I really debated whether there should be another blog this year, after all the Croatian trip may be a challenge on the language front and I already realize that the history and the culture will be all brand new, but physically, a week hiking on the Dalmation coast, not really the physical challenge of previous trips and blogs. I am quite confident that there is nothing on those islands that I won't be able to climb and no daily distance I cannot complete.
As for firsts on this trip:
--I have never been to a European nation that wasn't part of NATO during the Cold War. Actually, I guess I have since Switzerland was not but I think of them as part of NATO.
--I still think of this part of the world as Yugoslavia - I don't think I can name all the nations that came out of the breakup after Tito's death.
--I've never been to a nation so recently independent.
--I've never been to a nation so recently at war. I don't think I could tell you much about the war - except that the NATO effort was called K-4 and it had definite religious overtones.
So, for these reasons, plus the fact that a coworker kept telling me I really, really, really need to go see Dubrovnik, I'm headed to Croatia for a hike.
Also, because so many friends have asked to hear about the trip, see pictures, I decided that another blog was in order. Yes, friends of Cafra, you have created a monster.
