Starting our Adventure
The Balkans were a little scary for me. When I first considered traveling to this area, I saw the group of tiny countries with complex border crossings, car rental policies, political challenges, and lingering tension from the war in the 90’s. Of course, we went anyway.
We set out on a two-month adventure. We had a plan to start a tour in Morocco in about six weeks, but other than that, we had only a rough idea of where we might go. The idea was to stay unstructured. We would work US hours for this trip, so we would not be tourists. Rather, we would take our mornings and early afternoons to explore what was nearby…or we might do nothing. The result was that we found beautiful moments all around us. There was so much room for things to happen, and they did.
I hate the idea of documenting every stop on the trip. Instead, I will share with you a few of our favorite memories.
Back to Vienna
One of our first meals back in Europe was lunch at Lucullus. It was a simple but delicious meal enjoyed in an outdoor area. Eating cafeteria-style, home-cooked, simple, and tasty food, we shook off our jet lag on a perfect afternoon just around the corner from our hotel. Being back in Vienna was a great place to recover and let go of our American expectations. We were European again.
Bratislava: Cats, Statues, and the Riverwalk
Bratislava, Slovakia, was our first new city on this trip. My time walking along the riverwalk defines this stop for me. Kelly loved the bronze statues found in the old town and the time we spent with the cats rescued from Ukraine, now spending their days tolerating the tourists at a cat cafe.
Ljubljana: Our First Taste of Ćevapi
Das Ist Walter was our first taste of ćevapi. Sitting outside under a crazy old tree, having our first taste of a regional treat, set the stage for the rest of the trip. We didn’t know what ćevapi / ćevapčići was at the time. We ate a lot on this trip, but we had some of our favorites here in Ljubljana.
Meeting Fellow Travelers
The people you meet while traveling are a big part of why I travel. On our train ride from Ljubljana, Slovenia, to Zagreb, Croatia, we shared a compartment with two students on their own adventure and a retired gentleman from Serbia. The students planned to spend the day riding trains to visit a cat cafe in Maribor, Slovenia. The kids spoke great English and helped us understand a lot more about the country and the region. They even translated our conversation with our other new friend. When the students changed trains, we switched to Google Translate and continued the conversation. He teared up when telling us his stories, and his comment about being happy with having enough will stay with me a long time.
The Charm of Zagreb
During our visit to Zagreb, we expected “another city” but Zagreb surprised us with its unique charm. It is full of young energy fueled by the local universities. Walking the central square, we felt like we belonged here. Discovering a tiny open-air market and eating štrukli, a cheesy dish of happiness, at La Štruk, made this a very special stop on our journey.
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar is filled with tourists on day trips during the day, and then becomes a new city at night. The Stari Most bridge defines the city in many ways. It is the center of our best photos, and watching people jump from this 80-foot-tall structure is difficult to forget. We stayed in a cute room right in the old town at the Hotel Emen. From our room above the restaurant, we stepped out onto the cobblestone streets right into the fray.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik delivered on the views! Our hotel looked over the Croatian coastline, lined with long, thin islands, creating a nearly perfect view. Working from this type of “office” is a big part of why I like to wander the world. Doing “normal” things in new and interesting places creates memories that I treasure. The views wandering the city were also spectacular in Dubrovnik. I know it is as touristy as it gets, but looking out over King’s Landing is pretty cool!.
Discovering Montenegro
Our drive from Dubrovnik to Budva took us around the Bay of Kotor. This is about as spectacular as coastlines get. A last-minute “let’s go here” brought us to Verige 65, a roadside restaurant with views of the bay that would justify any overpriced meal. I don’t remember the food or the prices, but the boats, mountains, and the mist make this one of the moments that define this adventure.
A Lunar Eclipse in Budva
In Budva, Montenegro, our dinner table was set in the sand on the Adriatic. As the sun set, the moon rose, becoming a spectacular shade of red. This was one of those magical evenings where everything felt perfect-sitting with my beautiful bride, eating wonderful food, and in a perfect setting. It was later that night that we realized our light show was a lunar eclipse.
Albanian Gas Stations
It may sound a bit odd, but the gas stations we stopped at along the way make the favorite memory list. Fresh-baked pastries, beautiful coffee, wonderful people, and incredible scenery make them worth mentioning. One of the best was in a small town in Albania. We stopped for a break from the road and a cup of coffee. The coffee shop had a nice indoor area and an outdoor seating area with breathtaking scenery. The weather was perfect. We ordered coffee in the smoke-filled shop, and the clerk could not understand why we did not need cigarettes to go with our coffee. We sat outside and took in the perfect views. I loved that place. Please visit if you are ever in Bulqizë, Albania.
Alexander of Skopje
I met Alexander on the top of the city walls of Skopje, North Macedonia. While looking over the city (including the giant statue of his namesake, Alexander the Great), he shared his thoughts on local politics in the region. It helped me understand the city and the region. I am fascinated by the improvements made in a controversial project in 2014 and even more by how quickly they have begun to decay.
MiG’s in Belgrade
The riverfront in Belgrade, Serbia, was nothing like I expected to find in Serbia. We stayed in a modern development of condos and shops, and the hotel was the nicest of the trip. As aviation geeks, we loved being in the city as they prepared for the Day of Serbian Unity holiday. Seeing MiG fighter jets flying up and down the river was just one more surprise from the city of Belgrade.
Closing Thoughts
When we travel, we find that the effort to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone is one of the most important investments in a trip. This was no exception. This trip had very little planned. The fear of missing out screams at you to go, see, and do “everything”. Letting that pass, we found more than we expected and still have plenty of things to see and do when we go back.
We are happier and more content than when we started the trip. The cities, the views, the people, and even the cats taught us more about the world. This is why we travel.
There is more to come on this adventure! After the Balkans, we traveled to England, France, and then on to Morocco…more posts coming soon!
Full Adventure Itinerary
- Vienna, Austria
- Bratislava, Slovakia
- Ljubljana, Slovinia
- Zagreb, Croatia
- Zadar, Croatia
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Budva, Montenegro
- Durres, Albania
- Skopje, North Macedonia
- Bosnia, Serbia
- London, England
- Paris, France
- Reims, France
- Strasbourg, France
- Kehl, Germany
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Chefchaouen, Morocco
- Volubilis, Morocco (Roman ruins)
- Meknes, Morocco
- Fes, Morocco
- Bin el Ouidane, Morocco (mountain lake region)
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Dades Valley, Morocco
- Merzouga, Morocco (Sahara Desert)
- Ouirgane, Morocco (Atlas Mountains)
- Marrakech, Morocco (return)
- Madrid, Spain
- Dallas, Texas