Love from Seattle

Every year on Valentine’s Day I like to send out an image of “love”, that elusive word that means so many things to so many people.

I came across this window display while walking down a street in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, and I knew immediately that this would be my picture.

The poet in me loves this image of the old-fashioned type-writer. I also love the juxtaposition of the thorny stand that supports the heart of flowers, and the Pro/Con sheet that lies just below, graphically displaying the yin and yang of love.

We may not ever be able to define it, but we know that we cannot survive without it.

Adventure On…Love, and Be Loved!

Kristen

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Sampling the fine Croatian food was one of the highlights of my visit. The cuisine is absolutely delicious. Because of their long coastline, seafood is prominent. But, meats and cheeses are also plentiful. Fresh figs and pomegranates, ruby red ripe tomatoes, basil. I really liked this black risotto dish made with squid ink. And…I cannot say more about how divine their olives and olive oil are. If it weren’t for the airline restrictions on liquids, I would have packed my carry-on full of the stuff!

Here are some of my favorites, along with some pictures to get you salivating:

prosciutto, cheese, tomatoes, olives

shrimp with olive oil and garlic

palacinke (pronounced “pala chink eh”): pancakes filled with chocolate and walnuts

gelato

Would you like to try your hand at some Croatian cooking? Check out this site for some free recipes!

http://www.croatiatraveller.com/Recipes/Recipes.htm

Eat up, and adventure on!

Kristen

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Here are my top recommendations for Croatia:

• Walk the walls of the old town of Dubrovnik, getting an eagle-eye’s view of the inner city, the outer islands, and the open sea

Walking the walls on a rare rainy day.

• Stop for a break at the “Hole in the Wall” where, once you literally walk through a small hole in the fortress wall, you’ll find a pleasant spot to enjoy a beer and view the sailboats, nearby islands, and cliff jumpers

Look…a hole in the wall!

And the view from the other side.

• Buy fresh lavender, figs, olive oil, or handmade lace from any of the many stands selling local goods

Garlands of fresh figs and homemade brandies.

• Visit the Sponza Palace Historic Archives for a history of the city of Dubrovnik, and view photos of all the men and young boys who lost their lives while defending their hometown


• Try some of the local wines (Croatia is well-known for their wines)


• Take a dip in the cool Adriatic sea

Take a dip! Clothing optional.

• Walk the Placa-Stradun (main street) at night, from Big Onofrio’s fountain at one end, to the Bell Tower at the other, stopping along the way for a slice of pizza and people-watching

Walking the centuries old stradun (main street).

Adventure on!

Kristen

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WHERE, you might ask? It’s what we call Croatia. Officially known as the Republic of Croatia, it was once a part of the former Yugoslavia after WW2, declared its independence in 1991, and is currently a candidate for membership in the European Union.

Capitol: Zagreb
Official Language: Croatian
Population: 4.43 million

The majority of the population are Croats. National minorities include Serbs, Muslims, Slovenes, Italians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic. In addition there are Orthodox, Muslims, and Christians of other denominations.

Croatia sits on a fault line that lies between Western and Eastern Europe. Because of its location, it has Venetian, Latin, Hapsburg, Hungarian, and Slavic influences. It is home to Roman ruins, cobblestone fishing villages, medieval walled cities, forested national parks with amazing waterfalls, and over 1,185 islands (more than Greece).

View of the Adriatic Sea from Dubrovnik.

Join me as I explore this amazing country.

Adventure On,
Kristen

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Here are my top recommendations for Bosnia & Hercegovina:

• Enjoy some rahat lokum (Bosnian sweets, much like Turkish Delight)


• Check out Islamic culture and the Turkish souvenir shops while strolling along the old cobblestone streets of Mostar

Looking for the perfect hookah?

• Drink some Turkish coffee (Move over lattes, this stuff is strong as sh*t!)


• Eat some Bosnian meats, grilled and served up with hot ajvar, a delicious relish made from peppers and eggplant. Milk and meat are Bosnia’s principal agricultural outputs.

Tasty Bosnian grill. Mmmmmmmmmm..eat!

• Drive through the countryside, and marvel at its mountainous backdrop and blue-green rivers.

The Neretva River cuts through the countryside around Mostar.

• Watch crazy people jump off a bridge! A local tradition that continues today is to jump off the Old Mostar Bridge. Even after the bridge had been bombed in the 1990s, contestants jumped off of what remained. Brings new meaning to the saying “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?”Apparently, in Bosnia & Hercegovina, the answer is YES!

Adventurous I am…but not enough to jump off a bridge!

Kristen

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Where?

How did I get here, you might ask? Well, quite literally, it was a crazy journey from Seattle to Chicago, to Galway (Ireland), to Dubrovnik (Croatia), to Serbia & Montenegro, and finally here. Trust me when I say my return journey was just as long!

Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting stories from all of the above-mentioned places, but thought I’d start here.

Not many people I know (Americans in particular) have been to Bosnia & Hercegovina. The images we receive from our national media do not portray such a nice place. I would like to share with you what myself, and my sisters who travelled with me, experienced on our trip.

First of all, yes…there are visible signs of recent warfare. Bullet-strewn buildings and blown up bridges are still in a state of disrepair. On the market streets you can buy an interesting array of war-time paraphernalia. However, the country has done much to re-build and grow, and it truly is a beautiful place.

Scars from bullets during the war of the 1990s.

The Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina was formed after the break-up of the former socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and following the wars that took place from 1992 to 1995 among Bosnian Muslims, Croats and Serbs. The country was devastated by three years of violent inter-ethnic fighting.

With aid from the international community, major reconstruction has taken place since the advent of peace in 1995, and despite the problems it continues to face, Bosnia is generally considered a post-conflict success story.

In 2005, The Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Mostar’s Bridge Over the Neretva: A Muslim and Croat symbol of reconciliation.

We should all take the time to learn about, and learn from, the history of this fascinating place. And most of all, to not forget.

Piece of shrapnel on a simple memorial.

Adventure on, with an educated mind and respect,

Kristen

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“The Bean” is cool.

This year I had the fortune to stop and spend time in Chicago en route to my most recent travels. Chicago is my home town, and where most of my family still reside. In addition to watching a Cubs game, a must do for anyone who visits during their season, (a season that ends shortly after the playoffs begins, unfortunately), there are a million adventures to be had in the city.

One of the most recent additions to the downtown area is the Millennium Park. As our infamous Mayor so succinctly describes it:

“Millennium Park honors and builds on several proud Chicago traditions at once – beautiful architecture, landscaped and protected parklands, and the ongoing celebration of the arts.” – Mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley

One of the favorites of the park is what Chicagoans refer to as “The Bean”. It is a coffee bean-shaped silver sculpture that reflects the city from 360 degrees. It is fun to watch kids run up and look at their reflection in the mirror. Here’s one of me (arms outstretched) with a view of the north part of the city behind me.

“Me & The Bean”.

Another amazing feature is a state-of-the-art music pavilion designed by Frank Gehry, which is the first of its kind in the country designed to mimic the acoustics of an indoor concert hall.

The state-of-the-art music pavilion designed by Frank Gehry.

So, all in all, Chicago is a great place to visit, even if it’s just for a quick stopover. And, while you’re there, don’t forget to eat some Garrett’s popcorn and get yourself a deep dish pie.

Oops…my ride is here. Gotta go!

An escort by Chicago’s finest.

Adventure On!
Kristen

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World-famous Wrigley Field.

You heard it here first, kids. The Chicago Cubs are going all the way this year! No more Bartman, no more curses, no more excuses. Let’s go, Cubbies!

Spoken like a true Cubs fan…I am ever hopeful. Plus, if it doesn’t work out, there’s always next year. Or next century. My grandparents (aged 92) have been waiting a lot longer than me to see our team win its first World Series.

Even so…seats at Wrigley Field are hard to come by. It is always with much pleasure (whether a winning season or no) that people stream into one of this country’s greatest stadiums. I had the good fortune to run into an ex-boyfriend from days of old who just happened to have received extra tickets to that night’s game. I chalk it up to good karma. A bridge unburned was my ticket in! Plus, it’s not too difficult to sit next to Chicago’s finest Firefighters while watching your home team bring in a WIN!

Cubs win!

Of course, no game is complete without a Chicago-style hot dog…complete with Old Style beer. A classic Chi-town meal.

Chicago dog.

To Lou Pinella and the boys…best of luck!

Kristen

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Morning view in the San Juans.

Learning to sail has been quite an awesome experience for me. Living in Seattle, being so close to the Puget Sound and all it has to offer, how could I not take to the water?

This Labor Day I was fortunate enough to spend four days onboard my friend Cap’n John’s boat. We sailed through the San Juan Islands of Washington, and the Canadian Gulf Islands. Although just a few hours away from Seattle, we were worlds away!

Sunset view from South Pender Island, Canada.

The peace of the water, the hilly islands, some with dry terrain, others with lush forests, the wind whipping through the sails…it was like living in a post card.

I caught my first big fish, and “Norm” (as we named him) provided our meals for the next few days. I broke down crying after catching him, once I realized that we’d have to club the poor fella and filet him. (Hey, I’m a city girl from Chicago! I don’t normally indulge in such behavior!) He was quite delicious, though. Thank you, Norm!

The One That Didn’t Get Away! Salmon Slayer Gill.

Fishing video

I highly recommend a sailing adventure throughout this beautiful area. There are also ferries that go back and forth to the mainland. For more information, check out:

www.guidetosanjuans.com/

Sail on!

Kristen

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photo credit: Reuters

(Dublin, Ireland) A 65-member team that set sail from Roskilde, Denmark on July 1st, arrived yesterday in Dublin. The team journeyed over 1,000 nautical miles using only oar and sail power. Christened the Havhingsten af Glendalough (The Sea Stallion of Glendalough), this reconstructed viking ship is the largest in the world, say its builders, who built it using the wood of 300 oak trees.

The Sea Stallion’s return voyage was 1,000 years in the making. Originally built in Dublin in 1042, it sank 30 years later in the Roskilde fjord, south of Copenhagen. It was not excavated until 1964, and was finally completed in 2004. The aim of this journey was to address questions related to Viking ship-building and travel.

Researchers will examine film and computer data gathered during the voyage, and the vessel will be on display at Dublin’s National Museum until next year, when another crew will make the return voyage home.

Now that’s what I call an adventure!

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