Croatia. into the wide blue yonder.

Love loss, pain and revenge greet me at the strangest museum - the Museum of Broken Relationships. It is filled with personal items donated by people, former lovers from all over the world. Letters, pieces of clothes, mirrors and kinky sex toys are some of the objects on display. A truly shared human experience. Some of the stories are so compelling while others are simply hilarious - I find myself laughing and crying all at the same time. On a quiet Sunday afternoon, we stroll with Zagreb’s crowds on some twisting cobblestones streets with beautiful panoramic views and rooftop cafes. Going down a narrow passageway towards Ban Jelacic square (the 19th century governor that united the Croats), we bump into girls practicing their hip hop dance routine on a rug drawn in chalk - so charming and refreshing. As a reward for the sixteen thousand steps we took, we ravage the famous Strukli dish, a local Zagreb delicacy of dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream. Unfortunately - not a very dietetic delight.

Slovenia

Adding a pinch of alpine mountains to our journey as we cross the border to Slovenia. A fairytale of an island lays in the midst of Lake Bled with a cliff hanging medlevel castle set against a snow-capped mountain - It is so picturesque! Girls wearing tiny G-string bikinis paddle in the water and wave to their pasty white boyfriends who sheepishly dip in the water. Our friend Danny rows, rows, rows the boat while we sit, relax, enjoy the view and encourage him to go faster...Every now and then, someone climbs to the top of the church in the middle of the island and rings the bell. The sound vibrates around the surrounding sweeping Julian Alps, leaving a meditative sublime sound. It is soothing to my ears.

Chasing the dragon on the dragon’s bridge in colorful Ljubljana at the break of dawn. My body is hanging in between the continents - one leg still in America while the other is already across to Europe. In this state of semi-consciousness, I capture the sights of old town Ljubljana. Houses hang loose on both sides of the curving river lined with outdoor cafes. Markets start to open, flowers are arranged and merchants spread their merchandise of fruit and vegetables in a seductive display of colors. With a sweet cup of a cappuccino in my hands, I stare at Ljubljana Castle. This landmark of the city sits on a green hill hanging above the downtown behind an ancient wall. This would have been a good start of a day if I wasn’t so darn tired.

Spectacular, mysterious and daring, Predjama Castle is situated in the middle of the mountain face in Slovenia. Legend has it that during the 15th century a lord of the castle by the name of Erasmus launched attacks on surrounding Habsburg estates. Stealing from the rich to give to the poor. A Robin Hood type of character. To put a stop to it, the emperor demanded his capture. As the castle was impenetrable, the only way to defeat him was to starve him and his people to death by cutting the supply chain to the castle. Erasmus held on for a long time as he used a secret exit via the system of caves under the castle to bring in food. He was betrayed by one of his servants and was killed by a cannonball while sitting on the toilet.

Istria: Wine, truffles, cheese and olive oil.

“Black truffles and white truffles are harvested in Istria, Croatia. In these parts of the world, truffles are hunted and unearthed by trained truffle-hunting dogs. Truffled omelets, truffled pasta, black truffle ice cream, even the chocolate is made with truffles here. While everybody is all excited by the pungent high priced nugget, I am not a fan of the smell. One whiff of this earthy, garlicky, musky aroma and I'm done and gone. One of the many short comings and faults in my character.

Rovinj

With some fancy drinks in hand we watch as the fabulous sun sinks into the water in Rovinj. Orange hues with tints of purple blend into my unidentified multicolor drink. What is this concoction? This charming old town on the Adriatic Sea with a Venetian style port is not meant for driving. Maneuvering our car in the maze of the old city, mostly leads to dead ends. Good luck backing up! I am afraid to breathe in fear that if I take one breath of fresh air, the car will expand and we will be stuck in the tiny, narrow street for all eternity. Miraculously, we find a place to park. I curse, shlepping up my carry-on up and whacking it left and right on the many cobble stoned steps. Up and up we go, leading up to St. Euphemia Church and the bell tower. I swear I’ll never book an old city hotel ever again. Luckily for my friends, I was the one booking the room, or else? Once settled in my room, I catch my breath and look through my hotel's window to discover the scenic views from above - majestic!. I take my words back, no need to overdramatize the climb. Early next morning a short few steps up and Voila! we are at the top of the cathedral overlooking the Adriatic Sea. A line of sweating tourists, huffing and puffing wearily climb the numerous stairs while we sit and eat our full Croatian breakfast.

Later this morning, we decide to go swimming. The water seems tempting and alluring. A slippery stone way leads down to the water. I put my leg down the ladder and ouch! thousands of small white medusas (jellyfish) are swarming just beneath my legs. I know they don't sting but do I believe it? I feel their slippery touch around my body, the water is so thick with them, they get closer and closer, soon they approach my face. A moment before I am completely covered with them - I scream and I get out.

With so many magnificent Croatian coastal gems - Opatija still stands out. A fashionable resort for the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy and nobility of that time, it carries the same charm today as it did then. Hungry and tired from the drive, we stop by to admire the Habsburg - era villas and to search for food. In this laid back place, we stumble upon truly magnificent fare. With the rich mosaic of our culinary experience in Croatia, - this is by far, the most memorable meal.

Plitvice, or as they say arounds here: Jezero Plitvice is one of the oldest and largest national park in Croatia, famous for its countless lakes and waterfalls. It is an early morning on Yom Kippur, a day of atonement, the most solemn of Jewish religious holidays. The sun breaks through the forest, the wind is coming up and sending ripples across the water - there are no people in sight. It feels holy and sacred - the perfect way for me to observe the holiday. The night before we stayed in one of the only hotels based inside the park. Our sparsely furnished room came with two small separated beds and a set of stiff blankets-a reminiscent of my army days. We start our hike in the 295 sq-km forest in the upper twelve lakes, going down a beautifully maintained wooden carved trail that winds around the water. The view of the lakes that are joined by waterfalls is spectacular. We then take an electric boat to cross to the lower lakes. Just as we land on the other side, the peace and quiet is broken by mayhem, masses of people pouring out of tour busses to go across the lake to the other-side. Gone is the feeling of holiness and sacredness - a rude awakening to the somber reality of people everywhere. We finish our hike standing in front of the big vista, the most beautiful of them all, of a seventy eight meter high Veliki Slap ( Large ) waterfall.

Split.

This night in Split we unite with the third sailing crew couple, Anat and Fred. Together, we stroll through a maze of narrow alleys that bring us towards Diocletian's palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Roman Emperor Diocletian built this enormous retirement home more than 1700 years ago and it is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman architecture in the world. As we get closer to the centerpiece of the palace, Peristil Square with its ancient columns and a 3500-year-old and perfectly preserved sphinx, we hear music. Once the location where Diocletian, who believed he was god, son of Jupiter, received and greeted his subjects while they lay down on this ground. Tonight, on the same old steps, facing the front of the palace, lounging on red cushions at the famous Luxor cafe and bar, people from all over the world are drinking and having fun. Some are accompanying the bar singer with famous oldies while others are dancing the night away. Our friends Michal and Danny slide into the dance floor, drifting with the sound of music, the almost full moon above and the electrifying night around us. Past plows into the future. The air is so dense with history I can almost taste it.

Sailing the Adriatic Coast.

Finally on the boat, I maneuver the tiny space with my very full carry on ( I always fool myself that I travel light ). While Split turns into a small dot in the horizon, the six of us breathe the fresh air and listen to our friendly Croatian Captain Mishe’s safety measures and rules of the sea. Hungry and excited, we indulge with a tray full of local goodies and a delicious local wine prepared by our hostess and cook extraordinaire Sucica. With the winds at our backs, we start our Island hopping along the Adriatic coast with its heavenly turquoise waters. As years of powerful empires from Greeks to Illyrians to Romans to Slavs, the Venetians and the Austro-Hungarians sailed these waters and left their mark in art and architecture. In the moment that the sun kisses the water and goes down on one side of the boat, the moon is in full glory on the other. A double feature ticket. On this first night on the Island of Hvar, I find it very romantic to sleep under the full moon on the Dalmatian coast. By the way, no Dalmatian dogs are to be found around here if anyone questions the origin of the word.

Waking up at the crack of dawn to the sound of a loud thunderstorm. Our tiny little cabin is flushed with blue light. Mishe already checks the decks and closes the hatches. As soon as the sun peeks out from the clouds, we put on our bathing suits, say “Dobre Yorte” ( good morning) and jump into the wide blue water. Hvar fortress Fortica rises in the hills in front of us enticing us to come explore. With our hair still wet, we motor the dinghy towards the shore. Once back on solid ground we take a steep climb to the top to reach this grand military architecture complex with its bastions and a tower. Built in the fourteenth century with the proceeds of selling salt, it protected the town and the port for centuries. The fortress fell in 1579 when a thunderbolt struck the gunpowder store and created a catastrophic explosion. After that, according to the local folklore, “The Hvar fortress was left to the fairies to dance at night”.

Getting used to our sailing routine on the boat. The gentle breath caresses our faces. With morning swims on the different spectacular Islands followed by gigantic breakfasts - I've got to watch my weight! Saying good bye to the greenery of the island we leave behind, while waiting for the next island to appear. What will it be? A National park? A great Roman ruin? A fortress on the hill? They are all so tempting and alluring. Lastavo, the green jewel of the southern Dalmatian coast with its thread of forty five small islands and cliffs alongside. The pirate Island. Korcula, my favorite of all 1244 islands - the birthplace of Marco Polo the explorer of China, or was it? Depends on who you ask. Myths and folklore mix with historical facts. The days weave into each other and I lose track of time.

Bang bang bang, the wind blows and pushes the seawater right into the sides of our boat with a big splash. In my semi conscious sleep, I seek a consistent rhythm, a pattern that I can count on so I can doze off back to sleep. But there is none. I feel like I am in the middle of a Kodo drummer's performance that went wrong and got stuck in a turbulence of noise. In Mljet National Park (pronounced Myet) the most forested island, the two lakes merge into each other under the bridge. We boat to the 12th century monastery of St Mary through the greenery of the Island, we then shed our clothes and swim under the ruins. In the water I can still feel the warmth of those who swam here before me, starting in the 6th century, generations and generations ago, those who were brought here to fight and protect. A lake full of history.

Twenty six knots of wind - the roughest sailing day on our trip. We start our journey to the tiny Island of Vis at 4:45 am. It sure is a bumpy ride. Until 1989, Vis was a Yugoslav military base, cut off from any foreign visitors for thirty years. This kept the island shrouded in mystery. On our way we stumble upon a submarine bunker from the Yugoslavian communist era. Another reminder of the dark past here. As we continue towards the shore, we come across a white pebble cove hidden between two limestone cliffs. This is famous Stiniva Cove, considered to be one of the best beaches in Europe. It is hectic and happening here today. Yacht men, speedboats and sailing boats carrying groups of tourists sounding the music of Mama Mia, here we go again over loudspeakers, a cacophony of sound and color. The film "Mama Mia 2" was filmed here on this paradise of an island. A few courageous and crazy youngsters jump from the cliffs above to the water below, just missing one of the many boats by a few inches. It is a showoff - showtime performance. After a short swim to the sandy beach we are happily surprised to find a cafe on the Island, we immediately treat ourselves to cold beer. For the evening finale, we are guided to what Mishe calls an Agriculture dinner. It is an authentic feast at a family farm, cooked by the lady of the house and served outdoors overlooking the rural wine country. As we head back to the boat we finally find our first Dalmatian dog on the Dalmatian coast. Hallelujah!

Hvala, thank you. Our journey together has come to an end but others will follow soon. We have stopped the marathon of our daily routines for a moment in time. We laughed. We ate (maybe a bit too much). Sometimes we got drunk and sometimes we just gazed at the horizon. We sailed the sea and watched many sunsets. We swam these waters and we got a glimpse of the cultural wonders of this place. What a fanfare! Or as a Turkish proverb says - “No road is long with good company.” You make my heart full.

Dubrovnik.

One hundred steps, two hundred steps, three hundred steps, up and up we go, I am running out of air. Walking up the magnificent, massive city walls of the old city of Dubrovnik with its bastions and towers that were built during the thirteenth century. From the top, I can see the old town with its maze of baroque churches and palaces. Terra cotta roofs and laundry crisscrosses the street, hanging to dry. On the other side of the wall, lay the turquoise waters of the Adriatic coast. What a great way to start the day.

"Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro", from Latin: Liberty cannot be sold for all the gold in the world.” This motto represents the essence of Dubrovnik. The city of Dubrovnik (known as the republic of Ragusa) was an independent and prosperous merchant republic that built its power on maritime trade and taxes. The republic maintained its independence from the different foreign powers by payoffs and bribery, or as our fabulous walking guide said - the art of sweet talk and politics.

The Statue of St Blaise, the patron saint of the city welcomes us from above Pile gate (1537) as we walk by towards the main street – the Stradun. Originally a sea channel that was filled during the twelfth century and ends at a bell tower. The beautiful renaissance fountain. One of the oldest pharmacies in Europe that is still open to the public. Ironically, It was closed the day we were there! The Rector’s Palace, where the head of state ruled from the 14th century on. But the crown jewel is Dubrovnik’s baroque cathedral with its artwork by the Venetian artist Titian on its altar.

Dubrovnik led the world in many progressive ideas, from the abolition of slavery in 1416 to the building of one of the earliest medieval sewage systems. They established the first quarantine facilities, the second oldest synagogue in Europe and the first orphanage in 1432 - I had no idea.

Gold - marble - art - bells ringing and climbing … so - many - stairs. My butt and legs are oh so sore!