Zhivjeli!

We left the “Land of My Fathers” for the last time and flew to the land of my father for the first time. As we were giving the car that had served us so well to my cousin (once removed) Kathryn , she suggested she follow us to the airport. Or was it her mom, cousin (not at all removed) Dreda, that made the suggestion? Don’t matter, it worked well as we were able to load up all the luggage as well as all the detritus of a year abroad (luggage goes with us, detritus goes with the car) and head out without having to squeeze our collective self and accoutrement into a bus.

In fact, we were able to stop at cousin Bren’s enroute for a hasty lunch and howdy-do. It was the first time we’d met (maybe) and he was not only a gracious host (there was food for an army) but an apt navigator as he took us thru the English countryside to Luton airport. Thanx, cuz!

After a year of travelling what I’ve come to expect is that the best laids plans rarely go as planned. But this was the smoothest click, click, click we’ve done. The checkin was fast and easy, the plane left on time and arrived sooner than anticipated and a guy with our name on a sign met us after we got through customs in Olympic time. All travelling should be so easy - it was like a tv commercial.

Our driver delivered us to Zlatan who met us in the street outside Rock Palace apartments. It’s essentially a big house which he’s redesigned to accomodate two suites on the top floor, him and family on the middle and two more on ground level. I thought it was named Rock Palace because of its setting in the rocky mountainside but no. Zlatan played guitar in a rock band ‘til the war broke out in ‘92 and his suites are named after rock heroes; we’re in Ziggy for David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and the walls are decorated with his album covers. Love it.

Zlatan helped us carry the cases up and up and up the stairs to his home and up and up to the suite. We’re not far from the old city but it’s ten thousand steps to get there (ok, maybe 9,000) so the calfs are toning. The view from our suite is panoramic and the deck has become our favourite spot to watch the sun fall into the ocean.

I’ll have to tell you more about the city next time (we’re now on day three) because I can hear the city calling. I have to get out and roam the streets my father roamed as a child and strain to hear the sound of his voice echoing of the ancient walls. Or maybe I'll just sit at a cafe and raise a cold glass of Karlovacko to his memory...Zhivjeli!