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Aqua Therapy in Cavtat

Cavtat and Luka Bay Many moons ago, I was lucky to have spent a week in Dubrovnik in the off season.  It was enchanting and tranquil then. I had a room at the Hilton Imperial with a view of St. Lawrence Fortress (Lovrijenac). The fortress glowed at night and it was magical! But Dubrovnik has changed quite a bit in the intervening years. Current hotel rates there are beyond my budget and the city is crowded with visitors who want to see one of the locations of Game of Thrones. So this time around, I chose to stay in Cavtat (pronounced tsav-tat). It is a small, relaxed village on the Rat peninsula just thirty minutes south of Dubrovnik. It turned out to be a great choice! Franciscan Monastery and Church of Our Lady of the Snow with  Supetar Island in the distance Račić Family mausoleum (on the hilltop) and marina Vlaho Bukovac Vlaho Bukovac (Biagio Faggioni) is one of the foremost Croatian painters and is considered an early exponent of modern Croatian art. He was born in Cavtat where he

Scenes from Strasbourg

  Maison des Ponts Couverts If you’re looking for Instagrammable locations in France, look no further. From the half-timbered houses in La Petite France to cobble stone streets around Cathedral Square to the bridges over the meandering river, you’d be hard pressed to find a better subject than Strasbourg. It is  one of the most romantic cities in Europe. Every year around Valentine’s Day,  Strasbourg mon amour  celebrates of romance. Concerts, cultural events and food festivals are scheduled for the pleasure of all lovers. Strasbourg is also the seat of the European Parliament, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe. It is the “chief” city in the Alsace region. The best time to visit is in springtime when flowers are in bloom and the days are sunny but not too warm. La Petite France Notice how the beams are arranged in these half timbered houses. The dark yellow house in the foreground has a V design on the upper floor and a diagonal design on the lower floor with

Sweet and Saucy Pancakes from Paris 2022

Quéquette and foufoune Laquéquetterie opened in Paris in 2020 at the height of the pandemic and has since become the favorite pancake shop in Paris judging by the line of people outside its doors waiting to devour these naughty pancakes. And they are delicious as well! The menu offers a choice of quequettes and foufounes. Shown above is the Black and White quequette which is covered with dark and white chocolate. The foufoune has strawberries and chocolate. You can add toppings or ice cream to your pancake for an additional charge. Both of the pancakes I bought cost €12 plus €1 euro for the takeaway box (I ate my pancakes at my hotel as I had some sightseeing to do.) The shop also offers milkshakes in a variety of flavors. Check out the menu here:  https://laquequetterie.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Menu-Juin-2022-Paris-Dijon.pdf To take out or to lick? I saw several customers lick their quequettes in front of the shop. If you’re modest, you might wait till you get home to lick it t

Budva through rain and mist

Stari Grad, Old Town Budva It was hard to appreciate Montenegro in the rain. But its mountains, fortified towns like Budva and coastline were enchanting viewed through the mist.  St. Ivan (St. John) Catholic Church The belfry you see above is that of St. Ivan’s. It has been a landmark since 1867. The current church is from the 15th century. I was amazed by the fresco of St. John on the altar wall. It’s a sharp contrast to the austere white walls. *Picture taking is not allowed. Citadela or St. Mary’s Fortress The Citadel’s existing form can be attributed to the Austrian Hungarian rule in the 19th century which lasted a 100 years. The Austrian army built their barracks inside the Citadel. There’s a small entrance fee to the Citadel. Narrow passageways of Budva The old town of Budva is surrounded by medieval stone walls built by the Venetians during heir 400-year rule to protect Budva (known then as Budua) against Ottoman incursions. Structures within its core are made of stone as well.

Highlights of Mostar

Stari Most or Mostar Old Bridge The original arched bridge was commissioned in 1557 by Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire and completed in 1566. It stood for 427 years until 1993 when it was demolished during the Croat-Bosnian War. It was reconstructed between 2001-2004. Two towers protect the bridge on both ends. The Stari Most area and the old town have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Center. Mostar was badly damaged during the Croat-Bosnian War. There are still traces of bullet holes on buildings and a few shells of houses destroyed by the war. Another footprint of the conflict are the cemeteries you’ll see along main thoroughfares where the thousands killed during the clashes were laid to rest.  Stari Most Divers jump from this bridge to the river below if they have received enough donations (at least €50) from visitors and onlookers. It must be a thrilling sight! View of the neighborhood across the river Neretva River and Lučki Most (bridge)  Koski Mehmed Pasha M