Averidichi Venice

Our Air France flight to Paris left Venice on time
I had a good view of Venice, the Alps and Paris from the port side.

Disneyworld of Europe

We romped around Venice with surprisingly large crowds.  Way too too many tourist shops and too too much shopping.  I was here 30 years  ago and it hasn't changed.  No need to return....

Yachting to Venice

On our way to Venice via water taxi.

Ron is Fished Out

Dinner at Batelina outside Pula was completely seafood.  This restaurant was a favorite of Chef Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" television show.  Ron, who said he never saw so much unknown food on one plate, did not consider it one of his favorites.

Vesna's Birthplace

A VERY small town, Sutivanic, was where Vesna was born and grew up.  We stopped to pick up some rare cheese from one of her thousands of cousins.  Of couse, she knew everyone in town.  White house on left is where Vesna's mom was born.  Vesna was born in house down the hill.

Laben on the Hill

A few kilometres from Rabac is another hilltop town Ed frequented as a kid.  We had some lunch and strolled to the top.

Ed's Boyhood Village

Rabac on the east coast of Isteria is where Ed grew up before moving to America.  It is a beautiful seaside town which now is a tourist destination.  Ed found his old home on the hillside.

Uncle Vlado's Daughter's Farm

Vesna has a BIG family.  This morning we visited a family farm which had pigs, geese, olives, fruit, vegetables, and who knows what else.  They work the farm full time year round.

Early Morning Marina

My sunrise walk took me to the marina near the port.  The boats were 80% sail and mostly French and German boats.  The Mediterranean mooring is such a pain compared to our methods on the Great Lakes.

Uncle Vlado's Friend

Vesna's Uncle Vlado has a good friend with a restaurant that serves traditional Croatian food.  Tonight we had minestrone soup, gnocchi with wild beef (bull), pasta with oxen, roast pig, and grappa.  Dinner with Vesna's family was excellent!

In the Clouds

The hill town of Motovun was immersed in clouds.  Even though visibility was low, it was very scenic.  The stone streets were steep and slippery.

Kozlovic Winery

A good thing to do on a rainy day is visit a winery.  According to our conesuers, the wine was fair and the white was preferred.

Rovinj Harbor

The harbor had a wide array of vessels.  If the weather wasn't so foul, it would be interesting to take one for a cruise.

Rovinj

The coastal town of Rovinj protrudes into the Adriatic and is surrounded by the sea.  It wouldn't be right if a visit didn't include a climb to the top of the tallest structure.

Farm to Table

Beach Bums

We took a walk along the Adriatic and visited more Roman structures.  The building with columns was leveled in WW2 and rebuilt.

Gladiator View

This is a view from inside the Coliseum.  The museum had a display on ancient production of olive oil.

Host Home

This is Ed and Vesna's Croatian home in Pula.  It has two apartments and they are very nice and accommodating.  We will be here for four days

Local Bakery

Vesna and I went on a walk at dawn.  We stopped at a local Bakery for breakfast pastery.  The shop was small and the goods were very good.

Fish and Ruins

Tonight's dinner in Pula, Croatia of sea bream fresh fish was wonderful.  A large fish was prepared for the table.  Afterwards we walked by the Roman coliseum ruins.

Caves and Castle

Postojnska National Park has a huge cave we went in by underground train.  The cave had over 21 kilometers of passages and halls.  We were underground for 1 1/2 hours and the scenery was spectacular.  We then climbed around Predjama, the largest cave castle in the world.

Arriving in Slovenia

We picked up our van in Vienna and Ed got us to the Slovenian border in about 2 hours.  Our first destination is to go caving.

Vienna Octoberfest

The grand event on Friday night was the Vienna Octoberfest, where FeneTech had a customer booth.  It was a very high energy affair.

Sacher Torte at Demel Cafe

Lunch and a dessert at the oldest bakery in Vienna.  The Sacher Torte is chocolate and apricot.  Victoria needs to put this on her list of things to bake for dad.

Musical Armor

The Armor and Historical Musical Instrument Museums were large, impressive, and filled with hundreds (maybe a thousand) pieces.

2680 Carats

The Imperial Treasury at the Hofburg Palace had an impressive emerald, maybe the largest in the world.

Eight Viennese Schnitzels

Our Thursday night dinner recommended by hotel was great!  We all went with the specialty.

St Stephen's Cathedral

Another center city church.

Teenage Consumption

Just like kids and their electronics.... our travelers are consumed by their devices.  Hopefully they won't miss the  boarding announcement for Vienna.

Shooting Black Pigs

In preparation for the Vienna Octoberfest, we had dinner with FeneTech at a beer hall.  Afterwards we wandered into a pub and had a local treat; Black Pig.  This is a concoction of the finest Scandinavian licorice marinated for months in vodka.  One of the most disgusting shots we have experienced......

Ed training with 1 liter rounds

Vesna and Ron shooting the Pig

Luxembourg Military Cemetery

We visited the American military cemetery where over 5000 soldiers rest.  The casualties buried here are predominantly from the Battle of the Bulge.  General George Patton is also interned here in front of all his men.  My father served in Patton's 3rd army (95th division, 377 regiment, Company H) and fought in the bloody battles of Metz, Saulaurten, and the Rhineland campaign to capture Dortmund.  Today was a strong reminder of those who sacrificed for our freedom.