The ABC Tour

Mike has always joked that he is on the ABC Tour. That stands for, Another Blessed Cathedral. In many ways he is right. We have visited the main cathedral or church in every city we have traveled too. However, there are reasons other than my just wanting to light candles.

Many of the cathedrals or church’s we have entered have been around for hundreds of years, some going back as far as the 13^th Century. Many of these places of worship were sponsored by the wealthiest patrons of their time so no expense was spared in the decoration or the carvings that can be found inside their walls. These are not modern buildings with stucco drywalls and simple stained glass windows or paint by number paintings. Many of the places we have toured have sculptures and deities leaping from the walls, chiseled in their glory to make them feel like they are alive; they have medieval stained glass windows that tell a story or gives praise to the people who helped to protect the church; they are filled with wooden ceilings and golden altars and even in some cases scientific advancements.

 

This stained glass window in the Church of Perth, Scotland shows the legendary Black Watch regiment, Scotland’s elite military group whose history stretches back almost three centuries. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

In other words many of the churches and Cathedrals we have entered are really works of art unto themselves and they should be photographed and visited. I prefer visiting a city’s main Cathedral sometimes more than its main museum.

 

This is the ceiling in the Church of St. Francis in Sibenik, Croatia which dates back to the 13th Century. The ceiling is made of wood and the paintings date from 1674. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Mike was raised Protestant, I was raised Roman Catholic. Mike wasn’t overly what you would call religious when we met so when I first told him that I wanted to visit the main Cathedral or Church in every city we visited he thought it was some sort of pilgrimage thing or something. Then he learned that I didn’t care if the church was Roman Catholic, Protestant, Episcopalian or a Mosque; church’s and religious houses of worship are really testaments to great art.

This mosque is located in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina. It was the first time either of us had entered a Mosque and it was beautiful in its décor and simplicity. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

Sometimes the artwork begins well before you enter the church. This is one of the doors that enter The Vatican in Rome, Italy. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

The main altar in the Cathedral in Taxco, Mexico is covered in gold leaf and sculptures. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

At famous Rosslyn Chapel, Edinburgh, Scotland (of Da Vinci Code fame) the sculptures are part of the façade and leap out at you as you get close to the entrance of the chapel. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

Gold leaf fills this church, not just the main altar, in Monreale, Sicily. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

Sometimes the main church’s are used for ceremonies. Changing of the guard happens in the Cathedral in Buenos Aires, Argentina because the remains of Argentina’s most loved general resides here; General José de San Martín. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

 

After traveling for over three years and entering well over 100 church’s or Cathedrals he now has come to enjoy exploring them as much as I. In fact when we get to a new city one of the first places he pinpoints on a map is the nearest church and/or Cathedral. Maybe he can be a convert after all…

 

Florence Lince

http://www.about.me/florencelince

You Say Potato, I say Patato

Everyone loves good food and wine.  However not everyone agrees on what constitutes good food and wine.

I love white wine.  My husband prefers red.

My favorite wines of all time came from Don Pascuale winery in Juanico, Uruguay. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

I prefer to eat Vegan or Vegetarian when I have too, and my husband eats everything including meat dishes.

Some people think that food smothered in sauces, be them cream or red are the way to go.  I say yuck.  I want plain and simple food.  I want to be the one to add salt, pepper, or other alternative spices to my food.  I don’t for heavens sake want my dish smothered in mayonnaise which is very common for some reason in a lot of the Latin American countries.  We are still trying to wrap our heads around that one.

Simply the best empanadas I’ve ever eaten came from Santiago Chile. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The best overall wine I have tasted in all my years of travel came from Uruguay.  The best white wine I’ve tasted came from a little family owned winery in Croatia.

Because we want to live like the locals it has been easier for us to simply shop where they shop and to buy local fruits and vegetables to cook our own meals.  Eating out is incredibly expensive depending on where one goes and since costs are a factor in how we live we tend not to want to spend a lot of money on food.  We recently asked a group of brothers who were visiting Rome where they were eating during the day since the food was so expensive everywhere and they told us McDonalds!  Can’t do it; we won’t patronize junk fast food places.  We’d rather use our funds to travel some place new and meet new people.

I shop at local farmers markets in every city we have traveled too and lived in. Nothing compares. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Now, we aren’t starving, far from it.  We’ve tasted and sampled some of the best foods in every country we have gone too.  We have shared meals with locals and asked them what their favorite restaurants are and what their favorite dishes are.  Everyone loves to share their thoughts and recommendations on good food.  They want you to experience and appreciate the quality and the expertise of the foods in their culture.  We haven’t been to a country thus far where someone we asked about their favorite food in their country and they tell us to eat at the local foreign restaurant.  Like no one in Rome said to eat at the Chinese buffet.  No one in Mexico said to eat at McDonalds!  No one in England told us to eat Thai food but we found an awesome place anyway.

Best white wine I have ever had – really.  The winery is Toreta on Korcula, in the small town of Smokvica. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Food is the reason we have the energy to keep traveling and to keep wandering the streets.  Food is also common ground for the start of great conversations and it can also be the basis for making new friends.  So here’s my salute to good food, good wine and the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Florence Lince

http://www.about.me/florencelince

A ‘Ferry’ Tale

One of the great benefits of not traveling as tourists is that we do not have to travel in a rush to get some place.  What this has done is allow us to use alternative means of getting from point A to point B.  Recently we rode on two ferry boat services to help us get from one country to another.

One, Blue Line Ferry, got us from Split, Croatia to Ancona, Italy.  It is one of two ferry services that connects Croatia and Italy.  The other is Jadrolinija which runs more frequently but not on the day that we were interested in so we booked with Blue Line.  This commuter ferry service has sleeping cabins for those who wish to purchase a little more comfort, cargo hold areas to transport your vehicles; and restaurants, casinos and cafes to help kill the time.  With a trip lasting approximately 12 hours it was a pleasant enough way to travel.

Our cabin was small but the beds were comfortable. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The cabin’s on the lowest level, which is what we booked; were small and the air inside was hot and stagnant.  The hallways smelled like diesel so we weren’t able to leave our cabin door open to get any fresh air but we had comfortable beds to sleep in which beats how many people travel on the ferry’s – they sleep in the hallways!

The bathrooms were serviceable but no one is going to try and take a shower in a place where the toilet and the shower share the same floor drain.

The food was cafeteria style and this night they had 26 groups going from Croatia to Italy so the main restaurant dining room was closed to anyone not a member of these groups.  This ferry boat service is incredibly popular with the locals and many Italians were on board this night.  The ride was smooth and calm and the time passed quickly.  The boat docked and because we did not get off with the main stream of passengers they called our name at 7:30am to make sure we were getting off the boat!

They also had a fresh juice bar on board. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Total cost for the two of us was 80 Euros or $110.

Our second ferry experience came on our departure from Rome where we took the Grimaldi Ferry Line ship, The Roma, from Rome to Barcelona.  Service between the two countries is done regularly and it’s easy to see why this line is a favorite of the locals.

From the time of boarding we were helped on board with our luggage and shown to our cabin.  The room was large for just the two of us and comfortable.  We had booked an outside cabin which gave us natural light from the very large window.  The ride was 20 hours from Rome to Barcelona with the boat leaving Rome at 22:15 and arriving around 16:15 the following day.  This boat makes this trip all week (except Sunday’s) so you can go round trip on this loop.

We were incredibly comfortable on this ferry boat and relaxed for the 20 hour ride from Rome to Barcelona. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

What we liked best was that there were no carpets anywhere on board; it was all hard surface flooring.  The ship was clean and the staff for the most part was friendly.  They have cafeteria dining; a formal dining room (and the prices to go with a formal dining room); a coffee bar and a full bar with food and drink around the outdoor pool!  Yes, this ferry boat actually has a swimming pool and outdoor bar area.  They also have a casino, internet café, gift shop, spa and fitness center.  Since this trip takes 20 hours it must be incredibly busy during the summer to travel on the sundeck and in the pool area as you make your way to Rome/Barcelona (a nice way to spend a few hours).  The ride was also smooth and effortless and one would be hard pressed to know that you were sailing on the Mediterranean.

Total trip cost, with a private room with bath for the two of us was 250 Euros, or roughly $340.  Again, airfare would have cost us more and we wouldn’t have gotten nearly as much done.  I was able to get several more stories written and Mike got some much needed rest.

Food costs are high on both of these vessels so carrying food with you is recommended if at all possible.  No one stopped us from carrying in fruit or water and both ferry lines scanned our luggage prior to boarding.

They have a pool on this ferry. The pool deck has a full bar and grill so food and drink were plentiful. Even though it was January 12th we ate lunch on the pool deck level. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Our experiment in alternative travel is complete for now.  Any other time we can use either of these services to get around we won’t hesitate to do so.  And we definitely recommend them to anyone else who might have a little extra time to travel, like a local.

Florence Lince

www.about.me/florencelince

Marenda

Or No, This Isn’t a Local Dance; It’s a Way of Life

Tucked away on a side street in Sibenik, away from the maddening crowds, sits the little restaurant of Marenda.  Inside this quiet local restaurant there are places for perhaps 20 people to sit.  Many come here on a warm summer day or evening to sit along the outdoor sidewalk and enjoy the old traditions of Croatia.

Owner Veselka Hazalin gets to her kitchen early (7:00am) and begins to prepare the foods that offer real comfort to old time Croatians.  Here she makes prsut, corned beef brisket, sir, pancetta, and more.  They serve wine right from the barrel and people from around Sibenik come here to drink and talk and share memories of their lives.  The owners, as so many people do here in Croatia, make their own olive oil and I can attest to how wonderful it was.

Veselka Hazalin, owner of Marenda and Olivera Slavica, our friend and guide. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

On the day we visited, and with our friend and guides Nina Belamaric and Olivera Slavica leading the way we were served a dish made from barley and beans with fresh olive oil; brisket, olives, onion, and crusty bread.  What surprised them and our hostess was when I told them that I had grown up eating the barley dish.   Every December 13^th (St. Lucy’s feast day, or eating St. Lucy’s Wheat) my grandmother and mother would make this dish and its always been one of my favorites, even down to serving it warm with the olive oil.   I eat barley as a hot cooked cereal as often as possible when I can find it.  In Scotland I found bags of it because people make whiskey from it.  In Panama I found the barley but people thought of it as poor man’s food.  I’ll take poor man’s food over today’s fast food anytime.  Anyway the dish was wonderful and yes, this would be considered a vegan / vegetarian meal.  Mike and the ladies had their dish served with pork which is tradition.  My dish was made special for me since I do not eat meat.  However the restaurant offers one new and different vegetable dish every day in the summer season so you can realistically eat here every day and never eat the same meal twice.

Love this dish. Barley, beans and fresh olive oil. Food good enough for kings. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Accompanying the meal was a platter of cut corned beef.  Again, to their surprise we knew what this meat was and we explained how we cooked corned beef; in a stew format with potatoes, cabbage and carrots (for St. Patty’s day for all our Irish friends).

Corned beef brisket, one of Mike’s favorites. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Marenda began many years ago in Croatia when the farmers, who work long hours in the fields in Croatia (in every country – thank you farmers!) needed something substantial too eat while working in the fields.  Marenda is a wide assortment of foods from cooked beef and ribs to barley stews and cheeses and prosciuttos and olives.  Sadly people everywhere consider this to be simple and poor man’s food.  I consider it food for the ages and of kings.  One can eat incredibly simple but well. We have lost sight of what food was and is for when we think of this food as simple and poor man’s food.

These cured olives also came from the owners fields and they were just like grandma used to make. Served with marinated onions and crusty bread I could have made a meal of these alone! © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The restaurant is open from 8:00am to around 4:00 or 5:00pm during the winter months and open until midnight during the summer.  It has been open in this location over 40 years.  This is a place that tourists would never frequent unless they have a local to tell them about it.  The menu may be simple but the food is first rate.  And isn’t that the hallmark of a good restaurant.

We have always felt more at home in the small local restaurants. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The lesson here is that food prepared the old fashioned way is more memorable and longer lasting than fast food made for the masses.  Many locals come here after a hard days work to buy take away containers filled with home cooking instead of going out for a fast food burger.  I applaud them for their choice.

We love simple.  When we travel we don’t look for fast food places to eat at.  We understand why tourists eat at them but that isn’t for us and we don’t patronize them in foreign countries.  Those places do not represent how these countries were founded or what their people eat.

Of course there are traditional desserts as well. What meal would be complete without a little something sweet? © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

I don’t know about you but I always look for small local restaurants to eat at because the old saying really does apply here; the best surprises really do come in small packages.

Florence Lince

http://www.about.me/florencelince

Unwrapping Gifts

Or Something Special Around Every Corner 

Have you ever walked a celestial labyrinth?  Up until last week I hadn’t either.  Then, on a beautiful winter day here in Sibenik, Croatia, I was invited to walk the Labyrinth of Wisdom built by famed labyrinth maker Adrian Predrag Kezele and donated to the people of Croatia by Marina Baranovic.

Mike with our hostess Marina Baranovic. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

There are many styles of labyrinths and they have been around for centuries.  There are nine celestial labyrinths; The labyrinth of life and death – Saturn labyrinth; Rahu Labyrinth – the labyrinth of transformation; The labyrinth of freedom – Ketu labyrinth; Sun labyrinth – the labyrinth of power; Moon labyrinth – the labyrinth of feelings; Mars labyrinth – the labyrinth of energy; Mercury labyrinth – the labyrinth of connection; The labyrinth of wisdom – Jupiter labyrinth; The labyrinth of love and creation – Venus labyrinth.

On the outskirts of Sibenik, away from the crowds of the city center, is a parcel of land which once belonged to Marina Baranovic’s parents, who farmed this land.  Marina’s family still uses the land to grow olives and other food items but Marina wanted to do more with the land and she wanted to leave a legacy to her town that would stand the test of time.  She felt that building two labyrinths was a good use for the land, and a good gift to the people of Croatia.

There are two labyrinths here. The first is the Labyrinth of Wisdom which reduces dishonesty and wrong judgment; removes ignorance, prejudices and possessiveness; reveals the purpose of life and gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.

The labyrinths were designed by Adrian Predrag Kezele. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The second is the Labyrinth of Contact which reveals the hidden abilities; makes visible what was invisible; connects what was separated and enables us to understand the secrets of the Universe.

The Labyrinth of Contact – walk them both to boost their power. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Putting the two labyrinths in the same area boosts their power (as per Ganesha: Lord of Success).  One simply begins at the beginning and walks the labyrinths while contemplating and asking for enlightenment or fulfillment.  Once you reach the middle you return the way you came.  These two labyrinths have a beginning, middle and an end.  They are free to see and open to the public year round.  This is a very special gift to the people of not only Sibenik, to the people of Croatia, but also to the world.

Our day continued.  Driving though town and out into the countryside we drove up a hill lined with the Stations of the Cross.  At the top of the hill stands the remnant of the medieval town of Vrana.  The views of Vrana Lake from this vantage point are unmatched and even on a cloudy day the vista that unfolded before us was breathtaking.  From as early as 1070 Vrana had become one of the most important centers of political life in Croatia.  The land was given by the church to the Knights Templar in the 12^th Century (one of three religious orders to be given the land over time) and it was rumored that they buried their treasure somewhere on the land.  Today there are remnants of past buildings on site; a rebuilt small chapel and picnic tables so that families can come and spend the day exploring and learning more about this interesting part of Croatian history.

The views from the top of the hill are unmatched. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

There are picnic tables here for families to come and spend some time exploring and enjoying the view. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Our crazy friends were enjoying the view from the edge of the cliff. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Any excuse to take a photo of us we take it! © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Our last gift to be unwrapped came at Vransko Jezero or Black Crow Lake located on Lake Vrana, the largest natural lake in Croatia.  This is one of the protected areas of Croatia and the dominant feature of the park is the ornithological reserve, an almost untouched natural habitat for birds; a rare wetland system full of biodiversity. The lake provides an ample amount of fish for fishermen (pike, tench, carp).  Here locals and bird watching enthusiasts from around the world spend hours enjoying not only the beauty of the area but also in seeing some of the unique birds that inhabit this area.  We were there during winter so the water table was higher than in summer when the water comes up and around the walkway but the water was shallow and in some places only inches deep.  This natural lake is even more amazing when one realizes that it is 3 miles long and only 15 feet deep which makes every part of this lake accessible as a feeding ground.

Local bird watching expert Leonardo Grubelic led our tour.  In addition to enjoying bird watching, Leo spends approximately 10 days every summer here on the lake finding new species of birds and categorizing them for future research and bird watchers.  He imparted that the best time to bird watch is actually in winter so we were there during the best time of year.  It was quiet and the day was beautiful and only one other person came to enjoy the view.  Vrana Lake (Vransko Jezero) is also an important migratory location for birds.  Not only does it offer a lush environment for the birds but it is a good resting point for them as they travel both north and south.  Leo reported that 150 species of birds use this area for migration but more than 250 bird species have been seen here.

Reeds grow on a gently sloping terrain in shallow water. Conditions such as these are excellent for many species of birds which use the reeds as protection from other predators. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Our local bird watching expert Leonardo Grubelic gave us some insight into the world of bird watchers. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The walkway out to the main bid watching site is over a mile long. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

One of the main bird watching stations. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

This area is protected as a Park of Nature. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

We were quiet as possible since this area is home to over 150 species of birds but over 250 species use this area on their migration paths from north to south and back again. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

As our sightseeing, hiking and bird watching tour of Vrana Lake and its surroundings ended one thought stood out for me.  If I hadn’t been with a local guide I would never have enjoyed my exploration as much.  There is so much more to Sibenik than St. James Cathedral and old town Sibenik, and on this day we got to see more of what makes this area special and why we chose to live in it if even for a short time.  From walking the Labyrinth of Wisdom, to exploring the cliffs overlooking Vrana Lake to the experience of visiting the bird watching sanctuary with an expert we learned more about this region than many people take the time to learn.  And we made some new friends along the way, which to me was the best gift of all.

Florence Lince

www.6monthers.com

 

Author’s Note: This special day was arranged by Tina Vickov, Owner of Sibenik Plus Tourist Agency and Biljana Lambasa, Owner of Personal Insider Tours (Zagreb, Croatia).  Click on their names to learn more about them and to book directly with them.  Bird watching tours with Leonardo Grubelic can be arranged via Tina Vickov.

 

The Secrets of Sibenik

Or If These Walls Could Talk

Anyone can get a guide book and a map and walk around a strange city.  The problem with this approach is that you are bound to miss something truly amazing and those guide books are only as good as the person who wrote them and how well they did their research.  Sometimes it is best to hire a guide to learn the secrets of a place that only a local would know.

On a beautiful winter day recently we did just this walking around the city of Sibenik with Tina Vickov, owner of Sibenik Plus Tourism Agency and Tina Bilus (a licensed guide for Sibenik County) who gave us some of the inside scoop on the city we have been calling home.  What we found out was that even after being here for several months we had more to learn.

The most famous landmark of Sibenik is the Cathedral of St. James (Sr. Jakov) that sits at the top of a staircase and affords a spectacular view of the waterfront.  On a bright and sunny day this view cannot be beat.  One of the greatest lies told about the Cathedral by tour guides who do not really know this city is that the bell tower where you hear the bells chiming from can no longer be seen.  In actuality there never was a bell tower and the bells you hear ringing on the hour are from a CD that plays over a loud speaker.

The patron saint of Sibenik is St. Michael who is one of the three statues at the top of the Cathedral dome. He stands with St. Philip and St. Nicholas. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

What is true however is that the Cathedral made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage site because of two special factors.  One is in its construction.  There is not one nail, stud or other device holding the structure together.  There is also no plaster or glue or cement used to hold the cathedral together.  The stones used were carved by artisans in Split and then assembled here.  These pieces are interlocking and so tight that you couldn’t slip a piece of paper between the blocks.  It is an amazing architectural achievement considering the Cathedral was built in the early 14^th Century.

There are hidden treasures all over the outside of this Cathedral. You need to spend as much time exploring the outside as the inside. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The other unique feature of this church is found on the outside.  There are 75 ‘faces’ along the back arch.  What makes these faces unique is that they are carvings of local citizens of the town of Sibenik from that time period and not royalty or wealthy patrons of the arts.  It was the first example of sculptures of ordinary citizens.  What is also unique is that not one of the statues looks at one another, every one is made so that they are looking sideways or ahead or up but never at the looker or at another face on the wall.  It is an interesting portrait of what the locals looked like back in the 14^th Century.

Some of the ‘faces’ that adorn the outside of the Cathedral. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

In the same square as the Cathedral is a building with three columns.  The middle column is known as the Column of Shame.  It was attached to this column that those that broke the law would be bound so that the entire village could see their shame.  There are no markings or posters to this affect near the square.

The middle one is the Column of Shame. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The city of Sibenik was under Roman rule for over 400 years.  Wandering the streets you come upon this jut out in the wall of one building with the moniker, Amor De Cani (for the love of dogs) and yes, it is a well filled with water for the dogs that run around the city.  We have never seen it dry.

For The Love of Dogs © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Other Special Secrets of Sibenik

Always look up. These columns can be found on some of the buildings in Old Town Sibenik. At the top of the columns sometimes you can find shields engraved. This column tells you that the family who used to own the building were of nobility. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

One of Sibenik most famous artists is Ali Guberina. He has had 39 exhibitions around the world and had been presented to Pope John Paul II after doing a sculpture of the Pope. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

There are 17 church’s within the streets of the Old City of Sibenik. This one was given to the Orthodox Church by Napoleon. It is only open during the summer for the tourists coming from Russia. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

This was the first city water pipe in Sibenik. There used to be six of them scattered around the city. This one still works. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

If you ask a local where “Greasy Street” is located they will know exactly where you are talking. This street is where all of the butcher shops were located and where street vendors made food. Today it is lined with clothing stores and cafes. The stone walkway is really shiny however. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

This appetizing little array consists of a bottle of liquor made with Maraska Cherries. How famous are these local cherries? This liquor was served on the Titanic. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Not everyone has the luxury of time that we have to spend countless hours learning more about a place and walking the same streets over and over again only to discover something new every time we do so.  I get that.  But what good is a secret if you don’t tell anyone that secret!  I know these are no longer secrets now, which means we’ll just keep walking until we find more secrets…to share.

Florence Lince

www.6monthers.com

Croatia

It Feels Like Home…and Yet…

As we leave Croatia and look forward to our move to Spain I take a minute or two to reflect on the Croatia I came to know, and love.

The Good

From the first I felt at home here.  From the first greeting; the first meal; the first excursion, I felt at home.  Croatia and its people are very familiar to me and I’d never been here before.

My family comes from Sicily and when I told everyone here how familiar everything seemed to me using this as a reference there were some who were offended.  I meant no offense.  I had stumbled upon an old feeling of historic resentment between Croatia and Italy because of centuries of domination under Italian rule.  I am extremely proud of my heritage and to me comparing these two countries meant that what I found here in Croatia was good people with good hearts; great food with flavor and presence; beautiful scenery and a grand history.  These are all things that I hold dear and finding them here was a nice surprise and a pleasure.  I chose to live in Croatia before I lived in Sicily so that alone should speak volumes.

The Bad

Sometimes living in a country as we do for extended periods of time we learn way more about a country than just a casual visitor.  Take Croatia for instance.  We have learned that some people spend a lot of time in being jealous of their neighbors who are doing well.  Businesses where locals try to get ahead and do well are looked upon with suspicion.  Local government is not a purveyor of growth but most jobs are gotten by who pays for the privilege of having that job.  Then when they get into that job they do nothing to build or foster growth for all the citizens but to line their own pockets with money.  This leads to an environment of every man for themselves instead of team building.  We have seen this type of political environment in third world countries and it is never good to keep the masses as the poorest of the poor because when they rise up against you, you have no solid footing to stand upon.  Croatia needs leadership in all areas where the people have a say and a government that works for them, not in spite of them.  They need teamwork and cooperation between agencies and companies not jealousy and suspicion.

Croatia has a lot to offer the world and the world is beginning to come here.  What is not happening however is that the many are not receiving the benefits of these visitors; the few are.  What those at the top fail to acknowledge, as they pocket more and more money, is that everyone in Croatia at one time or another comes into contact with a tourist.  And if they treat those tourists badly; if they give Croatia a bad reputation, then no one here is going to make any money.  Make all the people of Croatia benefit from the influx of tourism coming here and then Croatia will flourish.  Will there be a leader among the generations who will lead this change in Croatia or will the status quo hold?  I hope it changes, for everyone’s benefit.

I will be watching.

Florence Lince

http://www.about.me/florencelince

Authors Note: I have created a short video of the highlights of our time in Sibenik, Country, Croatia.  The people in Sibenik opened their hearts to us and we will forever be grateful.  I had also wanted to create a video using the traditional music of Croatia known as Klapa.  Recently a young group of musicians known as Klapa Adriaticum performed a selection of songs at a post Christmas gathering on the waterfront in Sibenik.  I approached their manager and with his permission created my video with their music.  I hope you will enjoy it.

We wish to make special mention of the following people who made our time in Sibenik and Croatia so wonderful.  We will miss you all.

Nina Belamarić our landlady and friend. She took care of me when I got sick and in general was our best source for information on Sibenik. Thank you, thank you.

Tina Vickov, owner of Sibenik Plus Tourism Agency; another new friend who made sure that we saw and experienced more of this area than most tourists.  We are happy she entered our lives.  We will stay in touch.

Biljana Lambasa, owner of Personal Insider; another new friend who engineered some great travel experiences for us coming all the way from Zagreb to do so. Thank you Biljana.

And to our friends Lea Brezar and Manuela Tunjić from Dhar Media; we would never have Discovered Croatia without you and we will be forever grateful. Hugs to you both.

A Look Back

 Reflections of 2013

I love this time of year.  I have always written a ‘Year in Review’ letter to family and friends highlighting the crazy things I have been up too and stuffed that letter inside a Christmas card.  With the advent of so many social media channels I find that I really don’t have to recap my year because everyone has come along for the ride.

However, this is my first year with a blog and sometimes I want to tell my story in more than 140 characters or have more connection than just filling an album with pictures.  There are stories behind the pictures that just need to be told, and memories that I want to expound on beyond a tweet.

This was quite a year.  As 2012 ended we had thought we would be in Panama for at least two years but things changed quickly and we realized that our time in Panama was at an end.  It was while we were leaving that I came up with an inkling of an idea and we turned our lives into The 6 Monthers; a concept where we would stay 6 months in every country we wanted to live in.  Six months allows us to really get to know the locals and to explore more of the country on a completely different basis than just being on a two-week vacation.  So our adventure began.  I started out looking for countries where we could live for 6 months on our regular visas and while there are some, not all the countries we want to live in allow it.  Those that don’t we will deal with them on a case by case basis.  I also began in 2013 to work on obtaining dual citizenship for Italy which we hope will help with our request to stay someplace longer than 3 months.

Where we thought we would live for two years turned out to be no more than 6 months but it gave me an idea… © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Leaving Panama we looked north and decided on giving Mexico a try.  Other than stopping in various Mexican cities during cruises I had never spent any real time in Mexico.  Arranging our time in Mexico was easier than I expected and we found the ideal location to begin 2013 in Cuernavaca.  Mexico was a nice surprise and nothing like what the news media would have us believe.  We never heard a gun shot and we never felt unsafe.  We met nice people and we ate wonderful food.  We visited amazing places and loved every second of our time there.  Yes Mexico has its challenges but there is nothing about Mexico that should stop someone from exploring this beautiful country.

See more about Teotihuacan by clicking here. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

We returned to the US for a short period to exchange clothing and to clean out the last few boxes of items we had left in my parents’ garage.  We then packed for our move to Scotland.  Hindsight they say is sometimes best and sadly living in Scotland was not the dream that I was hoping it was going to be.

Being ever alert to prospects for new adventures, and wanting to build our 6 Monthers brand, earlier in 2013 I had connected via LinkedIn with the manager of Dhar Media in Zagreb, Croatia.  They were looking for journalists interested in exploring Croatia and filming a web series called Discover Croatia.  Filming was scheduled for the month of September.  September couldn’t come fast enough and while our 24 day filming schedule was grueling our time in Croatia was fun and filled with great contacts and new friends.

I know this was supposed to be serious business but I was having so much fun! Our visit to Zelingrad Castle happened during the filming of Discover Croatia. Loved it! © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

But we returned to Scotland because we had prepaid our six months rent.  We were however increasingly unhappy in Scotland and wanted to leave.  The people were not friendly or in some instances unkind.  I received more than one look from strangers where I just felt that if anything happened to me on the street no one would help me.  The weather was turning colder and the costs to heat our small apartment that had no TV, no internet and no elevator was getting to be ridiculous.  We talked with our landlady who would not return our money since she said the banks didn’t allow money to flow in reverse but that if we found someone who would take good care of the place we could sublet to them.  And the hunt was on.  I told Mike I was determined to find someone to get us out of Scotland.  He wanted to know where we wanted to go.  I told him Sibenik, Croatia.  He was surprised since I have family in Sicily and they could have arranged a place for us to stay, even on short notice.

Scotland is a beautiful country and there is a lot to see. It was just not the right place for us to live. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Luck was on our side, or fate intervened, and we left Scotland without looking back on October 26^th and landed once again in Croatia. Since we had already spent 24 days in the country we were only allowed to stay in the country on our regular visas until early January 2014 but we didn’t mind.  We found a great apartment to rent in Sibenik for 2.2 months and we grabbed it.  We connected with several locals who toured us around and we learned more about this region and this country.  To thank everyone we had met and who treated us so warmly we threw a Holiday / 6^th Wedding Anniversary party.   It was a happy event and we are glad that we did it.

From left; Our own Personal Insider – Biljana Lambasa, Tina Vickov, owner of Sibenik Plus Tourist Agency, Mike and Me. We were in good hands with these two who showed us the Sibenik we called home. We wouldn’t have learned as much without them. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Holidays in other countries are always interesting because so many customs and traditions are different from our own country.  Here in Croatia they celebrate St. Nicholas day (December 15^th) and the Epiphany (January 6th) which hold just as much significance as the main event; Christmas.  New Year’s Eve is yet to come but we already know there will be parties to attend and more stories to file away.

Mike and I met St. Nicholas along the waterfront in Sibenik – he tells me I’ve been a good girl this year. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

So while 2012 ended on a sour note we turned 2013 into a time of new beginnings, new friendships and new memories.  After all, isn’t that what the ball drop on New Year’s Eve represents?  Isn’t this why everyone cheers and sings and toasts the coming year?  New Year’s Eve is a time to say goodbye to the past and to look forward to the future.  New Year’s Eve is a time to make a toast to the coming year’s possibilities and a time to sing to let the world know that you are coming.

Here we come 2014, let’s see what you’ve got…

Florence Lince

http://www.6monthers.com

Six Years and Counting…

Or What a Great Excuse for a Party

This December 23^rd was our 6^th wedding anniversary.  The modern symbol for this anniversary is iron which is strong, long-lasting and represents the strength of the marriage bond.  To us however we viewed this as a way to celebrate the strength of the friendships we have formed over these past few months.  This party was therefore a two fold event; 1.) It was to help us celebrate the Holidays, and 2.) We used it as a vehicle to invite everyone we knew in Croatia to thank them for their support and friendship over these past few months.

Coming up with a list of 30 people who we wished to invite we sent out invitations and we had a wonderful response.  We planned the party for 1:00pm on a Saturday and 25 people said they would attend.  We found a restaurant to hold the event and hoped for the best.

We had good friends who drove 3.5 hours to attend who came all the way from Zagreb (thank you for driving Slavisa).  Our landlady Nina come over to the house early that morning to fix my hair and even to give me my first dye job (as in…I want to wash that gray right out of my hair).  We bought poinsettias to decorate the tables and they were such a hit since we gave them to some of the woman who attended the party to take home with them.  We had lots of good food, homemade cookies for dessert and dancing in the streets (well inside the restaurant but it sounded better the way I wrote it).

We had also been told that Croatians would stop in for a couple of hours and not to expect the party to go on much past 6:00pm.  By 9:00pm we were still sitting around, dancing, talking, and having a great time.  So yes, we think this was a very successful event.

I am happy to introduce some of the people who have made our time here in Croatia so special;

From left; Slavisa & Lea (owners of Dhar Media), Mike, Manuela and Me. These are the people who brought us to Croatia to film the web series Discover Croatia, and discover it we did.
(click the photo to see all video’s in the Discover Croatia series) © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

From left; Our own Personal Insider – Biljana Lambasa; Tina Vickov, owner of Sibenik Plus Tourist Agency, Mike and Me. We were in good hands with these two who showed us the Sibenik we called home. We wouldn’t have learned as much without them.
(click the photo to see Tina Vickov about.mepage) © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Our landlady Nina is a wonderful person who also happens to be a beautician. She came to the house earlier in the morning to style my hair for the party. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

From left; Me, Mike, Emil Lemac who led a boat tour or two during the filming of Discover Croatia, Slavisa and HD an American friend who happened to be in Croatia for the party. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Tina Bilus and Mike. Tina did a Secrets of Sibenik walking tour for us and imparted some great information. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

From left; Marjan our landlord (Nina’s husband) and Steve Gundic who toured us around Krka National Park and Burnum the Roman gladiator town.
(click the photo to learn more about Burnum) © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

The poinsettias were a big hit with the ladies! © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

As we make our plans to leave Croatia for our time in Spain we know we are leaving behind good friends.  And we are not sad.  You see we know we are not really leaving them behind.  We will be taking our memories of our time here everywhere we go and comparing other countries and its people to Croatia.

The other countries have very big shoes to fill indeed.

Florence Lince

www.6monthers.com

Medjugorje

Or Do You See What I See

In the early 1980s I began to hear about a little town in what was then Yugoslavia called Medjugorje.  I couldn’t pronounce the name of this town let alone spell it.  The reports coming from this little town however fascinated me and I wanted to know more.  You see I’m not only Italian American but also Roman Catholic.  As a Catholic I had grown up with stories of saints and apparitions of our Blessed Lady in both Fatima and Lourdes but these apparitions were happening during my lifetime.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I always kept the story of this town and I vowed that one day I would go there myself and see what I could see.  Years passed, as life has a way of doing and war came to Yugoslavia.  Even during those war years I often wondered how the people of this town were fairing and if our Lady had indeed prepared them for the worst.  The war ended in 1995 and seven new countries were formed; Albania, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is where the town of Medjugorje is.

It is pronounced med-ju-gor-e, pretty much the way it is spelled.  The town rests high in a hill, 40 minutes south of the city of Mostar in the southwest region of the country.  Getting to it by bus isn’t easy and the ride from Croatia took about five hours.  Once you arrive in town at the bus station you must walk past souvenir shops selling religious medals, rosaries and statues; you will also walk past restaurants and hotels.  My husband entered one of the local restaurants to ask a few questions and as he turned to leave the waitress said, “Be sure to see the statue of Christ beyond the Church, it weeps”.  And so it began.

The complex in Medjugorje is like nothing I have seen before. There is the main church which seats 500 or more people.  There is the outdoor chapel area which seats 7,000.  There is the area for lighting candles for your special intentions; prayer altars along the path to the cemetery and if you feel the need to go to confession you can do so in about a dozen languages. They hold mass every hour of the day from 10:00 to 6:00pm and every hour the mass is in a different language.  There is the cemetery; apparition hill, and that Statue of Christ. We were told that upwards of a million people come to Medjugorje every year.  They have been coming since the apparitions began and they came even during the war.

The Church of St. James, Patron Saint of Pilgrims. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

I first entered the main church and found only one person inside.  It is a plain but beautiful church and the second I opened my mouth to say my first prayer I began to sob. The strong feelings overcame me so quickly I couldn’t pray for that which I had come to pray for, at least not out loud.  My husband told me that God didn’t need to hear the words; he knew what was in my heart. It was still hard not to be able to say that which I had held in for all these many years.

This church brought forth great emotion. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

Leaving the church we went next to the area where the Statue of Christ rises. The Statue was erected in 1989.  It is made of Bronze. And almost immediately after it was put into place people noticed the liquid running down its leg.  Walking towards the statue of Christ I again was overcome with emotion and began to cry.  There is a step stool for people to get closer to the statue to see the liquid running down his leg and if I hadn’t seen it for myself I know I would be reading this with skepticism and I asked my husband how could this be?  I had to touch the liquid for myself and as I wiped it away another tear appeared and then another and again I began to cry.  It is hard to explain the deep emotion this place brought forth from me.

The Statue of Christ was raised in 1989 and is made of Bronze. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

We were there for 6:00pm mass this night and walking back to the church we saw buses arrive bringing more people in to attend mass.  It was a Monday night in winter; cold and dark; and there wasn’t a seat to be had inside the church, people had filled the pews and it was standing room only.  Because the church was so full there were six priests on the altar during mass and everyone was needed to give out communion.  Almost everyone in the church received the sacrament.  Normally, when a mass finishes people begin to flock out the door; this night however no one moved for a prayer service began after the mass and most of the people stayed to continue praying.  After the prayers the priest blessed any of the religious items purchased that day in the gift shops, and even after that people stayed to keep praying. We left only because we needed to catch our bus to Mostar.

During the summer months they get so many visitors they hold mass outdoors; they have seats for 7000 people. © Photo by Florence Ricchiazzi Lince

My husband who is not a religious person told me that he feels that something special is happening at Medjugorje; what it is exactly we couldn’t put our finger on, its just something you feel, and see, and believe.  As for me I cannot explain the deep emotions that overcame me on this day.  I have been trying to sort that out.  I wasn’t crying out of sadness or grief, I was crying because the presence I felt was so strong that I was overcome with emotion, and hope.  I still light candles in churches I visit in other places but I feel somehow that I’ve already lit candles in a place where my prayers will be answered, even though God had to hear them from my heart.

*****

Click this link to read more about the apparitions in Medjugorje.

Florence Lince

www.6monthers.com