Mama Mia, Here I Am Again!!

I received a note from a friend asking if I was OK because she follows my blog and has not seen a post in a while. I apologize and yes, I am fine.

In my last blog I mentioned the bus ride from Venice to Rijeka Croatia. I ended up staying in Rijeka for a few days. Croatia is the new Italy in terms of vacation spots on the beach. Croatia dangles along the Adriatic Sea with beautiful beaches all along the coast, just across the street from Italy – I should say across the sea.

Rijeka, third largest city in Croatia  is a major port in the Adriatic Sea  with a history of Austro-Hungarian architecture. I jumped on a local bus and I visited a few castles and churches – all stunning.

I encountered a woman on the bus from the Ukraine who moved to Croatia when the war began. It is sorrowful to hear about what the country and people have gone through and continue to go through in the Ukraine.

From Rijeka I once more traveled by bus along the coast of Croatia and ended up in Zadar. Simply because I liked the name. I spent a few days walking around Zadar’s historic center. If there is a breeze, the sea organ, an art installation consisting of a series of pipes cut into the promenade  puts out soft meditative music.

From Zadar I picked up a bus to Split. All of Croatia, but especially Split  has an interesting history. Founded as a Greek Colony in 3 BC, later it became a significant Roman city, then Byzantine and Austro-Hungarian influences. Which intrigued me being half Hungarian. Alas, I did not find any good Hungarian cabbage rolls or pastries.

After WWI Croatia became part of the “Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovene” which later evolved into Yugoslavia. There was a Yugoslavian community in Dayton Ohio and I remember well the Slovac Club which I believe still exist.

The Diocletian Palace is a World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved Roman architecture in the world. Did I visit it- no!  Why? Because I am an idiot and did not look it up as places to visit. Why not? Because I forgot!

At times I am amazed I can find buses and trains to my destinations!  I will have to go back – but need to take a partner to remind me of where I am and where I am going. Needless to say traveling alone at age 72 is a gamble and adventure.

In Split I took a 2 hour ferry ride to the island of VIS. My son actually flew there for a wedding years ago. I am always amazed at some of the wedding destinations and bachelor and bachelorette party destinations.

In the original “Mamma Mia,” the Greek island of Skopelos played the fictional island of Kalokairi.  Filmmakers turned to the Island of Vis to shoot “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” in 2018.

Because the island was a Yugoslav military base until 1989, it remained isolated and sparsely populated until recently. Although Vis has changed and become a tourist destination, it has remained fairly secluded. However, “Mamma Mia” has pushed the island into the spotlight.

Thus ended by trip. I flew back to the USA in time to go to NYC and watch my daughter Laura run the NY Marathon – for the third time. Visit friends on Long Island and Hershey Pennsylvania and Anaheim CA.

Then I went back to Nashville where my granddaughter lives and rented a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath as a home base.

It has been a great 3 years of being a nomad, just roaming the world on my own. I still plan to travel but now I have a home base and invite all of you to come visit the great Nashville area. You will always have a place to stay!