travel

Mt. Rainer

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Mt. Rainer has been on my must-do-list for a long time. As my time in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest winds down, I am a bit more urgent about achieving some of those must-visit goals. Mt. Rainer did not disappoint. Fairly last minute, I was able to get a hotel room at the Whittaker Hotel & Bunkhouse. The nightly rate was “reasonable” given high season, the rooms were rustic and the staff friendly. I also liked that the hotel was an homage to Lou Whittaker, who died in Ashford at the age of 96 and summited Mt. Rainer at the age of 12!

I left Portland at 6 a.m. and went right to the park, with no timed entry at the Nisqually pass. I started at the visitor center and did the Skyline Loop (5.5 miles).  This loop trail is the quintessential Paradise area trail. It starts at the main visitor area up through subalpine meadows. Along the way I viewed Mount Rainier, glaciers, Panorama Point, Myrtle Falls and the Tatoosh Range, with glimpses of Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. It was full sun exposure with 1700+ elevation gain AND beautiful!

On day two, I hiked Tipsoo Lake and the Naches Trail to Dewey Lake (about 5 miles) in the morning. Wildflowers and four different lakes rewarded me with the challenging uphill climb. And, of course, Mt. Rainer was present from all angles.

Reflection Lake to Narada Falls on the Lakes Trail Loop (about 6 miles). This large lake was another beauty with Mt. Rainier front and center (and its reflection on the lake) but the real reward were the multiple falls on the Lakes Trail Loop.

I met several people along the way that could not believe the natural beauty that I live in daily. I agree the world is a beautiful place and the lush, green forest coupled with larger than life mountains makes the Pacific Northwest a pretty special place.

Solo Travel

Posted on by Seniye Groff

I am fortunate to have completed several solo trips oversees and I often get asked, “What is your favorite trip?”  Solo travel has been empowering and liberating for me. Traveling solo allows for the ultimate flexibility.  If I like a place I stay longer and if I don’t, I can quickly move on.  I think back to my first solo trip and stressing about not having anyone to travel with me.  I had a close friend dying of cancer and she told me, “Seniye if I could travel, I would do it in a minute!  Go travel…it will all work out.”  And she was 100% correct.

My favorite trip so far has been Morocco. It was my first time on the African continent and it did not disappoint.  The Sahara Desert was so beautiful…the sand a brilliant orange and the night sky littered with millions of stars that you just cannot see anywhere else because of the light pollution.  I loved the food, the artisanal crafts and the dizzying mazes that formed the souks.  The riads were charming hotels with sparkling clean rooms, amazing tile work and hearty quintessential Moroccan breakfasts.  I could go on and on.  If I had been too scared to travel alone, I would have missed all of it!

So how can you solo travel?  I have a few tips:

  • Pick safe countries.  There are lots of lists that outline safe travel for single women.
  • Do your homework and have a rough plan but get comfortable with wandering, too.
  • Share you itinerary with your family and friends.
  • Don’t do stupid things.  For example, I do not visit bars nor do I explore late at night.
  • Do your research.  There are Facebook groups with likeminded travelers.  The wealth of information shared has been really informative.  Two groups I like (but there are hundreds) are “Traveling Solo over 50” and “Solo in Style”. 
  • Target your search by country. There are many FB groups that focus on specific locales.  Travelers share their itineraries, tips and even meet up if they are in a location at the same time.

So, what are your solo travel suggestions?  And where do you want to go next?

Last Day in Dubrovnik

Posted on by Seniye Groff

It is said that Dubrovnik is the most over-touristed city in Europe and even though we went in off season, it was still very crowded. The rain cleared out by 8 a.m. which allowed for a pretty nice last day. I wanted to get out of the crowds and so we decided to head to Lapad. Lapad has a beautiful promenade that follows the Adriatic Sea. We walked this and stopped at a Cave Bar. It was a fun, unique environment.

After lunch we headed back to Old Town since my friends wanted to do some souvenir shopping. We then hoofed it back up the hill to our apartment for a few hours of rest. And finished the evening with another splendid dinner and fantastic bottle of local wine.

That’s a wrap on my amazing Slovenian and Croatian getaway. I love the spirit of travel and the ability to learn about new cultures. And I will always happily eat my way through any country! 🙂

Dubrovnik Day Two

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We stayed outside of Old Town which was about a ten minute walk but all uphill. The steepness is crazy but it also provided a great view of Old Town from our apartment.

The weather was predicted to be rainy and windy so we decided to get out earlier than usual to wander Old Town again. The waves were coming over the city walls but we managed to enjoy ourselves, eat lunch and pick up something to take back to the apartment for dinner, since we guessed it would be too nasty to go out.

Last Stop…Dubrovnik

Posted on by Seniye Groff

Old Town Dubrovnik is truly beautiful. There are amazing old buildings, a main artery filled with people and shops and the sea air circulating through everything. We wandered and decided on an early dinner at Lady Pi Pi, which ended up being really smart because the line up of would-be diners showed up shortly after we were seated. We were lucky enough to get a table on the upper terrace which boasts a roof top view of the old town. We ordered the seafood platter which is grilled right across from our table in a large, open grill.

After dinner we wandered Old Town at night, which was just as picturesque. I don’t watch Game of Thrones but apparently lots of scenes were filmed in this area.

Next Stop Korcula

Posted on by Seniye Groff

We took the ferry from Hvar to Korcula for a very quick overnight trip. Korcula Town was a sleepy, quaint old town that’s claim to fame is being Marco Polo’s birthplace. After wandering a bit, we found this tiny stone building that now houses cult-like art for sale. Korcula is known for its vineyards, none of which we had time to see. But we did walk the pretty waterfront, wander through the old alleyways and of course, see many old, old buildings and landmarks. Although nice to see another island, I think the time would have been better spent as an extra day in Hvar.

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.