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Europe and the Adriatic
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  • Début du voyage
    30 avril 2018
  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Great day in Switzerland.

    3 mai 2018, Suisse ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    We traveled 45 minutes by train through the beautiful Swiss countryside to the city of Lucern with our friends, Imelda and Risch. Shopping and sightseeing were the first order of business and there was no shortage of shops. From Swiss Army Knives, made in Schwyz, to watches, cheese and of course, chocolates, it was all together, nestled amongst historical buildings, some over 500 years old.En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Bern, Switzerland

    5 mai 2018, Suisse ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Another fantastic day in Swizerland! A 90 minute train trip from Schwyz found us in Bern where Imelda's daughter, Jeanine, and her partner Oliver live.

    With Imelda and Rische we toured this beautiful city, historic sites, including their Capitol building, got a fantastic history lesson and, of course, shopped.

    We loved how our hosts insisted on stopping every hour or so for coffee, beer and a small snack. Most memorable stop was for a beer and snack at Albert Einstein's home.

    Last stop was the Rose Garden obetlooking old Bern city. Ed had a chance to discuss relativity with Albert and suggest he square the value of "c" to make his theory work.

    At days end Jeanine and Oliver hosted us in their home for dinner. Oliver made fantastic civiche then grilled chicken and wurst (sausage) on their apartment's deck. Wunderbar!

    A fast walk to the bus stop got us back to the train station barely in time for the last train back to Schwyz and we were back just after midnight. Thank goodness for Swiss obsession with being on time.    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Arrived in Dubrovnik!

    7 mai 2018, Croatie ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After a delightful and short flight on Edelweis Air we arrived in Croatia and were welcomed by our driver and wonderful Spring weather. We are staying at Hotel Kompas, a modern and comfortable hotel on the coast of the Adriatic sea.

    Hotel room is large compared to typical European ones and our balcony looks put on the beach and water.    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Adriatic Paradise

    8 mai 2018, Croatie ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    What a wonder-filled day we had! Slept late, walked the promenade around the bay, stopped for a beer and sandwich at the Cave Bar, took a nap, went to dinner, more beer and food and back to.our room for a good night's sleep at 10 pm.En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Still in Dubrovnik

    9 mai 2018, Croatie ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We had a great walk in a local forest park, sat on hotel room deck, and Barb finally got her swim in the Adriatic sea checked off on her bucket list.

    Tonight we join other members of our tour that arrived today for dinner and tomorrow visit the "Old Town" area of the walled city of Dubrovnik. We have 5 from CA, 7 from Oregon, 2 from Washington and 2 from Colorado.En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Old Town and a Familiar Game

    10 mai 2018, Croatie ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    We toured grad, or old town, Dubrovnik. Our guide shared the fascinating early history of the Repubic of Croatia, a nation then of diplomacy and trade. It was the first nation to recognize the USA as independent.

    While it looks old, and much is, it was significantly damaged during the Yugoslav wars in the early 90's so much had been repaired and restored.

    Game of Thrones fans may recognize a few locations as scenes from several seasons were filmed here with some off the town serving as King's Landing. Many locals played as extras.

    It is a beautiful city surrounded on three sides by the acute blue, crystal clear waters of the Adriatic.    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Amazing

    13 mai 2018, Bosnie Herzégovine ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We spent the morning touring the old part of Sarajevo. Old is not actually an appropriate description as many old buildings were destroyed or significantly damaged during the Bosnian war that sought the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Bosnian Croats and Bosniacs from 1991 to late 1995.

    Many of the buildings damaged have been repaired but we saw many remaining with bullet pockmarks and crumbled walls where mortars and other artillery shells fell.

    We drank beer at Sarajevo Brewry, founded in 1864. The underground spring beneath the brewery was, for many residents, the only source of water during the 4 year siege and many were killed by snipers and artillery attacks as they sought to fill water containers.

    The population where we are staying is predominantly of a moderate Muslim faith tradition tho there are Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish populations as well.    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Last Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina

    14 mai 2018, Bosnie Herzégovine ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Words are a weak way to share the experience of visiting Sarajevo. One must come to truly experience and understand, if even to understand even the basics of a very complex and disturbing political failure.

    Through it all those that suffered most have rebuilt with spirit and hope inspite of the leader's efforts to crush both.

    Last picture is a Sarajevo Rose, the red color faded with time, but the artillery shell in the center marks the place where 70+ civilian lives were lost as they gathered to shop for scarce food.    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina

    15 mai 2018, Bosnie Herzégovine ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    So much history here. From our hotel I leaned out to snap a picture of the bridge where Austrian Duke Ferdinand was assassinated. Millions of lives were lost in the ensuing first world war. Standing on the bridge one can't help but think they might hear voices. It's difficult to absorb it all but so fascinating to be where history was made.

    As we depart Sarajevo we pass hills covered in white, spires 5 or so feet tall. They are the
    markers of gravesites of thousands killed in the Bosnian war. They were buried wherever there was open green space, including a stadium where Olympic atheletes competed in 1984, because the official cemetery was in Serbian-held territory.

    The beautiful countryside and smiling, hopeful and friendly people were a joy to visit. Now we travel back to Croatia, visiting Karanac in the northern part of the country before continuing to Zagreb tomorrow    En savoir plus

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  • Ed NeumannEurope and the AdriaticVoyageur

    Karanac, Croatia

    16 mai 2018, Croatie ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    From mountains and rolling hills we transitioned to the fertile plains of northeastern Croatia. The verdent countryside filled with acres and acres of feed corn, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat and much more are broken by quaint, small villages and welcoming people.

    We were welcomed to a working farm with bed and breakfast style accommodations. Seems everywhere we go here we are greeted with trays filled with shots of home made plum brandy; strong stuff! Freshly made donuts filled with homemade strawberry jam were part of a very warm welcome as well

    We assisted in the making of soft cheese to be served with our breakfast tomorrow before heading out for another dinner hosted by a local family. Great food, more plum brandy and fellowship. All slept well inspite of, our perhaps because of, all the farm sounds.

    After a hearty breakfast we participated in a pottery making class presented by a local artisan. Later we walked about the village and stopped briefly to help a local chef prep food, a local special stew (Cobanac)with Hungarian paprika, onions, beef and lamb and "secret ingredients " (Hungary's influence is strong here due to proximity)for our lunch. Then we were off to a winery to taste wines made from locally grown grapes.

    The winery looked like a California estate transplanted into this rural village. The wines we tasted were suprisingly good and very inexpensive. We bought a bottle for ourselves and the wine maker's family sent us off with three to share with lunch. Lunch was fantastic! In spite of walking 3-5 miles a,day I'm certaim we are gaining weight. I personally think we're on a Hobit diet: breakfast followed by second breakfast 2 hours later then 2 hours later, eleveses, the lunch with afternoon tea, dinner and supper. And always plum brandy (Slibowitz) and "živjeli!" Croatian toast.

    After lunch we departed for Zagreb.    En savoir plus

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