Let me take you to the Colorado mountains
Nothing like the Colorado Mountains. BREATHTAKING.
For some people the ultimate view would be the view of the rich fields, or the vineyard rows, or the ocean view, for me; definitely the mountains.
There is something very powerful about them; as soon as I approach them, a feeling of joy takes over me. I start feeling stronger, bigger and somehow free. I just get so overwhelmed and excited, and in awe in front of those giants. And maybe it has something to do with my childhood, because I do remember having the exact same feeling, when leaving home in Croatia for the summer, and going to stay with grandparents high up in Montenegro mountains. I loved going there. Those days were my happiest days as a child, yes, I can say that now with certainty.
It was a job related opportunity that took me temporarily to Denver, Colorado, so in this living regime between the two countries, I did get a chance to visit the best of Colorado. Exploring around by car AND from the back seat of the motorcycle, from where I was able to capture some of the best footage I have ever done. It will be something I will share with you down the road, so stick around.
When I made my first touchdown at the Denver`s Intl Airport, while passing the gates and hallways to get to my luggage, I saw THIS sign, on several points, and I started thinking:
”Where the heck did I just arrive?”
Then, a few days later, after adjusting myself to breathing and functioning on this altitude of almost 6 000ft/1 800m (as oppose to 249 ft/76m – the elevation of Toronto to which I am used to), I saw THIS sign during my search for a running trail.
I was like: WTF?!?!
That was the beginning of this adventure, which by the end turned into a pure love towards the mountains and the nature, and all I ever dreamt of then was what would my next running trail be, and getting my own motorcycle license so that I could ride as far, and as long as possible. This place inspired me to do some crazy s**t, and even though I am no longer connected to it, I continue to work on my dreams.
And what happened in between, what actually made me fall in love, is something I will yet write about, in the coming weeks.
Now, just thinking about all those places, I`m jumping from one topic to another in my head, that`s just how much the story about this excites me. I don`t know if I should start with the Maroon Bells from my trip to Aspen and those two peaks elevated at over 14 000ft/4 000m that have the reputation of “the most photographed” spots in Colorado, or those BEYOND GORGEOUS Aspen trees that I caught on my camera the third week of September, when they were wearing the prettiest colors.
I think I would definitely have to talk about that most delicious burger I have ever had, in Idaho Springs at the TommyKnocker brewery. It`s called “Jalapeno popper”, and the toppings are the ones I think that made an ultimate bite; it had fresh jalapenos, cream cheese and some raspberry chipotle sauce. O.M.G. I want it now! And then the beer there, some of the best IPAs I`ve ever had, no wonder they have been the award winning craft beer since 1994. Listen to this; they use pure Rocky Mountain SNOW MELT in their hand crafted beer. I KNOW!!!
And not to mention the Idaho Springs itself; I was waiting any minute for John Wayne and the fellow cowboys to show up on their horses. Where I come from (talking about Europe, not Canada now), this is an exotic place to visit.
Oh and btw, this little town, is on the way to Mount Evans, which is the highest summit of the Front range of the Rocky Mountains at 14 264ft/4 348 m, AND, it`s Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in the North America. However, because of the snow, it`s only open for cars from sometime in May to sometime in September, but since I`ve been there several times, in different seasons, I can tell you, it`s like travelling through the clouds. Mesmerizing. Maybe a little scary too… Going there, you can get to Echo Lake at any time of the year and it`s worth a visit, because it is so beautiful in any season. And the 14 miles climb to the summit begins actually from that spot and if you do get all the way up there in the clouds, you`ll get to meet Mr. Goat and his family.
the view of the Echo Lake in the video below
I met Elk folks in the town of Estes Park (they were unknown to me back then). Estes Park is a sort of the headquarters for the Rocky Mountain National Park. Very touristy place, cute, and lots of stuff to do. I will remember visiting this pub called The Wapiti Pub, that had very funny signs in every corner, super friendly stuff and so multicultural, and this most amazing tap bar I`ve ever seen! Gorgeous chunk of wood drowned in polyurethane and then beer taps worked into it. They told me they had it all redone not long ago as they were entirely flooded in 2013.
And then, so it happens, that in Denver for example, there is on average 245 sunny days in one year! Can you imagine that?! So in every season, it is super bright, and in winter, when the sun hits the ground, the snow melts fast and it just gets so warm. Warm enough for a motorcycle ride in January! A ride to a little town called Fairplay, at almost 10 000ft/3 000m altitude. Those were some really spectacular sites, still with the snow on every mountain peak and scooped beside the road. Blinding sunlight over everything. (see pic in the title)
And with so much sun, almost every night, I could enjoy the most beautiful sunsets from wherever, but it particularly felt good watching it at the end of my evening run at a nearby soccer field which became my fave local spot. Eventually, I got used to breathe here, I trained here a lot, and from this spot I could see the mountains far in the distance. That was the moment I started dreaming of running an actual race.
The same feeling I had when I also visited the Red Rock Amphitheatre. Sure I could imagine it would be amazing to attend the concert there, but all I was thinking about was how I would love to train there, and run up and down those gazillion stairs, and do planks in between, and then go hiking and running around the theatre. This is what I really like about Colorado; many people do use this theatre for their workouts as well. There are so many trails, like EVERYWHERE, where they run, bike, hike. These people are so outdoorsy and have healthier view of life I think, and they are just so nice. Everybody I met was just so very kind. Happy, simple people.
All these gorgeous Colorado sites simply called for a fashion photo-shoot, making a perfect background for my handmade jewellery and accessories line. Click on image below to link you to my store.
Montenegro in my heart
Well, my daddy is, and my big, extended loving family over there. They are mine and I am theirs, so that`s how I am Montenegrin.
My dad studied in Croatia, and he met my mom there, and then my sister and I were born and raised in Croatia, which is our true homeland. In those happy years before the Balkan war, all families would go for a summer vacation to a beautiful Croatian coast, but not us. Well, except for one year maybe. My sister and I would still spend ten days at the seaside with our kindergarten or a school later on, but as a family, we`d travel to Montenegro for the summer. High up in the mountains, where pure wilderness rules, that`s where my grandparents lived. We`d spend there about twenty days, after which mom and dad had to return to work. But since I was twelve I think, they`d leave me behind, alone (they didn`t dare to leave my sister, cuz she was a cry baby, of course). By then, my grandpa had passed away, the gentlest one in the world. I`d stay with grandma, and my two cousins of the similar age whose home was in a nearby town. Those were the happiest, most carefree days of my life. Right there in those mountains. And while I could and probably will, write you about that gorgeous Montenegrin sea line, and other breathtaking attractions in the mountains, I am announcing the post about this:
This is my village, this is where my dad was born, this is where my grandma lived, this is where we played around as kids every single summer. This is our view. The view from the meadow in front of our house. All this beauty, here for us, available. All these years.
I think you can see now how easy it was for me to fall in love with the mountains, and how incredibly hard was, and it always will be, for me and my family, to leave this place until the next visit. Every time it is heartbreaking. For each one of us.
My dad is an artist. He never went to any art school or even attended a course, his profession has been something totally different all his life, but he just happens to be talented. Now as an adult, I am realising what truly made him excellent – it`s the passion. No, it`s deeper than that; it`s that crazy yearning with your entire heart, yearning for this place, for his mother, brothers, childhood. For a long time he`d only paint Montenegro, and rocks of Montenegro, and roads of Montenegro and its trees. The pictures engraved in his memory. Views that he sees even when not standing in front of them. He became known for that. His painting of an old Montenegrin mountain stone house, became his signature almost, as he painted unnumbered pieces of those, oil on canvas, acrylic or dry pastel.
And I was wrong; it`s not because I am adult now so I can understand better, it`s because I can recognize the same emotion within me… Now being apart from my family and my homeland – Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, just like my dad once was, I know about this yearning, and how it can make you do the “impossible”. My family and my roots will forever be my greatest strength and even greater inspiration. So that`s why I want to write about THIS Montenegro of mine!
I`m sure you will agree it is pretty spectacular, when you just think; thirty years ago, the heart of Europe, a pretty prosperous country of Yugoslavia, and Montenegro as a part of it – we did not even have the electricity in those mountains!!! I was just a child then and I still remember my grandma cooking over the hearth in the middle of the house which had smooth, dark dirt floors. I remember we had lanterns as lights, and I remember we went with our grandma even higher in the mountains, into the forest above the house, where she had hidden the snow and ice deep in the ground and under the leaves of the previous fall. She used it as a freezer to store the meat for the summer time. I remember this clearly, folks! (more of my dad`s artwork below, dry pastel)
There is electricity now there, but with the smallest storm it goes out for a couple of days, and you still can’t get any signal to watch decent TV, some radio maybe. There is still no infrastructure; we drink rain, and the bathroom is a short walk up and behind the house. Yes, the outhouse. No water, no proper toilet seat, no air refresher, but it has an incredible view, so much so, that I had to snap a pic of it the last time I was there just recently. Priceless!
It`s mostly empty and quiet now. Since grandma passed away years ago, and us grandkids grew up and scattered around, we all became visitors to this place now. But it always feels like home. We come here and browse through nostalgia, remembering grandparents, our cows and bulls, dogs that we had, crazy fearless things we all did as kids. Every generation; we were all so brave and creative, and also hard-working. And then there are the most hilarious stories, some time ago some of those were rather sad or upsetting events, but if everyone pulled through in the end, today we try to see the funny side of it. That`s the spirit of the people there, at least my Montenegrin family, lots of laughs and LOADS of sarcasm. Three people in particular are soooo full of it; one of my cousins I spent my summers with, our youngest uncle (and dearest), and of course, my sister. And God forbid all three happen to be present at the same family gathering, I mean – SAVE YOURSELF!
Somehow, my dad`s childhood stories are the most touching ones. There is this one about the bull Kitonja (reads as ‘keetonya’ and means the one adorned because he had lush, pretty, white hair on his tail). Kitonja was the only one that stayed with my dad who had fallen asleep on the bull`s tummy. The bull kept him warm, while other bulls and cows, which my dad supposed to look after, did not only run away, BUT ALSO, they totally stole my dad`s sandwich – his only meal for the day until he returns home from the pasture, late in the evening. The sandwich was in his little knitted purse laying on the ground just next to him. So when he finally opened his eyes and looked around, he saw no cows, no sandwich in the messed up purse, just this big, calm Kitonja, still laying down on the ground for him, starring at him. He was like: “… moo?”
Oh I`ll take you through my mountains with a lot more pictures and more of these very real life stories, so leave your email to be notified when I get it sorted out for you. For now I`ll let you feast your eyes on few more of my dad`s paintings illustrating Montenegro.
In the footsteps of the “Wolfs of Ontario”
If I only knew back then, that some twenty years later, I would be calling Ontario my home…
Upon immigration to Canada, Toronto and only Toronto was the goal.
Even though I was raised in a small Croatian town, and spent school vacations and weekends in the countryside where my grandparents on both sides lived and had farms, I have always been drawn to the big cities. First I dreamt of Zagreb. That`s so funny how back then Zagreb seemed big to me! LOL! But I fell in love with it during visits organized by my music school. Many times we enjoyed seeing the symphony orchestra performances, operas and musicals, held in the prominent cultural buildings of Zagreb.
Then, it was the Belgrade (see pics here). The biggest centre in the Balkan region, and it has always been known as the “it” place there. I think it has the richest cultural scene – from music, cinematography and theatre, to art and fashion. It’s a passionate sports city, it has the best universities, top notch restaurants and well known nightlife. On the streets of Belgrade you will see the most prettiest an ever so fashionable girls, and you will definitely meet warm, humorous, smart, urban people who will want to party with you and make you feel like at home. I know this because I lived in Belgrade for ten years, just before I moved to Canada, and this made it so very hard for me to actually make that decision of leaving.
Then, the dream was the New York City, my ultra mega destination of all destinations. And while it remains my vacation spot now, which will forever make me happy every time I visit, back then in search of how it would be like to LIVE somewhere else, I chose Toronto, Canada, to be that place. If you would compare the population numbers, Toronto is just a little bit ahead of Belgrade, and it`s the new city compared to the historic city of Belgrade. At first it looked a lot bigger to me, I guess because it was just so different.
Skyscrapers! Holy cow! That was my reaction when I first stepped into the financial district, just because I wasn`t visiting, I was about to live here. Then the subway system seemed powerful, for starters – there was one! Streets looked so wide, so much space, the cars looked so big, even the shampoo packaging in the store was twice the size than the one back home!!! Everything looked so big! But one thing that put this city at the highest level for me, is it`s multiculturalism. I have never seen nor met so many people from so many different parts of the world in one place, like in Toronto. It is beautiful. It`s like one mini world on its own, right here in this city.
I took this picture in my first week in Canada. For the first time I saw such huge truck, other than in the movies, and I said it then, that if I would to ever learn to drive and have my own vehicle, it would be this one.
I was lucky enough to get some good referrals for a job right away, and I got a good marketing job in financial services. I worked very hard, my carrier was only going upwards. I met interesting people, I learned to cook different cuisines, I travelled to new places, I was able to help my family back home – I established some good way of living.
But I will have to admit, during my first three years in Canada, I wasn`t sure if I wanted to stay here. To my surprise, and I don`t know why exactly I had those expectations, maybe because Canada is so prosperous and free country, but I found it rather conservative (?) at first. And I don`t know how to actually explain this other than to say, well, simply – it`s not Europe. Don`t get me wrong; I valued highly, every “thank you” and “sorry” and every polite lineup at the bus stop, I just sometimes missed deeper emotions in people, than what was being brought to the surface.
Eventually, in time, things sorted out for themselves, like they always do. I realized, it was the matter of being present too much in certain circles of people, or better yet, the lack of meeting others. It was still not enough time that I spent in this country and maybe not enough of “real” life experience. Also, it was definitely the matter of not letting go of nostalgia for my friends in Belgrade and the life I once had with them. I think this last part will never get better, but I accepted to cherish what I have with them for what it is – and that is forever, and unbreakable, and whenever we get together we have the best time. But at the same time, I allowed myself to see, try and LIVE something new. In conclusion, I guess it was the matter of perspective and how we choose to see the things around us. The more I pushed myself into something new, the more I set myself free. Freedom is what ultimately the good life is about. I finally found that here, in Toronto, in Canada. I love this city so much, and there is no other country I`d rather live in. People will often hear me saying that I am proud Canadian, Canadian BY CHOICE and not because it was given to me, and THAT counts for a lot.
As the years were passing by, there were things I`ve experienced for the first time in my life here in this country; lot of good ones, and some really heartbreaking ones. Owning a house and rebuilding that house, running a marathon, divorce experience, situation of being laid off from a job – just to name a few first-timers. And along with it, the people I had real pleasure meeting, and some I`d rather forget. Those are some big events that I lived through together with this city and this country and that is what creates the bond, and that is what makes it my home. I don`t know what tomorrow brings, but right now, I feel good here, I feel safe. I belong here.
Some of the Firsts:
In these past ten years or so, I have always lived in the city core, downtown or uptown, but always on the subway line. It was the same when I lived in Belgrade; I just like the fact that everything is on a walking distance, or I can take the subway when I need it. I have never driven a car in my life. It was never a necessity for me I guess and I really don`t see the point of such expense if you live in the city.
(see here the view from my apartment during my first year in Canada)
I am a true city girl, but I gotta tell you, once I started venturing out of the city, I discovered all the beauty of this province. And if something is going to make me get my drivers (and riders!) license, it will be my hunger for nature, the independence for when I want to take off to a place, that I can grab my camera and just go.
Of course, the unbeatable feeling for me was when riding on the back seat of the motorcycle. Then you reeeeaaally have a feeling of being in touch with the nature; the sights, the air, the smells, the flying bugs hitting your face (or surprising you for an early lunch…). It was exactly in those moments, when riding through Muskoka, the cottage country and our national parks, when Commandant Mark came to my mind. Especially some swampy looking sites made me feel like I was in a comic book.
Ah, there is so much here to see and visit, I don`t know where to begin to talk about. And I didn`t even scratch the surface myself of what is out there in this beautiful Canadian province!
Just the two major national parks are definitive must see places in Ontario; the Algonquin Provincial Park – most probably the best place to go canoeing, and the Bruce Peninsula National Park where you can dip into crystal clear, turquoise water which, I swear to you, looks just like the Mediterranean sea! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Nope – I didn`t say gorgeous enough as much as it deserves!
Then all these little towns around, that are having this rather touristic vibe, because of course, people rent cottages and stay in the nearby hotels, mainly in summer, but pretty much year round. Must see the Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Collingwood, Georgina, Elora and the list goes on! (see below one view in Gravenhurst and icy lake in Collingwood)
Besides making everything available to you for a comfortable stay in the area, which I value, I particularly love the vintagey look of the old houses and buildings, many even 200 years old. The little stores with things and trinkets, specialty food stores, ice-cream and candy stores, local pubs, unique restaurants.
And if you are in hunt for really good craft beer, you must stop by the village of Creemore and its brewery there – recommending “Hops and Bolts” – super flavourful IPL, which my cousin and I discovered the last summer. Also in Barrie, cute little town, you`ll find The Flying
Monkeys Brewery, and their Hoptical Illusion would be my pick.
My latest beer related discovery, and now very close to my heart, is definitely the Second Wedge Brewery at Uxbridge, featuring several tastes. My vote will go for IPA again, but I really loved their new summer high grass beer. Besides awesome beer, you gotta see this place; it`s so nicely done, lovely, urban, industrial sort of feel, mixed with some warmth coming from the nicest pieces of wood, and grounded by the gigantic stainless steel tanks on the other side of the glass wall. Sipping the beer at this bar, really feels like the beer is being crafted right that moment next to you and directly brought to your table. True brewery feel! It has been established and run by very passionate people, and passionate not only for beer! Passionate about running marathons, about motorcycle racing, passionate about growing healthy foods, and most definitely passionate about their local community. It`s inspiring being around such people.
Hot and humid summers, like those we have here in Ontario, will drag everybody to the beaches of our many lakes. There are beaches that will make you not miss the sea at all, because it looks just like it! Yes, you will even find long stretches of super fine, white sand beaches, Sauble Beach being one of them. Very popular one is also Wasaga Beach, which tends to be over crowded sometimes. For more peace, I like the beach in the Pinery Provincial Park. My cousin`s family took me there last summer, when I was going through some really rough time in my life, they took me there for an emotional rehabilitation if you will. LOL! (Yeah… wasn`t funny back then.) Tall sand dunes, that vast water surface, and a beautiful sunset – you are in for some pretty spectacular views.
Toronto itself also has fabulous beaches that you can enjoy in so many ways. The last time I visited one of them was actually the night when I was drawn by the spectacle in the sky, which is prepared every year for the celebration of the Vitoria Day in May. Here are some moments I was able to capture with my camera.
There are also some other fun activities on the water that you may wanna try, but it does not involve the beach, rather some rougher terrain. Tubing down the Grand River anyone??? Then you must stop by the Elora Gorge.
There is also another flavour to this province, a very different one, and that is the wine country! You would be surprised what a good wine is being produced here! It`s a fun trip to go and visit some of these vineries. Once in the area, also stop by the little picturesque town of Niagara On The Lake, and of course the Niagara Falls. Everything around here is just so gorgeous in the summer, and well kept, but it can be quite busy. To see the falls in the winter, well, that`s an amazing site too, but man it can be so cold.
Lots to do in Ontario, lots to see, but what I absolutely love the most about it, is the country side that you travel through to get to all these places. I don`t think I`d ever get fed up seeing the endless fields treasuring different crops and putting all these different colors in the landscape. Trees by the roads, trees in the distance, carefully planted trees in their effort to create beautiful paths that someone some decades ago planted, not for them to enjoy, but for us now, the future generation. Also, there is nothing like seeing an old farm house nicely refurbished and glorified, usually with the old barn next to it and some other housing places for many horses, cows, sheep, and the cutest little pigs I have seen recently. They were brown, which I never saw before, and they were like crazy curious.
I love seeing these farms and the animals, and you know; their wild relatives are here too!
Well yes, even in the city you`ll see a racoon on a regular basis, Pepe le Pew, wild rabbit. Hey, just one fox crossed my path the other day on my running route! And the birdies! Most beautiful birdies, so many different ones. Not so long ago they were all around my house in the city. They were so inspiring, I even designed my studio around them, and I have my dad`s paintings of them. (oil on board)
I`ll be writing more about Ontario and provide you with some hopefully useful information for anyone who wants to visit, so subscribe with your email and be notified when I launch it.
But in the country, you`ll see deer, they may even jump right ON YOU while running – yep, I kid you not! I survived. And snapped this photo. It actually waited for me to be the first to leave the site!
And just the other day, I had a close encounter with one tall Mr. Wolf. Or Mr. Coyote perhaps – not quite sure. He just passed by in his easy, no rush, elegant walk, starring at me, almost saying “what up?!”. Let`s just say that I was ready for a shot of tequila after that.
My cousin says I “speak to animals” in some spiritual way, since I keep bumping into them. Lately, I`ve been spending lot of time in the country side, running, conquering hills, so maybe I should look into that?! Watch me writing next post in the language of the wolfs of Ontario. Ahh-woooooooo!
