blauboy’s posthaven

Maribor (pop. 112.000) is Slovenias second largest community and a cosy city along the Drava-river, about 20 kilometers away from the Astrian border. We were here before, but never in summer. So this year we took some time to explore downtown. Like the the vintage Vinagova vinska klet: Up to 18 meters below Maribor's central Freedom Square (Trg svobode) hides the city's old wine cellar. For small money you get a guided tour of 40 minutes down there plus a wine tasting afterwards. It's 7 Euros, including three wine samples. More than worth it!

Our probably last trip for this year lead us to Sicily, Italy, to see our friends Sara and Fabian in Pedara, near Catania. Among all the fun, food and music, we shared, one opportunity came unexpected, but the more fun it was: Cruising with Fabian on his Harley Davidson trike! We drove on Mount Etna and towards the south to Syracuse and we also gave Sophia the chance to celebrate halloween. What a wonderful travel this was - thank you so much, Sara and Fabian! Hope to see you again soon, wherever it might be!

Back on the island at Giorgi's Blue Apts, we enjoyed a week full of sun, sea, relaxation and philoxenia. Here are some impressions to dream about. Next time you come with us? We will again be visiting Crete in September!

What a gift to be able to travel!
For two days we escaped the cold and grey November in Germany and flew (better: fled) to Lido di Ostia, the beach of Rome just 30 kilometers west of Italy's capitol. We were welcomed by sun, 63°F (17° Celcius) in the shade, excellent espresso and great Italian sea food. It could not be better!

The end of our autum trip through Austria led us to Graz, capitol of Styria and Austria's second largest city. We paid a visit to the old town, climbed ap the sun-kissed Schloßberg and had a fantastic Styrian schnitzel, breaded in pumpkin seeds, in a local brewery restaurant.

For the fourth time this year we set up our tent in Leutschach, at the winery of our endearing friends and hosts, Sandra and Karl. Purpose this time: to check out the wheather conditions in southern Styria in November. Our hopes got satiesfied - as one might see by the following pictures of the Styrian wine route. Maybe one day we want to settle down here for retirement...

Spend some marvelous hours at Lake Atter ("Attersee") in Austria. One week after the end of the season we enjoyed a quit and peaceful surrounding on our little lake tour from the villages of Attersee, via Litzlberg to Seewalchen. Ending up with a cup of cappuccino in a nearby coffee shop, wearing t-shirt and sunglasses in the surprising warm November sun. And, no: we did not go for a swim!

Just a few picture memories of another wonderful stay on the island of Crete. Or, as we tend to say: our second home - 'cause we are part time locals, that stay in Chania for two to four weeks every season, while the rest of the year we have to work for our living in Germany... (13 pictures).

Although it's not an insiders' tip anymore, a trip to Loutro on the southern side of Crete is still a captivating experience. Only accessible by ferry, 30 minutes (or 6,10 Euro fee) west of Chora Sfakion, the cosy little village in the hidden bay welcomes its visitors with white house facades, turquoise sea and two small pebble beaches. Slow life here, perfect for relaxation! It was the fourth time within the last twelve years that we took a daytrip there and for sure we will come back another time one day! (13 pictures)

I found Atlantis!
I saw its vagabonded foundations, touched its old columns and I wandered its lost streets. The magic place is located on the peninsula Akrotiri, not too far away from the airport of Chania, between Chorafakia and Stavros. The huge areal spreads in the burning mediterrean sun over dozens of acres: abandonded, rotten, dirty, overgrown. But one can still see the structures of the bold idea, that was behind this compound: to build another waterpark like Limnoupolis on Crete, barely 30 kilometers away from the original.
The guy, who planed this waterpark "Atlantis", son of the owners of a nearby hotel in Chorafakia, wasted lots of time, effort and money from the bank to make his vision come true, but still failed: His waterpark never ran. That was about ten years ago. The ruins of his dreams may not last as long as the historical mansion, I explored last autumn. But long enough to witness this guy's personal Greek dilemma. (28 pictures)