This morning I woke up in Croatia, and I have to admit, that felt pretty special.
With the unusually low water levels on the Danube this summer, there was a lot of uncertainty about how much of our itinerary we’d actually be able to sail. Even though Avalon had already adjusted our final night, I was thrilled that we had made it this far upriver. Waking up in Croatia felt like a small victory.
Breakfast was a little lighter than usual for me. I had a pretty painful leg cramp after going to bed the night before, so I made sure to eat a banana. I tried their Spanish Omelette, but it wasn’t my favorite. Between all the walking and the summer heat, I realized I probably needed to do a better job of staying hydrated.
After breakfast, Elizabeth, Susan, Ginny, and I boarded the motorcoach for another full day of included excursions. One of the things I’ve really appreciated about this Avalon itinerary is just how much is included, and today was no exception.
Our guide for the morning was Romina, and she had us laughing almost immediately. She had a wonderful sense of humor and seemed to have a funny story for just about everything.
As we drove through the countryside, she described the rich farmland around Ilok by saying, “The land is so fertile, you could throw spaghetti noodles on the ground and you’d get a spaghetti tree!” It was a ridiculous image, but it certainly made her point.
She also proudly introduced us to a word she claimed to have invented: “Googleable.”
“It’s a fact, it’s Googleable!” she told us.
That became a running joke throughout the morning whenever she shared an interesting historical fact.
And when the conversation turned to Croatian wine, she couldn’t resist another joke.
“The legal drinking age is 11… technically it’s 18!”
The whole bus burst into laughter.
She even recommended the movie Bottle Shock for anyone interested in wine history. Between the jokes and the fascinating stories, she made the drive pass quickly.
Our destination was the beautiful town of Ilok, perched above the Danube and surrounded by vineyards that have produced wine for centuries.
Before the wine tasting began, we were served baskets of warm, freshly fried bread with the unforgettable name Poderane gaće, which translates to “torn underwear.” The name alone had everyone smiling, but once I tasted it, I didn’t care what it was called. It was light, fluffy, slightly salty, and absolutely delicious. Sometimes the simplest local foods end up being the most memorable.
Then it was time for the wine tasting.
If you’ve been following along, you probably remember that I wasn’t much of a fan of the Serbian wines we sampled earlier in the cruise. These Croatian wines were a completely different story. I found them smoother, more balanced, and much more enjoyable.
My favorite of the tasting was Traminac, Ilok’s signature wine. Romina told us this was the same variety selected for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, when approximately 11,000 bottles from the Ilok cellars were ordered for the celebration. Sitting in a centuries-old Croatian wine cellar while tasting a wine with that kind of history made the experience even more memorable.
By the end of the morning, Ilok had completely won me over. Between the wines, the scenery, the history, and Romina’s wonderful personality, it was an excursion I’ll remember for a long time.
We returned to the ship for lunch before heading back out for our afternoon excursion to Vukovar.
The heat today was relentless. According to The Weather Channel app, it reached 101 degrees, making it one of the hottest day of the trip so far. after last night’s leg cramp, I made a point to drink as much water as I could.
When we arrived in Vukovar, we learned that we were receiving a special opportunity. August 5 is a national holiday in Croatia, so most attractions and stores were closed for the day. However, the Vukovar Municipal Museum had opened specifically for our Avalon group so we could enjoy our scheduled visit.
It was a thoughtful gesture that I really appreciated. Little touches like that remind me how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep these itineraries running smoothly.
After returning to the ship, I stretched out on the bed for a little while and enjoyed a much-needed rest before our final Happy Hour together.
Then it was time for our farewell dinner.
I started with the Avalon Salad, followed by a wonderful sweet potato soup that was one of my favorite soups of the trip. For my entrée, I enjoyed a perfectly cooked filet of beef alongside a lobster tail, and we finished the evening with a special Avalon farewell dessert.
It was a wonderful final dinner aboard the Avalon Passion.
Tomorrow we’ll say goodbye to our floating home and continue our journey to Budapest by motorcoach, with a stop in Pécs along the way. While I’m excited to explore more of Hungary, I’ll certainly miss waking up each morning on the Danube. This cruise has been filled with beautiful scenery, fascinating history, wonderful food, and unforgettable people, and today was another perfect reminder of why I love river cruising so much.
Cleared For Take-Off! 