Travels with Louise-still in Slovenia
Ginny at Pula.

I almost forgot a special trip we took to "The Black Kitchen" a private visit to a hut which is completely black from hundreds of years of cooking. The older lady there treated us to crepe's with

various jams which she was making as we watched-excellent but she also gave us shot glasses of Slivovitz I think which I gave to Ginny-very strong!

Then it was over the Alps again for some castle ruins. This was a favorite vacation area for Hitler. The scenery is marvelous, much the same as the Swiss Alps with less visitors. A shame to build the Matteahausen Prison Camp here. We had a lovely lunch in Austria and on the return we were blocked by snow drifts and had to turn around and take.

Our last night in Bled was still was fun with an International dinner and a Folkloric show with gorgeous costume and beautiful dancers. Slovenians are handsome people and were glad to have us there to enjoy their entertainment and food. The breads in this country are so good-something Americans miss at home for the most part. Plastic wrapped grocery sliced bread has no relation to the real thing.

I was sure nothing would be as beautiful as Bled and the snow covered alps plus marvelous Austria. My sons are half Austrian and I hoped I could either bring or send them on a trip here. But today it was on to Opatija on a road under which existed subterranean shelter for WWll partisans. We soon arrived at the popular seaside resort with a colorful marina and a lovely seaside park and promenade where ladies were selling their handmade lace of every description.

We got settled in our lovely hotel admiral on the water. Two rooms with balconies and great views. There is a shopping arcade and a shop full of amazing pastries- heaven can wait as I called the car rental agency and they arrived quickly. Oh my, no Corsas, Fiats, VW'S or Renaults-but a Yugo. Whatever you may have about the Yugo is true but I could handle it. Or so I thought! Ginny didn't care and

she just laughed but not for ling as there seemed to be no springs. But it ran! we took a ride around the town, bought some wine $1 a litre all our Yugoslavia in the small grocery stores. Just choose by color! They are all good.

Ginny loves wine and postcards and the one misery was her search for McDonald's-Geez Louise, I never go to fast foods anywhere. But she got her wish once in a while as they are worldwide. At those times I could eat at a bakery or a pizzeria. We are very close to Italy from here and we'll go there one day. We only have a week in Opatija. You would need to check the map to see the way Yugoslavia is divided. Although Slovenia is in the alps a tiny part of it goes to Piran a seaside town, but almost next door is Pula on the same Adriatic and it is Croatia.

There are a choice of good restaurants and we found one at the harbor where we had fresh hake a whitefish which Ginny liked-dessert and wine are special everywhere and service delightful-I have a few words down pat by now-very few but everyone is helpful and charming, also handsome, and added plus.

We walked the promenade a little while then retired to our rooms.

After a lavish breakfast we are off in our weird little Yugo! Talk about minimal-there are no fancy gadgets in this auto! A noisy clutch. But we are free and on the way to Pula which has a great amphitheater almost as impressive as the coliseum in Pome but this has an added attraction! Lots of punk rocker kids having band rehearsals- waving at us. It was early so we drove the

entire peninsula which is over half Croatian, there is no discernable difference but here it is so near Italy that everyone either speaks or understands Italian and many Italians live her. It is gorgeous and cheaper. We drove back through the central farmlands. I saw Ginny do a double take of course there are no "johnny on the spots", in this country. I had told Ginny to expect some very odd facilities (if any) out in the country and she's a good sport luckily. We saw a tiny tavern out in the middle of nowhere so this advice was timely. We bellied up to the bar for a glass of Posip (white wine and of course the few men there were amazed but courteous. There was one door to the "rest" room and when Ginny came out she was giggling, there was a hole in the floor, period! But here you can't expect more. Who takes the middle road? Not tourists! But the wine was so good we got our one dollar bottles and were on our way. Did I hear laughing? Can't blame them.

This is lovely land and to think yesterday alps, today palm trees. I love this place. Tonight after dinner we took the usual walk as all Europeans do-a nice way to meet people of just enjoy watching-couple, families. They all come out, have an ice cream, enjoy themselves.

At the hotel there was an excellent dance show which we watched. Costumes are very beautiful and handmade. I'm sure tomorrow either Italy, Trieste, or the unequaled Plituice Lakes in Croatia our plain little Yugo buzzed along ok, but I wouldn't buy one. Better luck in Dubrovnik.