food Archives

Istrian Peninsula: Part 2 of 4, Pula, Croatia

May 25, 2026May 6, 2026Posted in blogging, history, Travel, writingTagged food, history, Local food, travel, wineLeave a comment

We drove about 50 minutes to Pula, the largest city and major port on the southernmost tip of the peninsula. Our guide explained the importance of this location was because it has a protected harbor. Now however you only see abandoned ship building projects and maybe small boat repairs. At once I realized how beautiful our 5 nights in Poreč is compared to staying in Pula.

However there is plenty of history here. Our first stop was at the Roman amphitheater built between 27 BC and 68 AD. It has all 4 walls intact and I was reminded of my first visit to Rome’s amphitheater. This one in Pula is one of the world’s six largest surviving Roman arenas. Centuries ago there were gladiator contests, now it is a tourist attraction and concert venue.

We also saw the Temple of Augustus built between 2 BC and 14 AD. He was the first Roman emperor and the temple was probably built during his lifetime.

The Venetians built the Kaštel Fortress/Pula Castle in the 14th century on the hilltop which provides great views of the city. After walking around the fortress, you can take an elevator to 2 lower levels with access to a network of tunnels. This was amazing to see as the tunnels are a good size and long.

Arch of the Sergii was another stop on our walking tour of Pula. This 1st century Roman triumphal arch was built and fully paid for by a family member to honor three members of their family.

So much history… and then we saw stone shelters. Many places you will find the dry wall stone construction, but seeing this stone shelter was fascinating!

Would be a challenge to build; only rock!

I’ll be back tomorrow, another town to visit.

Opatija, Croatia…Relax and Enjoy!

May 18, 2026April 30, 2026Posted in Artwork, Birds, blogging, Travel, writingTagged birds, environment, food, Nature, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

On our way to our hotel in Opatija, we stopped at a pasta-making class. With our aprons on, a swig of wine and clean hands, we made pasta! So simple, why don’t I make it at home!? Anyway, we created two differently shaped pastas and ate them! Delicious!!

Pasta-maker taught us how to make pasta! She went to Italy to learn pasta-making.

Arrived at our destination…. Opatija. Wealthy people and tourists stop in this town where hotels are huge and overlook Kvarner Gulf, part of the Adriatic Sea. Way across the water is Venice, Italy. This place is so relaxed compared to any of my Venice visits!

Lady of the Seagull with live one on her head!

Some resorts have a swim area available. People were dipping their toes in the water.

My fellow travelers visited the hilltop towns of Motovun and Hum. It was an optional day tour with a truffle shop stop. I remained in sunny, windy Opatija to walk part of the 7.5 mile waterfront promenade.

In my free time I sketched some of the 14 new birds I have seen on the trip thus far. No colored pencils or paint with me here.

My farewell dinner at Opatija: pizza and wine:

Chocolate and pistachio cake enjoyed when I joined my fellow travelers to hear about their truffle – tasting and lunch in the town of Hum, population 11 people. Good thing I walked many miles today as my dinner was huge!

Off to Slovenia tomorrow and I’m looking forward to our cave visit. Back in a few days…

Life in Karanac, Croatia

May 13, 2026April 30, 2026Posted in blogging, environment, history, Travel, writingTagged blogging, environment, food, history, international travel, Nature, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

We stayed at a “living history” farmstead in Karanac, a small farming village. Each property has a narrow front yard with a long depth of land. This is to their advantage since their property tax bill is determined by the frontage measurement. I liked the fact they have the road, then a strip of grass, sidewalk and then the front of the home. It makes for a spaciousness in the area even though this is a rural area already.

Upon our arrival we made cheese for the following morning’s breakfast. A plain cheese and the other was with dill and garlic. Learning the cheese-making process and eating our final products was wonderful.

The son is 8th generation on this land. He showed us the vegetable garden for home use and pointed out the chickens, quail, fruit trees, etc that they produce many products to barter and/or sell. The family works hard throughout the year. All is organic and they rotate their crops to keep their land healthy too.

Our cooking opportunities came in making fry bread for breakfast and learning how to make goulash in clay pots for lunch. All the food, consisting of meats, vegetables, cheeses, jams and bread, was delicious!

The mother of the household is a master at stenciling. With the advent of wallpaper, fewer people need to stencil an entire wall; however, with her work you would never realize this is not wallpaper. She has collected many rollers with patterns and is very well known for her stencil work!

Our lunch was enjoyed at another family’s home. A few of us had lunch with a couple. They have 4 children and work in a nearby town. We talked about taxes, healthcare, elder care and various other things. Interestingly, with each birth there is 3 years of leave allowed so this woman has maintained her work position even with the birth of 4 children. Yes, a large percentage from salary goes to these benefits. While they wish they could be lower, they do appreciate the ability to have the paid time, even if it be 70%, to provide care as needed.

The next day we have a long ride to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. I’ll be back in a few days!

Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina…Part 3 of 3

May 9, 2026April 30, 2026Posted in blogging, history, Travel, writingTagged blogging, food, history, travelLeave a comment

Today, residents in Sarajevo, Bosnia respect the varied religions in their city. I have heard the “Call to prayer” often, not all 5 times per day, but often. We stopped in at a Greek Orthodox Church and a Catholic Church.

Greek Orthodox Church. They do not sit in this church; they stand.

We visited the Tunnel of Hope, also called the Sarajevo Tunnel. The half mile tunnel was built in 1993 in 4 months, 4 days! It went under the airport and was used to bring in food and water to people in Sarajevo. The tunnel had systems to provide good air and lighting within the tunnel as supplies moved through by people and/or on a small cart on rails. More than 10,000 people were killed in this 3.5 year Bosnian War. This valley town was fired upon from the hills after the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Tunnel reconstructed to show what it was like.

We had a speaker share his perspective of the conflict between Serbians and Bosnians in the 1990’s. Then there were almost 30% Serbians, but now only 4% in this mostly Muslim city.

We had a home-hosted dinner with our host. Her cousin spoke English and translated for us. We ate a delicious soup with okra, a meal of meatballs and mashed potatoes and baklava for dessert. I learned that Muslims do not drink alcohol in their home.

Finally, a brief explanation of the 3 presidents, but truly if you are interested, read the 1995 Dayton Accord agreed upon in Dayton Ohio, USA. There is the information as to the collective presidencies that resulted in 3 leaders: 1 Bosnian, 1 Croat and 1 Serb based on ethnic representation in the whole state of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Each of the entities have a president, parliament, ministries… many people are involved in government. I cannot explain much more; please research it on your own, if interested.

We are returning to Croatia tomorrow. A long drive. I’ll be back in a few days.

Three Presidents in B-H!? Part 1 of 3

May 7, 2026April 30, 2026Posted in blogging, history, Travel, writingTagged blogging, food, history, international travel, travelLeave a comment

Bosnia-Herzegovina (B-H) has a complicated history as told to us by our guide as we drove from Dubrovnik, Croatia to B-H. Our drive was slightly longer, due to the fact the first border crossing was not possible. Their new system to process our passports, finger prints and photo was not working. As a result we had to drive further through Croatia to another border checkpoint.

We made a few stops. One was at an oyster farm. Mussels are grown abundantly. You’ll see them in the waters, but I had not known that some were oysters. We saw the process and of course ate a deliciously fresh oyster!

Next stop was at an old bridge in Mostar. This 16th century bridge of Ottoman-Turkish architecture spans the Neretva River which divided the town into Muslim and Croat sections. The bridge was destroyed in 1993 as the former Yugoslavia broke up. In 2004 the town and bridge were restored and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The bridge is a symbol of reconciliation and continued peace for the region.

Minerals in water made it a shade of green!

Of course we had a delicious lunch and Bosnian coffee; it is like Turkish coffee.

Our long transfer day of driving finally ended in Sarajevo! The only thing I knew about this place was the 1984 Winter Olympics. I’ll get that visit in tomorrow. More about the 3 presidents when I understand the history.

Berat, Albania… History and Food…Part 2 of 3

April 24, 2026April 17, 2026Posted in blogging, history, Travel, writingTagged blogging, blogging101, education, food, history, travelLeave a comment

We headed south, a couple hour’s drive, for our day trip from Tirana to Berat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its Ottoman-style homes. Notice the many windows on the second floor of the home. The first floor is made of stone and the second floor is a white-washed exterior with a ceramic-tiled roof. The second floor is one large room. These homes are on both hillsides of the Osum River.

After walking a loop from one bridge to another, we drove up to Berat Castle. This is a 2500 year old fortress, considered a “living castle“ as 700 people live here. Residents have permits to drive within; everyone else walks in on the cobblestone paths.

We stopped at the Onufri Museum in Castle’s Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary. There were 19th century paintings on wood, labeled with artist and date!

After lunch of soup, salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, etc and meatballs and stuffed peppers with rice, and a dessert, we headed back to Tirana.

View of an area of Berat from the Berat Castle area.

Our guide spoke of Albania’s complicated history while we rode from Tirana to Berat. No way could I condense all that info; however, it was interesting seeing all the old steel mills that were built and used in the 1970’s. Twenty thousand people were employed, but by the 1990’s they ended. Communist Party was on its way out and 50 percent of the country’s electricity was consumed by these mills. You’ll also notice there are some working oil wells, many fewer now than in the past. There is now less oil, but also the crude oil needs to be exported as Albania has no refinery. Gasoline here is about $7.00 per gallon with 60% of that fee as tax. (Side note: saw some self-supported bicycling tourists on the road. No bike lanes here. They were truly on the road!)

During Communist years, the Mother Party was more important than ones biological mother. Two hundred thousand bunkers were built. As the years went on, people were malnourished, yet listened to BBC and Voice of America and realized their “glorious leader” was a dictator. Again, so much happened in their history; do your research to learn more. Even as the new government in 1992 institutes land reform, this too has its challenges! History buffs must really love understanding how this country has come to be!

On a later note, let me end with a look at our dessert from lunch. This is Berat’s version of “ekmet” … a custard with shredded wheat below and on top. It was delicious along with soup, fresh tomatoes and olives, meatballs and stuffed peppers. It was an informative day!

Exploring the Adriatic Sea Coastlines!

April 21, 2026April 17, 2026Posted in adventure travel, blogging, history, Travel, writingTagged birding, blogging, food, history, Local food, solo travel, travelLeave a comment

The Adriatic Sea is rarely mentioned in comparison to the Mediterranean Sea, yet the Adriatic Sea is a northern arm of the Mediterranean Sea. My travels for the next few months will be to explore the Balkan Peninsula, not really a peninsula, and Italian Peninsula separated by this 500 mile long body of water.

For those of you who love water, I learned, the Adriatic Sea is relatively shallow, has clear, turquoise water and over 1,000 islands. Wonder if island hopping is a thing people do?

My time will be split: group tour and solo time. The entire travel involves places I have never visited, so this will be a true exploration! My blog posts are usually twice a week, however, if writing time is available, I’ll post more often.

Looking at a map, I’ll visit Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and some locations on the eastern coast of Italy. If you have visited any of these areas, let me know what I should not miss! Thanks!

My sketch below is to orient myself to the locations of the countries I’ll eventually be visiting. I’ll start on the Southeastern European side. Can you name the countries labeled B thru F? Then I’ll visit eastern coast of country labeled A. Will not visit country labeled “?”, but needed to include it for my sense of the area.

Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. Can you name the countries?

Here are the answers:

A= Italy

B= Slovenia

C= Croatia

D= Bosnia and Herzegovina

E= Montenegro

F= Albania

How did you do? What about upper right corner with question mark? Answer: Serbia

Time to travel … and explore foods, birds, history with eyes wide open and to meet people from all over the world!

Foods Eaten While on Chilean Adventure

January 4, 2026December 26, 2025Posted in adventure travel, blogging, Travel, writingTagged beer, food, travel, wine4 Comments

Foods must be tasted while traveling the world! In Chile I did my best to try some food, once I figured out what the menu was advertising!

And the meal was … steak and mushrooms in cream sauce and fries …

Mushrooms and steak in cream sauce and fries

Fish and chicken are on many menus. I had fish: hake, ceviche, shrimp in curry, salmon, and shrimp, queso and pineapple empanada. The most traditional Chilean choice was the “pastel de jaiba”, a delicious crab pie with a couple of shrimp on top!

Cerviche: fresh, raw fish “cooked” in citrus juices.

Shrimp curry with rice. It also had a lentil salad.

Chilean salmon is raised in the Antarctic waters of Patagonia.
Chile is second largest salmon producer in the world.

Shrimp, queso, and pineapple empanada. The LARGEST empanada I have ever eaten! Most empanadas fit in the palm of your hand. This one was the size of a dinner plate. Delicious!

Chockfull of crab! I ate no dinner that night after this lunch-time meal!

At our home-hosted meal in Puerto Varas, we made empanadas and enjoyed a Pisco sour while the corn stew finished cooking. The corn stew was delicious and even with some sausage slices on top. Of course, the carménère wine was delicious too!

Sometimes my fellow travelers and I shared platters of food. Here are two examples:

Washing down the food was with a choice of either a juice, water, beer and/or wine. My first choice was always wine, especially the Carménère … a red wine grape from Bordeaux France and rediscovered in Chile. Of course, a good beer is perfect for some meals also, such as a local beer while on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). A Pisco sour was often offered upon arrival to a home or as a “welcoming drink” at a hotel. Lovely!:)

Dessert anyone? I remember flan, the custard-like dessert with caramel sauce, often served in South American countries. I am a lover of crème brûlée so it would be easy for me to eat flan often here; however, I discovered some healthy options. One was a sweet cucumber and mango dish and the other a Pohe dessert: squash and banana dish served on Rapa Nui (Easter Island).

Pohe dessert (squash & banana) on Easter Island

So many other foods to try, but living in the Southwest USA I have had many corn products already. The bottomline though, food and drink were delicious! But let’s not forget the delicious “curanto” – stew cooked in one pot while we were visiting a couple on Chiloé Island. If you missed it, click here. That’s a meal not to be missed! And you cannot miss the size of this garlic we saw at the local market!

Cooking Time on Chiloé Island, Part 2 of 2

December 19, 2025December 26, 2025Posted in blogging, Travel, Uncategorized, writingTagged cooking, food, travel2 Comments

Our “Day in the Life” time was on a peninsula of Chiloé Island, in the town of Rilan. Here we visited a couple who opened their home to us. She is a wonderful cook, the homemade bread was delicious with honey butter! He is an amazing woodcarver and fisherman. They both work a huge garden!

We all helped prep our meal. It’s a traditional meal here called a “curanto”. This stew consists of shellfish, meat, potatoes and vegetables all cooked within one pot. We created small balls of cooked mashed potatoes and grated raw potatoes with a bit of pork within. Also balls of mashed potatoes and flour. These golf-ball sized balls were each wrapped in plastic wrap. I diced onion, red pepper and garlic which was sautéed in a huge pot. From there, other food items were added per layer: mussels, chicken legs, pork pieces, those wrapped potato balls, and sausages with plant leaves in-between each layer of food. The pot lid was held down with rocks as the steam cooked the food for at least an hour. Here are some of the layers within the pot.

Many layers of food and plant leaves now to steam to cook!

While the meal cooked, we walked in the garden, saw the wood carved pieces related to the island’s mythology and played “rayuela” which is similar to horseshoes or bocce. Instead one throws a metal disc into a sand box that has a string across the center. Closest disc wins. We had a winner!

After dinner which was a delicious meal, music and dancing … all great fun and perfect opportunity to spend time with this couple. On our return, we had a boat ride to see birds and the houses on stilts. Very interesting how people build their home on stilts and continue to extend their construction into the bay. We did visit one such home.

Other info I learned: 324 varieties of potatoes. Sixteen of 80 churches on this island are UNESCO sites. Last earthquake was in 2010.

Next, the reason I am on this trip, besides Easter Island, is to see Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park! Give me a few days and I’ll be back.

What to Have With my Popcorn?

October 12, 2025September 24, 2025Posted in blogging, writingTagged food6 Comments

Popcorn provides me with salt and corn taste which I enjoy after a day in warm air. But I am not sure if I enjoy a glass of wine or a mug of beer with my popcorn?

What would you drink with your popcorn? Or do you have another food and beverage to enjoy after a warm day outdoors? Share if you wish!