From Udine we drove on past Padua to Terme Abano, at whose sosta we had stayed just before our Balkan adventure. The plan was to stop early, in a known place, a town, where I could watch the World Cup final game, pitting my adopted favorite, Croatia, versus what would have been my favorite team otherwise, France. It was Sunday afternoon and, surprisingly, several of the main bars and sports bars were closed. Closed. Good grief. (Italy did not get into the World Cup this quadrennium--first time in thousands of years you'd think--and many Italians are still in denial). But I found one open, nice enough, with a big screen and a bar-tender who knew how to make a Negroni, all the Italians there rooting for Croatia, and watched nearly the whole game (except for an over-long half-time break for Vicki's spaghetti). Sadly, Croatia lost. I have not watched as many as half a dozen futbol games in my life, but I strongly felt the Croats suffered from a couple of bad calls, early on, and were fighting up-hill all the way. They seemed to me the better team, attacking all the way, never benefiting from the referee's calls. Had Croatia not been in it, I would have been cheering for France, so I didn't feel too bad. And the Croat team did their little nation very proud. Oh, and yes, I am fully aware of the immigrant nature of the French team. More power to them! Vive la France!
...recounts the retirement travels of Mark and Vicki Sherouse since 2008...in Asia and the Pacific, New Zealand, Europe, South America, and Africa, as well as the US and Canada. Our website, with much practical information, is: sites.google.com/site/theroadgoeseveron/.Contact us at mark.sherouse@gmail.com or vsherouse@gmail.com.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Monday, August 6, 2018
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Julian Alps, 2
Flip side of the Vrsic Pass road, on to Bovec, and then back to Italy.
An interesting road we were following, with turn-offs to Austria and to Italy and back to Slovenia |
On this side of the pass, more beautiful limestone gorges |
Stopped at one of the gorges for lunch, a bus of trekking ladies from Austria arrived and debarked |
At a parish church renown for its anti-Fascist art; may come in handy again soon |
Hitler pulling up the Cross; not pictured: Mussolini as Pontius Pilate |
Church spare parts |
One of the best cared-for cemeteries we've seen; every candle burning |
Remains of the military cemetery |
Hard to imagine war in such beautiful terrain |
Limestone pie-slice; from road contruction, presumably |
The day's surprise: a crash landing which we missed by a couple minutes |
Can't imagine flying a glider in these mountains, this weather |
Evidently he couldn't get over the power lines and so fell short of the intended landing field |
Thus |
By the time we got there, the pilot was talking to the police and to his faithful ground crew; I saw no damage to the craft, which was impressive; I'll take powered flight anytime, thank you |
En route to Italy, Boko Falls, a last view of the great Balkan waterfalls |
And a last view of the Julians; on to Italy! |
Julian Alps, 1
Our last day in Slovenia, Juillet 14, we drove a bit of the Julian Alps, from Lake Bled up and over the Vrsic pass, down the Soca valley, and then back into Italy, spending the night at a huge sosta in Udine. The Julian Alps are at the intersection of Italy, Austria, and Slovenia--Alpine country indeed--
the Julians are not quite as spectacular as the nearby Dolomites, but definitely in that league.
the Julians are not quite as spectacular as the nearby Dolomites, but definitely in that league.
Slovenian hay drying racks, one of the country's icons; sometimes used as bill- boards, too |
Could be anywhere in Alpine country...Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria... |
At a turn-out featuring Slovenia's big mountain, Mount Triglav; another helpful bronze model |
Local parish priest, incensed that Mount Triglav was owned by Germans, purchased the summit so that Slovenia's tallest mountain, 9,300+ would be, at the top, Slovenian; details below |
Mount Triglav, there in the center, further away |
More drying racks, actually drying hay |
And now we're on our way up the pass; each of the 50 hairpin turns is numbered |
Huge alpine window |
Near the top of the pass, another huge cairn city; the Slovenians certainly rival the Norwegians in the building of these things |
View from the pass, looking down to the Soca valley |
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