A late day at last! Woo hoo. Bags out by 8:45 with a short walk (no cars in the old town) to the bus at 9:30 for the 30 minute ride to the ferry port. Coming out of town we saw a mini-fleet of cute, refurbished old VW bugs for rent. Our drive took us past terraced fields, rock walls, a couple of concrete cemeteries, large agave plants, and rocks, rocks, rocks everywhere.

Fun story Jasmina shared with us: For centuries the good land and useful property (think inland where cultivating was easier) passed to the men in a family. Women got what was left (think seaside with its rocky shore and impossible soil). Fast forward to the late 1990s when tourism was kicking into gear. Investors with vision came to Croatia seeking out old ladies who might be enticed to sell their seaside property for a pretty price. They met with some success.

Another fun story: The last man of noble descent on Hvar island has a restaurant. He cooks what he’s in the mood to cook and allows customers who show up to eat … or not. A famous tennis player came and the nobleman chef told him to come back when he got his game under control. He refused anther guy well known in these parts because of his misguided politics.

I digress. Anyway, we got in the ferry queue 90 minutes early in order to guarantee our small bus made it on. To kill the time we took a pretty stroll down a nice wide path along the shore. The relaxing ride was two hours which we spent on the top deck in the shade. Destination: Split, an industrial city of a quarter million right on the water. Second largest in Croatia and of no special interest other than it is the birthplace of Diocletian. We have come to see his palace.

Backstory. Diocletian was the son of two free slaves. An ambitious guy who became a soldier, moved to Rome, and worked his way right up to being emperor! We’re talking late 3rd century AD. Quite a feat for someone of such humble beginnings. He is known for strengthening the empire by dividing it into four sections and naming co-emperors, of sorts, of each section with him being número uno. He was also known for being the last emperor to persecute and kill Christians by the thousands to include his wife and daughter (beheading) who converted later in life. He abdicated the throne after 20 years and moved into a palace he had built in Split, very near his hometown. By palace I mean elaborate compound with living quarters, guest quarters, a temple, mausoleum, emergency exit right out to the sea, and so forth. Our group toured what is left of this amazing palace.

Our hotel is beautiful and I am happy to report does not have a single funky feature. It’s large, bright, and cheerful with no glass walls, photo headboards, wallpaper with nudes. Just run of the mill gorgeous.

Dan and I separated for our free day. He was a crazy guy and got up early, along with Sandy and Alan, to do two walks up and down a hill that leads to a fortress that he found interesting. The dungeons were of particular interest with their balls, chains, and shackles. As they were walking through the small town on their way to the fortress, they passed the nunnery and heard the nuns singing during their morning service. Their voices in the quiet morning came as a special, sweet surprise. Dan came back from his jaunt to clean up, have a late breakfast, and then strolled around for a few hours. He visited a monestary with …wait for it… one monk. The monestery has a spectacular painting of the last supper and a small museum where he learned that back in the day, when shipping was king and Hvar was on the main east-west trade route, one out of 50 voyages ended in a shipwreck.

While Dan was exercising and soaking up culture, I took a cooking class along with our guide, Jasmina, and Christa, the granddaughter I mentioned, who just happens to be a culinary student. It was held in the small kitchen of the Golden Shell and was a wonderful experience. We went first to the market to choose our vegetables and to visit a fish stall and a shop specializing in cheeses, cured meats, oil, etc. Then we got to work. The owners of the restaurant (a dad, daughter, and son) demonstrated as well as involved us in making lunch. For starters we prepared artichokes, baba ganauch, and goat cheese jazzed up with fennel, pepper, mint olive oil, and oregano. For the main course we made gnocchi, a potato-zucchini dish, green bean salad, and a local fish stew called gredada. The day was loads of fun and to top it off we each got a certificate attesting to our culinary skills as well as a lovely gift bag with infused olive oil, local lavender, honey, oregano, and a couple of other things. As enjoyable as the cooking was, the real fun was in sharing the meal with the owners of the restaurant as well as getting a peek behind the scenes of how so much food can come out of a small space with  a four burner stove and no oven.

A sobering story they shared was about how rude, crude, obscene, and disrespectable some of the new tourists are. Some behavior (peeing and even dedicating in public) seems to be tied to drink or drugs, but much seems to be tied to a sense of entitlement and superiority. Croatia has nothing in place in terms of consequences so the fear is that behavior like this will get worse.

Before the tour group met for dinner, Dan and I strolled back to the city center, past the beautiful yachts, to take a look at the outside of the very first public (meaning commoners could attend alongside the nobility) theatre in Europe. We stopped at the nunnery to get a glimpse of their famous, ultra delicate lace which is made of agave (as in tequila) thread. Last stop of the day was at the Catholic Church to light a candle for Aunt Geri.

Sidebars: a) Sea urchins are one sign of a clean, healthy sea and are visible by the hundreds right from the shore here just like they were in  Korcula. b) Phone booths and laundromats are pretty easy to find. c) Smoking is common in public places. Lots of people roll their own. d) There is no requirement to have an hourglass figure to wear a bikini or give the impression in any way of time in the gym to wear a speedo. e) The headboard in our room was a ceiling to floor black and white of Gina Lolobrigida or her lookalike.

In true breakfast of champions style I had lasagna and cookies along with yoghurt, coffee, and fruit. It just seemed fitting. Some of the other things on offer were cold cereals, green/tossed salad, grilled vegetables, eggs, and sausages that looked like mini-hot dogs. The breakfast room had interesting light fixtures consistent with the bathroom door and glass shower in our room. You know how you kind of disconnect lights so you can paint the ceiling … leaving them dangling on exposed wire? Well there seemed to be no painting underway; the large lights were designed to dangle, I guess, and had dusty looking batting tied around them.

I digress. By 8:15 we had all piled on the bus and began backtracking through the mountains to meet up with the car ferry for the 20 minute ride back to the mainland. When we arrived, a fishing boat had just come in with their catch of sardines which were being cleaned right in the boat. Folks were buying them on the spot. We drove in the direction of Ston, home to an amazing walled city. Amazing in that the wall went up and over a small mountain. Come to find out this five kilometer wall, which dates back to the 1300s, is the second longest in Europe (Hadrian’s wall is the longest) and the best preserved. We also saw ancient salt pans that used to be the claim to fame in this area and a major contributor to its wealth and influence. Salt is so available these days and so cheap that the owner does not make any profit and has trouble unloading the salt, so he donates it.

From Ston we headed north to the Bosnia and Herzegovina (one country with two regions) boarder. We were in this fine country for a whopping 12 miles exiting on the other side to more Croatian coast. To be able to say we had actually been in the country and not just driven through, we stopped for a quick coffee at an overlook.

We continued along the coast road past small bays and inlets, mussel and oyster farms, and small villages to a ferry that delivered us to our destination for the day, Hvar, population 11,000. It is rated one of the world’s Top Ten islands by Cande Naste Traveler magazine and the most popular of the Croatian islands with vacationers. We docked on the east side but are sleeping on the west side which is a 77 kilometer ride. This ride took us over the 1,200 foot mountain to Hvar City, population 4,000.

The day’s drive was very nice and afforded us amazing views. We are ahead of the tourist season, so it was open road ahead and behind us all day. Sometimes it reminded us of the Colorado Rockies with loads of pine trees. For the most part, however, we saw olive trees, grape vines,  and loads of lavender in bloom. We went inland for awhile where we saw vineyards that in one place were afforded salty ocean breezes thanks to a wind tunnel that had been bored through the mountain separating them from the coast. Ingenious is all I can say. We made a quick stop at a small, charming Catholic cemetery where we learned that 90% of Croats are active Catholics, third in the world to the Poles and the Italians.

The most amazing sight of the day: countless, centuries old dry stone walls made of rocks and stones that had to be cleared away in order to cultivate crops. Some were in terraces, some went in stripes from the top of a mountain or hill to the bottom, and some marked off small areas. There were way too many walls to count plus in some places rocks were piled up and looked like they were waiting for a gravel truck to come by and haul them off. The mountains are so steep and the work so labor intensive that more fields were left unplanted than planted. It totally rivals Ireland for rocky soil!

Our hotel is right on the bay with yachts docked right outside the main entrance. I’m not talking pretend yachts with an identity crisis, these are huge, for-real floating homes worth millions and millions of dollars. I’ve never been that close to so much money! The hotel is very modern with large charcoal nudes on wallpaper in the halls. Another glass wall is in our bathroom! This time, however, it’s the sink and the tub that look out onto the room with a glassed-off toilet.

The day ended with the highlight: Sandy and Alan treated us to dinner in celebration of my retirement. They hired a small, fast water taxi to take us to the island where the restaurant is. The taxi was a hoot: open air with two rows of saddle type seats with grip bars to hold onto. The restaurant and the meal were wonderful! The setting was somewhere between Cabo and Key West with loads of vegetation, bright colors, and a huge outdoor charcoal grill not to mention the life size painting of Adam and Eve situated in the trees along the path from the boat dock to the restaurant. So sweet of them to treat us to such a nice evening.

We took off at 8:00 this morning along the Dalmatian Coast for a two and a half hour drive on a well maintained two lane coastal road. One thousand islands line the coast of Croatia creating sort of an inter-coastal feel and made for a peaceful, pretty drive.

We passed the island of Lopud which boasts the highest life expectancy in Europe: 92. We drove in and around small villages with limestone and stucco houses, all a soft, cool white. Just like in and around Dubrovnik, the landscape is very rocky with lots of tall, thin Cyprus trees towering stories above the homes and other vegetation. Jasmina (pronounce YazMeNuh) pointed out a 400 year old plane tree. We passed lots of mussel groves and drove through areas that long ago had a lot of summer homes for the wealthy. The homes themselves were of the same basic design with some variation in size, and not designed to impress. It was the garden/yard that was layed out to wow visitors and show off one’s wealth and status.

Loads of olives are grown here as well as wine. Back when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia, all grapes had to be sold to state run presses where the emphasis was on quantity. The focus is now on quality and apparently Croats are making a name for themselves on the world stage. The objective is to return to the good old days when Greece, who colonized here BC, felt Croatian wine was the best within their large reach.

After lunch we caught a car ferry to the beautiful island of Korcula (CoreChewLuh) whose most famous native son is none other than Marco Polo. Venetians say he was born in Venice, but Croats say he was born into a Venitian family in Korcula in 1256 …and… they have the house to prove it. This house is inside the wall of a charming medieval village that butts right up to the water. Four thousand people used to live inside the wall but the number today stands at just 200. We wandered the quaint streets and found a beautiful Catholic Church where we lit a candle for Aunt Geri. The walled city is built on a small peninsula and was designed centuries ago so that all the streets on one side direct cool summer breezes into town. We tested this out and, sure enough, it felt like we were standing in front of a fan. The streets on the other side of the city were curved so the cold winter winds could not be directed at the city centre. Very ingenious! Korcula is one of two places in the world where sward dancing is still alive and well. We did not see a performance, though, since we were here on the wrong day.

We are sleeping in Vela Luka which is on the other side of the island. We drove inland to get here and enjoyed the mountainous landscape during the drive. This youngster of a town dates back to the 18th century and is situated on a small, pretty, deep water bay.

Once Dan and I settled into out room, we took a quick swim, and then walked around until we found a place for dinner. We ran into the Canadian couple who had just finished their dinner. They chatted with us while we ate  and then we all strolled back to our ultra modern hotel. By ultra modern, picture a bathroom with a sliding glass door and a shower, visible from the sleeping part of the room, with three glass walls. There are shades for two sides of the shower walls but nothing that blocks the bird’s eye view of the toilet which is reflected in a mirror situated in front of the glass door to the bathroom. Quite a design concept. The other unique feature of the room is the location of the safe. In order to secure our stuff, Dan had to lie down on the floor to read the directions and was then wedged between the night stand and the closet making getting back on his feet worth a giggle.

Fun fact: Black and white spotted dogs were named after the Dalmatian Coast centuries ago, but they are not from there. Nor have we see any.

We headed south for the day. In order to beat our fellow tourists to the boarder we got an early start which meant a 6:00 am wake-up call. Ouch! Crossing the boarder was the issue since we left a European Union (EU) country, Croatia, to enter a non-EU country, Montenegro, and did not want to get caught in a long line. The plan worked like a charm and we got through the boarder lickety-split.

Our drive took us right along the coast for the most part and was very beautiful. We passed small villages that were named for what, years ago, their speciality was. One name translated into ‘roof tiles’ for example; another was ‘cross stitch embroidery’ and then there was ‘salt.’ We passed olive, fig, and pomegranate trees as well as vineyards and a small herd of sheep being tended by a dog and its master. The country is mostly mountains and valleys with very little flat ground.

Our fabulous guide, a walking history, customs, and culture book, pointed out all sorts of things and gave us an overview of the small country of 2/3 of a million people. A first for me was seeing mussel ‘groves’ that provide mussels year around. They are situated where fresh water springs feed the salt water bay and create brackish water that mussels thrive in. Fun fact #1: Montenegro is home to the 2nd deepest canyon in the world (the Grand Canyon is the deepest). Fun fact #2: They are the 2nd tallest population in Europe after the Danes. Fun fact #3: The largest vineyard in Europe is here. Fun fact #4: Montenegro produces aluminum.

First stop: Perast, a dot on a magnificent bay surrounded by 49 mountains boasting a population of 180. It is home to two tiny islands, one natural and one man-made. The natural one has a small monastery that is closed to the public but makes a stunning impression from the shore. The man-made islet is called Our Lady of the Rock and dates back to the mid-1450s. It is home to a small, beautiful Catholic Church built in the 1600s. One of the tall, handsome citizens from fun fact #2 gave us a tour. This tall drink of water showed us 2,000 punched silver ‘plates’ ranging in size from around 2″ x 2″ to the largest which is maybe 10″ x 15.” They were all given to the church as gifts of gratitude by mariners who made it through some harrowing situation at sea. The oldest dates back to 1624 and the newest was given last year. Grateful people not able to afford silver tokens of this sort have donated paintings and other things of value to them. Lesser gifts range from a sewing machine to ceramic items to tools. Before leaving we lit a candle for Aunt Geri.

Second stop: Kotor. It is situated on the bay that fronts just a few hundred yards of flat land before the steep mountains take over. The Old City is a UNESCO site and boast a wall, part of which goes switch backing up the mountain looking much like a mini-Great Wall (of China). It was a work in progress from the 9th to the 19th centuries and is magnificent to look at. We did not, unfortunately, have time to walk the wall with its 1,300+ steps. The small city, limited in size by its lack of flat land, has lots of narrow alleyways, beautiful churches, and some great pizza a local recommended for lunch. We looked inside two Serbian Orthodox churches which were beautiful. Fun fact: The congregation does not sit during an orthodox service, therefore there are no pews. Tragic fact: Centuries ago there was a terrible earthquake in Kotor with staggering numbers left dead. Before all the bodies could be found and taken care of, rats moved in followed by the plague.

Last stop: Budva. This town where Russians have invested heavily and moved to in large numbers was of little interest to us since it’s a popular summer playground for lots of nightclub, concert attending, sun worshiping, gambling tourists. A bit too new and hodgepodge for our taste. It did have a small walled city and lots of small beaches which, like all beaches on the eastern Adriatic, do not have actual sand. These, however, have small pebbles and stones and are the best in the area. Budva dates back some 3,000 years.

We headed back to the boarder crossing ahead of the other tour buses (phew) and made it back for a quiet dinner in the hotel with Sandy and Alan.

This morning was painful with a 6:45 wake up call. Our group was at the door ready to rock and roll, as instructed, by 8:15. The objective was to beat the heat as well as to get ahead of as many of the other tourists as possible. A local guide met our merry band of eight at the main (one of three) gate to the old city and gave us a brief tour. She, as well as her parents, were actually born inside the wall and her children go to the same school that she and her parents attended. Her brother lives in the family home right on the main drag. It’s a tough place to live, although about 2,000 people manage, since no cars are allowed inside the wall. She explained that in the heavy tourist season (July and August), most residents park their cars (outside the wall) and do not use them unless absolutely necessary since it can take a long time to find a new space once a simple errand has been run. Scooters are popular for the basics. Another inconvenience is the requirement to have kitchens of all residences on the top floor (for fire containment). This law dates back quite awhile. So once you schlep all the groceries from the parking spot outside the wall, you have to take them up to the kitchen.

The guide gave us a nice overview of Dubrovnik’s proud history. What we enjoy today dates back to the 13th century when it was a major seaport. It was a city known to be way ahead of its time with all houses having toilets and the city providing free, clean drinking water. A couple of the fountains remain today. It boasts the third oldest pharmacy and one of the first quarantines in Europe. Depending on individual circumstances, all new arrivals could stay up to forty days in the stone quartine buildings away from the general population. The buildings are still here and very impressive, prime real estate actually…right on the water. Earthquakes from as far back as the mid-1600s have taken quite a toll over the years, but the city always rebuilt although with less splendor the last time in order to keep costs down and to speed along getting life back to normal. All the buildings are made of a very sturdy limestone with tile roofs and the stone streets and alleyways look polished with all the wear.

The guide explained how rapidly things have changed from the time Croatia was part of communist Yugoslavia until today. Her parents and grandparents tell stories of the small farms that used to be right outside the city walls. Now Dubrovnik is a town of 45,000 that has obviously grown far beyond the walls of the old city.

Once the official part of the tour ended we were encouraged to walk the wall. In our case it took no encouragement at all. The walk is a mile and a quarter and involves lots and lots of stairs both up and down. The views are spectacular. It was fun to see the back yards, terraces, patios, etc. of the homes and apartments inside the wall and the views of the coastline. We were glad to have gotten an early start because we really did beat most of the other tourists to the wall. We brought plenty of water and ducked into the shade when we wanted a reprieve from the 90+ degree heat and full sun.

The group enjoyed a 3-course alfresco lunch at a restaurant just outside the wall right on the water. It was a shaded, delightful setting. Dan had a beer which might help explain the little snooze he took later. After he woke up we gathered our resolve and took a very cold dip in the sea.

There are loads of  black sparrows, larger than ours, that zip around. They are like little dive bombers darting all over the place. Oleander are in full bloom along with a delicate purple flower and some succulents. Birds aside, we have bumped into a couple of laundromats, which is unusual in the mix of heavily touristed places. One just outside the gate of Old Town is decorated in post-it-notes.

Dinner tonight was in a private home in a village on the other end of town. it was a real treat. The couple runs a small self sufficient farm, so we truly had a farm to table experience. First was a demonstration of a 250 year old olive press. A small, cute as can be 30 year old horse powered two grinding wheels and crushed olives into a powder … pits, skin, and all. This was then pressed into oil with an ancient press. Very interesting and fun to watch. You could tell the farmer was very proud of  his horse and press and happy to show them off. Today his oil is processed in a new, speedy, efficient press owned by someone in the village. After the demonstration we saw their garden and then enjoyed a delicious, traditional dinner of roasted potatoes, meat, and salad. They produced the wine we drank as well as the olives, vegetables, and prosciutto. The Croatian version of flan was for dessert. We all came back satisfied and happy with our long, enjoyable day.

We enjoyed our lie-in this morning and managed to get to and from the breakfast buffet before it closed at 10:30. We did not recognize, nor were we tempted by, some of the offerings but are happy to report we made out well nonetheless. No beer or wine offered but the table next to ours did have champagne. Breakfast is served on a huge deck four stories above and overlooking the Adriatic. Wow! Who needs food you recognize or coffee to your liking in that setting?

We decided to take the cable car to the top of the hill near by to enjoy the beautiful views and to see the fort (built, oh by the way, by Napoleon) that was hugely responsible for Dubrovnik’s defenses during their Homeland War in 1991-1995. Dan went through the museum while I roamed around taking pictures. The thermometer said it was above 90 degrees (in the shade) and it felt like it.

We slowly strolled back to the hotel through Old Town stopping at a small church to light a candle for Josie’s Aunt Geri. We got back around 2:30 to cool down with a swim. How do you say ‘fricken freezin’ in Croatian? Dan even went into the sea which he insists was warmer than the ice box of a pool. We were cooled off and cleaned up for a quick get acquainted/orientation meeting at 7:00 followed by a delicious dinner in the hotel with our group of eight + our guide, Jasmina, from Slovenia. We will be traveling with: a Canadian couple from Calgary, our friends from Virginia, and a grandma-granddaughter duo from Kansas City and Ohio respectively.

Random tidbits: #1-Limestone is the prominent building material here. Very light in color with a cheerful, cool effect in the heat. #2-The western most part of the city drops right off into the crystal clear sea (like at our hotel) with steps into the water (or not), small harbors and bays, and small beaches in alcoves large and small. It’s debatable if the beaches we’ve seen are worthy of the setting, however, since they are a mixture of rock, stones, boulders, and sand. They are popular none the less. #3-We saw lots of cats today, some roaming lazily around and others sunning themselves. They all looked hale and hearty and are fed and cared for, we are told, by anyone and everyone. #4-Kuna is the currency. Some places take euros and credit cards also but small places do not. ATMs dispense only kunas, so we’ll have to be careful not to get too many since we’ll have no use for them by the end of the trip. #5-Did I mention the two topless sunbathers to my right down by the pool? I left it for last as a special treat for the loyal readers who make it all the way to the end. 🙂

The word Dubrovnik (long o) just rolls off the tongue with an exotic flair. No? I enjoy just saying it for fun. When you think of Dubrovnik does the old George Bernard Shaw quote come to mind? “Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik.” Who is He? and why do I care what He thinks? Exactly. Who needs him when you have me on the ground to mold your opinion of this place?

And mold I will. We got to our room about 5:00, called Murphy for help with my new iPhone 6+, practiced what he just taught me, and then headed out to explore the hotel (the Grand Villa Argentina), grab dinner, and come back for an early night.

The hotel is wonderful and fronts the Adriatic with its crystal clear water. Guests can swim in the pool, jump from rocks or a concrete patio (read: no railing) into the sea, or just enjoy the surroundings from a chaise lounge (read: snap one’s fingers for some attention from a pool boy). The front door is at street level on the 6th floor and the pool is on the ground floor. Quite a grade with pretty landscaping and a zillion stairs should you decide against the elevator.

Dinner was at a local place and delicious. It’s a wonder we decided to take a quick peek at the Old City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, considering my half liter of local red and Dan’s beer, but we did. From what we have seen so far G. B. Shaw might be in the ballpark, it is amazingly beautiful and picturesque here. We grabbed a quick ice cream to fortify us for the 10 minute walk back to the hotel and are now settling in for the night. We got carried away, as usual, and did not make it an early night as planned.

In case you need to find our merry little group on the map: look east of Italy, across the Adriatic Sea, in the very south of Croatia, right on the water.

The 8-hour flight passed quickly … for me anyway. I watched a movie, ate half of what was offered, closed my eyes, and actually (miracles never cease) fell asleep. Dan ate and drank pretty much all that was offered, was too full to sleep, and only managed to doze a bit.

The approach in Munich is really beautiful from the air with countless fields in all possible shades of green. They are not laid out in a grid pattern but irregularily shaped, some long and thin, some short and wide, some with round edges, and some are even triangular shaped. Small and huge groves of trees grow randomly in this patchwork quilt of green with a river and small villages, farms, and neighborhoods flushing out the pretty scene. Our flight got in at 8:30 (2:30 am @ home).

We did not have boarding passes for our connecting flight on Lufthansa, so we solved that problem first. It took about an hour since there was a computer issue of some sort. Our flight landed a half hour late and the boarding pass issue took an hour leaving us five hours to kill. Dan used miles to upgrade our tickets which gave us access to the business class lounge, so we decided to check it out. Good plan. It is very nice with comfy seats, tables and chairs, a communal napping room, bar, and food. A typical German breakfast was laid out when we got here: cheese, cold cuts, pickled beets, fresh cucumber and tomatoes slices, and rolls of all sorts including soft German pretzels. For the traditionalists like me there were eggs, toast, yoghurt, fruit, and so forth. For those needing an attitude adjustment there were two beers on tap, wine, and a full bar. More than one traveler was enjoying the breakfast of champions when we got to the lounge at 9:30. I went the traditional route with eggs and Dan used no judgement whatsoever and had pickled beets, OJ, and licorice candies. I was feeling bad about my Nutella on a mini-croissant until I saw the licorice candy.

After breakfast Dan read, slowly slumped down in his chair, and is now purring (read: snoring softly) contentedly as I blog. The guy on my other side is working on his third glass of white wine.

More from Dubrovnik.

Our friends Sandy and Alan invited us to join them on a 12-day land tour offered by Gate 1 Discovery that begins in Dubrovnik, takes a detour south to Montenegro, and ends in Venice after 2 nights in Slovenia. Dan and I decided to leave a day early so we’d be a bit acclimated by the time the fun begins. Our flight is this afternoon at 5:30. After a six and a half hour layover [what is that about?] in Munich we’ll connect to Dubrovnik with a scheduled arrival at 4:00 in the afternoon tomorrow. We’ve been to Venice but not to any of the other places. Should be exciting! Stay tuned.