Varaždin and "What's a Vinjeta?"

Talking myself out of jailtime

As mentioned in the last post, we reluctantly had to deliver Sister Van Wagoner to her new assigned area, Ljubljana, Slovenia.  I learned a great lesson on that trip.  You see, I have gotten quite accustomed to paying tolls on the super highways in Croatia.  You would think that once we entered Slovenia I should have asked myself, "why didn't I get a toll ticket after we checked into the country at the border?"  Or, "what are these checkpoints all about where you have to slow down to 60 Kilometers per hour so all of the cameras can get a clear photo of your car?"  Well, we got through the first checkpoint and I thought all was well.  It was at the second checkpoint about 20 kilometers into the country that I learned the hard way.  It was explained to me in a terrible mix of Slovenian and very broken English by a large Slovenian lady in a uniform holding a stop sign who had signaled us to pull over.  "You not have vinjeta!!  You have to buy at the border.  You not see the sign?  Now you pay a fine!!"  Busted!!  Mary very covertly snapped a picture of me getting a fine and a lecture.  It was a little frightening at first but I just chalked it up as a rather expensive lesson.  The lady said, "I easy on you.  Only charge 150 euros.  Could have been 300!!"  I could picture her saying in her mind, "Stupid American!"  Then, to add insult to injury, for another 15 euros she sold us a 7-day Vinjeta and sent us on our way.    

Elder Fransen performing

Partying in Varažden

On the 27th we drove up to Varaždin in the northern tip of Croatia.  We were invited to attend a party they were having and we needed to get up there and meet the members of the Branch, so we just decided to head on up.  It is a nice little branch.  We were pleased with the turnout and the local entertainment.  The branch president plays bass guitar in a band with a keyboard player, and a guitar-strumming singer.  They play a mixture of Country and Croatian traditional music and were part of the entertainment.  Then there was a local husband and wife duo, joined by Elder Fransen for a couple of numbers, who played only traditional Croatian music.  They also had a cute little magic act that was quite good.  It really was a good time!

In case any of you noticed, there was not a posting last week.  My bad!!  I got so busy with other things I did not get it done.  Well, that did not go over well with management so it looks like I have been demoted from a Co-Editor to "Occasional Contributor".  It's a rough life in the Blogging field!!  I will try to get back in management's good graces, but until then, you will hear from me only "occasionally".

The "work of the week" is "Postivati".  If you do not postivati the law, you will pay a fine.  Definition is "to obey".

Stay tuned for a report on another trip to Ljubljana and guess who we saw there?  Thanks for following our blog!!  Vidimo se.