen's collection.
Uncle Dominik asked at one point, since Jason and I had our camera, if we would be willing to take action pictures of their boat. He wants a picture to put up somewhere. So he and Anton hopped in and did a few drive-bys with the rooster tail spraying high behind them while they waved each time they passed. We got a few great shots and he was really pleased with that.
After the excitement of the boat, everyone took Uncle Dominik's lead and took a nap in the sun. He was fast asleep, snoring away in a legless lounger nestled in the rocks. Once everyone had enough of the rays, we packed the boat back up and headed back out across the water. We asked if there was enough gas to stop off at the sandbar we'd visited 2 years ago before heading back to port and Uncle Dominik said yes.
This sandbar is unusual in Croatia partly because most beaches are rocky, not sandy, and this sandbar is a long shallow strip in the middle of the ocean. If you walk to the edges of it, the drop off is sudden and the water is incredibly cold. In fact, standing on one side of the bar, the water is warmer than the other side because two bodies of water collide there, which is probably how the sandbar came about in the first place.
On the main shore from the sandbar, there are always people there on windy days kitesurfing. So there will be billowy colored parachutes dotting the skyline. And on the sandbar, there are always a few small boats and skiffs parked to enjoy the sand and shallow water. We took a picture by the boat, holding the local paper from back home which Auntie Karen hoped would get us in the next issue. The rest of the time was spent walking the shore, playing in the water, and at one point, we goofed around with the camera, trying to catch Anton, Ayelet, and myself in mid-air above the water. If it's shot correctly, it can look like you've managed to miraculously leap out of very deep water.We hopped back in the boat, only for Uncle Dominik to temporarily worry us that we actually didn't have as much gas as he'd originally thought. Fortunately, that wasn't the case and we got back to Ploce, where he could gas up the boat before we returned back to Bacina.
Getting back home, I finally realized how tired I was from being out in the sun all day. We all showered and relaxed for the evening. We also received a visit from Anton B. with an invitation for dinner with his family the next day after church. The family, aside from Jason and myself, would be attending church early in the morning to ask the priest's blessing for Anton and Ayelet to get married there next summer. Ayelet was concerned as to whether it would be an issue since she's not Catholic. For us, that meant a chance to sleep in. We took the opportunity to finally get a good night's sleep.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Baćina Noć!
We slept in today a little bit since there was no rush except for the 3 to 4 hour drive to Baćina. We said our farewell to the Kusalo men and set out on our beautiful drive along the coast. The water stretches out by the roadside for most of the drive and you can see many of the hundreds of islands that dot the Croatian coast. There is a brief drive through Bosnia but being from the States they weren't that interested in us at the country line.
We arrived in Baćina in the early afternoon, with the town prepared to throw their annual lake party or Noć. The men go out a few days before and pull mussles from the rocky shores, fish for sardines, and then bring them back for the women to clean, while everyone cooks the day of the party. There are fish grilling by the water and the mussles are thrown into the most amazing seafood risotto. One of the most popular Croatian beers, Ožujsko, is free flowing throughout the night. For us, mosquito repellant is also a must.
We were greeted by the family, Dundo Dominik, Auntie Karen, their son Anton and his fiancee, Ayelet. They all live in the Bay Area near us but Dominik and Karen spend the majority of their summer in Croatia in this gorgeous home they've built overlooking the water on a hill. Anton and Ayelet were juggling vacation with wedding planning. Very exciting!
Next door, we paid our respects to Ante and Vesna, Ante now being the oldest surviving brother of Dominik's siblings. Vesna was not her regular vivacious self since she's been recovering for a very long time from a cat attacking her arm. Due to an infection that developed when the wound wasn't cleaned thoroughly the first hospital visit her arm is still swollen and it's been over a month! After being fed (you have to be fed and offered wine or brandy of some sort at each home you visit), we went down to the lake to pay a visit to more family. It seems the majority of people residing in the village are related to Jason somehow.
The marina manager, Goran, is a cousin through marriage on Anton's side (Anton and Jason are cousins through their grandmothers' side) and he is a character. He's incredibly happy all the time, especially thrilled to see the girls when we come to visit. A cigarette usually hanging between his lips, he's quick to offer a beer, water, and a hug. He also made us promise that we would each dance with him during the party. Deal. After the visit, seeing tables being set up, and buying a pack of radlers (beer and lemonade, my new favorite!) to keep at the house, we made our way back up to unpack and chill before the party.
We joined the rest of the village in the early evening, greeting other family members who were arriving for the party, like brothers Zoren, Viktor, his wife Mila, sister, Zdenka and cousins galore. Old friends of Anton's also returned since their families still live here. Tihana, who is now engaged to Mladin, and Anton B., our guide from last time. It was so nice to see familiar faces and feel less like a visitor out of National Geographic like my first visit. This time I felt less staring from the villagers (and let me tell you they're NOT subtle about staring).
We grabbed a table overlooking the main dock and shortly after, plates of sardines were brought to the table. This was the first time we'd had these and Jason wasn't sure he would like them. Turns out they're delicious AND fun to eat. You pop off the head, strip the meat off one side and pull the spine off to devour the other half. All with your hands and you eat until you're full. When the plate runs low, someone refills it and it is accompanied by bread and risotto. Outstanding first meal in Baćina.
The rest of the evening is spent mingling, drinking, people watching, and for some, dancing to the band playing at the end of the dock. Goran cashed in on his request and Ayelet and I switched off dancing with him throughout the night. He loved it and I got a kick out of swing dancing (or whatever it turned out to be) with him. One of the highlights of the night was when they sang some sort of national song and men stood around the edge of the lake with flares lit up. The whole dock and bridge area was lit glowing red.
Ayelet had the great idea to bring a few packets of glow bracelets to give to some of the kids and us family members for the night. Problem was there were way more children who wanted one and practically begging adults to have the ones in their possession. Ayelet made a mental note to bring a box next time. By the end of the night, the younger set of us were seated in a circle sipping hot chocolate and nibbling on desserts that were set on a table. After brief discussion of plans the next day we decided to head to bed at 1AM.
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| Lake side in Baćina |
We were greeted by the family, Dundo Dominik, Auntie Karen, their son Anton and his fiancee, Ayelet. They all live in the Bay Area near us but Dominik and Karen spend the majority of their summer in Croatia in this gorgeous home they've built overlooking the water on a hill. Anton and Ayelet were juggling vacation with wedding planning. Very exciting!
Next door, we paid our respects to Ante and Vesna, Ante now being the oldest surviving brother of Dominik's siblings. Vesna was not her regular vivacious self since she's been recovering for a very long time from a cat attacking her arm. Due to an infection that developed when the wound wasn't cleaned thoroughly the first hospital visit her arm is still swollen and it's been over a month! After being fed (you have to be fed and offered wine or brandy of some sort at each home you visit), we went down to the lake to pay a visit to more family. It seems the majority of people residing in the village are related to Jason somehow.
The marina manager, Goran, is a cousin through marriage on Anton's side (Anton and Jason are cousins through their grandmothers' side) and he is a character. He's incredibly happy all the time, especially thrilled to see the girls when we come to visit. A cigarette usually hanging between his lips, he's quick to offer a beer, water, and a hug. He also made us promise that we would each dance with him during the party. Deal. After the visit, seeing tables being set up, and buying a pack of radlers (beer and lemonade, my new favorite!) to keep at the house, we made our way back up to unpack and chill before the party. We joined the rest of the village in the early evening, greeting other family members who were arriving for the party, like brothers Zoren, Viktor, his wife Mila, sister, Zdenka and cousins galore. Old friends of Anton's also returned since their families still live here. Tihana, who is now engaged to Mladin, and Anton B., our guide from last time. It was so nice to see familiar faces and feel less like a visitor out of National Geographic like my first visit. This time I felt less staring from the villagers (and let me tell you they're NOT subtle about staring).
The rest of the evening is spent mingling, drinking, people watching, and for some, dancing to the band playing at the end of the dock. Goran cashed in on his request and Ayelet and I switched off dancing with him throughout the night. He loved it and I got a kick out of swing dancing (or whatever it turned out to be) with him. One of the highlights of the night was when they sang some sort of national song and men stood around the edge of the lake with flares lit up. The whole dock and bridge area was lit glowing red. Ayelet had the great idea to bring a few packets of glow bracelets to give to some of the kids and us family members for the night. Problem was there were way more children who wanted one and practically begging adults to have the ones in their possession. Ayelet made a mental note to bring a box next time. By the end of the night, the younger set of us were seated in a circle sipping hot chocolate and nibbling on desserts that were set on a table. After brief discussion of plans the next day we decided to head to bed at 1AM.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Last night in Dubrovnik
Sigh, one can hope for things and then there's reality, yes? We took it easy on our last day here. Since we hadn't hit the beach since arriving, today was the day. We drove with Pero up to Veliki Žali or Big Beach. We were lazy and didn't bring the camera but believe me when I say it's a beautiful spot to enjoy to water and beach. Croatian beaches are mainly large stones and pebbles so bringing surf walkers on your trip can be pretty critical to walking comfortably on the shore. The major upside to pebbles is that there's no sand in your suit or anything else for that matter.
We met up again with a few of the guys Pero knew as well as a few new ones. They were also American from the Bay Area and relaying their evening at the bars and clubs the night before was entertaining. Croatian women are known for being very cold to male strangers. They dress to kill, spending their month's paycheck on high end clothes, shoes, or bags. Not the most sensible but when many are almost 6 feet tall and legs for days, it pays off as eye candy. However, it's a giant tease. They'll usually only talk with the men they know. So for these poor guys who only wanted to chat with them or maybe have a dance, these girls brushed them off before they could take a step in their direction.
After a nice, long dunk in the mellow waters, we got pizza up on the shore, hung out for a bit, and then headed home to clean up. In the evening, we went to a restaurant called Konoba Canossa in Trsteno. Pero was craving black risotto. This restaurant just has outdoor seating I believe, so you many want to cover yourself in mosquito repellant before dining, just in case. Turns out this place has an outstanding octopus salad, delicious fish soup and fried squid. If you're not a seafood eater, don't worry, there are still the classic meat dishes like the cevapcici. Pero particularly enjoyed his risotto. I don't know the address but the easiest landmark is across the street. It's a gigantic tree, ages old, with a fence around it.
Once we finished with dinner we went back to Zaton and joined in a party by the water. There was a band and all kinds of people were enjoying the music, the candy station, food and drink. We finally met a family my in-laws told us to meet up with while we were here. The husband, Peter, is in construction here in the Bay Area and his three sons attended my high school alma mater. We met him and his wife Kris, as well as their beautiful boys, Johnny, Christopher, and Peter. The family was so friendly and funny. The three boys could not be more different than one another and they were incredibly sweet. Everyone was having a great time, especially the boys since they were all allowed to drink legally this trip.
The boys also had a group of friends with them so it was a mix of these young girls and boys loving the night out in Europe. I thought, how incredibly lucky they are, to have this before their life really starts. Peter, the youngest, is normally shy apparently but with liquid courage he tried to talk to a girl at the party. But like typical Croatian girls, she essentially blew him off. He was discouraged but the group urged him to go find her and talk to her again. His father even teased he could show him how it's done.
Possibly embarrassed and maybe with a bruised ego combined with alcohol, Peter suddenly got very emotional. What started as a fun night with everyone laughing suddenly turned a little sober. Peter decided to take a walk with a friend chaperoning. Unfortunately, the friend didn't stick with him from the start and somehow lost him in the crowd. He returned and went back out with a bigger search party. Now poor mom was worried about her baby. We couldn't believe this last night in Dubrovnik couldn't just be a mellow, fun evening. Kris turned and said sarcastically, "Aren't you glad you met us?"
Fortunately, the group located Peter, still upset and not interested in going home just yet. However, dad was now tired and ready to go. That was our cue to all start heading to our cars. We took a few of the kids back to the house they were staying at and after Pero dropped us back at the house, he went back out to see if anyone else would need a ride back. Exhausted, as it was 2AM again, we fell right to sleep.
We met up again with a few of the guys Pero knew as well as a few new ones. They were also American from the Bay Area and relaying their evening at the bars and clubs the night before was entertaining. Croatian women are known for being very cold to male strangers. They dress to kill, spending their month's paycheck on high end clothes, shoes, or bags. Not the most sensible but when many are almost 6 feet tall and legs for days, it pays off as eye candy. However, it's a giant tease. They'll usually only talk with the men they know. So for these poor guys who only wanted to chat with them or maybe have a dance, these girls brushed them off before they could take a step in their direction.
After a nice, long dunk in the mellow waters, we got pizza up on the shore, hung out for a bit, and then headed home to clean up. In the evening, we went to a restaurant called Konoba Canossa in Trsteno. Pero was craving black risotto. This restaurant just has outdoor seating I believe, so you many want to cover yourself in mosquito repellant before dining, just in case. Turns out this place has an outstanding octopus salad, delicious fish soup and fried squid. If you're not a seafood eater, don't worry, there are still the classic meat dishes like the cevapcici. Pero particularly enjoyed his risotto. I don't know the address but the easiest landmark is across the street. It's a gigantic tree, ages old, with a fence around it.
Once we finished with dinner we went back to Zaton and joined in a party by the water. There was a band and all kinds of people were enjoying the music, the candy station, food and drink. We finally met a family my in-laws told us to meet up with while we were here. The husband, Peter, is in construction here in the Bay Area and his three sons attended my high school alma mater. We met him and his wife Kris, as well as their beautiful boys, Johnny, Christopher, and Peter. The family was so friendly and funny. The three boys could not be more different than one another and they were incredibly sweet. Everyone was having a great time, especially the boys since they were all allowed to drink legally this trip.
The boys also had a group of friends with them so it was a mix of these young girls and boys loving the night out in Europe. I thought, how incredibly lucky they are, to have this before their life really starts. Peter, the youngest, is normally shy apparently but with liquid courage he tried to talk to a girl at the party. But like typical Croatian girls, she essentially blew him off. He was discouraged but the group urged him to go find her and talk to her again. His father even teased he could show him how it's done.
Possibly embarrassed and maybe with a bruised ego combined with alcohol, Peter suddenly got very emotional. What started as a fun night with everyone laughing suddenly turned a little sober. Peter decided to take a walk with a friend chaperoning. Unfortunately, the friend didn't stick with him from the start and somehow lost him in the crowd. He returned and went back out with a bigger search party. Now poor mom was worried about her baby. We couldn't believe this last night in Dubrovnik couldn't just be a mellow, fun evening. Kris turned and said sarcastically, "Aren't you glad you met us?"
Fortunately, the group located Peter, still upset and not interested in going home just yet. However, dad was now tired and ready to go. That was our cue to all start heading to our cars. We took a few of the kids back to the house they were staying at and after Pero dropped us back at the house, he went back out to see if anyone else would need a ride back. Exhausted, as it was 2AM again, we fell right to sleep.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Day 2 Dubrovnik
We woke up late, needless to say, since we didn't get to bed until at least 3AM eventhough we'd said we would end at 2AM. But we wanted to do something with our day. So we revisited Dubrovnik in the hopes of getting great city shots with our new SLR camera, a Canon E60. We ran into Angela and Tom who looked relieved to have put their niece on a plane that morning.
After that, we sat down at Revelin Club, which is located immediately inside the Ploče Gate (Eastern Gate) overlooking the water. We sat down to enjoy a delicious though more pricy meal. There was a starter of olives, garlic butter, and tuna pate at a charge of $3 per person. My husband opted for the Taglitelle pasta with Istrian truffle cream sauce, which was delightful and I went with the Risotto Nero or squid ink pasta with cuttlefish. They did offer the option of the catch of the day which was a beautiful white fish but it was $100!
Needless to say, our dishes were really tasty though mine is not something you should ever eat on a first date. Jason was laughing his head off when I smiled and wiped my mouth with the napkin. There was black ink everywhere! Totally worth it though. This was one of the most expensive meals we'd had but the view itself and the perfect weather made the price worthwhile.
To walk off lunch, we planned to walk part of the city wall. We'd done it the last trip here and you pay a small fee to do the walk so there wasn't a need to do it again. But we took our time, taking some outstanding photos and ended up circling the whole thing again. The bonus was this time the sky wasn't lit up with lightning like the last time we were up there. After a necessary break for gelato, we went back through the city, again getting some cool shots of the fountain in the main square, alleys and stairs that look like they climb to the sky.
After the day's adventure, we headed back to the house where they were preparing for dinner along with one of Mato's long time friends, his wife, and their grandson. Once we finished with a traditional meal that Mato prepared (TONS of meat prepared in different ways, a home grown tomato salad, pasta, and bread) we took a dip in the calm Adriatic before the sun went down. Behind Mato's house, you can step down some steps right into the sea. You have to be careful of the sea urchins below but the water is crystal clear.
We hit the showers following the swim to get ready to go back out. Pero went to pick up a girl who was visiting her cousin but had no ride and the cousin didn't go out to the bars and clubs because her boyfriend didn't like her to go. Ridiculous. So this very quiet and mousy girl arrived to join us out on the town. We were to meet up with Philip and a crew of their friends who got a table and bottle service at Revelin Club that evening around midnight. First stop was back out at Kase bar again. This time, we ordered shots with soda bottles.
After that, we wandered back to Casablanca where we ran into Philip and his crew who were heading out to the club early. We also saw Tom and Angela. We were having a great time until Jason got a phone call. His brother was calling us at 1AM to tell us that he was headed to our house because someone had broken in. I was livid and upset. How the hell did anyone know we were gone? We had family coming by regularly to check on the cats and the house. The police showed up, dusted for fingerprints, took a report, while my brother-in-law went around the house with us on the phone to see what was missing. It was some stupid kid who mainly grabbed technology things that were replaceable. The upside to them stealing the Playstation is that if you call Sony to give them the Serial Number of your unit, they can lock the system so that if the thief tries to go online, it freezes the whole system. Oh, they did also take all bottles of vodka, including one in the freezer.
So after that upsetting news, we decided to go get a beer. =) We couldn't do anything half way around the world and we were just starting our vacation. So we headed to Revelin Club. At the entrance, there were 4 bouncers, one older, who was seated at a table taking money for tickets. The tickets were 80 Kuna (currently about $15) since there was a DJ spinning that night. But we arrived late and knew we weren't staying long plus there was bottle service if we went in, so we decided against it.
Tom paid for 2 tickets and the bouncer was in the process of tearing tickets off for him. Tom spoke to the bouncer in Croatian, apologizing that we'd changed our minds. The bouncer said he couldn't give the money back because he'd already torn the tickets. Was this guy serious? Tom argued he hadn't even touched them yet and the guy could just put them back in the book to give to the next customers.
The guy insisted they were no good and that Tom couldn't have his money back. At this point, the bouncer stood up and Tom questioned if the guy really wanted to fight him. Tom is build like an ox, not someone you want to challenge. But the other bouncers were now stepping forward in this absurd testosterone filled idiocy. Tom smiled and said, "Y'know what, if you're going to be that stupid, just keep it." And suddenly, the bouncer said, "I don't want your money. Take it." So all he was looking for was a guy to fight? Tom took the money saying the guy was pathetic as we headed back down the stairs. All the guy could come back with was, "I hope you fall down the stairs". Unbelievable.
Instead, we grabbed a drink at a bar just outside the wall to end the night. Somehow it had become 3AM and we joked, due to the drama of the past two nights, that we should all hang out again when we got back to the States. Hopefully, tomorrow will be less dramatic.
Needless to say, our dishes were really tasty though mine is not something you should ever eat on a first date. Jason was laughing his head off when I smiled and wiped my mouth with the napkin. There was black ink everywhere! Totally worth it though. This was one of the most expensive meals we'd had but the view itself and the perfect weather made the price worthwhile.To walk off lunch, we planned to walk part of the city wall. We'd done it the last trip here and you pay a small fee to do the walk so there wasn't a need to do it again. But we took our time, taking some outstanding photos and ended up circling the whole thing again. The bonus was this time the sky wasn't lit up with lightning like the last time we were up there. After a necessary break for gelato, we went back through the city, again getting some cool shots of the fountain in the main square, alleys and stairs that look like they climb to the sky.
After the day's adventure, we headed back to the house where they were preparing for dinner along with one of Mato's long time friends, his wife, and their grandson. Once we finished with a traditional meal that Mato prepared (TONS of meat prepared in different ways, a home grown tomato salad, pasta, and bread) we took a dip in the calm Adriatic before the sun went down. Behind Mato's house, you can step down some steps right into the sea. You have to be careful of the sea urchins below but the water is crystal clear.
After that, we wandered back to Casablanca where we ran into Philip and his crew who were heading out to the club early. We also saw Tom and Angela. We were having a great time until Jason got a phone call. His brother was calling us at 1AM to tell us that he was headed to our house because someone had broken in. I was livid and upset. How the hell did anyone know we were gone? We had family coming by regularly to check on the cats and the house. The police showed up, dusted for fingerprints, took a report, while my brother-in-law went around the house with us on the phone to see what was missing. It was some stupid kid who mainly grabbed technology things that were replaceable. The upside to them stealing the Playstation is that if you call Sony to give them the Serial Number of your unit, they can lock the system so that if the thief tries to go online, it freezes the whole system. Oh, they did also take all bottles of vodka, including one in the freezer.
So after that upsetting news, we decided to go get a beer. =) We couldn't do anything half way around the world and we were just starting our vacation. So we headed to Revelin Club. At the entrance, there were 4 bouncers, one older, who was seated at a table taking money for tickets. The tickets were 80 Kuna (currently about $15) since there was a DJ spinning that night. But we arrived late and knew we weren't staying long plus there was bottle service if we went in, so we decided against it.
Tom paid for 2 tickets and the bouncer was in the process of tearing tickets off for him. Tom spoke to the bouncer in Croatian, apologizing that we'd changed our minds. The bouncer said he couldn't give the money back because he'd already torn the tickets. Was this guy serious? Tom argued he hadn't even touched them yet and the guy could just put them back in the book to give to the next customers.
The guy insisted they were no good and that Tom couldn't have his money back. At this point, the bouncer stood up and Tom questioned if the guy really wanted to fight him. Tom is build like an ox, not someone you want to challenge. But the other bouncers were now stepping forward in this absurd testosterone filled idiocy. Tom smiled and said, "Y'know what, if you're going to be that stupid, just keep it." And suddenly, the bouncer said, "I don't want your money. Take it." So all he was looking for was a guy to fight? Tom took the money saying the guy was pathetic as we headed back down the stairs. All the guy could come back with was, "I hope you fall down the stairs". Unbelievable.
Instead, we grabbed a drink at a bar just outside the wall to end the night. Somehow it had become 3AM and we joked, due to the drama of the past two nights, that we should all hang out again when we got back to the States. Hopefully, tomorrow will be less dramatic.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
On to Croatia
Now this may go without saying but in Germany and Croatia it is near impossible to stick to a carb free or vegetarian diet. If you're vegetarian, hopefully you at least eat fish and seafood because then you can still survive in Croatia. Otherwise, it's possible you will starve.
We headed out to the train station to pick up our train that would take us to Cologne where we would catch our flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia. We grabbed breakfast at one of the kiosks where there is a choice of breakfast rolls, breads, danishes, or lunch versions of the same. I'm rarely in an area that has an efficient train system so there's something I really enjoy about big train stations. There's the hustle and bustle but there's also a place like Frankfurt's (and others in Europe) that have these glass and iron ceilings that create such a cool light in the space.
Our trip on the rails was quick and uneventful with a nice view of the landscape as we rushed by. We arrived in Cologne and picked up our German Wings flight which was a short hop to Dubrovnik. German Wings is a smaller sister airline of Lufthansa and they offer cheaper short flights where you can purchase a little 'picnic lunch' during your flight if you choose.
We arrived in Croatia around dinner time so once we got our rental car, we drove down the coast to our family friend's place in a little town called Zaton. The car rental guy handed us a brand new automatic Mercedes for the same price as a Fiat Punto. Awesome.
We were greeted by Pero, the son, and his father, Mato, who spends most of his summer in Zaton though both reside in California most of the year. Pero is in his mid-twenties and loves to spend his days sleeping in then out drinking with his friends until late at night. We ate at this little restaurant on the water, Konoba Gusar in Zaton where we enjoyed perfectly grilled little squid, octopus salad, cevapcici (Croatian sausages) and fries. Everything was delicious and we were so happy to be back.
Now because we were Pero, he planned on going out and so we decided to rally. We headed into Old Town Dubrovnik or Stari Grad with his friend, Philip. This town is enveloped behind an ancient castle wall and there is plenty to see during the day including scaling and walking the entire wall. But at night, it is one of the most beautiful places with the lights shining off the polished stone floor. Over the hundreds of years, shoes and feet have smoothed down the stone into glass so at night, the floor looks freshly washed down, gleaming.
We started the evening in a square where there are 3 bars who share open patio seating. There is Kase, Mirage, and Jazz Caffe. You pick a table anywhere you like and eventually a waiter comes to take your order. But there's a trick to ordering.
Because Dubrovnik is a huge tourist attraction and has a pretty decent nightlife, everything there is more expensive. And when you order a drink, let's say a vodka and 7up, they will charge you for the shot of vodka as well as the individual bottle of 7up, even though they WON'T bring you the bottle unless you ask for it. They charge per item in the drink. So that means if you order a Long Island Iced Tea, they charge for every ingredient, not for the drink as a whole.
With that said, should you order a vodka and 7up, order shots (best to go to the bar and watch them pour if you like a particular type of vodka in case they choose to pour you a cheaper version) and order bottles of 7up instead. You'll come to discover you can get at least 2 drinks out of that 7up.
So after that drink and lesson, we headed over to Casablanca Bar which is located up one of the long stairways to the right of the main walk. People either cram into the tiny bar spaces or hang along the stairs outside. People are friendly and the only time there is a fight is if some rowdy, drunk tourist gets out of hand. And when that happens, the Croatian men there put an end to it quickly. We met a few new friends there, Angela and Tom, who live very close to us back home! I cannot believe how many people from the Bay Area have family in Croatia. It's astounding.
Angela and Tom happened to be traveling with a little niece who is 18 years old and very naive. Guys recognizing that she is young and American were saying very flattering things and she was believing it all. Angela and Tom were trying to teach her about recognizing when guys are saying things in hopes of getting something else in exchange. At one point, she came up to tell them that she was going with a guy to get cigarettes. The guy was the waiter from their dinner that evening. They wandered off and after awhile, hadn't returned. Pero went off with Tom to search for them since the niece didn't have a cell phone. Not the kind of drama you want on a vacation and thankfully, they were putting her on a plane first thing the next morning.
After awhile, Tom and Pero returned, unsuccessful. Angela inquired with the bar if they carried cigarettes and it turned out they did. Now, the couple was in protection mode. The niece finally returned with the guy, unharmed but a little shook up. Angela scolded her first, then scolded the guy. He innocently said he didn't do anything and it wasn't any big deal. The only smart move was that he cleared out soon after. She said the guy convinced her to get in the car with him to get cigarettes and stopped somewhere saying he wanted to have sex with her. Fortunately, she had the sense to get out of the car and didn't get back in until he agreed to take her back. At that point, Tom was ready to kill this guy. We ended the night shortly after that excitement and parted ways. We ended the night with a midnight snack of burek, a tasty bakery item that is usually seasoned meat, cheese or spinach wrapped in a soft phyllo dough and then coiled up like a long cinnamon bun, then baked. Yogurt for dipping is optional. It's great drunk food.
Our trip on the rails was quick and uneventful with a nice view of the landscape as we rushed by. We arrived in Cologne and picked up our German Wings flight which was a short hop to Dubrovnik. German Wings is a smaller sister airline of Lufthansa and they offer cheaper short flights where you can purchase a little 'picnic lunch' during your flight if you choose.
We arrived in Croatia around dinner time so once we got our rental car, we drove down the coast to our family friend's place in a little town called Zaton. The car rental guy handed us a brand new automatic Mercedes for the same price as a Fiat Punto. Awesome.
Now because we were Pero, he planned on going out and so we decided to rally. We headed into Old Town Dubrovnik or Stari Grad with his friend, Philip. This town is enveloped behind an ancient castle wall and there is plenty to see during the day including scaling and walking the entire wall. But at night, it is one of the most beautiful places with the lights shining off the polished stone floor. Over the hundreds of years, shoes and feet have smoothed down the stone into glass so at night, the floor looks freshly washed down, gleaming.
We started the evening in a square where there are 3 bars who share open patio seating. There is Kase, Mirage, and Jazz Caffe. You pick a table anywhere you like and eventually a waiter comes to take your order. But there's a trick to ordering.
Because Dubrovnik is a huge tourist attraction and has a pretty decent nightlife, everything there is more expensive. And when you order a drink, let's say a vodka and 7up, they will charge you for the shot of vodka as well as the individual bottle of 7up, even though they WON'T bring you the bottle unless you ask for it. They charge per item in the drink. So that means if you order a Long Island Iced Tea, they charge for every ingredient, not for the drink as a whole.
With that said, should you order a vodka and 7up, order shots (best to go to the bar and watch them pour if you like a particular type of vodka in case they choose to pour you a cheaper version) and order bottles of 7up instead. You'll come to discover you can get at least 2 drinks out of that 7up.
So after that drink and lesson, we headed over to Casablanca Bar which is located up one of the long stairways to the right of the main walk. People either cram into the tiny bar spaces or hang along the stairs outside. People are friendly and the only time there is a fight is if some rowdy, drunk tourist gets out of hand. And when that happens, the Croatian men there put an end to it quickly. We met a few new friends there, Angela and Tom, who live very close to us back home! I cannot believe how many people from the Bay Area have family in Croatia. It's astounding.
Angela and Tom happened to be traveling with a little niece who is 18 years old and very naive. Guys recognizing that she is young and American were saying very flattering things and she was believing it all. Angela and Tom were trying to teach her about recognizing when guys are saying things in hopes of getting something else in exchange. At one point, she came up to tell them that she was going with a guy to get cigarettes. The guy was the waiter from their dinner that evening. They wandered off and after awhile, hadn't returned. Pero went off with Tom to search for them since the niece didn't have a cell phone. Not the kind of drama you want on a vacation and thankfully, they were putting her on a plane first thing the next morning.
After awhile, Tom and Pero returned, unsuccessful. Angela inquired with the bar if they carried cigarettes and it turned out they did. Now, the couple was in protection mode. The niece finally returned with the guy, unharmed but a little shook up. Angela scolded her first, then scolded the guy. He innocently said he didn't do anything and it wasn't any big deal. The only smart move was that he cleared out soon after. She said the guy convinced her to get in the car with him to get cigarettes and stopped somewhere saying he wanted to have sex with her. Fortunately, she had the sense to get out of the car and didn't get back in until he agreed to take her back. At that point, Tom was ready to kill this guy. We ended the night shortly after that excitement and parted ways. We ended the night with a midnight snack of burek, a tasty bakery item that is usually seasoned meat, cheese or spinach wrapped in a soft phyllo dough and then coiled up like a long cinnamon bun, then baked. Yogurt for dipping is optional. It's great drunk food.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Deutschland
We are staying at the Intercontinental Hotel which is a little walk from the train station but completely walkable with suitcases in tow. It would be better if my suitcase wheels didn't feel like they had brakes on them. Mental note: buy new suitcase when we return home. The hotel is in a great location, just a few blocks from the Main River and a good little walk down to plenty of restaurants and shops. We happen to be part of their Ambassador Program which means each time you check into an Intercontinental Hotel, you're treated with extra special care. Things from a late check-out time, to free upgrades, to a little welcome gift like bottled water and in this case, an exquisite bar of German chocolate, makes it worth it. I encourage you to inquire about it should you be an avid traveler.
Once settled into our room and freshened up, we walked into town to get a bite to eat, stopping into one of the many bakeries along the long strip of shops in Innenstadt, but first crossing through a great little square called Römerberg. You can pull up a chair at one of the restaurants and enjoy a beer while people watching in the square.
We wandered out to Old Town along Schweizer Strausse where there are plenty of shops and fruit stalls to visit. I loved seeing all the fresh produce around. We ate at a restaurant with outdoor seating called Schweizer's. They have a menu option where you can purchase essentially a meal combo - appetizer, drink, meal, and dessert for a certain price. Originally, that sounded like a good option but looking at what we wanted, it was cheaper to just order a la carte. So when we asked the waitress to change our order to a la carte items she initially complained that she would have to go change the order in their system. Seriously? You change it in the system, what's hard about that? She finally agreed when we didn't budge and I was a little annoyed that she was actually going to try and get us to stick with the more expensive option.
However, once that was resolved, the meal was fantastic and her service was still agreeable. I enjoyed a great schnitzel with pepitas over a fresh salad and cherry tomatoes along with an espresso, and finished off with a delicious rosemary creme brulee with sour cherries and a sweet pesto. Very interesting and delicious.
After exploring the city and trying to figure out where to eat for dinner (we were feeling like Bavarian food even though we're nowhere near Munich) we were so jetlagged we couldn't help but go back to the hotel for a little nap. Slightly more awake, we headed back out.
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