Croatia : Zadar

Spent the day of sunshine and warm temperatures on a boat cruise of the Kornati Islands. Even swam in the Adriatic Sea!

 

Synchronicity Story 2

As I mentioned in the introduction  to my  Serendipity 2013 blog, I am collecting some of the instances of synchronicity that fascinate me.   The most recent occurred a few days ago as our tour group enjoyed  an evening of Slovenian food and music. 

We were chatting about our various cities of origin and

heard the laughter of  a large group of Icelanders at a nearby table. That sparked Rick from BC to mention his Icelandic and Norwegian ancestry. It quickly emerged that his Norwegian grandparents were part of a small group of settlers who had tried unsuccessfully to establish their community at Cape Scott on the harsh northwestern coast of Vancouver Island near Port Hardy. This was of great interest to me as a couple of years ago, my partner and I had hiked in to the beach at Cape Scott after a 50 km drive on old logging  roads that took 2 hours because of nature of the terrain. While  we explored the overgrown vestiges of the homes and school and church that the settlers  had been forced to abandon, we marvelled at the tenacity and courage of these people  who had come to a new land with such high hopes. If it had taken us so long by modern car and roads, imagine the struggle they had even getting to the coast much less building homes etc. As the sun  dappled through the trees over the ruins, one could imagine the families  laughing and enjoying the warming weather of spring. Our  walk to the shore revealed a misty beach with waves swirling around black rocks. Empty. 

I feel honoured to have met a descendant of those brave pioneers. While Rick's grandfather succumbed to the stress of their difficult situation, his grandmother raised their 7 children and carried on until the age  of 92. 

Rick has flown over Cape Scott but has never been there himself. 

My thoughts: By taking the time to get to know each other a bit better, I was able to learn what had happened to a family that I had wondered about and Rick  will have recent pictures of where his family settled so long ago. 

Croatia:Zadar

Travelled to the Adriatic coast where there is a beautiful blue sea and a town with medieval walls and Roman ruins. Walked on a street that has been here for over 2000 years. History coming alive for me as never before. Zadar has many echoes of Venice as it has been part of Italy  various times in it's history. Aunt C and her pals relaxed by the pool after a swim  before dinner. Hope I do not need to wear my heavy raincoat again!

Croatia: Zagreb

Visited the local open air market and enjoyed coffee in a cafe which we are told is a favourite pastime of Croatians who get together for a "cup of conversation". After walking through the "green horseshoe" of parks, we had a city tour called the Musical Postcard of Zagreb that culminated in a glass of champagne before a concert performed by musicians from the Croatian Chamber Philharmonic on the baroque church of St. Catherine. Thanks to Ron Booiman (www.travelwithron.ca) our fabulous tour guide for arranging a wonderful trip and a very special evening.

Croatia : Zagreb

Left Slovenia to travel by bus to Zagreb Croatia. Another country that was part of the former Yugoslavia. These are small countries whose citizens are fiercely proud of their newly found independence and who have a strong sense of national identity developed over centuries of struggle. After a few of us enjoyed some relaxation at a cafe, the group took a walking tour of the old town, much of which was rebuilt after an earthquake in the late 1800's. A lovely evening spent with some amazing women who love to travel and laugh and enjoy life in all it's complexities.

Slovenia: Postojna and Lipica

An early start to travel to amazing underground caves at Postojna. After a short chilly train ride into the caves, we walked through cavern after cavern, each one more spectacular than the last. Mystical stalactites and stalagmites above us and beneath us, inspiring awe at the patient artistry of nature. Masterpieces carved and constructed drop by drop over millions of years. Lunch included wine tasting at a restaurant with local food of cheese and prosciutto and pork with regional wine. Saw a castle imbedded in a cave on the way to spend the afternoon at Lipica to learn about the stud farm that has bred Lipizzan stallions for generations. Complete with a dressage show and a ride in a carriage. The spring blossoms and newly grown grass so peaceful.

Slovenia: Bled and Bohinj

Took a bus trip to the Julien Alps to see Lake Bled and a dairy museum at Lake Bohinj. Very interesting mountainous area in this small country of 2 million people. As a former journalist and public relations guy, our guide Mike has a wealth of information and opinions, all so helpful in understanding the context of where we are. We took a flat bottomed boat ride to the only island in Slovenia. Aunt C had great fun pulling the wishing bell in the church on Bled Island but was so focused on her task that she forgot to wish!