We are in Zagreb for February, enjoying the architecture, celebrating my 60th birthday and finishing one year on the “Roads less traveled”. So many moments of history are transpiring around the world that it is hard to know where to go next. We are expecting to see new border rules in March which will determine the roads we follow next.
The first 2021 concert I attended featured a contemporary Croatian composer, Boris Papandopulo. The performance reminded me of one I attended in Vienna in 1979… at that time, I decided I did not like modern violin music and have stayed away from violin performances ever since! But, this concert in Zagreb made me realize It had been foolish to avoid what I should have tried to better understand. Both performances featured music I was not familiar with, and therefore had difficulty embracing. As I listened in Zagreb, I realized what a disservice it is to any education to avoid the unfamiliar. As I listened more closely, I heard nuances of the rhythm and harmonies that blended into a new musical experience for me. I’ve spent my life listening to familiar music compositions and now I am eager to explore new “classics”.
I was really excited about the second concert featuring Telemann’s familiar music… and enjoyed the super bonus of four instruments I had never seen on stage! One musician was awe inspiring on a RECORDER! The instrument we all dreaded in 6th grade was played at a professional level I have never imagined. It was amazing as he switched between four different wind instruments and played each piece flawlessly. Another bonus was seeing the obvious joy the musicians felt on stage, together in front of a socially distanced 50% capacity after the long 2020 hiatus.
The Technical Museum Nikola Tesla
Farewell ride
Zagreb – Hrvatska Kostajnica
We made a morning ride through the Zagreb hilltop park to one of Covid testing centers, paid about $60 each for 24 hour translated and emailed PCR tests and then hit the train and road for the border. Since we had to be at the border with tests in hand no more than 48 hours later, we started our ride in Sisak.
We were able book a lovely, hilltop Airbnb overlooking the Croatian border village Kostajnica and its river crossing. Unfortunately, our mapping and timing didn’t account for Spring’s Croatian mud! We arrived way after sunset, muddy and tired but also rather elated to be on the road again.
Bicycle of the month
