Honeymoon

A 11-day adventure by Mike and Carole Read more

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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 6
Thursday, October 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM
🌧 19 °C
Altitude: 16 m
Greece Ákra Síderos 39.624984, 19.92234639°37’30” N 19°55’20” E
Corfu Town, Greece
October 27, 2016 in Greece ⋅ 🌧 19 °C
We got back to the old town of Corfu at dusk, when most of the shops were closing. We snapped a couple of pictures of the old fortress built by the Venetians in 1546. The church down the road is the Church of St. Spyridon, the patron saint of Corfu. The church was built in 1589. The last picture is a typical street in modern Corfu. Unfortunately the esplanade was too dark to photograph by the time we arrived.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 7:30 AM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Montenegro Tivatski Zaliv 42.429733, 18.65319142°25’47” N 18°39’11” E
Bay of Kotor, Montenegro
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Rick Steves said not to oversleep when cruising through the Bay of Kotor early in the morning, and was he ever right! As the sun rose, we sailed through the bay and it was truly amazing. Mike took so many pictures he could have made an album of the bay alone. The bay was, hands down, the most beautiful port of the trip.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 9:00 AM
⛅ 6 °C
Altitude: 1,447 m
Montenegro Štirovnik 42.399444, 18.81888942°23’58” N 18°49’8” E
Road to Cetinje via Kotor
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, "I have heard that the road to Cetinje via Kotor is one of the most beautiful in the world and that is why I've come." We could not agree more. The views were amazing.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 10:30 AM
⛅ 13 °C
Altitude: 665 m
Montenegro Cetinje 42.393096, 18.91159642°23’35” N 18°54’42” E
Cetinje/Hilltop Market/Budva
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Our ship excursion in Kotor took us to Cetinje, which was once the center of Montenegrin rule. We stopped at the Museum of St. Nikola (the pink building). They were adamant about our not taking pictures inside, so we don't have much to show from the collection. After Cetinje, we stopped at a hillside market where we got some Montenegrin wine and had a most flavorless piece of ham on dry bread. Carole bought some beautiful handmade lace for home—a real steal! On our way back to Kotor, we drove by the fast growing city of Budva, which has become a popular resort location for Europe's upper class.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 11:30 AM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Montenegro Gurdić 42.424662, 18.77123442°25’29” N 18°46’16” E
Kotor's Old Town
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
After Cetinje, our bus took us back to the old town of Kotor; we had a quick tour there before we returned to our ship. Mike posed in front of the main gate, or the "sea gate", which dates back to the 16th century. We also snapped a picture of the the sign in front of the "Cats of Kotor" shop (kitties are everywhere in Kotor), the Square of Arms (city's largest square, named during the Venetian period for the arsenal building located on the square), the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, and the church of St. Luke. St. Luke's was built in 1195 and is one of the few buildings that survived multiple damaging earthquakes unscathed. The last picture is representative of the walkways common within Kotor's old city walls.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 3:00 PM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 3 m
Montenegro Škurda 42.425637, 18.76889942°25’32” N 18°46’8” E
Kotor's Fortifications
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
After the quick tour of the old town, we decided to hike up the old city wall and fortification. We did not initially plan on going to the top (which involves climbing the same amount of steps as the Empire State Building), but once we started, we were determined to reach the top. We reached the top around half an hour before sunset, so we trotted back down in short order; it was chilly and the steps were very uneven (they definitely wouldn't meet building code in the US!)—not a very safe hike to make in the dark.Read more
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 3:30 PM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: 3 m
Montenegro Škurda 42.425637, 18.76889942°25’32” N 18°46’8” E
Kotor's Fortifications
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
The Castle of St. John at the top of the hill was built by the Venetians in the 15th century, but the fortifications go back far longer than that. The original fortifications were last rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Justinian in the 6th century—those were some pretty old, well worn steps.Read more
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Day 7
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 4:30 PM
☀️ 16 °C
Altitude: 5 m
Montenegro Škurda 42.425525, 18.77179642°25’32” N 18°46’18” E
Kotor Harbor
October 28, 2016 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
This is a combination of sunrise and sunset harbor pictures. This little town is a must see for anyone traveling the Adriatic!
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 9:00 AM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508065, 16.44047143°30’29” N 16°26’26” E
Split, Croatia: Views from Bell Tower
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
The next stop on our cruise was Split, Croatia. Split is an ancient city that served as the retirement home of Emperor Diocletian (the last Roman emperor to persecute the church). We bought tickets to the palace's cathedral and bell tower, and got some good pictures from a bird's eye view. An American girl tried (and failed) to take a picture of us up there; sometimes the selfie is the way to go!Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 9:03 AM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508354, 16.44016943°30’30” N 16°26’25” E
Cathedral of St. Domnius Bell Tower
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Originally constructed in 1100 AD, the bell tower was reconstructed in 1908 and several of the Romanesque sculptures were removed. The tower is visible from pretty much anywhere in the city and makes for some nice photographs. This day we didn't have a formal excursion to stick to, so we explored the town leisurely on our own time.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 10:30 AM
☀️ 17 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508354, 16.44016943°30’30” N 16°26’25” E
Palace of Diocletian
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Much of the city is within the ruins of the old palace which dates back to the 4th century. We bought tickets to tour the lower section of the old palace which was better preserved and had been excavated. The picture of Carole is taken in the palace's main hallway; it is now used for little tourist shops.Read more
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 11:59 AM
☀️ 19 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508065, 16.44047143°30’29” N 16°26’26” E
Temple of Jupiter/Baptistry of St. John
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
The Temple of Jupiter was constructed between 295 to 304 AD while the palace was being built. In the 6th century, it was converted into the Baptistry of St. John. This statue of St. John was completed by Croatian artist Ivan Mestrovic. The oldest representation of Croatian King Peter Krešimir IV is engraved on one of the marble rood screens. Also pictured is an entrance to the temple and the ceiling. Lastly, we included a picture of the sunset as we made our way out of Split's harbor.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 20 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508065, 16.44047143°30’29” N 16°26’26” E
Split: Inside the Old Palace
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Old ruins dominate the center of the city of Split. Many of the buildings in or near it were built with stones from the palace itself. The big picture is of Carole standing in the peristyle of the palace.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 2:00 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 56 m
Croatia Visoke Širine 43.515557, 16.45542543°30’56” N 16°27’20” E
City of Split
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
These are miscellaneous photos of Split. First are images of the market located near the dock outside the palace. There were flowers everywhere in anticipation of the Catholic All Souls Day (Croatia is a largely Catholic country). The statue is of Grgur Ninski who was bishop of Nin during the 10th century; he is honored by Croatians for fighting to allow them to worship in their native tongue as opposed to the previously required Latin. The other photos are from the harbor and the Stars Ura (old town Clock Square). The clock was built between the 13th and 15th centuries.Read more
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Day 8
Saturday, October 29, 2016 at 3:00 PM
⛅ 21 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Croatia Split 43.508065, 16.44047143°30’29” N 16°26’26” E
Cathedral of St. Domnius
October 29, 2016 in Croatia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Originally built as a mausoleum for Diocletian in 305 AD, the church was first consecrated in the 7th century and is considered the oldest Catholic Church building in continuous use in the world. The cathedral gets its name from the patron saint of Split, a third century bishop of Salona who was beheaded by Emperor Diocletian just a year before the mausoleum was built.Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 8:00 AM
☀️ 9 °C
Altitude: 11 m
Slovenia Koper 45.548059, 13.73018845°32’53” N 13°43’49” E
Koper, Slovenia
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C
Our next stop was Koper, Slovenia. Once again, we had booked an excursion with a group of other couples to head to Lake Bled and the Slovenian capital city of Ljubljana. We arrived at the dock early so we took a quick peak at the little coastal town of Koper where our cruise ship was docked. It was early Sunday morning, so it was very quiet. We had just long enough time to trot to the main square (Tito Square), where we found the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the town's bell tower. The cathedral was built in the second half of the 12th century and has several valuable Renaissance era paintings inside. We also came across the Praetorian Palace, a 15th-century Venetian Gothic palace that was once the podesta's seat and now houses the Koper city tourism department.Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 10:00 AM
⛅ 7 °C
Altitude: 477 m
Slovenia Lake Bled 46.363598, 14.09380546°21’49” N 14°5’38” E
Lake Bled, Slovenia
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Next we traveled to Lake Bled, a stunningly beautiful body of water in the midst of the Julian Alps of northern Slovenia. There is a tiny island in the middle of the lake on which stands the Pilgrimage church of St. Mary; it was consecrated in 1142, rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 15th century, and then rebuilt again in the 17th century after it was damaged by several earthquakes. Carole really wanted to take a boat out to the island, but sadly we were the only couple willing to spend the hour and a half it would take to do that.

The church is an extremely popular spot for weddings; it is tradition for the groom to carry his bride up the 99 steps from the water to the church and ring the "wishing bell" for good luck. Mike likes was amused at the thought of what a chore that must be for some grooms. For him, it would have been easy of course, but some grooms likely didn't quite make the climb!Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 11:59 AM
⛅ 11 °C
Altitude: 563 m
Slovenia Lake Bled 46.369874, 14.1006846°22’12” N 14°6’2” E
Bled Castle
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Next we drove up to Bled Castle on a cliff overlooking the lake. It is unclear exactly when the castle was first built. Recorded history extends back to 10 April 1004, when the German King Henry II (later Holy Roman Emperor) conferred the estate of Bled in the province of Carniola on Bishop Albuin of Brixen and his church. In 1011 Henry II awarded Albuin's successor, Adalberon, the castle on the cliff (Castellum Veldes), in a charter.

Also included are pictures of Lake Bled Cream Cake (which Carole found delicious). We also sampled the local Slovenian beer.Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 1:00 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 563 m
Slovenia Lake Bled 46.369874, 14.1006846°22’12” N 14°6’2” E
More Views of Lake Bled
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
Settlements of the Lake Bled area go back thousands of years. Archeologists discovered 80 gravesites from the late Iron Age (800 to 600 BC). There are also more modest finds of Celtic and Roman settlement as well as Slavic settlements starting as early as the 7th century. As noted earlier, the castle dates back as far as the early 11th century.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 1:00 PM
⛅ 12 °C
Altitude: 563 m
Slovenia Lake Bled 46.369874, 14.1006846°22’12” N 14°6’2” E
Museum at Bled Castle
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C
The castle's museum had a lot of good historic information to offer, including the charter from the 11th century that first documents Bled Castle. Carole liked the red leaves covering the walls around the entrance. We also found some really old frescoes and an old bathroom with the best view in the castle—a good way to start the day for a few of the castle's wealthy residents!Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 2:00 PM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 284 m
Slovenia Ljubljana 46.056947, 14.50575146°3’25” N 14°30’21” E
Ljubljana
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
After tearing ourselves away from beautiful Lake Bled, we hopped into the van to head to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. The guide told us that Slovenia was home to the majority of the best manufacturing plants from Communist Yugoslavia and, as a result, was more prosperous than its southern neighbors.

Included is a picture of the Julian Alps on the road from Bled to Ljubljana. We also had our picture taken in front of Dragon Bridge, likely the best known bridge in the city. There is also a picture of Butcher's Bridge, which is covered in locks placed there by couples expressing their eternal love by placing a padlock on the bridge fence and throwing the key into the river. We didn't come prepared with a padlock this trip!Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 2:30 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 284 m
Slovenia Ljubljana 46.056947, 14.50575146°3’25” N 14°30’21” E
Ljubljana City Hall and Robba Fountain
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
Originally built in the Gothic style in the 15th century, City Hall underwent a baroque renovation in the early 18th century. In front of it is Robba Fountain, completed in 1751. Also known as "Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers", the fountain is one of Ljubljana's most recognizable features. We also saw Robba's sculpture of Narcissus; next to it is our knowledgeable local guide.Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 3:00 PM
⛅ 14 °C
Altitude: 286 m
Slovenia Prešeren monument 46.051532, 14.50589446°3’6” N 14°30’21” E
Preseren and Congress Square
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C
In Ljubljana, our guide took us to the city's two main squares. The pink building is the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, originally built in the 17th century and given its baroque facade in the 18th century. A monastery dating back to the 13th century is attached; it houses thousands of medieval manuscripts. Also pictured is the Triple Bridge leading to Preseren Square, the University of Ljubljana, and the Academie Philharmonica (which was established in 1701, but was completely rebuilt after 1895 earthquake.)Read more
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 4:59 PM
🌙 11 °C
Altitude: 290 m
Slovenia St. Nicholas' Cathedral 46.050754, 14.50808446°3’3” N 14°30’29” E
Ljubljana's St. Nicholas Church
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
Pictures of Robba Fountain on previous pages include St. Nicholas Church, which is pictured here. The church building was first mentioned in 1262, and suffered a fire a century later, leading to its restoration in Gothic style. It was later burned down by the Turks in 1461, and finally redone in 17th century in Baroque style.

The church's two bronze doors commemorate the 1250th anniversary of the Church in Slovenia; they were installed as part of the papal visit of Pope John Paul II in 1996. One door depicts the history of Slovenia over that period while the other door portraits the 20th century bishops of the city. The frescoes photoed were painted at separate times in the early 18th century.Read more
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Honeymoon Mike and Carole
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Day 9
Sunday, October 30, 2016 at 5:59 PM
🌙 9 °C
Altitude: 303 m
Slovenia Prešeren monument 46.051532, 14.50589446°3’6” N 14°30’21” E
Ljubljana
October 30, 2016 in Slovenia ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
All in all, Ljubljana was a neat little town that we would not mind visiting again — but only if Carole gets to spend more time in Lake Bled, too! During our time in Ljubljana, we ate at a busy restaurant to sample the local fare. Unfortunately our time at the restaurant precluded visiting more of the city, including the Ljubljana castle (pictured on the hill); the structure was rebuilt in the 15th century and added onto for the next two centuries. Archaeological surveys, notably, indicate the area was continuously settled since 1200 BC; there is believed to have been some type of fortress there since the 12th century AD. There is so much history in that city, and we had so little time to discover all of it!Read more
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