Linda Nickell, an amazing lady from Texas USA made a visit to Plitvice Lakes a couple of years ago, and her story about the reason to visit is very special. We talked to Linda and found out more about the picture that made her fly over the ocean…
“A few years ago, a young couple Renata and Mario lived a few houses down from me. Renata would often bring over food for me to try. One day, she invited me over and I couldn’t help but notice a large painting hanging in their living room. I asked her where it was from and she proudly said: “this is my country.” I pulled up google maps and said: “Exactly, where in your country?”. The following summer, I landed in Dubrovnik and spent a lot of time exploring as much of Croatia as I could. Croatia still ranks high on my list of places to return and the crown jewel is Plitvice National Park.
Renata and Mario immigrated to the USA because of the war.
“I believe they were able to get to the USA because they had some family that allowed them to be sponsored. They took shift work at a computer chip company. She would work days and he worked nights so that they could take turns staying with their small children. They were terribly homesick and only lived down the street from me for a year and a half. Unfortunately, when they moved I never heard from them again. But she would often send the kids over with a foil-wrapped package so that I could try her cooking. My friend and I knew nothing about Croatia and based our entire trip around seeing Plitvice. At the time, Game of Thrones was just getting started so I knew Dubrovnik was a set location.”
Linda can’t wait to get back and would love to see Plitvice in the autumn colors. And all because of one painting…
“Yes, I absolutely picked my vacation because of that painting. It inspired me that she was so proud of where she was from and I had never seen anything so beautiful like that emerald water. My last memory of Plitvice was the strudel! There was a vendor right near the exit. I still talk about that apple strudel!!”