October 4 - October 17, 2024 Traveled to Croatia, to my father's homeland. Arrived in Split, which is the second largest city in Croatia. Stayed in a lovely, modern apartment with balcony, which was walkable to everything and in Old Town. Walked to the ruins of the Palace of Diocletian, built 295-305 ce, remains of the royal residences, fortifcations and churches. The Palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Split has a scenic waterfront, where cruise ships port, along with yachts. We got the 11:00 am free park bus to go to Marjan Forest Park, is near the center of Split and called the "lungs of the city". Marjan offers the most beautiful views of Split, the sea and the islands. After 3 days here, we took the 11:15 ferry to the island of Hvar, took 1 1/2 hour ride on the Adriatic Sea, is the cleanest oceans water in all of Europe. Stayed on Hvar for 5 days. Lots of steep hills and steps throughout the town on the coast of Croatia, since many of the homes are built in the mountains, which is mostly limestone. Hvar has an Old Town where we stayed and a waterfront and three nearby beaches to walk to. The longest walk to a beach was two miles each way and a scenic trail along the ocean cliffs with homes built that had spectacular views. Lots of walking, everyday and enjoyable. Pokonji Dol Beach is rocky, but has beach chairs or one can put down a beach towel along a walkway. The Adriatic Sea is crystal clear with shades of turquoise. Our hotel owner drove us up to the top of a mountain where we visited The Fort (Fortica Fortress), since the walk up to this area consists of stairs and trails to very high, steep levels, knew going downhill would be easier. This site of an ancient settlement dates from before 500 BC and the Fortess was bulit at the beginning of the 16th century and rebuilt in 1579. Stunning views and windy, the day we went to visit. Evening events of music played in the town square. Went to two other beaches, where we both swam in the Adriatic, has a high salt concentration which contributes to its blue colour and one of the cleanest seas in the world. The sea is also very theraputic, containing over 80 minerals and elements perfect balance to relax and heal. The sea was prescribed as a cure in the ancient times, one of the reasons you see Croatians along the coastline swimming and where iron railings are built into the rocks with steps, to get into the sea. After five, sunny, warm days on Hvar we took the 3 1/2 hour ferry ride to Durbrovnik, along the coast and stopped at two islands for tourists to depart and pickup others. We stayed in Old Town, in a baroque, fancy style hotel, charming and suits Dubrovnik's famous City Walls and is an UNESCO World Heritage site. The walls were constructed during the 13th - 17th centuries, where tourists can walk on the path of the walls, takes about 2 hours to do. One can also take a cable car to the top, which is the highest mountain in Durbrovnik. Another historical feature is Rector's Palace, is a Gothic-Renaissance structure, where lots of tourists gather. Most of Game of Thorns was filmed here and no sets had to be built. Lots of Game of Thorns store around, selling items. All of Old Town Durbrovnik is busy and crowded with tourists, even in our visit of the off-season. We took a local bus, three stops to visit the abandoned resort Kupari, which is known as Croatia's gravyeard, now lies in war-torn ruins, severely damaged during the Croatian War of Independence and abandoned ever since. It consists of 448 acreas, onces housed 9 hotels, including the Grand Hotel and Tito's Mansion, sits on the bay, with a sandy beach that locals and tourists still visit. Investors are still in courts to redevelop this area for the past 30 years, with nothing being done. We found the area to be haunting and beautiful. After our stay in Dubrovnik we took a bus along the coast back to Split, a four hour ride for our last day in Split. Lovely, beautiful, peaceful Croatia, we have our memories that will be long remembered and where I felt a strong kinship with Croatia.

February 29 - March 14, 2024 - Travelled to Cuba for our fourth visit to this amazing country. The weather was perfect, sunny, warm afternoons, cooler morning and evening. The ocean was crystal clear with shades of different colors of blue. Arrived in Havana and stayed at our previous Casa Particular with Daniel and Fina. Wonderful friends now and she makes a delicous breakfast for us each morning. Lots of fresh fruits, juice, toast and cheese omelets. Went to the different Plazas to see all the architecture, very stunning from the 1800's, early 1900's. Rode the Red Bus around Havana to all the different areas, which included seeing the new, huge, all-inclusive hotels on the west side, along the ocean side. After a few days, took a collectivo taxi, south to Vinales, which is a town that is surrounded by the National Park of Vinales, sits in a lush valley. Visited the Park to see the Prehistoric Wall, the gigantic cave, where we took a boat ride through part of it. Last stop was to a high area to see an overview. The next day, walked thru trails, saw some other visitors, some were on horseback. There are a tobacco farms and other Cubans living in the this area, very quiet and tranquil. We stay in a Casa Particular in the town with Isabel and Mario and their daugher who lived in Havana, but came to help her parents, while we were there. The breakfast was fresh eggs from their chickens, bananas from their trees, along with juice and omelets. Coffee is strong and good, always asking for cafe leche. The electricity goes out from 2 - 4 hours each day in all parts of Cuba, except Havana, where the government is and Varadero, where most of the all-inclusive hotels are for the tourists. The restaurants all have generators, so people can have light, if eating during the time of no electricity. Our stay in Casa Elenas was acorss the street from the pristine beach of Varadero. Elena and her daughter owned the Casa and was built 50 years ago, by her husband. We had a full apartment for our stay. This visit to Varadero, had less people than when we were there in 2019, before Covid and still is recovering from it. Markets were empty, bakery still closed, but the restaurants were opened and had plenty of food. Tourists eat in them, but most Cubans do not, since to expensive for them. All is very inexpensive in Cuba for tourists who visit, mostly Canadians and lots from Europen countries. Still, today Americans do not know that they can travel to Cuba, freely. The Cuban people love Americans and do not see many. When asked where we were from, said Americanos, they were happy and pleased that we were visiting. We shall return! Viva Cuba!