Pond Jumpers: Spain

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Life Update, Twitter Style

Posted on June 17, 2009 at 10:02pm Madrid / 4:02pm Cincinnati by Kelly Larbes

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You may have noticed that we added a new section on the right column of our blog called “twitter updates”. Considering how far behind Jay and I are with blog entries, we thought it would be a good idea to start twittering. We’ll be using twitter to fill in the gaps between our blog entries, since we can publish thoughts and updates in a quick and easy format there.

So, I thought a good way to provide an introduction to how we’ll use twitter is to give you a summary of what we have been up to (at least what I can remember) since Sveti Duje over a month ago, twitter-style. (Note: we will never actually twitter this much, but it was fun for this blog entry.)

Excited for the Severina (Croatian pop star) concert tonight on the Riva. It’s free – sponsored by some guy running for mayor. -Kelly
7:24 AM May 15th

Maja says Severina was popular in the 1990s and then got popular again a few years ago when a sex tape was “accidently” released, ha. -Kelly
12:10 PM May 15th

Severina is wearing a sexy romper with a giant Obama face on it. Love it! -Kelly
9:34 PM May 15th

Even though all the songs are in Croatian, this concert is a lot of fun because we are close to the stage and the crowd is very engaged! -Jay
9:40 PM May 15th

Severina Concert on Riva in Split, CroatiaHiking towards the flag at the top of Marjan Hill

Hiking in Marjan Hill – we just climbed up 250 steps just to get to the base of the park. Why didn’t we bring any money to buy a water? -Jay
3:40 PM May 16th

I do so much physical activity here, but always stay the same weight – bitterness. -Kelly
3:42 PM May 16th

We are hiking almost directly above our house now. Kelly keeps thinking that we’ll find a more direct path down. I don’t. -Jay
4:09 PM May 16th

I may not have found a new path down, but I discovered a really sweet hidden dirt bike trail in the woods. -Kelly
4:35 PM May 16th

I think all water fountains here are made for short children. They are all just nozzles (not actually fountains). -Jay
5:18 PM May 16th

Bike Dirt Path we discovered in Marjan HillJay drinking from water fountain in Marjan Hill

Our realtor, Vesna, Skyped me and offered us tickets to the Croatia vs. Belgium world vball championship qualifier match – fun! -Jay
11:49 AM May 17th

Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow! We are cleaning like mad. This place looks better than before we moved in. -Kelly
3:50 PM May 17th

We can’t figure out the bus schedule. We think we missed the #8 – guess we are walking to volleyball – 45 minutes. It’s hot out. -Jay
5:12 PM May 17th

It’s a fun match to watch, but this makes us miss playing volleyball even more. -Kelly
6:45 PM May 17th

It figures, the day after we spend 5 hours cleaning, contractors arrive to install our new balcony doors. -Jay
9:32 AM May 18th

Mom and Dad arrive today around 2:30! I’m so excited. I can barely concentrate on work. I’m bouncing off the walls inside my mind. -Kelly
11:13 AM May 18th

Drilling into concrete walls makes a HUGE mess. This place looks like a disaster. All that work for nothing – how frustrating. -Jay
1:10 PM May 18th

Yey! Mom and Dad finally arrived (the bus into town was late). I’m so happy to show them Split and our apartment. -Kelly
3:29 PM May 18th

I just went swimming in the Adriatic Sea for the first time! It was cold. I love the sea. -Kelly
6:13 May 19th

Mom and Dad Klocke arrive in Split, Croatia!Kelly and her mom in the Adriatic Sea

I wish I was with Mom and Dad in Hvar (island 2 hours away) today, and not going to work. -Kelly
7:40 PM May 20th

No electricity in much of the city center today (mysterious rare problem). We worked the best we could outside at a cafe bar. -Kelly
3:35 PM May 20th

Mom, Dad, and Jay came to lunch with Tony, Maja and I today. It wasn’t so awkward. Dad can talk to anyone. -Kelly
1:45 PM May 22nd

We are headed to Krka National Park today and Plitvice National Park tomorrow – looking forward to many awesome waterfalls. -Jay
7:50 AM May 23rd

I don’t know how to describe these waterfalls in 140 characters. There are so many and so blue and so pretty – amazing! -Kelly
11:11 AM May 23rd

We just went swimming in some waterfalls! It felt like the cleanest best water I have ever been in – so exhilarating. -Kelly
1:26 PM May 23rd

Swimming in the waterfalls: so cold, but so awesome. -Jay
1:34 PM May 23rd

So many beautiful waterfalls in Krka National ParkJay and Kelly swimming by waterfalls in Krka National Park

Finally arrived at our bed and breakfast – cute and quaint and right next to a small waterfall that we can hear at night. -Kelly
6:40 PM May 23rd

We arrived back from dinner to find the guy staying upstairs taking a crap in OUR bathroom – gross. -Kelly
9:58 PM May 23rd

At Plitvice: I didn’t know water could even be this teal and turquoise. People are going to think I photoshopped my photos. -Kelly
10:47 AM May 24th

Our Bed and Breakfast in Korana near Plitvice Lakes National ParkLake in Plitvice Lakes National Park - we didn't know fresh water could look so teal!

The waterfalls are never ending. It just keeps getting better. Everyone should come here. -Jay
12:55 PM May 24th

Mom just made us pose like the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” monkeys. Random, but fun. – Kelly
1:27 PM May 24th

Fantastic view at Plitvice Lakes National Parksee no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil?

I volunteered to drive today on Brac. Maybe a mistake – driving this old, old convertible up and down the tiny town streets. -Jay
9:50 AM May 25th

Looking over the famous Zlatni Rat (Golden Horn) beach on Brac. It juts into the ocean changing shape with the tides, wind, currents. -Kelly
11:20 AM May 25th

You may have seen the Playboy girl Bridget visit Zlatni Rat on her Travel Ch show. The show is lame, but the beach is very cool. -Jay
2:13 PM May 25th

Our rental car in Supetar, BracZlatni Rat (Golden Horn) Beach in Bol on Brac

Just had a last vacation dinner with Mom and Dad at Jugo (a favorite): pizza, carbonara, and pasticadu (roast beef) – yum. -Kelly
9:48 PM May 25th

At the Hajduk vs. Dinamo game: I’ve never seen a crowd this crazy, and and it’s not even sold out. I could get used to this! -Jay
8:47 PM May 28th

We are going to the small historic town of Trogir (hour from Split) today – lots of small alleys and fun old architecture. -Kelly
10:30 AM May 30th

Hajduk Split vs. Dinamo Zagreb - Croatia Cup FinalCathedral in Trogir

We just climbed to the cathedral’s steeple – great view of Trogir, but we understand why they said to climb at your own risk! -Jay
2:19 PM May 30th

Climbing up the Trogir cathedral tower - looking out the window.Looking out at Trogir from the cathedral steeple

Off to hike in Marjan again. We are going to try to make it to the top where the flag is, straight above our house. -Kelly
2:05 PM June 6th

There are constant 30mph winds today. Windiest day since we’ve arrived. The flag looks and sounds awesome whipping in the wind. -Jay
4:28 PM June 6th

Jay walking along path in Marjan HillFlag atop Marjan Hill whipping in the wind

We just climbed up a viewing station that we think (pretty certain) is closed to the public. The wind made it super scary. -Kelly
5:10 PM June 6th

There are a few random churches and houses built right into the side of the mountain. They look pretty sweet. -Jay
5:22 PM June 6th

My legs are very sore from today’s hiking escapade. I think we covered 6 or 7 miles today! -Jay
6:10 PM June 6th

View of Meje atop Marjan HillChurch built into side of mountain at Marjan Hill

We just bought our plane tickets home for Jenny’s wedding. We arrive on July 15th in the evening and leave July 26th. -Kelly
11:45 AM June 7th

Now we need to plan 3 days in Italy on our way home in July – It was cheaper to fly from Venice (and only a little more after vacation expenses) -Jay
11:47 AM June 7th

Random – In Croatia, it’s illegal for grocers to sell reusable grocery bags with their logo on it. -Kelly
1:42 PM June 8th

I am being strongly encouraged to take vacation the week of June 22 so the office can close because there are two holidays that week. -Kelly
3:05 PM June 8th

$230 roundtrip flight to Rome leaving Friday night, June 19th – looks like we are headed to Italy twice. We are super excited. -Kelly
10:13 PM June 8th

It’s a Croatian holiday today (I don’t even know for what), so I am off work. Yey! June is the month with the most holidays here -Kelly
6:07 PM June 11th

Off to see the Picigin Championship, a popular beach game here where teams try to keep a small ball in the air and look good doing it. -Jay
9:45 AM June 13

Erin (from Girls on the Run) and Carter are visiting! They have great travel stories – like trying to build a well in Mali, Africa. -Kelly
11:55 PM June 13

Maja told me about living here during the war as an innocent child, seeing the nights spent in bomb shelters with friends as fun. -Kelly
2:34 PM June 16

We just realized we threw away a Cutco knife two days ago with a pizza box 🙁 -Kelly
7:33 PM June 16

Working on our next blog entry – this Jay and Kelly life update. -Kelly
7:56 PM June 16

We will be sure to go into some of these adventures in more detail on the blog in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can see a lot of our photos at www.larbes.com/photos.

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3 responses to “Life Update, Twitter Style”

  1. Casey says:

    You kids sure keep busy. It sounds like you are on vacation every weekend even though I know that is not true. Already you have seen more than 3/4 of the world has gotten to experience at such a young age. Has all the stuff we brought over helped with the groceries and brighten your place up? You keep doing so much that you could not possibly keep up on your blog to let every know how things are going. Who knows what the future will bring?

  2. Kelly Larbes says:

    Hi Mom – We definitely haven’t seen 3/4 of the world yet, but we hope to some day! All of the stuff you brought us was so nice – most of the food is already gone – the cereal is long gone. And I love how my bedroom looks now. Jay even said he likes the duvet cover too – and he never notices those types of things!

  3. Jay Larbes says:

    The Honey Bunches of Oats cereal was great!! =) Thank you thank you again.