Hvar

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Hvar Town was my favorite spot in Croatia. Granted the high season was over and we heard over and over again from restaurant staff that they only had ten more days until shutting down. These exclamations must have warned off the throngs of tourists because although busy, the crowds were not like other locations we visited.

Our rental was right off the main promenade but had the requisite steep steps, of course. We wandered the alleyways and found many restaurants and bars lining the alleys. We landed at a very hip bar that had cushioned seating in the alley. We tried another local wine, which was as good as all the other local wines we had been drinking. We found dinner and then called it a night.

The next morning we stopped at Coffee Snob for the morning coffee and croissant. I liked the name of the shop but the offering was nothing unique. We then headed up to the fortress that overlooks the city. The fortress dates from the 16th century (and its foundation dates back to the 1st millennium BC) and is a symbol of a turbulent time in the city’s history. It sits on a picturesque location overseeing the city and looking onto the sea. It is well-preserved.

In the afternoon we took the bus to another significant town on the island, Stari Grad. This town is considered the oldest town in Europe and was built by the Greeks. We visited Petar Hektorovic’s home/museum. He was an influential poet for Croatia. We mis-read the bus schedule and realized there was no return bus to Hvar Town so we ended up triple paying for a taxi…the joys and surprises of travel!

Split

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We arrived in Split late, found our rental and then found dinner, which was another great meal and local wine that did not disappoint. The next day we explored the historic Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which included the iconic Diocletian’s Palace, built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century. We wandered through the charming, narrow streets and alleys filled with shops, restaurants and cafes and strolled the riva (promenade). Again, it was crowded and didn’t feel much like low season. We hired a car to take us to Trogir, another small waterside town and experienced a torrential downpour that flooded the streets…all a part of the travel experience!

We walked up Marjan Hill (a large park in the city) for stunning views of the Adriatic Sea. Steep steps are part of the Croatian experience and we certainly walked our share of them! I also had my best meal of the trip in Split at Konoba Laganini. It was my most expensive meal but the sea bass on the fennel puree was delicious and if it had been proper etiquette, I would have licked the plate!


Plitvice Lakes National Park

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Today we drove three and a half hours to Plitvice Lakes National Park. We arrived around noon, which I had read everywhere was not ideal given the crowds. This proved to be true, even though we technically were in the “off season”. The entry fee was $40 Euros plus $6 Euros to park. It ended up being the most expensive activity I did during this two week trip! For the entry fee, I would have expected a limit on the number of people allowed to enter…but no such luck. Every single place was packed with people which detracted from the natural beauty of the area.

The views and boardwalk were nice and if the line had not been so long, I would have loved to take a boat ride on one of the lakes included in my ticket price. But it was just too crowded. Perhaps because I live in Oregon and hike a ton, the waterfalls were expected. But I truly think that if it had not been so crowded I might have been more “wowed”. Nonetheless, it was great to see and then we then drove three hours to arrive in Split for the next several days.

Slovenia

Posted on by Seniye Groff

After a day in Zagreb, we did the hour and half drive to Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital. I loved this city! The Ljubjanica river runs through it and is flanked with a market and cafes on each side. The city is clean and easy to navigate and the architecture is beautiful. It seems the city has been very thoughtful about creating lots of green spaces throughout the city.

  • Ljubljana’s historic Old Town is where many of the city’s famous attractions are located.
  • Triple Bridge from Preseren Square. This triple bridge is a city emblem, stitching the modern center and the old town.
  • Ljubljana Castle. Houses several museums and exhibitions, a sweet little chapel and provided unbeatable panoramic views of the city and the old town in particular. I felt the castle was fairly commercialized but the view at the top of the tower was worth the ticket of entry.
  • After the castle tour, go down to one end of the Old Town, and stroll along its main street, known as Stari trg in one section and Mestni trg in another. This street, adorned with elegant buildings, also boasts intriguing and quirky little shops.
  • The Central Market has food vendors selling everything from fresh fruits and veggies to textile goods and souvenirs.
  • I ate lunch at the always-packed Julija Restaurant. It serves quintessential Slovenian food and although I don’t eat meat, I still managed to eat well. Slovenian wine is quite good and cheap, too!

We also drove an hour to Lake Bled. This lake is the picturesque and likely on every post you have seen of Slovenia. We were there on off season, so it was crowd-free. We walked around the lake and also visited St. Martin’s Church. We opted to not pay the $17 Euros to go inside the Bled Castle since we visited the Ljubljana Castle.

Croatia and Slovenia 2024

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I just returned from wandering Croatia and Slovenia and still have a smile on my face. My itinerary was ambitious but do-able. I flew into Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Zagreb was a great entry point into Croatia as it was easy to navigate, incredibly clean and English-speaking locals were plentiful. Zagreb has a nice old city to walk and is divided by Upper Town (Gornji Grad) and Lower Town (Donji Grad). I visited the Zagreb Cathedral, St. Mark’s Church, The Stone Gate and the Dolac Market. I also went to the Museum of Broken Relationships, which was a quirky, interesting way to spend an hour and $7 Euros. Be sure to walk through the beautiful parks like Maksimir Park or Jarun Lake.  I stayed at Hotel Jagerhorn, which had comfortable rooms, a friendly staff and a great breakfast included. On day two, I picked up the rental car so that I could head up to Slovenia for a few days.

Las Cruces Part Two

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Day two consisted of Organ Mountains National Monument and Dripping Springs Trail. The hot temperatures forced me to slow down a bit. May was the 10th anniversary of this monument so entry was free. The spring was almost dry and the abandoned buildings suggested there was an outpost at one point. An early morning hike was the best way to counteract the heat with a rest in the middle of the day and then White Sands National Park in the evening for a sunset view.

I drove to Alamogordo for dinner since it is only 14 miles past White Sands National Park and sunset was the goal. I headed to the park at 6 p.m. Unfortunately the visitor center closed at 6 so I headed right into the park. It, too, was a free entry since it was after 6 p.m. It is mind blowing that the sand oasis exists in the middle of nowhere. It looks like snow but it really is sand! This park was the highlight of my trip.

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I have traveled to NM since 2016 and love the natural beauty, eclectic cuisine, overarching diversity and incredibly blue skies. I have primarily explored Albuquerque and north including Santa Fe, Taos and Abiquiu. As a child I was mesmerized by Georgia O’Keeffe and her spectacular paintings of this beautiful state.

This trip was focused on driving south from Albuquerque to Las Cruces, with several stops along the way. The primary destination was White Sands National Park, but of course, there is so much to see beyond this amazing national park. I flew into Albuquerque and spent the night and started the trek early the next morning.

The first stop was in Truth or Consequences. This is a tiny town known for its hot springs…and apparently movie location scouts. I was told that a movie just wrapped up in this speck of a town. It was pretty quiet and when I asked the locals what I should check out in the town, they collectively could suggest up with nothing! I have heard the Geronimo Museum is quirky, weird and interesting all in one. I did not visit, but maybe you should.

From TOC, I focused on getting to Las Cruces. I stayed in the cutest 1938 home powered with all the modern amenities, right next to the downtown area. Walking the two minutes to the downtown was a daily occurrence to grab coffee, food and a dose of people watching. Friday night there was a night market and an impressive farmer’s market on Saturday morning. It was more crafts than the typical veggies but there was some fresh produce. I am always amazing at the creative talent that these artisans produce.

Once cooled off, it was time to search out the quirky items on my list such as the largest chili pepper in the world and the recycled road runner. Neither disappointed! Then visited the town of Mesilla and the noteworthy basilica.

I’ll post the next day’s events in a separate post.

Bias and Intersectionality Part Three

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Our Inner Bias/Inner Critic can be our own worst enemy. Our inner bias can show up as:

  • Shame
  • Self-doubt
  • Low confidence
  • Beliefs that propel you forward or hold you back

What to do:

  • Be aware of it
  • Pause
  • Show yourself compassion
  • Get curious

Calm you inner bias:

  • Explore what beliefs hold you back.
  • Decide what different data can you use to make different assumptions.
  • What contrary evidence exists?  Choose to scrutinize your assumptions.

Bias and Intersectionality Part Two

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Women are in a “no win” situation and walk a tightrope of meeting societal demands for women to demonstrate female characteristics of compassion, warmth, communication and collaboration vs leadership characteristics  (dominated by male characteristics) of forceful, assertive, dominant and competitive.

Did you know? When women display male characteristics, they are seen as competent but not liked.  When they display female characteristics they are viewed as less competent. Women leaders are seen as competent or likeable but rarely both. I saw this play out in my own career and it is incredibly frustrating.

And when you add women of different race, ethnic, sexual and gender identities to the tightrope of gender bias it gets even more complicated navigating the ladder to success.

A few ways bias shows up:

  • Pay gap
  • #Metoo  wakeup call  sexual abuse, harassment, microaggressions at work
  • COVID and “second shift” awareness
  • Who gets promoted or the cool assignments
  • Who gets listened to

How else have you seen bias show up?