Balkan Journey

This year's Grand Circle tour was to an area that was devastated by war as little as 10 years ago. Scars still linger, but some of the former Jugoslav republics, now independent nations, have become relatively prosperous and peaceful.

Our first stop was in Zagreb, the capital and the largest city in Croatia. It lies on the southern slopes of Mount Medvednica, which dominated the view of the city from our hotel room.

Our Grand Circle guide Romina gave us an introduction to the major landmarks of the city such as the national theater and the museum of arts and crafts. The first thing one notices is the extravagant baroque architecture that characterizes these buildings.

Getting around the city is easy. We could catch a tram (free for anyone over 65) to the heart of town in Ban Jelaçiç square.

The city is filled with the usual characters - performers in the square, couples behaving like typical couples, teenagers behaving like typical teenagers, and families strolling past an open-air art show in the park.

A local guide, Harry, provided us with a guided tour of the major landmarks. A steep street leads to the old city. Around the church of Saint Mark, with it's tiled roof, lie the Croatian parliament (or Sabor) and other state buildings. Nearby the church of Saint Catherine provides an example of the baroque architecture that can become quite overwrought at times.

On Sundays a craft market occupies the central square. On other days the fruit and vegetable market is worth a visit.

Adjacent to the market is the cathedral square and the cathedral of St. Steven.

One unusual tourist site is the Mirogoj cemetery . Wandering through the graves provides a sense of how in the past different ethnic groups have managed to live and die together in Croatia.

Another important influence on the city has been Croatia's best known sculptor, Ivan Meštroviç. One of his earliest works is set in front of the national theater. We'll meet Meštroviç again in Split. Sculptures by lesser known artists, like this one in front of a bookstore, provide a sense of fun.

Our next stop was Slovenia, an independent country not to be confused with Slovakia, or Slavonia (a province of Croatia). We stayed in Bled, a beautiful spot in the Slovenian Alps. From our hotel we had a view of the lake and the castle, and of the small island at the end of the lake. Bled Island is, in fact, the only island in Slovenia (by contrast, Croatia boasts of over 1,000). In the evening the lake is given over to local sculling enthusiasts.

Near Bled is the larger, wilder Lake Bohinj . The lake discharges under a bridge to form a fast river that offers good trout fishing. Overlooking the lake, its direction pointed out by a memorial to those who first climbed it, is Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia.

A balloon ride would be a good way to explore the area around Bled, but the option was not available. So a group of us set out to explore on foot. We hiked along an alpine valley through bucolic scenery, past farmhouses, to a nearby river. The river passes through Vintgar Gorge, accessible only via a wooden walkway. Beautiful vegetation and rocks end in a dramatic waterfall, with the obligatory rainbow.

After leaving the gorge we hiked through woods and an alpine meadow to an old church. From there we were treated to a view of Bled and the surrounding area. The hike back took us across a steep hillside , where we were able to interact with the local fauna, arriving back at the river just in time for lunch. Lunch consisted of the best trout we have ever eaten, presumably right out of the river.

While in Slovenia we spent a day in its capital, Ljubliana. Ljubliana is laid out along a river, the banks of which provide the site for a large crafts fair. A local guide showed us the major attractions - typical baroque buildings such as the university, the home of the Ljubliana Philharmonic, where Mahler was once the resident conductor, and the Ursuline church.

Near the town square is the cathedral, the most interesting aspect of which is it's main door, featuring six bishops who have been important figures in Slovenia's history.

Strolling around town through typical streets, many paved with cobblestones, we explored buildings along the riverbank. We stopped by the market, where a group of folk singers was performing, and ended up, as always, at a sidewalk cafe, where we were entertained by this young Slovenian.

After Slovenia, we returned to Croatia, to the town of Opatija, laid out below Mount Uçka. Opatija developed as a tourist site during the 19th century, when an Italian nobleman built a grand villa. Subsequently many other elegant villas were added.

From our hotel room we had a grand view of the Adriatic, and of the harbor. Beyond the harbor, the island of Cres gives one a sense of why Croatia boasts of its thousand islands. A five mile long pedestrian walkway along the seafront allows one to explore beyond the town.

The weather, unfortunately, did not always cooperate. A couple of cold wet days left snow on the nearby mountains, unheard of in late May. Other disruptions to our stay were created by a heavy police presence, protecting a gathering of European ministers from any international terrorists who might have mixed with the tourists.

The weather relented occasionally, permitting a view of the hills behind Opatija, and walks to the small towns along the coast, each with its own harbor.

One day Gordon decided the weather was good enough to permit a hike up Mount Uçka. The hillside provides a spectacular view of the bay, and the path takes one through small villages with delightful cottages and their sometimes less friendly inhabitants.

Beyond the villages the route consisted of steep, narrow trails, the way marked by occasional sign posts. Meadows were filled with wildflowers. The karst limestone that characterizes the region offers dramatic, and probably dangerous sink holes. But it is also home to beautiful streams and peaceful pools. The intended goal of the hike, a small restaurant, turned out to be closed, so the trip down was driven by serious hunger pangs.

On one particularly rainy day we visited Mošçenice. For two members of our group protection from the weather was provided courtesy of the River to River Relay. Mošçenice is a small medieval town. It contains some unique architectural features. The baroque church is simpler than many of the churches we visited, but features a strange cross that incorporates primitive symbolism .

The weather finally cleared for a trip to Rovinj, on the Istrian peninsula. Here the beautiful old city turned out to be overrun with art students, all busily sketching .

The city is a maze of narrow streets and courtyards. From the city roof tops one can look out to the harbor, a scene somewhat tempered by the more modern view of TV antennas.

After sufficient time shopping and playing at being tourists, we spent an hour recovering at the sidewalk cafe, watching other tourists check out the merchandise at a floating souvenir shop .

On the way back from Rovinj, we stopped at Pula, site of the 6th largest Roman amphitheater in the world. Our guide gave an animated account of what life was like there 2000 years ago.

And so on south, along the Adriatic coast, past the island of Krk and numerous other islands.

We arrived at the city of Split, second largest city in Croatia, quite industrial, but also the site of a beautiful harbor. The mixed character of the town in reflected in its textures

As in most of Croatia, the architecture in the old city exhibits the same mix of baroque and medieval. In the center of the town, however, are remnants of the palace of Diocletian, with parts dating from the 3rd century. With a guide, we explored parts of the basement, which remains much as it was almost 2000 years ago.

In one of the Roman temples is the Meštroviç sculpture of John the Baptist. Split is the birthplace of Meštroviç, and features many of his works, including this dramatic representation of Gregory of Nin. It is said to bring good luck if one rubs the big toe of his left foot.

We stayed in Split only one night, so we never did find out what this banner was advertising.

Proceeding further south along the Dalmatian coast, we stopped briefly in Bosnia and Hercegovina, which owns roughly 5 miles of the coastline. Storm clouds rolling in, and a threatening sunset, did not auger for good weather in Dubrovnik.

The weather was not at its best when we visited Monte Negro, one day after it had declared its independence from Serbia. There were few evident signs of celebration. Most people we met seemed to be about as excited as this resident. Most of our time was spent in Kotor, a UNESCO heritage site, set dramatically beside a river. Monte Negran flags did fly proudly at the city entrance.

One evening we went to dinner with a host family. While the owner of the farm grilled the meat, we chatted with the girls and shared stories with their mother. After an excellent dinner, the sisters sang for us, in both Croatian and English.

We stayed at a hotel near Dubrovik, right on the shore. Flowers and steps made for a natural rock garden. At the hotel a large balcony to our room provided a place to relax in the morning, and in the evening to enjoy a glass of Plavac with friends.

The city of Dubrovnik is as magical as it is advertised to be. During the recent wars it was subjected to severe shelling, which left few roofs intact. The roofs have now all been replaced, but the effect can be seen in the contrast between new roofs and the few remaining originals.

The city presents a dramatic view, projecting into the Adriatic, and surrounded by defensive walls and forts,

The only drawback from the point of view of the visitor is the endless parade of cruise ships, all disgorging thousands of other tourists into the narrow streets. Our own visit was further disrupted by a jazz band and a marching band, not to mention the hoopla surrounding a well-known boxing promoter who just happened to be there at the same time.

Our guide to the city was as beautiful as the city itself. He explained the origins of the public fountain, and guided us through the maze of side streets and steps. We found relative peace and quiet inside the Franciscan monastery.

Perfect weather finally arrived on our last day. We were able to walk all the way round the city walls. From the walls one can view the city's major landmarks. From the towers one has a fine view of the coast. And one can see some of the few remaining scars from the war, and look in on the day to day life of the city.

Croatia and Slovenia are well-kept travel secrets (the crowds in Dubrovnik notwithstanding). The countries face the same environmental and development dilemmas that more popular destinations have to deal with, but they remain mostly unspoiled. We had the sense that their future is a bright one. But still, don't tell too many people about them.

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