Crossroads of the Adriatic

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23 September 2023
Crossroads of the Adriatic Pengembara
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Hari 1
Sabtu, 23 September 2023 5:35 PTG
🌧 16 °C
Altitud: 103 m
Amerika Syarikat Washington Dulles International Airport 38.948817, -77.44998738°56’56” N 77°26’60” W
Awaiting boarding on Lufhansa Boeing 747
23 September 2023, Amerika Syarikat ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
2 suka
Crossroads of the Adriatic Pengembara
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Hari 2
Ahad, 24 September 2023 2:00 PTG
☁️ 24 °C
Altitud: 124 m
Albania Tirana 41.328, 19.82407541°19’41” N 19°49’27” E
First day in Tirana, Albania
24 September 2023, Albania ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
The Tirana International Airport is a small one-runway facility. Our taxi driver was identified by this sign. We met 4 of the other 6 members on our pre-trip extension to Albania. The Turkish ice cream vendor had fun keeping the cone out of our hands.Baca lagi
Susan FulmerLove the sign
25/09/23BalasTerjemah
PengembaraIce cream!!! Yum.
25/09/23BalasTerjemah
1 suka
Crossroads of the Adriatic Pengembara
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Hari 3
Isnin, 25 September 2023 11:47 PG
☁️ 22 °C
Altitud: 108 m
Albania University of Tirana 41.320959, 19.81989341°19’15” N 19°49’12” E
First day, and full day in Tirana
25 September 2023, Albania ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Today was cloudy and drizzly. The planned gondola ride to the top of the mountain was canceled.

The morning was spent at the large underground bunker for government officials. It is educational and scary. Reportedly, there are 170,000 smaller ones scattered around the country.

After the Nazies were defeated, the country voted to join the Soviet Union. The building style then followed the standard Communist style, all alike and cheaply done.

The nation's leader then embarked on building a progressively more oppressive regime to keep everyone in line. It then devolved into neighbors being rewarded for spying on neighbors. Who could you trust? No one! It became the North Korea of Europe.

When the iron curtain fell, the Albanian Communist regime fell also. When the demonstrations started, the police mainly stepped aside as the process was recognized as being unstoppable.Baca lagi
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2 suka
Crossroads of the Adriatic Pengembara
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Hari 4
Selasa, 26 September 2023
⛅ 28 °C
Altitud: 14 m
Albania Shkodër 42.067602, 19.51487542°4’3” N 19°30’54” E
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History outside of Tirana city
26 September 2023, Albania ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Albanian history has a lot of lessons, old and more current events. Islam has a version that is Islamic but very different, called Bektashaine, with a Great-grandfather, Grandfather, Father heigharchy and headquarters near Kruje Castle. The religions (Islam, Christianity, and Eastern Orthodox all gee along well here. Under Communism Albania was declared as an atheistic state, and religious buildings and symbolism were destroyed. When the Communist government was overthrown, rebuilding has been ongoing.

Later, a demonstration of handmade felted wool was followed with a tour of a midevial-type marketplace up in the mountains. There had been several Balkan wars that have shaped and reshaped the region.Baca lagi
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Susan Fulmer Beautiful building
28/09/23BalasTerjemah
Susan Fulmer I bet that was very interesting!
28/09/23BalasTerjemah
PengembaraBeautiful new religious buildings!
28/09/23BalasTerjemah
PengembaraLove the spiritual component!
5/10/23BalasTerjemah
1 suka
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Hari 5
Rabu, 27 September 2023
☀️ 27 °C
Altitud: 63 m
Croatia Uvala Danče 42.648312, 18.08906642°38’54” N 18°5’21” E
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Triana, Mrizi pottery workshop, Shkoder
27 September 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
For this week-long pre-trip extension, we had eight participants that included three men, all retired physicians, and eight women, all retired with very interesting careers. And the trips are all educationally oriented.

Today, we observed the owner of a local pottery workshop. He can put out a piece in 2 to 3 minutes each before firing. He loves his work. A neighbor family runs a busy farm, producing wine, salami, cheese, and much more. Both families had left Albania due to the Communist period and decided to come back home afterwards.

Lunch was at the farm restaurant. There was no menu to pick from. Every few minutes, they would bring out a few more items for everyone. This continued for about 40 minutes. It was all very good and all were satisfied.

Pictured are two of the medium-sized concrete bunkers built to stop any invasion by the great enemy, the United States. Enver Hoxha, former Prime Minister of Albania, was very paranoid. The bunkers were death traps!Baca lagi
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Susan FulmerIt looks like the pottery is for utility purposes, maybe food? The red wine is a pretty color, was it something other than grapes?
30/09/23BalasTerjemah
PengembaraMost of the pottery was for utility purposes, a few for decorative use. The red liquid was a fruit juice.
2/10/23BalasTerjemah
PengembaraThese updates are great! More! (as if your trip is about updating us....) Love you!
3/10/23BalasTerjemah
Pengembara Delicious looking dinner, and interesting clay adventures
5/10/23BalasTerjemah
1 suka
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Hari 6–10
28 September 2023 - 2 Oktober 2023
4 malam
☀️ 28 °C
Altitud: 16 m
Albania Shkodër 42.065554, 19.51959842°3’56” N 19°31’11” E
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Shkoder, St Stephens Cathedral & Shiroka
28 Sep–2 Okt 2023, Albania ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
St Stephen's Cathedral in Shkroder, Albania, consecrated in 1867, has been the target of numerous sieges but has never fallen (though it was briefly converted into a Palace of Sports during Communist rule between 1967 and 1990).

We visited the shop of a local man who had made a mask for fun that made a big hit. That led him to open a business that is keeping his small staff (20 or so) busy. He designs them, and his staff are free to use their creativity in painting them. The masks were very impressive.

The call to prayer is 5 times a day but is not too loud (more on this later).Baca lagi
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Pengembara Great pic of mom laughing.
4/10/23BalasTerjemah
Pengembara These are beautiful!
4/10/23BalasTerjemah
Pengembara I LOVE the front door with the sun image.
4/10/23BalasTerjemah
2 lagi komen
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Hari 7
Jumaat, 29 September 2023
☀️ 26 °C
Altitud: 84 m
Croatia Trapit 42.627508, 18.16841742°37’39” N 18°10’6” E
To Dubrovnik, Croatia, & join main trip
29 September 2023, Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
This was a travel day of about 8 hours by bus. The trip included two border crossings. We did so rather rapidly as it can take an hour or two at each crossing, depending on traffic. We were lucky.

We stopped at a medium bunker and crawled inside. It's not a good place to be. But for the rest of the day's trip, there was much that was more pleasant to see.

I have got behind as the days with the OAT tours are busy and often go into the evenings, Pat has not felt well for several days, and that pulled me down some, and the internet reception has been spotty. And so the challenge....Baca lagi
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2 suka
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Hari 8
Sabtu, 30 September 2023 2:45 PTG
⛅ 25 °C
Altitud: 124 m
Croatia Zagreb - Centar 45.807171, 15.98036545°48’26” N 15°58’49” E
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Explore Dubrovnik
30 September 2023, Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
OAT has picked hotels that are close to the center of the old city or point of interest for each night. I like the idea, but it can make for some interesting experiences like older hotels. OK!!!

This morning, we explored the old city of Dubrovnik (was a city-state from 1358 to 1808) and heard about the history from a local guide. Beautiful walled city (about a mile walk on top of the wall) with old buildings and setting.

It is hard to comprehend that this old city was subjected to major damage during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s from artillery bombardment. Repair work continues through UNESCO. Our travel company, Grand Circle Travel, has a foundation that also contributes to this effort.Baca lagi
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PengembaraWhat a gorgeous city! I love the terracotta roofs. So glad they are rebuilding.
9/10/23BalasTerjemah
Susan Fulmer Very pretty
11/10/23BalasTerjemah
1 suka
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Hari 9
Ahad, 1 Oktober 2023
⛅ 25 °C
Altitud: Paras Laut
Montenegro Rt Peševo 42.484254, 18.70029442°29’3” N 18°42’1” E
Excursion to Kotor, Montenegro
1 Oktober 2023, Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Today's activity was a bus and boat trip through a narrow body of water to an ancient small town, Kotor. It is a well-preserved medieval walled town situated at the head of southern Europe's deepest natural bay. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town is made up of very narrow, cobbled streets. We got off the usual tourist path, away from other tourists. We could think about what it could have been like to live "back in the time" in Kotor.Baca lagi
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PengembaraHow beautiful! Can't wait to see more pictures of the narrow streets.
9/10/23BalasTerjemah
Susan FulmerGlad you are enjoying! Thanks for the photos and info
11/10/23BalasTerjemah
1 suka
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Hari 10
Isnin, 2 Oktober 2023
☀️ 24 °C
Altitud: 304 m
Slovenia Tivoli park 46.053414, 14.50608946°3’12” N 14°30’22” E
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War on Dubrovnik, farmstead visit
2 Oktober 2023, Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
We were given a view of the signicant damage to Dubrovnik from the artillery shelling (1991-1995) as seen from a mountain viewpoint. Old undamaged roof areas are darker, and roof tiles that needed to be replaced are brighter orange in color.

In the afternoon, we visited a family farmstead where olive oil production has been ongoing for generations. The owner of the farm gave a very detailed presentation. That was followed by wine tasting. It seems that nearly everyone makes their own wine here. Then we had dinner with live folk music.

Later, we walked around the old town til dark.Baca lagi
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Susan FulmerVery interesting. Great day!
12/10/23BalasTerjemah
Susan Fulmer Beautiful
12/10/23BalasTerjemah
Susan Fulmer Great photo
12/10/23BalasTerjemah
0 suka
Tamat perjalanan
15 Oktober 2023