Vive les bébés!

May 20th - June 7th. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris just about the same time Jacques began his arrival in a taxi and finished on a narrow bench in the waiting room of the clinic where he was supposed to be born in more appropriate surroundings!

Meanwhile we were settling into our new airbnb apartment around 10:30 that night knowing via text (no phone service at that point) that family and baby were doing well  however, we didn't have the harrowing details at that point so we crawled happily into bed after a full travel day. All was revealed in the morning ...

All fingers and toes accounted for  by two proud parents

For the full story see the previous blog titled Jacques' Bumpy Ride!

Jacques and family pal Lulac the rabbit

Mary ended up in the clinic for five days since Jacques was born with the same blood incompatibility that Marcel had, so he needed to be under the UV lights to correct jaundice and have regular blood tests to monitor anemia. There were also several follow up doctors appointments - but as of this writing he is fine. He looks very much like Gregoire's side of the family and is a lovely little man. Coco also favors that side - but Marcel looks like a little English imp - definitely favoring the Day / Campbell side. 

Baby 'Jack' under the UV lights!

Both genetic sides of the family represented here.

Our apartment was about a 15 minute walk to Mary's in a neighborhood just below Sacre Coeur on the north side. It was nice to be close by but in a different part of Paris.  https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/2471473 . The apartment itself was large and filled with really interesting books and an unusual collection of moths and butterflies impaled on pins. The owner is a graphic designer and it showed! The surrounding streets were filled with diverse and really interesting restaurants and ethnic shops of every kind, mostly African and Indian - if you get to Paris, we can recommend this as a great place to stay slightly off the beaten path - but still close to everything in the city centre by bus or metro. 

We love the 18th arondisement - but every inch of Paris is grand.

Meanwhile... the next morning we set off to meet Gregoire and head to the clinic to meet the baby! On the way Gregoire filled us in on the entire experience! Wow. Of course he and Mary, being the calm people they are took the whole thing in stride - and we had a good 'laugh 'til you cry' moment once we were all together and were holding our beautiful new grandson.

You just can't get any happier than this

Michael and I jumped in to help with Coco and Marcel and it was great to get back into that role. Michael headed back to Vienna for an event that has caught his attention as something we might be interested in replicating, so I took Colette home for a sleepover! Mooma (that's me) heaven. We had such a great time together, and for all you grandmothers reading this, you know how special these little ones are. You get parenting 'do overs' with all the patience in the world and no running around like the crazy over-scheduled parents we were. An hour for a bath (with no fun-spoiling hair washing)? Nooo problem. Up past bedtime? Why of course. Two more books? Yes please. French toast,whipped cream and strawberries for breakfast? Absolutely.

Grandpa doing what he does best!

Coco snuggled in for the sleepover!

Anything can be a bath toy - including oven mitts!

I also had a full day with Marcel and we did it up two-year old style. He is a bundle of energy and he laughs from deep in his belly. Such an easy and enjoyable companion because everything is interesting and worth exploring. And whenever possible climbing up and jumping off most anything. He also knows more about my i-phone than I do! Based on the picture below, I may have overdone it a tad by the time I got him home.

Marcel ready for whatever comes his way

Look at all those big bugs Mooma!

Hmmm. Perhaps we over did it a just a bit!

We were in Paris for almost three weeks and the time flew by. We shared meals and chores and diaper duties - cooked and just kept on laughing about it all. Sort of a slightly hysterical laugh when we thought too hard about how Mary and Greg and three babies could live in harmony in 350 square feet of living space ... but for now it works. They are working on finding the right home in the right place that allows both Mary and Gregoire to work. They have freelance careers, so that helps with flexibility but ultimately, a move somewhere outside Paris with reasonable access to the city is in order.

Michael and Mary and I spent a day in Fontainebleau (about an hour outside Paris by train) to have a look around. This would be their first choice for a new area to settle in. It is a beautiful historic city with many amenities including a huge parks surrounding a stunning castle and extensive forest land. It is a popular place to live, so currently there is a shortage of rental properties. But the right thing will come along.

Learning from an expert - napping in the sun is a good thing.

Mary and I on the palace grounds at  Fontainebleau

When not immersed in family life, we had a great dinner out with good friends Jenny and Graham Fairbanks who live in Paris, and then another lovely evening with friends from Seattle, Rob and Debbie Fleming who were visiting from Seattle. Michael and Rob were able to take in a 'friendly' football match between France and Norway as practice for the World Cup. Rob and Debbie came to Paris to attend the French Open tennis tournament.

Michael was very involved in that tournament when we lived in London when he worked for the sports management company Proserv. They represented many elite tennis players and Michael was a fixture at both the French Open and Wimbledon. He was able to spend a day at the event and caught up with some friends and colleagues from the past.

Flying the tri-color for France!

Michael and Rob taking in the match.

A beautiful day at Roland Garros.

It turned out that Mary needed to review a cooking class venue for her on-going Rick Steve's research work, so we snuck away sans children for a morning long French Pastry class. It was very well done and we ended up with three nicely crafted whip cream or pastry cream covered concoctions that ended up as lunch. Could be worse. Any time I have been able to take a cooking class during this odyssey it has been so enriching. And of course, sharing this with Mary was perfect.

Mary making piping look easy!

Dad, daughter and baby also had a day out that included a visit to the Hajj exhibit at the Arab museum - a good look at the obligation of all Muslims to visit Mecca in their lifetime and later that night took in another Rick Steve's review of a English speaking comedy club with the headliner getting people in stitches about daily life in Paris.

Too soon we said goodbye as we headed to Ireland and Scotland for three weeks and then on to Oslo, Helsinki and the Balkan states for a whirlwind tour. We look forward to seeing Mary, Gregoire and Jacques in late July for Chris and Jamie's wedding - and wish Grandma and Grandpa all the best  with Coco and Marcel for those ten days!

And thank you for reading!

Michael and Debbie
Senior Nomads

A Waltz through Vienna

May 7th - May 20th.

It is true, Vienna is a "Ye Olde" city filled with grand architecture, world-class music, ornate horse drawn carriages and decadent chocolate cake, but we found a Vienna that was modern and vibrant as well. For example...

Katarina Wurst, the winner of Eurovision 2014 is Austrian

Our apartment was quirky, but very nice. It was about a twenty minute walk from the city center - just far enough to feel like we lived in a neighborhood. And it was a great part of town with lots of bars, vintage shops, galleries and pocket parks. There was even a billiard hall where Michael watched parts of the Vienna Snooker Open. Here is the link to our apartment.

https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/2023633

Since there were no football matches to attend Michael had to add some variety to his sporting experiences

In Disneyland there are strict rules about how costumed characters comport themselves while interacting with the public. Not so in this Mozart saturated city. I had to laugh at the many bedraggled white wigged young men and women pitching concerts, tours, and other Viennese tourist offerings. Yes the men were dressed in brocade jackets, ruffled shirts and velvet breeches, and the ladies wore dresses with revealing bodices, and flouncing skirts - but they also wore Ray Bans, Nikes, smoked like chimneys and were constantly checking their cellphones. The horse drawn carriage drivers were even worse!

Correct attire

Incorrect attire

We took a walking tour on the Friday and enjoyed some of the hidden alleyways and inside courtyards not always seen on your own, and of course the vast history of this city was shared as much as it could be in two hours. We felt there was so much more to learn, we took a second tour the next day from a different company.

A city filled with statues and buildings to rival Rome

A delightful courtyard that led to Hayden's home

On our first tour we found out about a free outdoor concert to be held that night on the grounds of City Hall. It was the kick off to the Summer long series that would take place on the same stage. It turned out to be a spectacular show featuring choirs from around Europe. The facade of the building changed colors to the music and big screens shared the action.

The venue was a short walk from home so we packed a picnic and headed out. it started to rain just as we arrived - but a clever sponsor was passing out free ponchos so we joined hundreds of others that became a sea of advertising for the local bank. We made friends with a couple of delightful landscape architecture students who had commandeered a park bench. If you are willing to share a picnic, you can always get people to 'scootch' over.

An impressive building of many colors!

Our new friends with great seats.

We woke up to a sunny Saturday morning and a flea market just outside our door that stretched for several blocks. A fine start to the day. We had a great wander through the stalls full of antiques, books, records, dishes, and memorabilia - knowing you can't really add anything to our luggage makes it more fun, in a somewhat tortured way.

I did however score my Mother's Day gift. For years I have collected Steiff animals and several vendors had boxes filled with them. Not the pristine collectors items that cost hundreds of dollars, but the kind of furry friends that have enjoyed some rough play and tea parties over their lifetime. It was like being at the animal shelter and wanting to take all the kittens home, but alas I could only choose one. The winner was a Wiener as a tribute to Lola who spent almost ten years of her life at Tip Top.

I wanted them all!

The winner!

Church the next day at St. Augustin - one of the oldest and most important churches in Vienna, was not only impressive for the elaborate service, but also for a full orchestra and choir performing Mozart and Haydn classics. It was inspiring on several levels.

It was pouring rain when we came out so we sprinted for home for a nice day of resting, reading, planning, and watching Amadeus for the third time to get us in the Viennese spirit.

During our wanderings we kept seeing promotional materials for an event called Lange Nacht Der Kirchen. After seeing it so prominently advertised we had to find out what it was. We discovered it was a one night event translated to Long Night of Churches that took place all over Vienna and surrounding cities on May 23rd. The basic premise was any church could open its door that evening and offer cultural events. Anything from musical performances, to plays, to crypt tours, poetry readings, political discussions and beyond. Sort of an Open House situation where anyone interested can visit as many churches as they like and enjoy a free evening out. 

One of many churches promoting

The Long Night of Churches

We were intrigued enough to meet with the event organizers to learn more about it. The activities are chosen by the church and can be just about anything they want to showcase. The evening starts around 6:00 and in some cases goes until midnight. Without going into more detail - Michael actually flew back to Vienna from Paris to experience the event first hand with an eye towards creating something similar in the Northwest.

Other highlights; a Mozart concert performed in period costume at the majestic opera house (wigs firmly in place this time), Michael's tour of the United Nations Campus, my day at the Albertina museum, a delicious a Wienersnitchel dinner, reading in the palace rose garden and an enjoyable afternoon scouting out the extensive outdoor food market.

Sitting in the same hall where Mozart performed was a thrill

Michael took a tour of the United Nations campus in Vienna

My Vienna experience appears to have had an animal theme

Day Trip:

We took an hour train ride to Bratislava, Slovakia. Slovakia was originally part of Czechoslovakia, which split in two in the early 1990's after the wall came down and the country gained it's independence. This historic city, even though it is the capital, didn't really prosper. It was a rainy, Sunday afternoon when we visited and most shops were closed and the streets deserted - that didn't help dispel the feeling that Bratislava sits under a dark cloud. Our walking tour was interesting as always, and we learned more about the checkered history of this city - and how Prague gets all the glory (for several things that actually happened in Bratislava) and how they are constantly confused with Slovenia. We heard the other side of that story in Ljubljana. The communists did not do the city any favors as far as architecture goes, and tore down much of the Medieval old town to make way for housing blocks and widened roads so the beautiful parts of the city seemed few and far between. Unlike Sarajevo - Bratislava just didn't feel like it was going to get much better any time soon.

This gloomy sign summed up the city's atmosphere

An ancient tram running through the center

Who doesn't love a guy crawling out of a manhole? One of the best public art pieces I've seen anywhere.

We left Vienna after almost two weeks of immersion in Austro-Hungarian history, modern culture and excellent food! We are heading Paris to be with Mary for the arrival of baby number three. We will be there for 17 days and we can't wait!

See you there.

Michael and Debbie

Senior Nomads

p.s. This post is a little out of order. See the previous post for details on baby Jacques bumpy ride into this world!

Jacques' Bumpy ride!

Hello all. I am behind in posting on our travels but we have been side tracked by the arrival of our latest grandchild - a beautiful baby boy! Little Jacques (pronounced Jack) came into the world on May 20th in Paris. Here is the story...

While we were busy settling in to our new Paris digs last night after a long, rainy travel day -  all kind of crazy things were going on at Mary's household. Due to lack of cell coverage on our phones we were, as it turns out, blissfully unaware of these events. We did text to say we had arrived safely and were looking forward to seeing them in the morning, and of course to keep us posted if there were any ‘lost bumps in the night’. We didn’t hear back but that is to be expected when they should all be fast asleep.

Keep in mind, Mary was due on the 28th. I knew we were cutting things close by arriving on the 20th, but she and her sage midwife Willie (a 60ish man with a walrus mustache - renowned in Paris as the Baby Whisperer) had determined that if Mary didn’t want to give birth until I arrived, then she wouldn’t. A slight refinement might have been not at the same time.

As we turned out the lights at 11:30 we got a text from Mary saying the Baby was so excited we were in Paris he just couldn’t wait one more minute to arrive. Clever little one. Lots of love all around and we’ll connect in the morning. We couldn’t talk to Mary at that point because our phones would not work in France until we activated them the in morning at the phone store. So off to sleep knowing all was well and Marcel had a little brother to rough house with for the rest of his life.

Now the ‘fun’ part of the story begins. Around 9:00 Mary was having some regular contractions about 20 minutes apart. She called Willie to let him know, and he said to call him back in an hour or so - but no need to get too excited. Another thing to keep in mind - Coco’s arrival was a long 20+ hour ordeal. Mary first met Willie when he came in to for the last 4 hours to ‘whisper’ to the baby and encourage her to respond to Mary’s heroic pushing efforts.

Marcel was born at home and all went well until he had to be rushed to the hospital with a mother/baby blood incompatibly that ended with Marcel severely jaundiced and under UV lamps for a week.

This time around they were going the conventional route. Birthing clinic, travel plans that needed to include traversing Paris at any time night or day for at least an hour, childcare plans for the kids (that we missed by a day), but Greg’s sister was ‘on deck’.

So - back to base camp. Mary laid down for a wee rest and then all hell broke loose, including her water. As you know they live in a small space - so Mary was trying not to scream ’too loudly’ as she went into intense labor in the bathroom for fear of giving her children nightmares for life, and to avoid delivering on the spot, because she know this baby was well on it’s way. Greg was simultaneously booking a taxi, calling Willie and telling his sister ‘Yes. Now. Come now, NO you can’t finish your movie! A half an hour later Auntie Magali arrived and will no doubt, after this experience choose to never have children.

Greg got Mary downstairs just as the cab arrived. It must be every cab driver's worst nightmare to pull to the curb and find your fare in the throws of child birth... and you need to get this poor, wretched woman and her frantic husband all the way across Paris. You can only feel his pain! But he was game and ran red lights and took every short cut … but meanwhile, as the cab was nearing the clinic our brave girl announced that the baby’s head had cleared the birth canal. "What? Are you sure?” Greg asked (insert pain-wracked withering glance here). Greg called Willie who was waiting upstairs - and explained the situation. The phone was cutting out but it sounded like ‘stay there I am coming’.

By now it was 11:00 and the clinic was closed except for incoming mothers in a more normal stage of labor - and emergencies. As Mary was screaming in the taxi, Willie and others arrived to assess and help. Greg tried to pay the driver … who at this point was in a full sweat and said I can’t give you the full price until SHE is out of the cab. Greg tossed him enough cash to cover all the contingencies and then helped carry Mary from the taxi into the clinic lobby - and that’s as far as they got.

There was no stretcher, no emergency entrance, no flashing lights and ‘STAT’ calls. Just four guys taking her up 8 stairs and laying her on an 18” wide bench in the lobby to finish what Jacques had started. Out the little man came - and both mother and child were calm and collected, albeit a little startled. Jacques was laid on Mary's chest and they where bundled up in a foil blanket and plopped in a chair on wheels (not to be confused with a wheelchair) for the ride to the delivery floor.

As it turned out the tiny clinic elevator was broken, but the consensus was "that’s no problem - we’ll just take you up in the parking garage elevator!" So the same hefty crew carried the chair with mother and newborn down the stairs, outside and then rolled down a dark ramp to an elevator "Don’t drop your baby!” Ha. Ha.

In the end - and a great story to tell through the ages, Jacques is beautiful and healthy. We where able to see them the next morning and had a great afternoon with Marcel and Colette.

It did turn out that Jacques had the same blood incompatibilty  situation and spent four days in the clinic under UV lights to clear the jaundice. He is fine now, and a sweetheart, of course!

What a blessing.

Ljubljana - Brought to you by the letter T

May 1st - May 7th. Traveling from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Ljubljana, Slovenia was a Trek. In fact, we decided that May 1st was brought to us by the Letter T, just like on Sesame Street. After all,  it was a Travel day, and because during our Travels that day, we Took Transportation that included Taxis, Trams, a Take-off and a Train. And it Took all day!

Thankfully, Our delightful host Irena met us weary Nomads at the door of our new home. We arrived on Europe's Labor Day and in Slovenia that extends to a two day event so we were out of luck as far as our usual provisioning was concerned. Knowing that would be the case, Irena stocked the fridge with a few basics (including beer) and we had an interesting collection of snacks leftover from our long travel day. Cookies, cheese and Gummie bears for breakfast? Why not? Now I know why I've carried that powdered tomato soup mix with me all these months - that along with crackers and a can of tuna discovered in the back of Irena's cupboards made for a lovely dinner. And think of the money we saved! The apartment was in a great location and full of books and warm touches. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/210296

We took our usual free walking tour the next day and got to know this beautiful city. It is a fairy tale setting. You can easily walk it from end to end, crossing the Danube back and forth as you go. It's like a little Vienna surrounded by medieval walls topped with a wedding cake castle, and for contrast some stark communist overlays.

The entrance to the Parliament building was adorned with scores of nudes representing a good days work by the people

Our tour guide was a college student was enthusiastic about his city and proud of his country. We found that Slovenians in general are very proud of their heritage and their recent independence.Of course they are annoyed by the constant confusion between Slovenia and Slovakia. They even played the wrong national anthem during the Olympics - and you'd think Russia would know the difference!

Ljubljana was a city of contrasts

We heard about a website called Vayable.com from a friend. It's purpose is to connect visitors with locals offering unique experiences outside the typical tourist fare. For example, we found an opportunity to enjoy a traditional Slovenian meal in a private home.

After e-mailing back and forth with our hosts and sharing our story, they invited us to test a Vayable offering they were considering. It was a  trail walk and wine-tasting in the Karst region. No hesitation on our part - other than we didn't know these people and we were committing to at least 3 hours in a car together and a day of hiking to who knows where, and if we didn't like it we couldn't sneak out the back door. But hey, wine and food were involved so we were in!

Our day with Vesna and Robi turned out to be one of the best experiences of our trip. We headed out on a very scenic drive to the Karst region famous for it's Teran wines. We stopped for a stretch in Stanjel a village that seemed to have stopped in time.

Stanjel was a step back in time. This was the main street!

Our hostess, Vesna. She was a full of knowledge about wines, vines and herbs.

Then we were off to Pliskovica. We parked near a popular hostel http://www.hostelkras.com and picked up a trail map. Then we were off on our 4 mile trek through pastures and vineyards along the Pliskina Pot (Pot translates to trail). It was mostly flat terrain through bucolic fields of wildflowers and crumbling stone walls. Every now and again we found little red circles with a sheep drawing to help us stay the course. Just near the end we stopped for lunch at a gastro farm (Turisticana Kmetija).

On the Pliskina Pot trail. Follow the sheep!

A most memorable feast and a game of dominoes with our new friends.

We were happy to get off our feet in the courtyard around a rustic wooden table shaded by grape vines. There was no menu - you were offered the home-cooked meal of the day. Our repast included a generous pitcher of the farm's own Taran wine, a just picked salad,  seemingly unlimited slabs of crusty bread straight from the hearth,  homemade pickled vegetables, and a huge platter of prosciutto, sausages and salami Next up - Thick cabbage soup studded with potatoes, carrots and fresh herbs! Large dumplings in berry syrup were offered for dessert but sadly, we'd had our fill and had a long drive back on a holiday weekend Sunday. The total for this lovely lunch was $35. for the four of us.

Before we left the village, we stopped at a couple of farmhouses to taste the local Taran. It would appear that just about everyone makes this delicious red wine at home. Just ring the bell and bring your 2 Litre jug and for about $10.00 you have heavenly wine to go. Get thee to Slovenia.

Robi filling a jug with delicious Teran wine to enjoy with our dinner

The next evening we dined with Vesna and Robi in their home as planned. It was nice to be able to continue our conversations from the day before. They were knowledgeable on so many subjects, and Michael was happily able to indulge his political curiosity. Vesna is an herbalist so the menu was replete with interesting dishes that incorporated wild greens including asparagus just picked along the roadside that morning. Here is her website http://www.slocally.com/

Nothing like a selfie! So glad we met this delightful couple.

I have to say both of these experiences, were indeed unique, and you would be hard pressed to find them in any travel guide. We will add Vayable to airbnb for all future travel planning. 

We also took a day trip to Bled, just a short train ride away. It is famous for it's lovely lakeside setting and the chapel on an island, and a decadent dessert called Bled Cake. It was a tranquil day and we savored being out of the city and enjoying our nomadic life.

I love the graffiti on trains and this coach to Bled could be my favorite!

Lake Bled. Our tranquil day trip destination.

Good thing we had a hike around the lake before Bled Cake!

Thanks again for following along. Next up Vienna and then to Paris for the arrival of Baby.

Debbie and Michael
Senior Nomads

At Long Last Croatia!

April 17th - April 30th. We said goodbye to Sarajevo and headed to one of the Top Ten Countries on our list - Croatia. Or as it is officially known in Croatian, The Republika Hrvatska. But that doesn't work very well in the travel brochures, now does it? 

This was the first time we've stayed in three cities in three weeks, but we really wanted to see the country so we started at the top in Split, hit the island of Hvar near the middle and ended up at the very bottom in Dubrovnik.

On the bus with the goal clearly marked!

We used a new means of transport this time. The bus! Ours was a fine bus, as buses go - not a luxury model, but not bad either. No WC or WiFi or any amenities, really, but big windows and a jolly driver. We had eight hours ahead of us so it was a good thing that this Assistant Travel Planner packed a full bag of snacks and activities (just like when the kids were little).

Goodbye snowy Sarajevo. Croatian weather was mixed but certainly warmer!

Roasted goat was tempting if you can deal with heads, tails, hoofs and hair!

We made several stops along the way to let folks off and on - and one longer break where you could eat slabs of meat cut from whole goats gently roasting on spits - which I would have done,  except the  hairy unshorn legs and the entire heads were still attached, and I am just not ready for my debut on Bizarre Foods.

The safe harbor in Split

Split was a city filled with ruins and rejuvenation

SPLIT: After a long day of beautiful, winding (as in corkscrew at times) coastal scenery, we arrived.  I had bus legs (sort of like sea legs). Split is a bustling harbor with ships coming and going at the speed of Seattle ferries x 2. It's major attraction is the Diocletian's Palace. The first bricks were laid at the turn of the 4th century. While a large tourist draw, it is still amazing on just an average day in the neighborhood you can quietly sit on a 600 year old bench while sipping a cappuccino. 

Michael enjoying local music in Split

In keeping with this city's cavalier attitude towards ruins - they have their own recycling program. You can stop by the official ruins 'boneyard' and pick up a chunk from ancient column or a lost body part from a statue, or just a few cool 600 year old bricks, and use them as part of your home - either as a coffee table or a door stopper, maybe a pizza oven, or whatever. You just have to agree to use them as found and not smash them into little bits of gravel for your garden courtyard.

The view from our deck

Our lovely airbnb hosts

Our apartment was on the top floor of a stylish 19th century building. I know I am repeating myself, but once again, it was one of the best we've landed. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1015070.

We enjoyed some great food here - especially at our neighborhood bistro. I had Octopus Goulash twice - because when you can, you should. Especially since this is not something that I'd whip up at home.

Just looking at this photo makes me want to go back!

On our first visit we were treated to live opera sung around the piano. Why? Because the restaurant  owner loved opera and a few of his talented friends were available that night. Unexpected events like this are the key to Nomad Happiness!

Hvar might be one of the finest places on earth

HVAR: (Haaavarrr) Sounds like pirate speak! And this idyllic island is a place where you could easily envision pirates reveling in their booty around every corner. They would have been well mannered of course, and tidy. Because Croatia is a very well-kempt country, and Hvar was a perfect example. The cobblestones were swept, the doors polished, the chairs and umbrellas on the piazzas were in order, the gardens immaculate and the beaches pristine.

A quite morning coffee in the Piazza all to myself

Once we reached the top of the fort there were no more stairs left in Hvar!

The old town was filled winding alleys, hidden shops and stair-studded paths to explore. One of which lead to a castle at the top of a lookout that was well worth the hike. Early May was a quiet time to be here, not much going on so the locals were relaxed and helpful. It was easy to imagine how enjoyable it would be to spend summer days here. The many large cacti gave us a clue that it could be hot, but access to the sparkling sea was easy from just about anywhere. If I said our apartment in Split was great. Well, it just gets better. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/607986. We hope to come here again - and our hosts were wonderful.

The view from the deck of our apartment

Who wouldn't walk 20 minutes to town with this scenery?

Hiking downhill? We did consider it for a minute.

Dubrovnik really is this beautiful

DUBROVNIK: Visiting this city has been on my list ever since I saw it on the Today Show a few years ago during a segment of "Where in the World is Matt Lauer". Now I couldn't care less where he is, and I hope his arrogant self will be fired... but that's another story.

The lovely narrow streets inside the walled city.

A TV channel was focused on the main street of the city 24/7

 Mr. Campbell and I reached this red roof topped haven by bus, but this time we were there in just under 4 hours - and we were not disappointed by this walled city by the sea.

Dubrovnik goes above and beyond the Croatian clean and tidy standards. It's almost like entering Disneyland just as the gates open. And it did feel like we were in a Fairytale at times. Most of the town is contained within the ancient city walls. They are so well preserved along with the buildings inside that you can't help imaging what it was like living here 800 years ago. Guess that's why Games of Thrones is filmed here.

Everywhere you looked you were in a Fairy Tale!

Again, I am glad we came in May so we could enjoy Dubrovnik without battling thousands of high-season tourists. After seeing the damage in Sarajevo it was hard to believe that this immaculate city also suffered damage and casualties in the 90's during the Bosnian war - but we saw the evidence in the memorial museum. We enjoyed a lovely concert one evening and continued to eat well. My good friend Ben Vogt passed along some  great restaurant tips since he and his husband Jeff come to Croatia every year. It's always so nice to have personal recommendations. Here's the link to our flat in Dubrovnik https://www.airbnb.com/rooms /1065106

Michael braving the ancient stairs

At least benches had been invented to go along with all those stairs

It was lovely but there were 444 stairs downhill from our door to the city center. And that meant 444 stairs back. Just going to the grocery store took up 234 of them!

Next up Ljubljana in Slovenia. That would be Loo-Bee-Yawn-Ah. See you there!

Thanks for following along!

Debbie and Michael Campbell
Senior Nomads