Day 8 & 9 & 10 - Mljet

Today we left Split on route for the Isle of Miljet. We had to wake up quite early since our Ferry left before 8am. The concierge at our hotel had arranged for us to be picked up by a driver with a golf cart at 7am. It was a bit strange, but effective for directly navigating through the narrow streets to get to the Ferry dock.

There was a short lineup to board the Ferry and people were friendly and talkative. This was a passenger Ferry without any cars. Once we were on Board there were many options for seating and we quickly found comfortable reclining seats. We soon were talking with an Australian couple and briefly with a Toronto Physiotherapist (small world).  After about an hour the Australians and we changed to seating on the upper level with better views of the Adriatic. Overall a very civilized experience.

When we arrived on Miljet (by the way the "J" is not pronounced) we were greeted by a taxi driver that was pre-arranged by our hotel hosts. The Ferry port and the hotel were on opposite sides of the island so we had a 40 minute drive, which was actually a great way to get a sense of the beauty of Miljet. It is basically one big national park. Our taxi driver was also a fire truck driver and lived on the island year round. He explained that there were very few "residents' and that there was only occasionally one police officer during the busy season. Probably best not to get sick while visiting because there was only one or two doctors.

When we arrived at the hotel we received a warm welcome. Our son and his partner had stayed at this hotel in the Spring - which is why we were staying here. They had loved it and we did too!  The owners consist of a young couple (Gordana and Srdjan ) and the Srdja's parents. They remembered our family and seemed to have genuinely enjoyed meeting them.

There are only 8 rooms and a great little restaurant. The hotel is right on the ocean and the pool/lounge area has great views. If you are brave, like Monica, you can also walk down to the ocean and swim. She reported it was a bit cold this time of year. Our room was nicely decorated and relatively spacious with a separate sitting area.

We ate all our meals at the hotel. The food was marvelous. There are lots of fresh fish options which are grilled on a wood fire. One day Srdjan overheard us talking about having fish for lunch. He quickly came over and told us he had just come back from fishing and was grilling a fresh grouper for his lunch. He told we could have it and encouraged us to come over and check it out on the grill. We asked what he would have for lunch if we took the fish. He said a sandwich and smiled. Of course the fish was worth more on our plates, but his enthusiasm was genuine.

When we checked in we discussed having "half board" which provides breakfast and dinner at a set price. We opted for the "set" breakfast and Ala Carte dinners since some of their "Island Specialities" that we ordered were not included in the half board. This was slightly more expensive, but it is useful to be aware when you are ordering. The speciality that we tried was a local goat dish, under bell, which took 3 hours to prepare.

A short walk from the hotel led us to beautiful beaches, a convenience store and a few other restaurants. There is also lots of hiking opportunities. On our second day we took a 2 kilometre trail straight uphill. Unfortunately just before the top Joe fell and seriously bruised and cut his leg. He survived but it limited hiking for the rest of our trip.

On our last day the same taxi driver brought us back to the Ferry dock. We had about an hour to hang out and we were entertained by inebriated Americans who were dancing up a storm.

The Ferry ride to Korcula was quick and comfortable.

Day 6 & 7 Split

We arrived in Split around noon. The drive from Šibenik was easy on a major highway. There was a gas station just before we left the highway so we could top up the tank before returning it to the rental company. Finding our hotel, the "Bajamonti 5 Luxury Rooms" was a bit challenging since it is set inside a walled square. Joe stayed in the car while Monica walked around looking for the hotel. Their concierge came back to the car to help us find a parking spot and transport the luggage. When we arrived at the hotel she also carried both heavy bags up the five flights for us. The concierge was charming and very helpful. Our room was small with a bathroom that may have actually been a bit bigger than the bedroom. But it was nicely decorated and comfortable for our short visit.

After checking in we had to bring the car to the rental office, which turned out to be on the other side of the city. We then had to take a taxi for about $20 to return to the hotel.

The hotel is situated right in the centre of the old town. The architecture has lots of old roman empires flavour and is quite enchanting. There are however thousands of tourists, even this late in the year. We frequently encountered groups of tourists obediently following a guide holding a flag.

Our concierge recommended two restaurants. We headed to the Knoba Fetiva for our lunch the first day. This is a marvellous restaurant. Lots of local people and "real" food. We shared Scampi (which were almost the size of half lobsters and they were delicious - but messy to eat. The local white wine was cheap and quite nice. We liked this restaurant so much that we went back the next night for another great meal.

After lunch we wandered around the town and then went back to our hotel for a rest before dinner. We ate that night at another restaurant recommended by our hotel. This one was less successful. "Chops" specializes in steak. They have steak from Ireland, Australia, the USA and many other countries, but only one Croatian offering. If you like steak and don't care about tasting local food then you may like this restaurant. We would not go back.

Next Morning

Breakfast is included with the hotel. It is provided by a restaurant in the square that shares the name, but not the management of "Bajamonti". The food was fine, the service was terrible. Waiters for the most part were rude and indifferent. And when we asked for an extra shot of espresso in our cappauchino  the waiter said only if we paid for it! This same restaurant wouldn't let us drop in the night before for a drink without also having supper - despite the fact that they were half empty.

After breakfast we continued our exploration of the old town. When we were in the centre of the Palace we found a tour guide and arranged a private 90 minute tour of the Palace. We discovered it was originally built by a Roman Emperor as his retirement home. The architecture is fascinating. Large beams were transported to the site by ships. Today many of the rooms are occupied by private families. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable. It was a good decision to hire her.

After our tour we visited the very small synagogue which is located in a small alley.  The fellow who runs the place (not a rabbi) immediately told me that I did not pronounce my last name properly and proceeded to tell me what it should sound like-expressing the German tones. I laughed and told him we were of Polish decent. There are only about 100 Jews in Split and although they come together for a Friday meal they are not religious. In fact they eat shrimp and pork at these meals. He was a fun fellow. Also was nice to see the synagogue was kitty corner to a mosque.

For dinner we returned to the Knoba Fetiva and enjoyed another fabulous meal. We shared a first course of tiny whole fried fishes followed by a large wheel grilled fish. We also said hello to a British couple who we had met the previous day.

Day 5. Sebnick

After breakfast we left the wine hotel and headed toward the town of Šibenik.  It was only a few hour drive and half of it was on the same windy roads we had taken to reach Pag.  We were heading there because we had read that Šibenik has the "best restaurant in Croatia". We had successfully made a reservation and we were looking forward to our dinner that night.

When we arrived in Šibenik we easily found the parking lot that our hotel had told us to go to. The Heritage Hotel Life Palace is in the centre of an old walled town and not accessible by car. A young bell boy cheerfully carried our luggage up many windy stairs up to the hotel. Fortunately inside the hotel there is an elevator.  Our room was comfortable and nicely decorated. And the front desk associate was very helpful.

We spent the afternoon exploring the old town and popping into various stores.  As the afternoon progressed we found a cocktail lounge named after Botanist Gin. That seemed encouraging and we ventured in for a pre-dinner drink. We then had a bizarre, but fun experience teaching the bartender how to make the simplest of basic drinks -- like a martini!   And there was no risk of drinking too much, since the usual measure in Croatia is just .3 cl. We ended up actually making our own drinks.

Then it was time for dinner. When we arrived at the Pelegrini  (http://pelegrini.hr) they had a nice table ready for us somewhat elevated above the main floor. They offer a tasting menu - but one where you can choose the actual courses you want. The waiter was fabulous. When he heard we love wine he took the time to learn about our tastes and tell us about our choices. When we were uncertain about the first wine we tried he quickly appeared with two others for us to taste - even though we had not requested more choices.  We ended up selecting a local wine which was quite enjoyable.

The Pelegrini was a wonderful experience and certainly ranks as one of the top two food experiences we had on this trip (see Lenno and our cooking class for the other 2).  Here is our tasting menu:

Marinated mussels
Veal roll
Lardo and fish
Tongue cubes
Hake, Jerusalem artichoke, prosciutto
Veal under the bell
Pear and gorgonzola

Day 4 - Winery and walk

On our second day at the winery we decided to explore our surroundings. We started with coffee and breakfast - which was served nicely and well prepared. We then went out to the garden area where we  caught up on some reading. The hotel has a nice pool and many areas to sit and meditate.

We then went on a short hike, following the windy road that we had taken to get to the hotel, but this time going further into the woods - away from the main road. This was quite enchanting with lots of greenery, some vineyards and even a chicken coop and horse barn. As the end of the road was an impressive house - but nobody was home.

When we returned to the hotel it had been taken over by a group of sales people from Porche. They were preparing for an event that they were hosting at the hotel the next day. There were some nice cars in the parking lot!

That night we had dinner again at the winery. This evening the food was not as enjoyable. Overall we have decided that wineries are not a good choice as a place to stay - although Planeta in Sicily was quite fun.

Croatia Day 3 - Travelling to Pag

We checked out of our hotel around 11:30am and met a pre-arranged taxi that took us to the Sheraton Hotel where the car rental company was located. When we arrived we found a highly inefficient business with two fellows sitting and staring out the window while one other associate did all the work. It took a long time to get the car, but once it arrived we set off on our journey. Our destination today was the Isle of Pag. We found the roads in Croatia to be extremely well marked. Getting out of Zagreb was easy with signs at each intersection showing us the way to the highway. Once we were on the highway we found them to be well maintained and modern. And drivers were predictable and courteous.

The scenery as we drove was mixed with forest, farms and small towns. As we progressed we were soon also seeing views of mountains and the ocean.  There are two ways to get to Pag from Zagreb; the first is to take a Ferry; and the second which was recommended is to drive half an hour south of the Ferry cut off, cross over to the Isle via a bridge and then drive back North. This is a quicker route and it also let us see the very strange and impressive scenery on the Isle of Pag.

The very windy road snakes and curves between mountains and the sea. The hillsides have some greenery but are mostly sandy brown rock. It looks like it is straight out of a Star Wars movie.

Our destination was the Hotel Boskinac, which is a Wine Resort just north of Pag.  The hotel is about a kilometre up a small single lane road and near the top of a hill. We parked our car and then scouted around to see how to actually enter the hotel. We found a steep set of stairs and left our luggage at their base. The hotel staff were happy to retrieve them for us. We later found a back door that avoided the stairs.  The hotel staff were friendly and we were quickly checked in. Our room was large and there was a small but fun balcony.

 It was now time for a drink. The hotel bar was impressively stocked so we decided to first have cocktails - yes even though this was a wine resort. The bartender was so helpful we couldn't stop ourselves. While we sat on a comfy couch and sipped our drinks a waitress appeared and gave us each a dessert plate. We were surprised and thought that maybe this was a welcome treat. But a few minutes after we had taken a few bites a manager appeared and apologized, saying that the treats had actually been ordered by another guest. We were given the choice of keeping them and paying or relinquishing them. It was an easy decision since the desserts were too sweet and not what we wanted before dinner.

At dinner the service was professional and friendly. We had "lamb done 3 ways" which was quite tasty. And of course we had one the winery's own wines. Unfortunately the wine was not impressive.

Croatia Day 2 - The Bornstein Vinotek

We started our morning with the hotel breakfast, which was included with our accommodation. It was a healthy spread with yogurts, fruits, veggies, cured meat, eggs, sausage and fresh made coffees. Nice atmosphere and we felt satiated, ready for our day.

We set out to see the Old Town and farmer's market. It was pouring rain and only 11c so we first popped in and purchased a 2nd umbrella. The market was large, but not very interesting. Just many flat tables with only a small variety of veggies. Perhaps it is better earlier in the season or when it's not raining.

We wandered thru the Old Town enjoying the architecture and some of the murals on the sides of buildings. We then came upon the Museum of Niave Art. It was a wonderful find. The Niave School of Art represents folk art depicting both sardonic and satirical perceptives on rural life. Many of the pieces were oil painted on glass which was then reversed, painted side in. The pieces were interesting, some stunning and at times, magical. The staff at the museum were very helpful. This was an unexpected gem of a gallery.

After the museum we asked our phone to find the BornsteinVinotek. After a short ten minute walk winding thru narrow streets in the driving rain, we arrived. There was the Bornstein name proudly welcoming us to a world of wine - Just like our home in Toronto 😄.    We were soon engaged in conversation with Ivan, the Croatian Aussie who purchased the Vinotek about 4 years ago.  He told us his interesting life story and we soon purchased the 6 glass wine tasting which was accompanied by cheese.

The Vinotek was first opened around 1989 by Mr. Bornstein (now known by the surname Borosic).  They built a thriving business that includes wholesale, retail and holiday packages. There wine knowledge and inventory is quite impressive. Our 1.45 hour tasting extended to about 3 hours with Ivan telling us multiple stories and most importantly instructing us in the various types of wines an regions in Croatia. Sadly most of these impressive wines are not made in sufficient volumes to enable exporting. After our tasting we looked around and bought an Apron with the Bornstein name on it along with a bunch of paper wine bags, also with our name printed on it. Maybe we should open a Bornstein Vinotek in Toronto !

After  our tasting and a nap at our hotel we ventured out for dinner at Carpaccio. Yes only our second night and we were eating Italian. But this restaurant was recommended by our new cousin Dina Bornstein (Borosic). Dina and Joe have been in communication, attempting to establish our family genealogy. We hope to meet some day. Her restaurant recommendation was superb. Amazing service and food. Our local wine selection (Plavac Mali)  matched well with the Porcini Rissota and Porcini Veal. The Plavac Mali is made with the same grapes as Zinfandel.

We slept well that night.

Day 1 - First Exploration of Zegreb

After quickly settling into our room we decided to wander out to check out our neighbourhood and find lunch. It was raining cats and dogs and was only 11C.   The hotel is situated just below the old city and is adjacent to a large square with many, many restaurants, florists and shops. When we inquired about the menu at one restaurant the waiter told us their kitchen was closed on Mondays. He then recommended his favourite "local" restaurant where we would find more citizens of Zegrab than tourists, Vallis Aurea. It was situated in a small out of the way street just below the venicular that took people to the  old city.  We lapped up some smoked Ox tongue and shared a salad accompanied by local white wine. Overall a pleasant experience and only $20!

After lunch, jet lag naps were enjoyed followed by another journey out for food. The Korcula restaurant (in Zegrab) was a short walk in the rain. We had risotto with truffles and octopus with potatoes. Monica found the fried herb potatoes rival to any North American French Fries and didn't care to share her bounty with Joe. We shared a white wine from the island of Korcula which we will be going to in a week. Overall a pleasant experience.