Favorite team:Florida State 
Location:Somewhere In Tennessee!
Biography:
Interests:
Occupation:
Number of Posts:8931
Registered on:5/15/2011
Online Status:Not Online

Recent Posts

Message
Well, Plitvice should be listed among the 7 wonders of the world. It's that spectacular. We visited on this trip Krka and Kravic Falls in Bosnia. Both have a similar look to them, but nothing like Plitvice.

But here's my summary overall:

Having previously visited Plitvice, this itinerary incorporated Krka National Park. Krka offers its own distinct appeal — it is generally more accessible, less demanding, and allows visitors to approach the water at several locations. While Plitvice remains unparalleled in scale and visual impact, Krka was a great alternative.

Regarding Slovenia, the destinations visited during this trip presented a markedly different character from Kobarid and the Triglav/Soca Valley region.

Kobarid is my happy place. I'd move there. The Julian Alps are defined by mountainous terrain, rivers, and striking turquoise waters, creating a rugged and tranquil atmosphere that integrates seamlessly into the landscape. In contrast, the sites visited on this occasion featured lakes, medieval towns, and iconic postcard views typical of Slovenia.

During a previous tour of the Julian Alps and Kobarid, time constraints necessitated omitting the southern caverns and Predjama Castle.

Postojna Cave is one of those massive, other-worldly cave systems you actually ride a little train into — huge chambers, wild formations, and easy to navigate. Predjama Castle is the perfect pairing: a full medieval fortress built straight into a cliff face, half castle and half cave system. Seeing the two together makes for a great “only in Slovenia” kind of day.

re: Stocks or ETFs

Posted by Nole Man on 3/29/26 at 12:02 am to
quote:

SCHG is way better.


Don't really disagree for the long haul, have some actually.

SCHD is built for income and stability, SCHG is pure growth. Depends on what you want your portfolio to do.

Comparison

Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCHG achieves a -13.47% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 11.91% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHG has outperformed SCHD with an annualized return of 16.57%, while SCHD has yielded a comparatively lower 12.27% annualized return.
LOL, ok.

Verse:
“Under Friday-night lights, when the Tigers break through,
There’s a rhythm on the court, and it’s all Will Wade’s crew.
Fans are moving like a wave, purple gold in the air,
And the man on the sideline’s got that 80s-cool stare.”

Chorus:
“I will Wade for you,
When the game’s on the line, he’ll come through.
From the PMAC to every venue,
Yeah, the Tigers know — he’ll Wade for you.”

re: Stocks or ETFs

Posted by Nole Man on 3/28/26 at 6:38 pm to
A lot of people build the “core” with ETFs like VTI, VOO, QQQ, or SCHD, then use a few individual stocks (MSFT, NVDA, AMZN, etc.) as supplemental holdings if they want to overweight certain companies. It keeps things simple but still gives you room to be selective.

I like to use Tip Ranks and Stock Invest, along with the research functions in my Fidelity account, to evaluate future opportunities.

Either way, one thing that helps a lot of investors is dollar-cost averaging — putting in a set amount on a regular schedule. It smooths out the ups and downs, keeps emotions out of the process, and makes it easier to stay consistent over time.

I do that weekly for a set of ETFs no matter what the market is doing. I’m retired, so I keep things simple by dollar-cost averaging into broad, steady funds like FXAIX, CGDV, SPYI, and BKGI for stability and income, then keep a small amount in higher-growth names like IREN so I still have some upside without taking on unnecessary risk.

quote:

Interesting. My parents have done some European river cruises, maybe not necessarily Viking, and they always say it’s around 50% European. Their last one was a bike and barge and there was a doctor from Scotland and there was like 8 people that got hurt, lol. Out of like 75. They had bike crashes and what not. Probably happens a lot with retiree age folks on these electric bikes doing 20 mph


It would depend on the cruise line. I rarely see non-Americans on Viking River cruises. Others:

1. CroisiEurope — overwhelmingly European
2. Viva Cruises — German + British mix
3. Riviera Travel — British passengers
4. Scenic/Emerald — Australians + mixed English speakers

These will feel noticeably more international than Viking.
Wow, that's amazing. Would love to hear more about your time there.

There was a powerful video I was shown on the Sarajevo Safari. Basically, a depraved "hunting club" for rich tourists overseen by the Serbs. The war, and atrocities committed, really color your time in the country. You can't escape it, nor not make you feel extreme compassion for the country and what the people had to endure.

And if there is ever anyway possible, someone with your background has to go back one day. It'd be a powerful experience and the people there would welcome you knowing of your service. Particularly the older generation that had to live and fight in it.

Not saying Americans are revered there, but there is a great appreciation for the role played, even if the UN waited too long to intervene in the conflict overall. It was if "The US finally came to save the day". The war clouds everything you see about tourism, but it's a powerful experience. One worth doing. Maybe one of my best trips ever.
Intro

Part 2 of Trip Report after our Viking Cruise.

Any trip report on Bosnia and Herzegovina must reflect the years of conflict and tragedies that have shaped this beautiful country. Posted an O-T Thread delving more into the history of the Sarajevo Siege and atrocities committed if interested.

But this is the Travel Board and we like to talk about our travels! So on we go!

Trip Report

Why It’s Called Bosnia and Herzegovina

The country’s name comes from two historic regions that were joined together. Bosnia makes up the central and northern part, while Herzegovina is the southern region shaped by its own local rulers and identity. They’ve been linked for centuries, so the modern state kept both names to reflect the full country.

Religious Mix in Bosnia

Bosnia is religiously mixed, but the largest group is Muslim. About half the country is Muslim, roughly one-third is Eastern Orthodox, and around 15% is Catholic. That mix lines up with the three main ethnic groups: Bosniaks (Muslim), Serbs (Orthodox), and Croats (Catholic).

Our visit overlapped with Ramadan, so the city shifted into celebration mode as it transitioned into Ramazanski Bajram ("Eid"), the holiday that marks the end of the fasting month. Families were out having a coffee. Eating sweets. Dressed in their finery. A true sight to see.

Ever heard a "call to prayer"? We did the very first night. It was kind of like WTF, but you got used to it. And as you learned more about the culture, the mix of religions, how they all pretty much get along, living side by side, your stereotypes and biases fade away. They are among the kindest, most giving people you'd ever want to meet.

Our Time There

We spent our time in Bosnia using Funky Tours, and the experience was solid from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable, professional, and easy to spend a day with.

Here’s the simple rundown of what stood out.

Sarajevo — Streets & Food

A good way to get oriented. Walked the old city, learned the layout, and tried local dishes without feeling rushed. It’s a relaxed introduction to the culture and neighborhoods.

Funny side note: I have a Serbian friend. Despite the past, the average Serb and Bosnian do get along quite well for the most part. It's "the politicians" as they say. There is often a friendly banter between the cultures, often about food, and in particular about "Burek"!

Burek is a traditional Balkan pastry made with thin, hand-stretched dough (phyllo-style) and filled with meat. In Bosnia, “burek” specifically means meat pie. Anything else—cheese, spinach, potato—has its own name (sirnica, zeljanica, krompiruša).

As he told me, Bosnians are quite stubborn as it could be that only the first variant (with meat) is considered “the actual thing” and therefore other variations have to have different names to them. In fact, our guide said a local football club, to insult the other, put on the big board "XXX eats their burek with cheese"! Go figure.


Travnik, Jajce & Central Bosnia

This was a full day but worth it. Travnik’s fortress and Jajce’s waterfalls made for a great combination of history and scenery. It’s a different side of Bosnia—slower pace, smaller towns, and a lot of natural beauty.

Mostar & Herzegovina

Mostar is exactly what you expect visually but seeing it in person still hits differently. The surrounding towns and viewpoints rounded out the day. Good mix of culture, history, and scenery.

Sarajevo — Total Siege Tour

This was the most important tour of the trip. Being on the ground, hearing the history from someone who lived through it, and seeing the key sites gave us a real understanding of what the city went through. It’s heavy, but it’s the tour that makes Sarajevo make sense.

Guides

Stefan and Hamza were excellent, but Adnan was the standout. His knowledge, personal experience as a soldier in the Bosnian Army during the Siege, and ability to explain the history clearly made a big difference. He’s the reason the Siege tour was the highlight.

Overall


Bosnia ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of the trip. The tours were well run, the guides were strong, and the country itself leaves an impression. We’d use Funky Tours again without hesitation.

PS: Maybe the best time was watching these old guys play chess in the park with these huge pieces. Our guide interpreted what the spectators were saying to the players. The banter and insults were hilarious. There are these guys trying to play chess, and the "gallery" were saying things like "he doesn't know shite". Or "his wife is to fat". Some you can't post here! :rotflmao:

Selected Photos From The Trip

Great Video On Life In Sarajevo!

Viking target markets so tends to be overwhelmingly Americans. We had a couple of couples that were from Australia and Britain, but that was about it. You don’t see any other Europeans on these cruises.
quote:

I stayed in Kotor for a week. My view the whole trip was the Bay of Kotor, marred only by passing cruise ships, lol. The town was magical at night after the cruise people left.

When I am a bit older and my decline in mobility supersedes my disdain of cruises, I'll likely go Viking.


I hear ya. We rolled in then this other ship, 5 times bigger, then BAM! HOARDS of tourists getting tendered onto shore. No more "magical".

You'd probably like Viking Ocean ships. 930 capacity. Not like the ones that bring a swarm of 5-6k at once.
I don’t know if you have the app or not, but I had it and just walked straight through last week.

re: They Hunted Humans

Posted by Nole Man on 3/27/26 at 10:46 am to
quote:

Did German tourists pay to hunt people?


Some of those links delve into that topic further. There are some other videos that are really interesting on YouTube from what I read and was told by the guide…Foreign fighters identified in the “Sarajevo Safari” reports were said to include Americans, Canadians, Italians, Belgians, and Russians—according to the documentary and subsequent investigations.

Another Video
Let me know if I can be of any further assistance!!
Part 1 trip report of our recent Viking Cruise. The second part was self-directed in Bosnia and will be forthcoming.

The Itinerary

**March 7 — Athens (Piraeus)**
Arrived in Athens and boarded the ship. Embarkation was organized and gave us time to get settled before departure.

**March 8 — Athens**
Spent the morning in port. Easy day to adjust, walk around a bit, and then sail out in the afternoon.

**March 9 — Santorini**
Classic Santorini stop with the caldera views and bright weather. Busy as always, but still a great port day.

**March 10 — Olympia (Katakolon)**
Visited the archaeological site and museum. One of the more historically interesting stops of the trip.

**March 11 — Corfu**
Explored Corfu’s Old Town and waterfront. Good mix of history and scenery.

**March 12 — Kotor, Montenegro**
The sail-in through the Bay of Kotor was a standout moment. The town itself was easy to navigate and worth the time.

**March 13 — Dubrovnik, Croatia**
Walked the old city walls and enjoyed perfect weather. A strong highlight of the itinerary.

**March 14 — Zadar, Croatia**
Saw the Sea Organ and spent time along the waterfront. Relaxed, low-key port day.

**March 15 — Koper, Slovenia**
Quiet stop with access to the old town and surrounding wine areas. Nice change of pace.

**March 16 — Venice (Fusina/Chioggia)**
Disembarked and wrapped up the trip.

Why We Stick With Viking


7 River / 3 Ocean: 10 Total. We keep coming back to Viking because the ships are small and uncrowded, the atmosphere is quiet and adult-focused, and the staterooms are designed in a way that actually works. Service has been consistently solid, the food is reliably good, and the itineraries focus on ports and culture instead of sea days and upselling. Pricing is straightforward, and the experience is the same across the fleet.

Highlights

Olympia Greece:

I liked Olympia because the archaeological site is genuinely impressive and the history is easy to appreciate when you’re standing where the original Olympic Games were held. The museum is well done, the layout is simple to follow, and the whole stop feels meaningful without being overwhelming.

Kotor Montenegro:

Kotor stood out for the sail-in alone — coming through the bay is one of the best arrivals on any itinerary. The old town is compact, walkable, and easy to explore at your own pace. It’s a scenic stop that doesn’t require a lot of planning to enjoy.

Also, definitely the optional excursions. I don’t usually book the optional tours because you can often do similar things through Viator for less.

• Postojna Cave & Predjama Castle (Slovenia): Postojna is one of Europe’s major cave systems with huge chambers and an easy mini-train ride, and Predjama Castle is built directly into a cliff. Seeing both in one stop made for a great day.

• Krka National Park (Croatia): This one was absolutely worth it. Beautiful scenery and one of the standout experiences of the entire itinerary.

Selected Photos From Trip


Iran's Request To Deal With JD Vance

Posted by Nole Man on 3/27/26 at 6:23 am
LINK

Iran has requested via their representative that Trump will have to send JD Vance instead, as the US replacement negotiator with Iran Peace Talks. Iran does not want to deal with Kushner and Witkoff it appears.

That news item has been out there in all major US news media for at least two days now. Serving as the US VP, Vance is of course seen abroad as a legitimate US Govt representative.

Frankly not sure why they'd send two Jewish men to negotiate with Iran on stopping the war in the first place.

Not sure what to make of this yet. Is this a signal they're interested in actual talks?
quote:

Would this be true of any post viral sequelae?


Don't know. I'd have to ask.
quote:

By what mechanism does Long Covid cause anxiety? PTSD?


It is my understanding that long COVID can cause anxiety and PTSD-like symptoms by triggering neuroinflammation, disrupting the autonomic nervous system, and affecting brain circuits involved in stress.

LINK

For reference, I have a neighbor who is an Infectious Disease Specialist with experience treating COVID-19, long COVID complications, and post-viral syndromes. He’s shared some of this with me in the past.

re: TSA Precheck……Flying Saturday

Posted by Nole Man on 3/26/26 at 6:54 am to
quote:

Faster? Not necessarily. Last time I flew they had more people in TSA precheck line than regular line.


This ^^^

Just flew through Newark Sunday. About the same length. Made the mistake of not looking for TSA precheck line, but wasn't that much longer. Agent gave me a "TSA Benefits Ticket" to give while going through.

I will say I have it through my Global Entry. TSA PreCheck lets you use a separate, faster security line where you keep your shoes, belt, and light jacket on, and leave laptops and liquids in your bag. It cuts wait times dramatically, makes the whole screening process smoother, and is valid for five years once approved.
Worked in healthcare for over 40 years. Large studies confirm that long COVID can cause lasting health issues. Brain fog, memory and concentration problems, dizziness, headaches, sleep disruption, and a higher risk of anxiety, depression, and PTSD — all documented in large peer-reviewed studies. Point being COVID can be a risk to certain people.

I know people who stay cautious about COVID—like a Navy veteran friend with multiple myeloma, who wears masks in public per medical advice. Many face similar risks from autoimmune disease, cancer treatments, or compromised immunity. We don't know one's circumstances and why they might choose to fear getting sick or wear a mask in public.

Everyone has their own struggles. While I wouldn't use sites like that one, or even Reddit, I understand those who do—they face scrutiny and ridicule, but their efforts to connect and protect themselves are real to them. In the end, they're just people trying to manage their fears.

re: Travel Shoe

Posted by Nole Man on 3/25/26 at 11:06 pm to
Just got back from an extended trip to Europe. My "day to day" for walking around are Salomon Ultraglide 2 GTX. Great grip. Waterproof. For comfort, I also take Allbird Runners to go out to dinner etc.

But, based upon your post, I'd go:

ECCO Soft 7 in brown leather.

LINK

re: They Hunted Humans

Posted by Nole Man on 3/25/26 at 8:20 pm to
Excellent video on the Sarajevo Safari.

And on current Political Tensions.