Croatia. What happens when you cross a Croatian, Brit, Scot, Irishman, and a Norwegian? You get me. America is proud of the fact that people from all over the globe have immigrated to her welcoming shores and blended into the lively, rich melting pot of cultures it is today. With overpopulation in the world, immigration has become a challenge and restrictions must obviously be enforced. Years back the curious, courageous souls of the world saved money and off they went in search of a new life, often never returning to the home of their birth. Couldn’t jump on a plane for a visit then. My Celtic ancestors sailed the high seas to America centuries ago, my Norwegian great grandparents built a boat and barely made it across the Atlantic; minus several passengers washed over in a storm, and my Croatian grandparents crossed over by steamship right before WWI.

Raised closely with my dear Little Grandma, Mary, I was told stories of the old country. Life in the mountains of Croatia was hard but rewarding. I was the only one of my family to ever return to my roots, over 35 years ago now. Still in touch with relatives we were able to visit over 100 folks, enjoying wonderful food, wine in their vineyards, and being showered with gifts. Salt of the Earth folks.

When our good Croatian friend Ivan, from Bangkok, invited us to visit him in his family home near Vodice, I began trying to roust out some of these long lost family members. Visiting before modern Facebook or emails, all the addresses were lost when the old ‘bubbas’ in America passed on. Search as I did, I never was able to find a remnant of former ties. Having explored Zagreb and the mountains earlier, we decided to focus on the breathtaking beauty of the Dalmatian Coast. Stunning. Taking a bus from Montenegro we first crossed over into Split then on to Pirovec. We booked a small apartment near the ocean in this ancient seaside community. Swimming, walking and enjoying the quiet streets and parks of this traditional village, we passed 2 weeks without batting an eye. Everyone living there showered, changed, and promenaded along the sea side at sunset and in the cool of the evening. The almost deserted little streets burst into life as venders came by selling popcorn, ice cream and other treats. Dobro. Everything was Dobro (good).

Ivan visited us and together we explored the surrounding area by local mini vans. Šibenik, in central Dalmatia, was a particularly charming ancient coastal city. Their cathedral, St. James Jakova, built in the 1440’s, is one of the first ‘prefab’ cathedrals. Sections were fashioned and later put in place to create an interesting cathedral and intricately carved baptistery. Part was destroyed in the 1991 war but as with all buildings it is currently and constantly under renovation. Up the hill from the cathedral is the herbal garden of the Franciscan Monastery of St Lawrence. A treasure of herbal plants; all labeled, are waiting for a visit from the herbalists or green thumbs around the world. Wouldn’t the world’s health be in an improved state if we got rid of all the unnecessary pharmaceutical chemical drugs and replaced them with proven ancient herbal plants?

We spent the day having coffee in sidewalk cafe’s, looking for the flakiest krumpirusha potato pastries, meeting for lunch with Ivan’s friends and enjoying a wood fired pizza in a garden restaurant. What’s better than enjoying good food with good friends?

An exciting outing was to Krka Waterfalls. Having seen a photo of the beautiful falls online I wanted to match the name with the place. Krka National Park is situated along the Krka River in southern Croatia. It’s known for a series of 7 waterfalls. In the south, Skradinski Buk Waterfall is flanked by traditional watermills. A leisurely boat ride up the river through the picturesque park brought us to the thundering cascades. What better way to see them than to grab our swimsuits and swim up to the pools below? Refreshing, gorgeous and just us and hundreds of Croats splashing in the cool waters. The falls were even home to an original Tesla turbine. You can find ruins of former Krka hydroelectric plant in the very center of Krka Nationa Park, at Skradinski buk. It was built and it began its operations in the year 1895, only 2 years after Nikola Tesla’s hydroelectric plant on Niagara Falls began its operations. In the same time, 11-kilometer long power lines were built to transmit electricity and provide city lighting. The first complete electrical system in Croatia; it existed before many capitals in Europe, such as Vienna, Rome or London had electricity. If only Tesla, born in nearby Smiljan, Croatia, had been allowed to implement his alternative energy. Where would we be without his many inventions, not the least of which is the electric motor??!! He thought outside the box. Inspired, he saw the true bigger picture of our planet and the Universe. Time to get rid of oil and fossil fuels that are killing our world. Alternative is the answer. Wisdom from Croatia. Time to once again respect Mother Earth, Gaia, and honor our planet.

And so it goes…………………………………..Next down the Dalmatian Coast to the ancient walled city of Dubrovnik. Until then let’s remember to search for the truth in these troubled times. Take the time; for you, your family, your country, your world. Take care and Thanks for Keeping in Touch!