FIRST CRUISE STOP
Croatia
One of our grandsons recently received a mission call to the Adriatic North Mission so we were particularly interested in visiting Croatia and Montenegro, two countries in that mission. As we came into the port the first views of Croatia were very pretty. We took a bus to the old walled city of Dubrovnik. It was quite interesting to see so many similarities to Venice, minus the canals. The capital city is Zagreb. It is a part of the former Yugoslavia. Croatia declared it's independence in 1991, fighting a war of independence for four years.
Of course we were only able to see the tiniest part of the country. There is much more to see than the coastal area where we were. Croatia has forests, mountains, islands, bogs, wetlands and grasslands. Much of the city was destroyed in a terrible earthquake in 1667 resulting in the deaths of 5000 people. There has been a large amount of destruction from wars in the area. This land has seen many conflicts starting in 854 and lasting until their war of Independence which ended in 1995. Many, many people have died in these conflicts. Many old structures still stand but some have had to be rebuilt.
We entered the old walled city of Dubrovnik through the gate crossing over the draw bridge which we were told still functions. In Luza square we saw the Franciscan Church and Monastery.
The monks grew herbs, trees and other plants to make into medicines.
Inside the monastery is a pharmacy founded in 1317 making it one of the oldest in Europe and very possibly the oldest in continuous operation. In the 1900s the pharmacy was moved to a new location near the front of the monastery.
There are various styles of architecture around Luza Square. We saw Orlando's Column, a sculpture of a knight and symbol of a city under the protection of the Hungarian-Croatian King. The forearm of the knight was the standard measure of their cubit. It was built in 1418. Onofrio's Fountains, part of the complex aqueduct system that brought water to the city from a fresh water spring over 7 miles away were amazing.They were built in the 1400s.
We saw people performing dressed in traditional costumes. We also saw a person dressed in a costume that may have been an actor in the HBO series "Game of Thrones" which is filmed here. A man was playing a three stringed instrument called a Lijerica.
We decided to climb up the stairs to the top of the city wall. After going up over 100 stairs we reconsidered and started back down.
There were little cafes almost on every street, some with interesting menus. There was a "Game of Thrones" figure outside a souvenir shop.
On the other side of the city was a harbor filled with boats. More of the city wall can be seen bordering the harbor. It was a pretty sight.
We left Dubrovnik and got a lovely panoramic view of the city and several Croatian islands from Mount Srd.
We drove through very scenic areas and farmlands on the way to Konavle Valley.
We visited some old mills along the Ljuta River. It was beautiful country that was still and peaceful. We were greeted by people in folklore costumes. They served us apple juice, dried figs, arancini (sugared orange rind), limuncini (sugared lemon rind) and sugared almond - all typical Konavle products. We liked them even though we thought we might not.
The mills are working, they grind flour being powered solely by water power from the river.
What a beautiful serene place! The colors were vibrant.
After a lunch of fresh bread, Prosciutto, different cheeses, pickles and olives and fresh fruit, (Dalmatian specialties), it was time to go to the next stop.
From there we went to Cavtat. We went inside another old church. This is a city with a rich cultural heritage including the famous mausoleum of the wealthy and well-known Racic family. It was on the top of a hill. Climbing all the stairs in the heat was exhausting but the view was worth it and we found a gentle sloping road to walk back down.
 |
| Catch of the day headed straight to a restaurant. |
FYI - ABOUT CROATIA
Most people who study tailoring and clothing agree that the necktie originated in the 17th century, during 30 year war in France. King Louis XIII hired Croatian mercenaries who wore a piece of cloth around their neck as part of their uniform. While they did serve a function, (to tie their jacket on) they also had a decorative effect that the King was quite fond of. In fact, he liked it so much he made these ties a mandatory accessory for royal gatherings, and - to honor the Croatian soldiers - he gave this piece of clothing the name "La Cravate" - the name for necktie in French even today. Men, now you know who to credit or blame!
The Dalmatian is a large breed of dog with black or liver spotted coat. It was bred to run along the coaches of aristocrats to protect them from highway men. They have served in many others ways - hunter, firehouse dog and circus performer. It roots can be traced back to Croatia and the historical region of Dalmatia.
Our time in Croatia is over and we return to our ship to sail on to the next port, Montenegro.
No comments:
Post a Comment