Betty Does Brussels and Points Beyond

Stockholm, Sweden Part Three

2012-01-26T19:22:00.002+01:00

This was my final night in Stockholm and probably my favorite. Again, it's hard to capture a feeling on film or to explain it to someone else. All I know is that I'll never forget sitting on a bench downtown with the snow gently falling on me as I took in the scenery of a city I am certain to visit again.

Please click on "older posts" below for parts one and two.

Crazy subway station.

I nearly lost it when I came across this freakish buoy near the shore. I swear it looked like there was a cat walking on water. Bizarre.

A bit more street art on Södermalm.

Someone needs to tell the good people of Sweden that Chicago-style buns have poppy seeds on them, not sesame seeds.

Stockholm, Sweden Part Two

2012-01-26T18:43:00.001+01:00

I went to the island of Djurgården to visit Skansen, which is another tourist spot. It's the kind of place that kids go to on field trips, but I really enjoyed it. It's basically meant to represent Sweden in earlier times. There are also Scandinavian animals there which was another draw. It was quiet and snowy and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And for not seeing any sunshine the entire time, the color of the sky at dusk was breathtaking (as you can see above). No fancy camera tricks here.

This adorable couple was feeding birds out of the palms of their hands.

Baby wolverines frolicking.

See them in action. Impossibly cute.

And that was part two of three.

Stockholm, Sweden Part One

2012-01-26T10:16:00.000+01:00

Freezing and walking, freezing and walking,that was how my first couple of days went. I’d forgotten how strenuous it canbe to explore a new city. It was probably around 10 degrees the first couple ofdays I was there and it was light out for about 6-7 hours a day (nosun). But I don’t mean to make it sound bad. I really enjoyed Stockholm! Younever know how you’ll feel about a city until you’re actually there. It’s theintangiables that make a city great, so I’m not going to try to tell you aboutit. As usual, most of my trip will be conveyed via photos.

Knowing that I will be returning, I choseto focus on just a couple of parts of town/islands on this trip. I’d rather getto know a few places well than spread myself too thin. Day one is--surprise,surprise--the old town aka Gamla stan. It’s not the best set of photos; theones coming up will be better.

A couple of observations. There seem to belittle frozen waterfalls everywhere there are rocks protruding from the earth;I heard the Wu-Tang Clan on Swedish radio nestled between crappy pop songs(WTF); mailmen wear shorts in below-freezing temperatures; there were a lot ofnaked mannequins in store windows (what’s up with that?); and grocery stores are asquiet as libraries. That is all for now.

Ice skating in the park.

The prerequisite Gamla Stan/old town shots.

Castle guards.

The little cobbled lanes we Americans love so much.

Shouldn't he be hibernating somewhere?

Homemade die.

A few shots from the island of Södermalm.

I didn't realize I was being watched.

Tiniest benches ever.

Strange, bumpy ice that seems to be in patches on the grass all around town.

Stone floor lamp.

Downtown in the morning.

Brixen/Bressanone, Italy: South Tyrol/Südtirol Part 2

2011-08-22T19:44:00.010+02:00

Not much to say since I didn't stay in Brixen (Italian name: Bressanone) for long. I basically took these photos and proceeded home. And this wraps up my photos from summer vacation 2011.

Bruneck, South Tyrol Part One

2011-08-04T13:23:00.002+02:00

Also known as Brunico, Italy. That's right, this small town has two names and at least one person I know who lives there refers to himself as "Südtirolean"--not Italian, for what it's worth. People in the region speak mainly German and the cuisine, I'm happy to report, is a delightful mixture of both Austrian and Italian influences so everything tasted good. And I made some great friends there! I had so much fun that I went back again a second time and met even more cool people. But those photos will follow. For now, here's trip one.

A procession in the morning:

There were a lot of cool façades on the buildings in the old town. Even the modern ones were pretty unique and reminded me of ones I'd seen in Konstanz.

Illustrating the resistance by some to claim to be part of Italy:

Pragersee/Lago di Braies:

Laura and Jakob having a moment:

A wonderful lunch in Jakob's parents' garden:

Bruneck, South Tyrol Part One

2011-08-04T13:23:00.000+02:00

Also known as Brunico, Italy. That's right, this small town has two names and at least one person I know who lives there refers to himself as "Südtirolean"--not Italian, for what it's worth. And people speak mainly German and the cuisine, I'm happy to report, is a delightful mixture of both Austrian and Italian influences so everything tasted good. And I made some great friends there! I had so much fun that I went back again a second time and met even more cool people. But those photos will follow. For now, here's trip one.

A procession in the morning:

There were a lot of cool façades on the buildings in the old town. Even the modern ones were pretty unique and reminded me of ones I'd seen in Konstanz.

Illustrating the resistance by some to claim to be part of Italy:

Pragersee/Lago di Braies:

Laura and Jakob having a moment:

A wonderful lunch in Jakob's parents' garden:

Cres revisited

2011-07-07T20:27:00.019+02:00

I visited my aunt and uncle in Cres (on the island of Cres, naturally) again but stayed for a couple of days this time. I think I'd like to stay even longer next time. My cousins are visiting next week and I would've really loved to be there at the same time as them, but they chose a lousy time to go--the high season. It was crowded when I was there before high season even started. Anyway, I spent my days laying near the beach, drinking beer, catching some rays, and longing for someone else to be there to share the beauty with me. That was the only thing missing. I took a long stroll down the coast the first day to find the optimal spot to swim. Unfortunately, the nude beach was not it. But don't worry, you won't see any nude folks here. It would've been rude to photograph them. Plus, the people who choose to go nude usually should not. Now for the photos.
I sure look happy! There was a procession going on because it was a holiday. I could hear the singing from the watchtower as the sun set. Some guy walking past my aunt and uncle's place with some sheep.

Departing Cres on the bus.

From the ferry.

This is such a freaky picture I can barely look at it (people who know me well know why I say that), but the colors are so beautiful and I love the lines of the photo.

Back on the mainland on another bus heading to Opatija.

Arriving in the Dolomites was a bit depressing the first night--until I got to my host's place!

Mošćenička Draga and Opatija, Croatia revisited

2011-07-06T21:36:00.017+02:00

I arrived in Opatija (near Rijeka, referred to as the "Croatian Riviera") after I left Verona. I was greeted by my wonderful friends Kika and Amor. The rest was everything a vacation should be. Dining, drinking, smoking, and laughing with good friends. Sharing stories and watching bad music videos, hanging out on the beach and tending to sunburn the days following. I can't say enough about how much I love these folks. I can't wait to go back! I prepared carnitas for them and they loved it. I've been trying to get them to visit me, but as beautiful as Füssen is, we don't have the sea. In other words, I completely understand. On to the photos.

A look outside of the windows of my friends' place.

The seas were a little rough the first day I arrived, but the result was crystal-clear weather the next day so I can't complain.

A surfing doggie.

A new art installation near the seaside.

Kika at the fish market.

Mošćenička Draga

My friends Amor & Kika.

A walk along the promenade toward Lovran.

The dog beach.

A tasty seaside treat I learned about from my friends. The flavor is similar to celery.

Italy Part 1 Continued: Verona

2011-07-06T08:23:00.015+02:00

I took so many photos in Verona that I needed a separate post for them. It should go without saying that it was a very photogenic town. Although I feel compelled to add that as beautiful as Verona was, I was surprised at how muddy the river looked. It's not that far from the mountains so I expected it to look more like the Isar than the Mississippi but what can I say? Not surprisingly, it is a UNESCO heritage site. I suppose it's worth mentioning that Romeo & Juliet was set here, too.
I spent a few hours there snapping photos and looking around but the throngs of tourists made it a bit difficult--shame on me for going on a Saturday--and I was really looking forward to getting to Opatija to the sea and my friends as soon as possible. Unfortunately that meant skipping the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit that was taking place. I think I should have planned better but as usual I always fall a bit behind because I forget that my pace is much slower on vacation. Ahh, vacation...
On to the photos.

Here's my last look at Lake Garda before heading to Verona. I was in a traffic jam so taking this was no problem.

Verona, Italy

This was taken accidentally but I really like it. A happy little accident.

A wedding procession through the historic center.

Italy Part 1: Lago d'Iseo, Brescia, Lago di Garda, and the road there

2011-07-03T13:04:00.025+02:00

(above) My first glacier-in Switzerland not far from St. Moritz

This year I decided to stop in Italy on the way to and from Croatia. Brescia was my first destination. Again my navigation system led me astray, but I saw my first glacier ever, which is pretty cool. I arrived in the area at Lake Iseo a few hours later than expected and it was very hot as you can almost see by the photos. My hosts were Cristina and Gianni who live in what feels like a little village 20 minutes from the center of Brescia. They were excellent hosts and I had a great time! Maybe too much fun the first night because I was very hung over my second day there, which hampered my efforts to see the center of Brescia. I got some good shots but feel like I did not get a really good sense of the city. I did, however, get to see Lake Garda which was really beautiful. My favorite part had to be going to Cristina's family's farm. We ate like kings that night! A really great start to my trip.

A tectonically-significant mountain in Sardona, Switzerland (Unesco site)

Lake Iseo

Garden near the castle in Bresica, Italy

Brescia's historical center

Cristina's family's farm

My lovely hostess, Cristina

Zucchini blossoms--yum!

Sirmione on Lake Garda

Gelato!

Salò on Lake Garda

Schloß Fernsteinsee, Schloß Linderhof & Kenzenhütte

2010-12-19T08:55:00.012+01:00

Here are some photos that I neglected to post from a hike I took with my friends Bea & Liesbeth, and a short drive I took down into Austria. I've already been to Linderhof and Kenzenhütte so I won't bore you with a lot of text. Just enjoy the photos!

Waterfall by Kenzenhütte

Hello Bea!

Hochplatte

Even the reservoirs are beautiful here

Liesbeth

Bea taking a Kneipp cure

On some road in Austria

Imst, Austria
Fernsteinsee, Austria

Schloß Fernsteinsee, Austria

The green machine at Plansee, Austria

The Moorish Kiosk at Schloß Linderhof

Ammerschlucht

2010-11-15T18:09:00.011+01:00

From a hike in Ammerschlucht gorge today including a lot of close up shots of stuff in the forest.

Near Bärenfalle (from a hike a few weeks ago)

From my balcony a few nights ago

Tannheim Valley, Austria Almabtrieb/Viehscheid

2010-09-26T11:35:00.008+02:00

My friends Kai & Frogger were in town from the states and we headed down to Austria for the Almabtrieb along with my friend Julia. An Almabtrib or Viehscheid is the ceremonial driving down of cattle from the mountain pastures into the valley in autumn. It's also the time when the cows dress like they do on butter wrappers.

Julia & I

Frogger & Kai

Croatian Road Trip-Day 15-Dolimiti Mountains, Italy + the road home

2010-08-02T17:00:00.009+02:00

I had to take the shortest way possible back from Koper because I was short on cash and I know that I can only get about 450 kilometers out of a half tank of gas, which is all I could afford. And forget about taking tollways. So I messed with the GPS until it gave me the shortest route, which went directly through the Dolomite mountains (Dolimiti) in Italy. It was a treat, although it took a very, very long time to drive the direct route. Normally, it would only take 4.5 hours to get back from Koper. In this case it took 10 hours. But as you can see by the photographs, it was a lovely route.

Dolimiti, Italy

A waterfall I happened upon.

"To work, too old.
To die, too young.
To vacation, in perfect shape!"

Mühlbacher Klause.

A possible clue to where the following fortress is because I have no idea what it's called (yet).

And that was my trip! I hope you enjoyed the photographs. Stay tuned for more adventures and don't forget to click on "Older Posts" to see the full series. Thanks!

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Day 14: Leaving Croatia + Koper, Slovenia

2010-08-01T22:24:00.008+02:00

Koper was nice enough but truthfully I regret not staying an extra day in Croatia. My host was great and the old town was nice, but I missed the Croatian coast. As I'd been told, the coast wasn't as appealing in Slovenia so again I didn't get to go swimming. Every day that I didn't get to go swimming on this trip was a bit of a black spot. Nevertheless, it was a nice evening.

Leaving the lovely Kika & Amor in Opatija (and his and Marko's delicious cooking!).

A kooky "panorama" of the main church in Koper.

ODB!

My host Matej sneaking across the shot.

They have bicycle roundabouts in Koper!

Sunset from Matej's balcony.

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Day 13: Cres & Beli

2010-08-01T21:41:00.012+02:00

I spent the first half of the day with Teta Andrica & Barba Fabijan. We had another delicious lunch (squid with rice) and enjoyed the lovely, breezy weather: a break from the extreme heat of the week before. I should probably mention that Teta Andrica & Barba Fabijan actually live in Chicago, but they have a summer home in Cres. So I know them well, unlike the family on the other island who I just met/got reacquainted with after more than 20 years.

In the afternoon, Barba Fabijan walked me back to the meeting spot from the day before. We had a beer while I silently schemed on a way to move there one day. I'm still working on that.

Eleonora, Marko & I went back to Beli and this time we went right to the beach. It was quite different than I remembered it. It seems that tourism has found our little secret gem of a beach. At least I had the pleasure of enjoying it for a whole month with limited crowds back when I was 12.

After swimming for awhile, we headed back up the the village. They went to the Eco-center/Griffon vulture rescue and I stayed at the only restaurant in town and talked to the proprietor, who it turns out is a cousin of mine. I'd been to the restaurant many times before when I was in Beli and it hadn't changed a bit.
Anyway, we chatted and caught up and he told me that he'd heard about my dad in church. Apparently only 33 people live in Beli now. Strange, but I expected it to be busier this time around but I'm glad (perhaps selfishly so) that it's not.

Barba Fabijan tending to the grill.

Their lovely garden.

A small bouquet of lavender.

Sitting down to a fine lunch with teta & barba.

Mmmm...squid & rice.

Walking around Cres again.

I cannot believe I didn't make time to go swimming.

From the cliffs of Cres.

Predošćica (on the way to Beli).

Beli.

On the way down to the beach.

Again, Glavotok in the distance. The running joke for the week was that my grandfather had a pair of binoculars which he used to scope out the chicks on the other island and that's how he found my grandmother. Haha.

Crowded. Ugh.

Buffet Beli.

Leaving Beli. I must say that I really choked up at one point as we drive away that night, just like I did the first time I left Beli in the mid-eighties. It's a very special place to me. So full of history: my family's history.

The ferry.

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Day 12: Cres & Beli

2010-07-31T13:52:00.022+02:00

Eleonora, Marko & I took the ferry to Cres today so I could visit Beli & my aunt and uncle, and so Eleonora could visit her parents on Mali Lošinj.

It was wonderful to be back on Cres again. Everything was just as I remembered it, except there were far more tourists this time around.

The first day we only stopped in Beli for a little while because I wanted to get to my aunt and uncle's house relatively early after changing my plans to see them several times already.

I'd been to the town of Cres before, but only briefly and I didn't really remember it. This time around, I fell in love with it.

I've been through hundreds of cities, towns, and villages since I moved to Europe, but very few have that something special, that kind of magic that (for example) Füssen has: but Cres does. I regret not taking a swim there or spending more time in general, but I will most certainly be back. I would even consider living there a few months out of the year if I could manage it somehow.

From my journal:
"I'm in Cres and I LOVE it. This is a great town. Sea, mountains, great architecture, and that intangible quality that great towns have. Walking around here tonight I could totally see living here. Teta Andrica & Barba Fabijan's place is cute and it's great to see them again. Naturally, they stuffed me the moment I got there. Tomorrow I will get up early, explore more and then go to Beli once more. We were there today. It was very familiar but didn't affect me the way I thought it would."

I had a wonderful evening. After dinner, I went for a walk which is when I wrote the above entry. I expected the town to be dead because it was a Monday night, but the air was electric. Gotta love summer nights. On to the photos.

Ankica is cute and all, but I took this photo because of the tourist with the knee socks and sandals in the background.

From the cliffs of Cres down to the sea.

Beli, the village where my father grew up.

Glavotok in the distance.

The town square.

Marko, Eleonora & Ankica.

Eleonora & Marko demonstrate how producing olive oil is hard work.

A nighttime stroll around Cres.

I love the way the stones on the ground reflect the light in this one.

I heart Cres.

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Days 8-11: New friends in Opatija & Volosko

2010-07-30T23:33:00.011+02:00

I'm combining a few days because I didn't take many photos during this period, the reason being that I was enjoying the company so much that the scenery was secondary. I don't know if it was luck or my obsession with trying to find the perfect hosts when I Couch Surf or a little of both, but I met some great people in Opatija and Volosko. The funny thing is I had two hosts, both couples, and they lived within 20 minutes walking distance of each other. It worked out great! I got to spend time and make friends with four awesome, dynamic people, each interesting in their own ways. I basically just chilled out, ate awesome food with new friends, and went to the beach a lot. I could not have asked for a better experience. I should add that they were all really knowledgeable about the area and shared so many cool facts with me that I can't hope to relate them all here. All I can say is that I will go back and keep going back until they get sick of me. I just hope they make it up here to see me as well.

Eleonora had a concert one night (she plays violin & viola), which was a lot of fun. She plays really well, as one might expect from a professor.
Before the concert we went to this out-of-the-way "fast food" place called Vietnam. They had the biggest Ćevapčići I have ever seen. The food was delicious. We had a comical encounter on the way there when we were forced to ask a stranger if he knew where Vietnam was. Haha.

Here are some photos from Opatija and the small village of Volosko.

From the ceiling inside of the hallway of Eleonora & Marko's place.

Their back patio.

The poster for Eleonora's performance.

The lovely Eleonora is in the middle.

Walking along the seaside to Volosko.

Kika!

Paco & Kika.

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Day 7: Plitvička Jezera–Opatija

2010-07-30T19:34:00.010+02:00

"What a nightmare. I should've stayed at the beach. It took forever to drive here, it cost a lot more than I expected to park, and the place is crawling with tourists like cockroaches. It's super hot and super crowded and I cannot wait to get the heck out of here."

It's strange, but my photos do not reflect that sentiment. I somehow managed to avoid photographing people almost altogether. The place was beautiful and magical, no doubt. But tourists ruin everything. Mind you, I know I was a tourist too. But I'm not an inconsiderate asshole who thinks the world owes me a favor.

Here's something funny. I drove to Opatija after I left Plitvice and I had texted a Couch Surfer about meeting up for a drink. I hadn't heard from her yet, so after I parked I started walking to the nearest place I could get a cold beer and I ran into her (Kika) on the street! What a happy coincidence! We ended up getting a drink near the sea, where I met her boyfriend Amor and a couple of their friends. A wonderful end to the worst day of my trip.

Truthfully, in retrospect, I think I was more cranky and sad about leaving my family and the seaside than anything. I don't mean to badmouth Plitvice, I just chose the wrong time to go.

Senj (on the way to Plitvice)

Bakar (on the way to Opatija)

Opatija at night from a swanky address on the main drag.

An ideal boy has good habits.

Kika & Amor's cat Paco! (Yes, PACO!)

He likes crawling into bags too!

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.

Croatian Road Trip-Day 6: The "Estate" and Cousin Neno

2010-07-30T16:15:00.012+02:00

Rather than transcribe my notes from my journal as with the other posts, I'm going to write from memory since I didn't actually take notes from this day.

This was my last day on Krk. I went to the beach and afterward, Alen took me to see the family property. It's quite lovely, but rugged. We have some olive and fig trees, which is pretty cool, and the view is amazing. It's hard to capture the beauty of it in photos.

That night I decided to go see my cousin Neno who lives next door. I'd been warned that he was "artistic" but frankly, I like oddballs so I didn't see it as a bad thing. Neda walked me over there and introduced me. We spoke German because I barely understand much less speak Croatian. It's funny, but I haven't spoken that much German in one sitting I think, ever.
Anyway, Neno is a blast. He was an excellent host, too. He sent me away with two Turkish coffee brewing pots that belonged to my great grandmother, which made me really happy. He also gave me some coffee, strawberry preserves, and coffee cups. He also served octopus salad, which I had never had before. I must admit that I felt a little like Bart Simpson when he put the bowl of tentacles on the table, but it was delicious! I made a pact with myself to not turn anything I'm offered away, and it was a great idea. I also tried wild boar goulash and venison for the first time. Nothing like expanding your palate.
It was a great way to finish my stay on Krk. He offered to serve me coffee the next morning, and I accepted. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not get jacked on caffeine no matter how much I drink. However, the coffee that Neno served me that morning was so strong that I experienced the same kind of uncertainty driving that one experiences whilst slightly drunk.

I cannot wait to return! And please send strength to cousin Neno who had a cardiac incident of some sort a few days after I left. He is doing well but nevertheless…

The family property in Glavotok.

Cousin Neno and his woman, Karin.

Octopus salad.

Photos are available for download in higher resolution here.