Author: billkralovec

Summer in the Upper Peninsula

billkralovec

 


Ocean is shown above enjoying the beach at Hagerman Lake. It is a favorite beach of ours because there is a large, flat, grassy area and hardly anyone goes to the public beach. When we went on Thursday, there was no one there except for us. The weather has been nice so far, with hot temperatures during the day and cool temps at night. Ocean lived up to her name and was the last to leave the water. She shows no fear for water, going up to her neck and then jumping up and falling on her “dupa” and then giggling.

Owen and Ollie are having a nice time with their cousins, Beau and Tony, the sons of my brother Jim. They are not fighting all the time like they were last summer. Beside swimming at Hagerman Lake, Friday we also went to Chicaguoan Lake to swim at the beach at the Bonetti’s cottage. There are so many lakes in our county. We could visit a different one almost every day of our holiday. And that is a nice thing about Iron County, there is hardly any people here so anywhere you go, there is plenty of space and no crowds.

Tony, Owen, Beau, & Oliver
Tony, Owen, Beau, & Oliver

Besides swimming, Nadia has been running daily. I drop her off 6 miles from our home and she runs here. I got out to run twice with Owen on the bike on the Apple Blossom Bike Trail.

On a sad note, we buried my mother in the Stambaugh Cemetery on Friday. Father Clisch, from our home parish of St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church in Caspian gave a short service. Cemetary and funeral home officials were very kind to wait for me to return from Belgrade. The ceremony was attended by a small group of close friends and family. It was touching to see Ollie put a blue flower from the McDonald’s garden on the casket. Blue represents our school colors of West Iron County Public Schools. We will be ordering a tombstone later and are thinking of putting “Coach” on the stone. My mother was a big sportsperson. Afterwards, we had a BBQ in the backyard. Andy is shown below on the grill. It was good to catch up with my aunts Darlene and Ione, and cousin Debbie, as well as friends Mac and Julie. It was a nice way to say goodbye to my mother. She will be missed.

Andy Flips the Burgers
Andy Flips the Burgers

Long Flight to Michigan

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The kids are shown above sleeping at the gate of our United Airlines flight in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The flight was eventually cancelled and we had to take another flight the next day. We tried to get on a later flight, but they only had 3 empty seats and we needed four. The kids as well as I were exhausted by this time as we had left Belgrade early in the morning European time. With a short stopover in the Lufthansa hub city of Frankfort, we made good time over the Atlantic.

Ollie & Ocean Hitch a Ride on My Carry-On
Ollie & Ocean Hitch a Ride on My Carry-On

My father lives in a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and it is a remote area not well serviced by airlines. The nearest larger airport with regular flights is Green Bay, Wisconsin. We landed in Chicago around 1:00 PM and as you can see, our 5:00 PM flight was cancelled. United Airlines was nice in providing us with a good hotel and a free breakfast for the night. I think they felt sorry for us, especially the dramatic scene at the gate with three children sleeping in front of the desk. They also put us on an American Airlines flight the next morning.

Now that I have flown Lufthansa quite a bit living in Europe, it is a pretty good airline. The only problem with them is the lack of leg room. When a person leans his/her chair back, there is almost no room for the passenger behind.

We eventually made it the next day, although the cancellation caused a bit of inconvenience for my father and brother. My hometown is a 3 hour drive from Green Bay.

The Kids Looking Out at Rosemount, Illinois
The Kids Looking Out at Rosemount, Illinois

Summer Holidays Begin

billkralovec

 



This is my last post from Belgrade until August. We are going on our annual summer holidays. This year we will be spending it in my hometown of Caspian, Michigan, USA. I’ll be blogging about our experiences there.

Above I am pictured with Oliver at the Dinosaurs Argentina Exhibition which is currently being held at the Continental Hotel Exhibition Center in New Belgrade. I highly recommend it for families. The boys loved it and learned a lot. Gigantosauras and the dinosaur eggs were especially a hit. You can click on the photo to see more of the exhibition. It features the fossil finds in the deserts of Patagonia in central and southern Argentina. The species found there are just as impressive as the more famous North American finds like T. Rex, etc. 

 

Heaven in My Hand
Heaven in My Hand

I also wanted to share the photo above. Great fresh produce in the various markets around Belgrade. Raspberries are my all  time favorite fruit (the other 4 in my top 5 fruits are blueberries, mangos, bananas, and watermelon). The Kralovec family are “fruit alcoholics” and we are consuming punnets of raspberries at a rate of 8 per day. My personal record is 3 and 1/2 in one sitting. 

Well, I must finish packing as we head west across Europe and the Atlantic.

Cockta: The Drink of Yugoslavia

billkralovec

 

Oliver is shown above enjoying a “Cockta” – a drink that was popular during the communist era of Yugoslavia, and which is making a comeback in 21rst century Balkans.

We first noticed it at the basketball games of Red Star. In the center of the floor was a big “Cockta” advert. I didn’t know how to pronounce it because I was going by the Serbian Latin pronounciation, which when there is a “c” it sounds like the “ts” of cats. Later I found out the name originates from a short form of cocktail, hence, “cockta.” An after riding the “cockta” train at Kalemegdan part a couple weeks ago, I needed to find out all about it. 

It was invented in the 1950’s in Slovenia. The drink was designed as an alternative to the capitalist west, Coca Cola. It became popular through a series of ads closely associated with the ski jumping in Slovenia. You can see all the adverts and read more about the drink on the company’s web site. Since then the company has new owners and I read it is making a comeback in the ex-Yugoslavia. I am not sure about market shares, but I see the adverts quite a bit here in Belgrade.

 

Always True Selection (A Bad Translation)
"Always The True Choice" (A Bad Translation) - Billboard in Belgrade

The soda pop looks like coca cola but has a much different taste. The key ingredient in the mix of 11 herbs, is extract from the dog rose berry. It gives is a distinctive taste and aroma. There is no cafeine  – part of one ad campaign says “If you want cafeine, go for a coffee, if you want milk – go for a cow” It does have sugar so it is not quite a health drink. 

Well, we had a Kralovec family taste test this weekend. Owen thought it tasted like medicine and Nadia thought it too bitter. Ocean is not drinking carbonated beverages yet. That left Ollie and I as the only ones who like it. Ollie orders it instead of coca cola now. I am not a big soda pop guy so I will not order it often. I admire anyone who tries to be original and go against the marketing juggernaut of Coca Cola. I recommend all visitors to Serbia to try one!

Silver Lake – Srebrno jezero

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Ocean at the Dock of the Silver Lake Resort
Ocean at the Dock of the Silver Lake Resort

While visiting the Golubac Castle, we stayed at the Silver Lake Hotel. The “Lake” is actually an extension of the Danube, or an “oxbow” in technical terms. Silver Lake is cut off from the Danube by a dam and the place is a popular holiday destination for Serbs. The hotel has seen better days and was probably built in the 1980’s during the communist era of Serbia. The staff was extremely friendly and despite the uncomfortable beds and foul-smelling tap water in the hotel, we really enjoyed our stay. The most important thing was the kids had a blast and that was the whole point of going.

We swam both Friday night and Saturday afternoon in the lake. We had a scare on Saturday morning. Nadia was applying sunscreen to Oliver and I was trying to catch a frog for Owen. Ocean happened to go into the water and slipped and went under the surface. Owen yelled immediately, warning me, and a I quickly pulled her out. It was a good lesson for us on taking three children to a body of water. An accident can happen so quickly and we need to be extra vigilant. Ocean was a bit scared, but quickly lived up to her name and went back into the water. It was extremely hot and the cool water of the Danube made it a pleasant day. I am always amazed at the fascination kids have with the water’s edge. They could have played there the entire day.

A resort is being developed there. It is like a gated community, with I assume most of the vacation cottages being built by Belgraders wanting a vacation home. There are several restaurants as well as a marina, tennis club, stores, etc. I read of plans to build newer hotels, which would be nice. There were many ads offering rooms and apartments for rent also.

The Boys Enjoying A Mid Summer Nights Swim
The Boys Enjoying A Mid Summer Night's Swim

The place reminded me of the lakes in Michigan as well as a bit of Ada Ciganlija, but without the crowds. I would go back, but perhaps renting a private apartment instead of going to the hotel. Some of the other highlights were catching frogs, a fantastic lunch at the Amici Restaurant, and the quiet escape from the city. Nadia went for a run and we discovered a bike trail that goes along the river and definitely worth coming back with bicycles on a weekend. The waiters at the restaurant loved our children and appreciated my learning of Serbian. I am actually starting to be able to communicate in Serbian!

Golubac Castle: A Boys’ Paradise

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Owen, Oliver and I on our triumphant return from climbing one of the ten towers of Golubac Castle. This is a 700 year+ castle located near the village of Golubac, Serbia on the banks of the Danube River. It is the start of the Đerdap National Park and one of the most beautiful places in Serbia.

The fortress is an amazing place! If the castle was in a western European nation, the place would be tightly controlled, with safety nets installed, an interpretive center built, etc. In Serbia, it is completely abandoned. There was one guy selling souvenirs near the castle, but they had nothing to do with the castle. There were no interpretive guides or accompanying museum. Basically, it is an old fort that we were free to explore. I took the boys and we climbed to one of the upper towers. The guys absolutely loved it! There was a slight trail leading up and we scrambled over the rocks and bushes to get to the base of a tower where a ladder hung down. We then climbed the ladder to get to the top. From there the trail wound around to another tower, but with a 6 and 4 year old, I thought it a bit too risky to go on.

The boys at the top
The boys at the top

I told the story about the castle to the boys. The fortress exchanged hands many times since it was built in the 1300’s. As with most castles, it is in a strategic position. The Danube narrows at this point so from the fort, one can control the flow of traffic down the Danube (Dunav in Serbian). The place was the scene of many battles between the Hungarians, Ottomans, and Serbians.

Nadia & Ocean Stayed in Eidelweiss While We Climbed to the Top
Nadia & Ocean Stayed in Eidelweiss While We Climbed to the Top

You can see the slight trail to the right of our car. It moves from right to left above the vehicle. There were two guys fishing from one of the flooded towers. A dam was built in the 1970’s that flooded the lower parts of the castle, and a road was built through the portcullis (seen just left of our car). A couple of cars stopped while we were there, but no one bothered to climb up. I thought the challenge and managing risk of the climb very good for the boys. I want to instil in the boys a sense of adventure and an enthusiasm for getting out into life and doing things. We will definitely return here, as the fortress is just an 1 and a half from our home in Belgrade.

The Danube Comes Right Up to the Tower
The Danube Comes Right Up to the Tower

The trip can be combined with a visit to the archeological site Lepenski Vir. Remains of an 7000 year old village were found with some fish-lipped statues. Unfortunately, the museum where they are housed was closed for reconstruction and we weren’t able to see it. We stayed at the Silver Lake Hotel which I will blog about later.

Approaching the Castle from the village of Golubac
Approaching the Castle from the village of Golubac

The trip gave me a greater appreciation for the Danube and the freedom of Serbia. What an opportunity to be able to scramble over an abandoned castle, just like explorers coming to it the first time. There were lots that we didn’t get to see and it begs a return visit. I would love to lead an reconstruction and excavation of the site. It would also be nice to make an accompanying web site with pictures and stories of the long history of the place.

The Danube compares to the Mississippi and I see why people have gone down its entire length. The river and its tributaries go through the heart of central Europe. The wildlife, views, and fresh water are something to be cherished.

ISB Faculty Calls It A Year

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We hosted the International School of Belgrade’s  annual end-of-year party last night at our home. There were over 100 people in attendance and everyone had an enjoyable evening. The school honored the people leaving and celebrated the end of a rewarding school year. In the education business, our year runs from August to June and we are all excited to embark on our travels during the summer holidays.

Owen and Ollie are shown above pushing the glow lanterns. Ethan and Jamie lit 8 of these big paper lanterns that after the brick below gets going, they soar upwards and away. One got caught in the tree of our neighbors and another almost hit their terrace, but all made it out of the neighborhood. A nice tradition started! Ethan saw these used for New Year’s celebrations in Thailand.

The Faculty Band
The Faculty Band
Several faculty members have a rock band that plays in pubs in the city and they graciously played for us last night. It was impressive how much original music they have. Nadia and I felt like we were finally experiencing the legendary night life of Belgrade – in our back yard. I would like to thank Chris, Kay, and Sava and their bandmates for playing. Having live music at a party brings it up a notch!
The goodbyes were done well. The Sunshine Committee of the school organized it with a friend of the departing person speaking about them. A much better method than having administration talking about each person.
The school provided the food and drinks and the maintenance crew worked hard with the set up and arrangements. There was a big wind storm last night that blew over many of the tents but none were lost or broken.
It was a fantastic way to give closure to my first year at ISB. I am looking forward to the summer holidays and refreshing my mind and body for 2009-2010.
Goodbye!
Goodbye!

Photos for the Grandpa & Abuelo

billkralovec

I like to post photos of each of the kids so family and friends back in the USA and Bolivia can see how much they are growing. They change everyday. I am very busy with the end of the school year business and no time to blog about Serbia. Will begin blogging later this week.

Oliver Hanging From the Rings At Ada Ciganlija
Oliver Hanging From the Rings At Ada Ciganlija

Owen & Devin During the LS Sports Day
Owen & Devin During the LS Sports Day

Sunset On the New Railroad Bridge

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Sunset in Belgrade, originally uploaded by bill kralovec.

We have a nice view of the New Railroad Bridge from our garden. I snapped this photo Tuesday. The bridge is one of four bridges crossing the Sava River in Belgrade. It is the closest to our house and only used for trains. Senjak is on a hill over looking the Sava. Beyond the bridge is the flat terrain of New Belgrade, a former swamp developed by the communists during Tito’s era.

Our garden (yard in American) is wonderful for the children. It is built on the second floor, which is strange that it is not on street level. Underneath the grass are garages and storage rooms for people living in our apartments. We are the only family that has access to the yard and we also have a two car garage in our basement, but which is actually the ground floor. Having a yard on the second floor gives a lot of privacy from the street.

Oliver Looks Down To the Street - Garage Doors On the Right
Oliver Looks Down To the Street - Garage Doors On the Right

The garden is also brilliant for the family. We spend a lot of time out there during the warmer months, and even in the winter. The kids have a swing set and basketball hoop there. There is also a nice flat area for soccer, hockey, swimming, etc. It is also a great place to have a party as there is a pergola and BBQ area, tables, and then the kids can play in the grass. A perfect place for entertaining.

Summer Is Here

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We took advantage of the longer daylight hours last night and went for a bike ride. I ran with Ocean in the jogging stroller and Owen rode his bike along side us. We ran from Gazelle Bridge to Ada on the bike path. What a beautiful night! Nadia and Oliver went shopping at Home Center and we met there after. We sat in the cafe while the kids played in the park inside of Home Center. A very nice night indeed.

Owen and Ocean are shown above the marina at Ada. The weather has been fantastic, sadly we are still in school and cannot enjoy it fully.