Saturday, June 15, 2013

Reka Hisa in Slovenia


In Slovenia, we (Kristin, Grandma, Grandpa, ,me) all stayed at a spot just outside of Bled called Reka Hisa.  It is a guesthouse ran perfectly by a London couple named Clive and Myrn.  Clive is an ex-fashion executive who always had a dream of running a guesthouse and cooking for guests.  As a professional chef, he whips up the best meals we have had all trip.  We ate 3 courses every night at a big community table with everyone under the roof.  The homemade desserts were a favorite among our clan.  It was the perfect arrangement, and we will no doubt be back.

The house is right on a clear emerald river world famous for its fly-fishing.  The river is filled with trout and some of the biggest salmon in the world.  The Huchen Salmon that hunt these rivers grow up to 5 feet long.  Clive told me that when you kayak the river, the Huchen will swim with you downriver like dolphins.

Slovenian buckwheat dumplings

 Buckwheat dumplings stuffed with cottage cheese are a common Slovenian dish.  Here they are prepared with a buttery sauce and forest mushrooms.  These things are massive.


Friday, June 14, 2013

Furmonster of the day - strange slovenian

Look at that face.  What kind of dog is this?  Kristin thought it was a Neuf, but the hair is out of control!

The horses of Lipizzaner


So, I don't know crap about horses, but these white weirdos are the real deal.  A few years ago I spent a morning with the Sheikh's horses in Dubai, and I have to say that these white Lipizzaners were way cooler than his divas.

The Lipizzaner horses  of Slovenia are a world class breed.  This farm in Lipica, Slovenia has been producing the horses for longer than any other horse farm, undisturbed.  Many of the lines can be traced back 5 centuries.

The horses are typically used for dressage as they are very powerful, agile, and smart.  I did not get to ride one (thank god for that - I would probably fall off), but we hung with the big boys and they were definitely cool.

Bled Castle

Bled Castle is perched precariously on a cliff overlooking stunning Lake Bled.  We stayed 5 nights near the lake at Reka Hisa guesthouse with my grandparents.  It is such an incredible area.  Slovenia is probably my favorite country in Europe.

Škocjan Caves and a Slovenian underground cave river



In the Karst region of Slovenia is one of the largest cave systems in the world.  There is an underground canyon that is unsurpassed in size, a strange river that runs through the cave system, and a number of crazy cliffs and growths.  We walked through the cave and it opened up into this massive canyon - truly breathtaking. Unesco has even recognized the caves as a world heritage site.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Boo's Corner - Lots of Mykonos from guest writer KRISTIN

Thinking I am real cool at Super paradise..

Little Venice in Mykonos


Little Venice is an area of Mykonos just on the harbor that is famous for sunsets and being pretty. 

Windmill Mania - Mykonos


Mykonos has its fair share of famous windmills, and I probably took about 300 pictures of these things.  Just ask Kristin.  She probably has nightmares about me taking pictures of windmills.  Without further ado - here are some windmill photos.

Mykonos at night


Mykonos at night is a convoluted maze.  Literally.  When the town was designed, it was designed as a maze to confuse outsiders.  It confused us.

My favorite time to really explore a city is at night.  At that point, the cruise ships are long gone (usually), the locals begin to come out, and you can get a better sense of what a place is really like.

This guy - Useful local edition

This guy just sits on this perch all day every day, doling out hints.  There may be rum in that Coke.

A Mykonos Bee Store


Here is a store devoted to honey!