Boat Rides and Cable Cars

We walked around Old Town today and I’m just in absolute awe of the beauty of The Adriatic Sea. Lots of boats were going out and although being on a boat in deep water scares the heck out of me, I had to do it.

 There really is quite a view of the city from the water. The buildings and homes, the different islands, flowers, plants, waves~ Oh boy! The waves!

It really wasn’t what you would call a smooth ride. 

 

I was so glad when we stopped at this one particular island, to hear the history of it. It’s called Lokrum Island. Actually, you know, I think I’ll leave that story for another post.

 Oh what the heck.

 On their last night, the monks who were living there "cursed" the island by walking around the building three times with their candles upside down, leaving a trail of wax. They were upset after being told they were being thrown off the island.

After the monks left, anyone who stayed there was not able to go to sleep. Legend has it that if they did, when they woke up they were Crazy. Nuts. Insane.

On the other hand, couples who were having trouble getting pregnant would go there and Boom! They were pregnant.  They just had to be careful not to go to sleep.

O.K. there were no life jackets in sight on the boat and there was this group of girls who were really having too much fun. I was at the ready to yank this one down as she was alluding to doing the Titanic pose.

Remember that? Where Kate Winslet stood up on the edge of the boat and spread her arms like wings.  

Denny assured me they were O.K. and quickly asked this lovely young couple sitting across from us to take our picture.

 We made it back and as we were getting off the boat, the English couple who took our picture asked if we had taken the cable car ride yet?  We told them that from our balcony the night before we watched it go up and come down and we both agreed it was something we wouldn’t want to do. SO~

We did it!

Needless to say~ It was another wonderful experience here in Dubrovnik.  

 

Living Croatia  

We were up at 3:30 this morning and on our way to the airport at four.  After flying  from Las Vegas to Chicago, and then about 8 ½ hours to Frankfurt with a four-hour layover we were beginning to feel the effects of the early morning pick up and all that time in the plane and airports.

 I had to do a little negotiating and making of friends when we boarded Croatian Airlines as they had Denny sitting in the back and myself in the front. This was way too exciting of a trip to not fly into and land together. Everything worked out smoothly.  We were pretty much overwhelmed at the majesty of the snow-capped Alps and then the gorgeous sapphire sea all around us ~ that welcomed our arrival. Needless to say, we found our second wind.  

We landed in Dubrovnik just as we expected about 1PM their time. The shuttle for the hotel was waiting for us right outside the door and it was only a matter of minutes before we were on our way, the scenic route to the Hilton.

  All along our left was the beautiful Adriatic Sea, and on the right the beautiful orange topped houses and buildings. Every time the shuttle stopped, I snapped a picture.

We were thrilled with the location and ambiance of the hotel being in Town Centre. There were lots of folks walking along eating ice cream on this beautiful spring day and we noticed lots of shops, pizza parlors and quaint bistros and lovely restaurants. I spotted a place right away that I wanted to come back to for a hat.

 The check - in was very welcoming and easy, and our room offered quite a surprise with its balcony overlooking the water.

 A shower, a nap and a walk around town. Topped off with a quiet evening on the balcony with a glass of wine catching our breath.

looking forward to a whole new day tomorrow.

Living Croatia.

 

  

The Circle Of Life

The Circle Of Life
(From the Emerald Isle to the Sapphire Waters of Croatia)

  A lot of you followed my Irish Travel Blog as I made my way from Dublin to Killarney, met up with old friends and made lots of new ones. I even found a Yoga and Zumba class and eventually felt like a local. I like to think that traveling the green rolling hills of Ireland, as often as I have, was not only for myself but for my mom as well, since she didn’t get the chance to go.

Going to Croatia has also been a dream of mine, and as I write this, I must admit, I’m feeling fairly emotional. Along with knowing how blessed I am to be able to travel as much as I do, I am very excited to see where my dad’s family came from.

Croatia is 9 hours ahead of us and the forecast calls for 60’s during the day and 40’s at night. At 1pm Wednesday, Croatia time Denny and I will be landing in Dubrovnik.

As I was packing the last few things in my suitcase tonight, an interesting thought crossed my mind. I am about to take a journey to a part of the world where my ancestors came from. In just a few short days, I’ll be looking into the faces that will remind me of my grandmother, and my dad, my aunts and uncles.

 

I am about to hear the language that I remember from when I was really young, sitting at the dinner table with my Grandma Brozovich. It was a flashback really, reminding me of how it felt when I first went to Ireland.  

As Alex Haley said “"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we came from.”

 OH MY GOD! I have looked so forward to this trip for such a long time…

So from the Emerald Isle to the Sapphire waters of Croatia I dedicate this travel blog to Mom and Dad.

 

 

A Secret No More  

As time goes by, it’s becoming more and more clear to me that we all know something that no one else knows.

I don’t mean a piece of gossip about someone, or something about another that no one else is aware of. I mean we all know something about this life, our life.

 I can still remember the excitement of seeing my newborn babies and now my Grandchildren as they smiled for the first time. How joyful was that!?

I’m thinking that this may have been when God whispered in our ear; something just for you ~ something just for me to know.

I think it’s easy to have forgotten over the years or maybe to have just let it go, perhaps never having recognized or identified with it.

One thing I know for sure is this…there is something that sits way down deep inside that rises up each morning to greet me. It is holy; it is the one and only sacred gene in my body. It is mine to protect and keep safe~ for it confirms me.

Maybe this is the year to keep the secret no more. What if we were all to wear it, speak it and dwell within it for the world to see?

What is the one holy treasure that sustains you day after day?

What did God whisper in your ear?

Still I Am Not Tired

I love New Years Eve!

It’s always been my favorite Holiday.  

In the past, I thought it was the “starting over” that I liked so much. Many times it was about losing a few pounds, getting a new haircut or perhaps finally reading the book that has patiently waited for me to turn its pages.  

This year for me, is different. As another December comes to a close, I’m asking myself a few more questions. The thought that seems to be foremost in my mind is, what really, am I here to do?   

2014 was a year of reunions; one of family and another of High School friends and acquaintances. For me I always come away from family reunions with a renewed sense of who I am.  

I am grateful for the McGinn, the McGrath and the Brozovich influence that has run through my veins all of this time. Because of who I am, I have so much more to do, so many places to go, books to write, people to meet and children to teach all that I have been blessed to learn.

It’s almost 2015 and still I am not tired.

Happy New Year to all!

Grateful For Who I Am

Today I am thankful for the McGinn, the McGrath and the Brozovich blood that has run through my veins all of these years. 
On this Thanksgiving Day, I am grateful for who I am.

A New Favorite Book

I came across the loveliest little book while browsing in Horan’s Health Food Store in Killarney.

“Mind Over Mountains” by Susan Fitzgerald  

Although a small book, about 80 pages in all, this little gem is packed with short, simple suggestions on how to find your inner joy

 There was so much I liked about the book as I skimmed through. There was a section on energy; the energy we put out into the world as well as that of the folks we are in contact with.

 I especially enjoyed when Susan proposed that we check in with our compasses rather than our clocks. We need to stand back every once in a while, she says and see where we are going, rather than how many activities we can pack into a day or a week.

She offers thoughts on how to de-clutter,

how to tell if we need to detox,

the benefits of eating soup ~ and soup recipes!

 I don’t want to give away everything that’s in the book but I’ll tell you this. I bought it and after reading it through to the end, it sits on my bedside table. Every once in a while I just open to any page and am reminded that there are many different ways to Be in this world.

O.K. let me give you just one more pearl from the book~

 One of the loveliest messages in Mind Over Mountains is that we all have a dream. How wonderful it would be, Susan says if we wore that dream on our face, like little children do.

 

Imagine going through life with that glow of knowing we have a dream and how~ by checking in from time to time with our mind, body and spirit, we too can find inner joy and make that dream come true.

 Susan Fitzgerald lives in Killarney Ireland. She is a wellbeing coach and is certified as a health and fitness trainer. Her book is available at Eason’s Killarney, or by contacting her directly at innerjoy40@gmail.com

 I Love Love Love this book!