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Dolomites, Croatia and Slovenia--oh my!

By
Real Estate Agent with Compass CA DRE# 01215160

“At its best, travel should challenge our preconceptions and most cherished views, cause us to rethink our assumptions, shake us a bit, make us broader minded and more understanding.” –Arthur Frommer

I've been home for almost two weeks now after a wonderful vacation, and what crazy days these have been! This Saturday morning, as I enjoy my coffee before the busy day truly gets underway,  I'm reliving some of my wonderful recent adventures, and thought I'd share a few photos and brief comments.

As many of your know, hiking is one of my avocations--it's one way I try to stay physically, emotionally and mentally fit while spending time in glorious places. 

Our recent 6-day hiking trip in the Dolomites in northern Italy didn't disappoint. We had a magnificent lodge-to-lodge tour with Backroads, an adventure travel organization based in nearby Berkeley, California that specializes in active vacations. We were a group of 8 hikers, with 3 fabulous guides (pictured above, from Italy, New York and Ireland), and a support crew with van to schlep our bags--and sometimes hikers--to the next destination.

Those Dolomites -- majestic, beautiful, rugged, awe-inspiring, drop-dead gorgeous!

Tre Cime, Dolomites, Italy

UNESCO World Heritage site, Val Gardena, Italy

 

The second week we were on our own, in a rental car touring from Bolzano Italy to the Istrian Peninsula cities of Rovinj and Pula in Croatia and then to Lake Bled in Slovenia. Each area was fascinating and unique, from our 400 year old B&B in hilly Rovinj with its narrow cobbled street, to the Roman-built coliseum in Pula, and Lake Bled in Slovenia with its castle perched high on the hill above our lake-front pension and iisland with its church and bell tower.

narrow cobbled streets of Rovinj, Croatia

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Everywhere we found opportunities for good walks and hikes, while enjoying plenty of time for al fresco dining and people watching.

Now home, busy with life and with work, enjoying fabulous memories of new adventures. 

 

 

 

Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

Hi Lottie Kendall - What a wonderful travel post. love all the pics but found the polished stones on the cobblestone street striking. I totally agree with Arthur Frommer's quote.  Have an excellent Sunday.

Sep 23, 2018 09:16 AM
Debb Janes
Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA
Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Oh fabulous. I really like adventure trips when you return home refreshed and fit. This is a dream vacation for certain. Love the photos too. D 

Sep 23, 2018 09:28 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good afternoon Lottie Kendall,

Sounds like a perfect way to vacation! Love your photos and your enthusiasm for what you have seen! Relive those memory making moments while planning for your next trip!

Sep 23, 2018 12:40 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Sheri Sperry - MCNE® - the hilly, cobblestoned street of old town, Rovinj was amazingly easy to walk on--at least in our dry weather. Our AirBnb rental, off one of those streets, is over 400 years old--lots of feet walking on those stones!

Sep 23, 2018 08:26 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Hi Debb Janes EcoBroker and Bernie Stea JD - yes, hiking in the Dolomites had been on my dream list for well over 30 years! The entire vacation was perfect--even hiking in the rain and over eating cheese, strudel, etc!!

Sep 23, 2018 08:27 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Dorie Dillard CRS GRI ABR - tough NOT to be enthusiastic when this trip was completely delightful. New experiences add immensely to the enjoyment of life.

Sep 23, 2018 08:29 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

Breathtaking scenery and memories to last a lifetime !

Sep 24, 2018 07:01 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Indeed, Sally K. & David L. Hanson - we'll remember this trip for sure.

Sep 24, 2018 07:28 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Lottie Kendall - I received my BIG Road Scholar In International a few weeks ago and was thinking about you. Now I know what you have been up to and what a grand trip that was! You look so physically fit and happy enjoying life to the fullest! I hope you get to see and do all the things you and your wonderful husband can do as frequently as possible.  I thought having a "support crew with van to schlep our bags," was a GREAT idea! There are so many trails in life and I'm glad to see how much you're enjoying them all. I'm looking forward to reading all about your next adventure!

Sep 24, 2018 07:29 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Good morning, Patricia Feager - aren't those adventure travel catalogs marvelous? I get happily inspired perusing them.

Sep 24, 2018 07:35 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Lottie Kendall - It's the best travel catalog I ever saw. The last time I got so excited about a catalog was when I was a young child and got to sit at the kitchen table during the Christmas holidays. While my mom was making & baking Christmas Cookies, I was going through the Sears Catalogs making up my Santa Clause list for Christmas toys!

Sep 24, 2018 07:42 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Patricia Feager - and did you make paperdoll clothes from the dresses in the Sears catalog? I remember having fun doing that--everything looked so beautiful and lovely (interesting that this tree-climbing, hill-running child blue-jean wearing child found that so fun.)

Sep 24, 2018 07:45 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Lottie Kendall - Naw! I didn't have as great of an imagination to think about making paperdoll clothes from those dresses in the Sears Catalog; I used my creativity ripping up old bedsheets and making rag dolls and curlers for my hair. But I also loved climbing trees and climbing up buildings. Your photo of stretching your hands between the two buildings was how I climbed up my parents house and the neighbors next door using my arms and legs. I was like a Spider Girl back then. I think we would have had a blast if were were kids growing up in the same neighborhood. 

Sep 24, 2018 07:52 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Two Spider Girls in one neighborhood! Wouldn't that have been fun!!

Sep 24, 2018 08:00 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP

Sep 24, 2018 08:21 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Lottie

Oh, my, those photos are stunning. What a very special time that must have been. My back would never withstand that much hiking but what a trip of a lifetime!

Jeff

Sep 26, 2018 09:05 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

I'm glad you enjoyed the photos, Jeff Dowler, CRS - even if hiking isn't your thing, don't let that keep you from visiting the Dolomites. The Val Gardena area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and gentle walks will take you to some amazing spots.

Sep 26, 2018 09:16 PM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Hi Lottie! That is one vacation I would loved to have been tagging along with you on! What amazing scenery and I absolutely love the one of you showing the proximity of the buildings!

I hope you're feeling better. Happy Friday!

Sep 28, 2018 05:39 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Good morning, Debe Maxwell, CRS - the streets in old town Rovinj are incredibly narrow, this one more so than many. I'm feeling great, thanks. Wishing you a good Saturday.

Sep 29, 2018 10:06 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

Terrific storyline and absolutely fascinating wonderful photos. I felt like being there

Oct 23, 2018 10:42 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Good morning, Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL  - I'm glad you enjoyed my little travelogue. Our trip was amazing. Three very different places, each perfect in their own ways. Wishing you many life adventures. Lottie

Oct 24, 2018 07:30 AM