Back in Montenegro

Talaria at NAVAR boatyard

 Eight months and many, many emails later we FINALLY settled with the insurance company.  Was it fair and equitable?  Were were made whole minus our deductible?  The answer is a resounding: NO.  But rather than go through arbitration and months upon months of further delay we got the best deal we could obtain and settled.  We knew full well that there may be more that comes up that will not be covered now that we have settled and we may end up taking an even greater loss.  Anyway you approach it, its a losing game so we took the gamble.  Just days before we were due to fly back to Montenegro, London Marine Insurance finally deposited money to our checking account.  

Boxes of now worthless electronics

 The work that NAVAR boatyard was doing is complete but our work begins.  We took a chance and brought some boat parts back with us to repair the inverter and air conditioner.  Circuit boards mostly that we were praying would not be confiscated by customs.  We also brought back a new controller for our wind generator and a new battery monitor.  One whole day was spent just repairing the inverter but I am happy to report that it now works!!  Our goal is to complete our work in two more days and then have the boat surveyed while she is out of the water.  We are aiming to have Talaria back in the water by Thursday - March 9th.  

Replacing the wind generator controller

However, we have already run into problems.  Our starter battery is dead (a victim of the lightning strike) and our house bank of batteries are not taking a charge.  All of the batteries were just purchased in 2021.  We are hoping that the house bank will improve but its not looking good.  Of course, that will all be on us as we already settled with the insurance company.  Absolute crooks - a scam in every sense of the word.  

Beautiful Montenegro

 We still have been unable to check to make sure the electronics are working properly but hope to do a sea trial on Thursday to test it all (realistically it may be the following week).  At the moment the inside of Talaria is a mess!  We have to complete some projects before we can even begin to put things back together inside.  So we will see if the survey can be completed on Wednesday, probably not  They need to be able to walk around and look things over which is impossible at the moment.

Che Boat

On another note, we found it interesting that the little NAVAR boat parked in front of us celebrates Che Guevara.  Is there a connection between Montenegro and Cuba?

Che Boat

Or a personal connection to Cuba?  Don't know, nor does it matter - just found it interesting to see outside of Cuba.  In Cuba you can buy Che souvenirs on every corner.  Virtually everything has Che's image on it - T-shirts, coffee mugs, key chains etc...  But this is our first sighting in Montenegro😏. 

Marine Insurance Chicanery

Excuse my absence - I have been slowly burning in the fire of marine insurance hell.  Turns out at least some industry players practice a shell game that is unmatched in the devious realm of flim flam.  Or at least that has been our experience thus far.  Helpful folks who have similarly experienced lightning strikes on their sailboats have reached out to share their, for the most part, positive experiences.

Berlin Graffiti

Sadly, that has only served to indulge my unhealthy immersion in self pity and anger, as our experience has been precisely the opposite of positive.  It is such a long story that I will not bore you with all the details - just a brief update.

World Clock - Berlin

July 8th we were at anchor behind a little island in Tivat, Montenegro.  Our peaceful sleep ended with a sudden boom of thunder.  Where there is thunder, there is rain (or at least that has always been true in our world) so we jumped up and started to close hatches.  Instead of a rain shower we had a "lightning shower".  Unfortunately for us lightning struck right beside our boat which caused very significant damage to our electronics.  Dutifully we secured the boat and notified the insurance company.

Holocaust Memorial - Berlin

From there it has all gone even further downhill.  Eventually the underwriter sent a "loss adjuster" who basically determined that since the equipment powered up it must be fine.  No matter that we have no data (imagine a blank screen on a computer).  We ended up hiring a surveyor ourselves but even that did not solve the what works and what does not issue.  The underwriters do not believe the electronics experts at the boatyard or the surveyors electronics engineer.  Instead, they prefer to process the claim on the basis of the Volvo-Penta dealer that they sent out who is neither a credentialed surveyor nor an electronics engineer.  Meanwhile, the insurance companies are playing hot potato with the policy.  The broker claiming that we really have insurance with the Underwriters - that is who our contract is with.  Even though our policy clearly says "London Marine Insurance".  It could not be more shady.  So we have now had to take it further and are preparing to file a formal complaint with the UK Financial Ombudsman.  

Carillon in Tiergarten Park - Berlin

Regardless, we will be returning to Montenegro in March and fervently hope that the work will be completed.

 

 

Ich bin ein Berliner

Brandenburg Gate

 "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner" -  that is what President John F. Kennedy said in this city way, way back in 1963.  And yet that wall separating Berlin into a Communist side (East Berlin) and Democratic side (West Berlin) continued to stand until 1989! 

Checkpoint Charlie

And now here we are 33 years later after the wall came down once again worrying about democracy.  And so I say - as JFK said, if you think communism is not so bad - then you should come to Berlin.  Because here in this city there are stark reminders of the pain and suffering endured by many not only due to WWII but also the Cold War that followed on its heels.

Checkpoint Charlie Museum - demonstration of escape strategies

 

There was a reason folks contorted themselves into almost impossible positions to fit into "modified" amplifiers in hopes that they could be successfully smuggled out of East Berlin.  The lengths that folks went to from homemade planes to homemade hot air balloons serve as a testament to their utter despair.  Risk be damned, so many were just determined to escape or die trying.  And many, many did die trying.  All because they wanted "freedom".  Unwilling to live a life under de-humanizing Communist rule, for many no life was preferable to that life.  For those who worry about the current state of affairs in the US and other countries it is worth remembering and mulling over.

East Side Gallery - Berlin Wall

 Many people we talked with felt that Berlin was now just like any other modern city - breaking with its past, it was rebuilt for more modern times.  Unlike Munich that seemed to want to put all the pieces back together the way they were prior to WWII.  But for us WWII seemed to resonate loudly in Berlin.  I am sure if you lived there you would get used to the leftovers from the war and maybe not see them like a visitor would.  However, we could not help thinking how unsettling it would be to see that constant, ever present reminder.  Depressing, really.

Berlin Cathedral

 Nonetheless, Berlin is a great city and well worth a visit or two or three.  We actually will fly back to Berlin when we return to Europe in February.  So... we may get to spend a few more days there before heading to Montenegro.  There is still so much more to discover there! 

 

 

On to Germany...

An hour train ride from Salzburg and we were in Germany.  Munich is just the other side of the mountain.  Hitler actually had his little hideaway not too far from Salzburg (the Eagles Nest) and apparently on a clear day you can see Salzburg from the Eagles Nest.

Hofburg Haus

The decimation of Munich during WWII was near complete.  Hitler refused to surrender which led the Allied forces to attempt to bomb them into submission.  Not wanting the population to have a poor view of their chances of winning the war he made the decision to not move valuable art, furniture and the like into a secure location.  That would look defeatist.  At least not the large conspicuous items, he had moved many, many other smaller precious works of art.  So ... instead knowing that they would be severely bombed Hitler had his folks take lots and lots of photos. 
 

Shell Grotto

And that is how the Germans came to re-create that which had been completely destroyed, like this shell grotto.  Re-created from shells collected by locals after the war to perfectly match the original grotto you would never know that the grotto is in fact not ancient.

Dining hall

In the Munich Residenz, the room in the photo is the only room in the entire palace that actually dates to the 1600's.  Everything else was rebuilt guided entirely by the Hitler photos.  The level of craftmanship, dedication and commitment to re-create not only the palace structure but the items inside is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Theatinerkirche

And it wasn't just the Munich Residenz - the entire city was re-built with history and re-creation in mind.  Where other cities in Germany saw a clean slate, an opportunity to build a modern city however they chose, Munich was committed to preserving history.  Its a great illusion - you think you are strolling through history but in reality its re-created history.  That certainly does not diminish Munich - if anything it is even more astonishing.  

Work will set you free

 While in Munich we felt it necessary to visit Dachau.  Not because we wanted to be severely depressed but because everyone should bear witness.  That is why the concentration camp became a memorial so people will never forget.  As it turned out the weather was such that the only nice day for walking around Dachau was my birthday.  So... I may now have the best story for "worst things to do on your birthday"😀.  

 

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

To read about Dachau or Auschwitz or any of the other camps is one thing, to see it is another.  There were things we could not bring ourselves to witness.  We were totally unable to step foot in the "gas chamber" - it was enough to see the building but no way were we stepping inside.  The other thing we refused to see were the videos in the "museum" - it was just too much for us.  So we walked around and contemplated how human beings can be so cruel and evil.  And the other thing that struck us was how people in the town of Dachau could possibly say that they did not know what was going on there.  There is just no way that they did not know.  We can believe that maybe they did not know the manner in which some folks died but they certainly knew that many, many people were dying there.  The concentration camp is just not that far out of town - there are residences nearby.  Granted it may have been further out back in the 1940s but still we can't believe that folks were ignorant of the killing taking place. 

Foundations of baracks for prisoners

We tried to not have this be a WW II trip but its hard to be in Germany and not be immersed in WWII history.  So after a very depressing birthday we decided to look for some Indian food for dinner (our favorite) and switch gears completely.  For the next day we decided to go visit the BMW museum.  

 

BMW Museum

The BMW museum was a surprisingly popular museum and very well done.  I did not think I would be too interested but it was actually very interesting.  A thoroughly enjoyable day!

 And surprisingly they were very honest about their part in abetting the war.  They had one whole display outlining their part in subjugating and abusing Jews as well as others.  There was an honest confession to lying and manipulating in order to support the war and Hitler.  And then they discussed how they had to face what they as a company had done in order to change.  So... now they are multinational and multicultural with a commitment to respecting all humans.  It was both eye opening and refreshing.  

There is much to see in Munich and so unique in their approach post WWII.  Would recommend visiting in the off season however as its another popular place.  It is also cheaper in the off season which is a definite plus - Munich is not cheap. 
 

 

More Austria

Salzburg, Austria

To all our Austrian friends that we have made along the way; Andi and Tanja on s/y LIV by Ocean, Georg on s/y Inka and others we have met, we just want to say you have a beautiful country.  We know that you need the ocean and the sunshine (especially you Andi!)... but how nice to be able to return to such a beautiful, beautiful place. 

Salzburg, Austria

The downside of all that beauty however is it just beckons folks to come and visit - good for the economy but bad for peace and quiet.  There was a swirling mass of humanity in every nook and cranny of Salzburg when we were there - which was admittedly during the height of tourist season.  We would not recommend August for a visit to Austria.  

Mirabell Gardens with the Salzburg Cathedral and Hohensalzburg fortress in the background

Perhaps spring would be a nice time, and if you are brave, I am sure winter is beautiful as well.  Salzburg lies in the eastern Alps but I have to say the Alps seem very different from the mountain ranges that we are accustomed to in the US.  The large alpine meadows fool you into thinking you are at a lower altitude as the land tends to level out some in the meadows.  

Kollengienkirche

Of course, we saw all the iconic sites in Salzburg; the Hohensalzburg Fortress, Salzburg Cathedral and the Mirabell palace and gardens to name a few.  We did not see quite all of the beautiful churches in Salzburg however as we decided instead to get out of town and away from the crowds for a day.  Our initial plan was to go see the worlds largest ice cave in Werfen.  But Michael balked at first climbing a mountain to get to the ice cave and then walking up the 700 steps once inside the ice cave!  So instead we went on a boat ride!

Kollengienkirche

 First, a nice drive through the mountains and then a short boat ride on Wolfgang Lake (it was actually the ferry) from St. Gilgen to St. Wolfgang.  Mozart's mother was born in St. Wolfgang.  The town was named after Saint Wolfgang and Mozart was named after the Saint, as were most boys from the town.  You can see how that might get confusing after a while😁.

Wolfgang Lake (Wolfgangsee)

It was such a lovely day - warm with lots of sunshine and of course, we were just so happy to be on the water.  The story goes that the lake is so clean you can drink out of it - we didn't have a drink but it certainly looked clean.  And there were lots of folks out enjoying the day as you can see by all the sailboats.  

 

Wolfgang Lake

 

After the boat ride we walked around St. Wolfgang a bit (a big tourist stop) but resisted impulse buying.  Instead, we just enjoyed the town and some ice cream.  The ride back to Salzburg was supposed to be via the highway but thank goodness there was a lot of traffic.  So our "guide" diverted back through the country which we were very happy about.  Great scenery to end a great day!!

Vienna, Austria

Mozart Statue

 Vienna has a long and storied history- once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and later the center of the Habsburg Empire.  The latter of which spawned their recognition as the "City of Music" as they hosted most of the well known classical musicians of that era.  Names we all know; Mozart, Beethoven, Shubert, Strauss, Brahms and more.

Hofburg Palace

But Austria has a dark past as well.  People hear Hitler and think Germany - but Hitler was actually born in Austria.  In 1938, before WW II officially started Hitler marched into Austria (to cheering crowds) and announced the annexation of Austria to Germany.  That speech was made from this very balcony at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna.  Its hard to escape the horrors of WW II in this part of the world as it permeates their history and in many ways their future.  There is a strong desire by many (not just Jewish folks) to keep this awful history alive so that it is never, ever repeated.  Understandable but still overwhelming.

Vienna Opera House

We focused our time on enjoying the grandeur and beauty of Vienna ... and of course, the music.  At least the music history.  There are folks all over the place hawking tickets for various classical music shows but we did not partake.  Instead we went to an international organ festival at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague.  I am sure a show in Vienna would have been wonderful but it all seemed so touristy.  

 

Vienna Opera House

I would however love to see the Vienna Opera Ball that occurs once a year, a tradition that started in the 1800s.  Over 300.00 euros will get you in the door but if you want to sit at a table that is another several hundred euros.  And if you want a box from which to watch the dancing the cost is more than 23,000 euros!  Needless to say it is an activity for the rich and famous.

The Votive Church

 Sadly, our experience with the Vienna Opera House was simply a tour.  It is considered by many to be the most beautiful Opera House in all of Europe.  And it is simply stunning😊.  Vienna has so much to offer that a week does not do the city justice.  But it does whet your appetite encouraging you to return for a more in depth look. Hopefully, our next trip to the Opera House will be to see the opera.  And maybe one day the Vienna Opera Ball!

Schonbrunn Palace

For this trip we are content with visiting palaces and cathedrals, as well as dabbling in the musical history.  The US (as wonderful as it is) does not have the same character or history as Europe.  There are no cathedrals that can match the splendor of European cathedrals.  Nor do we have palaces in the US.  The closest thing we have to that sort of opulence are the beautiful plantations of the south and even those are tainted.  Being a young country we understandably do not have that longevity.  However, in the end our collective histories are all interwoven.  As one man said to me when we told him we were Americans - "we are all essentially Europeans".  So true.  

The Plague Column (a memorial for those who died)

Vienna is a great city - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  It is, in our view, a city worth visiting again and again.  Michael and I like to absorb a country over a period of time - to really try and get to know the place and the people.  Being a tourist in the traditional sense does not allow the type of exploration that we like.  But time is always limited in Europe due to the Schengen Visa restrictions.  So like it or not we have to keep moving to make the most of our time. 

 

 

Kutna Hora, Czechia

Kutna Hora Train Station

 We took the train from Prague to a nearby town called Kutna Hora for a little visit.  Kutna Hora is a UNESCO world heritage site, due in part to its silver mining history as well as the phenomenal gothic St. Barbara's Cathedral and the Sedlec Ossuary.

Kutna Hora

Since the train back to Prague only runs at certain times we were only going to have a couple of hours to see the Cathedral and the Ossuary.  The Sedlec Ossuary is close to the train station but we decided to hop on the bus and go to the town first.  Our plan was to visit the Ossuary on the way back to the train station.  That ended up being a good choice as we were so overwhelmed by the Ossuary - also known as the "Bone Church" that it would have completely overshadowed our visit to St. Barbaras.

 

St. Barbara's Cathedral

Construction on St. Barbara's Cathedral began in 1388 but was not completed until 1905.  The fact that despite delays, one of which lasted 60 years, the Church was eventually completed is by itself amazing.  As the construction changed from architect to architect so did the vision for the Church.  Both the size and style changed over time yet it still retained many of the gothic features such as the flying buttresses.

St. Barbara's Cathedral

St. Barbara's is decorated with beautiful stained glass windows and large, imposing statues.  One of the most ornate features is the magnificent pipe organ. Although we did not hear the pipe organ, we were treated to a small choir practice which was a perfect demonstration of the phenomenal acoustics.

 

Pipe Organ

Italian Court

The source of Kutna Hora's wealth was the silver mines. There is a mining museum there that would have been worth a visit but our time was limited.  So after walking around town a bit we headed back to the train station and the "bone church".

Sedlec Ossuary

 The Bone Church is not large but it is unique.  It was built in the center of the Sedlec Abbey cemetery which for many years was considered a very holy place.  For that reason, many people wanted to be buried there.  The 14th century brought the plague and the death of thousands, all these folks wanted to be buried at the Sedlec Abbey cemetery.  In 1400, knowing that there were mass graves in the cemetery the Abbey decided to build a "ossuary" to house the bones as they needed room for more burials. The bones were exhumed and initially just stacked up in the ossuary.  Then in 1870, an architect was hired to do something with the bones.  What he did is astonishing!

 

The bone chandelier

Who knows how or why he decided that a chandelier out of human bones would be the ideal thing to do with the bones in his care. But he did make that decision and therefore the main feature when you walk in the church is a huge chandelier with at least one of every bone in the human body in the structure.  From there he made strands of garland out of skulls and other bones that hangs everywhere.  In the corners of the structure are stacks and stacks of skulls.  It is the most macabre thing we have ever seen.  

Skulls in the Sedlec Cathedral

You are not allowed to take photos inside the bone church so our picture of the chandelier is actually a picture of a postcard.  We left that church thinking we would be having nightmares for a week!  We could not stop talking about what sort of mind thinks of making a chandelier of bones!  Imagining them putting it all together, trying different combinations - it was just plain creepy!!  But we have seen it so we can check that box!  On to more pleasant sites...