16969

Croatia: Exploring Hrvatsko Zagorje and Medvednica

For the Reformation Day and All Saints' Day long weekend, Nada, Bronco, and I headed to the Croatian Zagorje region. While Nada spent Reformation Day relaxing at the Tuhelj Thermal Spa, Bronco and I set out on a long walk to Tuheljske Toplice - Garmin Connect.

After reaching the spa, we picked up the car and spent the rest of the day exploring Hrvatsko Zagorje and the Medvednica area, with geocaching providing the perfect excuse to discover interesting places along the way. Our route took us to Dvorac Gjalski and the remains of Dvorac Donje Oroslavje, two historic castles that offer a glimpse into the region's rich past.

Continuing our journey, we drove up Medvednica to Planinarski dom Puntijarka, a popular mountain hut and a favourite destination for hikers and nature lovers. Along the way, we enjoyed the peaceful autumn scenery, colourful forests, and several successful geocache finds.

In the afternoon, we returned to Tuheljske Toplice to pick up Nada, and together we continued back to our weekend house in Prigorje.

St. Anne's Church in Gornja Plemenščina, watching over the surrounding vineyards and hills of Zagorje.

Autumn at its finest in the rolling hills of Zagorje.

Dvorac Bežanec, a reminder of the region's rich cultural heritage.

 

A peaceful walk through the colourful forests.

Bronco.

A bench with a view, surrounded by the gentle hills.

Dvorac Gjalski, the former home of Croatian writer Ksaver Šandor Gjalski.

Time has taken its toll, but the old manor still tells its story - Dvorac Oroslavje Donje.

A view of Hrvatsko Zagorje from the slopes of Medvednica.

Around 12 to 13 million years ago, the area of present-day Zagreb was covered by the Pannonian Sea, while Medvednica stood as an island. In the 19th century, fossil remains of a young whale about six metres long were discovered in Podsused. Since it belonged to a previously unknown species, the Belgian paleontologist named it Mesocetus agrami, after Agram, the historic German name for Zagreb.

 

After a long day exploring, Bronco was ready to call it a day.

Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable items "Second Angel of peace", TBA8B55 and "Twin Star", TB33TN8):

- Dvorac Gjalski, GC43864

- DVD Pavlovec cache, GCATRZ9

- Dvorac Oroslavje Donje, GC59HX7

- Pored potoka, GC7CYF0

- Malo odmorište, GC95MQJ

- Lovački dom-geocache, GCA1HYZ

#hiking #geocaching #CatahoulaLeopardDog

16963

Austria: Rjavca

Bronco and I spent the day hiking to Rjautza. The morning was cold, and a light dusting of snow covered parts of the summit area, but the sun soon took over and turned it into a beautiful autumn mountain day. Clear skies, fresh air, and great views made for another enjoyable outing in the Karawanks - Garmin Connect.

The sun had yet to reach the shaded side of the Karawanks when we hit the road.

Fresh snow and no tracks ahead. It looked like we were the first on the move that morning.

The first rays of sunshine finally appeared.

  

The higher we climbed, the whiter the landscape became.

Golden larches glowing beneath a fresh blanket of snow.

 

Finally on the summit of Rjautza, 1789 m.

From Rjautza, the view opens towards the main Karawanks ridge and the prominent peak of Vrtača.

Looking east towards the ridge known as Na Možeh.

The summit cross, the mountain breeze, and endless views.

Looking towards Košuta, the longest ridge in the Karawanks.

Bronco and Tuši.

Descending from the summit, our eyes were drawn to the Žingarica ridge.

#hiking #mountains #Karawanks #CatahoulaLeopardDog

16961

Slovenia: Grenlandija #2

Some performances are worth seeing more than once. After first watching Grenlandija in May 2025 (16801), I returned to see it again in Križe today. The second viewing was every bit as entertaining as the first, with plenty of laughs, great energy from the cast, and enough depth behind the comedy to keep the audience thinking long after the final curtain. 

Written by Slovenian playwright Vinko Möderndorfer, Grenlandija is a comedy that combines sharp humor with social satire. The story follows a wealthy businessman who, fearing financial loss, transfers his assets to his elderly grandmother. What seems like a clever plan quickly takes an unexpected turn when the grandmother decides to take control of her newfound wealth and live life on her own terms.

An outstanding performance by the cast of KUD Podljubelj.

Another memorable performance by 3. vrsta, 5. sedež. Looking forward to seeing what they bring to the stage next.

#KUDPodljubelj #stage

16957

Croatia / Slovenia: Yearly Vacation - Albania - The End

Seventeen days, two motorcycles, one destination. For this year's holiday, Nada and I headed to Albania, planning to explore its coastline from north to south before turning towards the mountains and making our way home through some of the country's most scenic landscapes.

The final day of our holiday had arrived, bringing our Albanian motorcycle adventure to its conclusion. Yet even on the last day there was still plenty to experience before heading home.

Before sunrise, Nada and I were already on our feet. At 6 a.m. we set off on a short hike to the fortress overlooking Omiš, hoping to catch the first light of the day. The hike rewarded us with beautiful views over the Adriatic and the quiet town still waking up below, while we spent some time taking photographs in the soft morning light.

While exploring the fortress, we also managed to wake up the ticket seller, who apparently spends his nights there. That meant there was no escaping the entrance fee, but in return we were treated to a morning shot of travarica and a pleasant conversation before continuing our walk.

Our circular route eventually brought us down to the Cetina River, where we stopped to admire the striking bridge spanning the canyon below. It was a fitting final sightseeing stop before it was finally time to pack our bags, start the engines and begin the journey towards Slovenia.

The route home was straightforward. After a few local roads around Omiš, we joined the motorway and covered the remaining kilometres at a relaxed pace. Crossing into Slovenia felt a little strange after more than two weeks on the road, but home was now within easy reach.

Before the final push home, we stopped in Črnomelj for lunch at Restaurant Samarin. Since Nada knew the owners, we were welcomed like old friends. Good food, a relaxed chat and a short break were exactly what we needed before riding the last kilometres back home. Soon there was only one task left: the last stretch home. 

Our Albanian adventure was over, but the memories of mountain passes, coastal roads, ferry crossings, unexpected encounters and endless hospitality will stay with us for a very long time.

Previous days of Albania Moto trip 2025: Day 16 - 16956, Day 15 - 16955, Day 14 - 16954, Day 13 - 16953, Day 12 - 16952, Day 11 - 16951, Day 10 - 16950, Day 9 - 16949, Day 8 - 16948, Day 7 - 16947, Day 6 - 16946, Day 5 - 16945, Day 4 - 16944, Day 3 - 16943, Day 2 - 16942, Day 1 - 16941.

Omiš was still asleep as we began our climb towards Starigrad Fortress.

 

Before the sun arrived, our headlamps showed the way.

Perched on the cliffs above town, Starigrad Fortress has guarded Omiš for centuries.

 

The fortress or Fortica was built during the Croatian-Ottoman wars as a primary defence against the Ottoman Empire. The precipitous fortification is sited on a 262 m ridge above the town Omiš. In the event of attack, its purpose was to provide refuge for local people and be a stronghold where they could retreat to and resist the Turks.

A two-storey square tower stands at its highest point, serving as both a lookout post and keep.

A breathtaking view of Omiš, where the Cetina River meets the Adriatic Sea.

The early start rewarded us with the fortress almost entirely to ourselves.

Looking across the Adriatic towards Brač from high above Omiš.

 

After a complimentary shot of homemade travarica and a friendly chat with the ticket seller, we made our way back down to Omiš.

 

Descending from Starigrad Fortress towards the Cetina River and its remarkable cliff-to-cliff bridge.

 

With the fortress behind us, we wandered through the quiet streets of Omiš, enjoying the calm morning atmosphere before returning to the apartment and preparing for the ride home - Garmin Connect.

 

Shortly after leaving Omiš, the odometer on Blue Horse rolled over to 130000 kilometres. After years of adventures and countless mountain passes, ferries and border crossings, the old Yamaha was still running as reliably as ever.

 

Lunch in Črnomelj came with a taste of home. After two weeks on the road, traditional Slovenian cuisine was hard to resist.

 

After thousands of kilometres across the Balkans, I finally encountered the latest technology. A restaurant robot. To be fair, it mostly collected dirty dishes, but it still earned a place in the travel diary. A few hours later, Blue Horse and Thunder rolled safely home. As tradition dictates, the successful completion of another motorcycle adventure was celebrated with a shot of medica.

Day 17: From Omiš to Podljubelj - 529 km.

From 3 October to 19 October, the adventure added up to 3765 kilometres of unforgettable roads, mountain passes, ferry crossings, coastal rides and unexpected encounters.

Geocache found:

- Omis-StariGrad-Fortica, GC14T8M, that received a visit by trackable items "Second Angel of peace", TBA8B55 and "Twin Star", TB33TN8

#vacation #Balkan #motorcycle #hiking #geocaching