Sibenik, Croatia , December 1, 2010.

Our boat set sail from Zadar for Sibenik at 6:30AM. This town started as a military base which added small homes for the soldiers. This town has a lot of commerce because they are on the coast but the water is not rough because there are 1000s of islands to protect it. The city protected it's people inside the walls with the fortresses. Now there are 450,000 people living here. All of the houses and wall are built of limestone because it is cheap and they had an abundance of it. Some of this limestone was exported to be used on our White House. Sibenik has a moderate climate with the winter being about 65 and summer 90 to 100. All of Croatia is 90% Roman Catholic and their lives have been based on the church. Therefore, they go to church everyday. They were only allowed to speak their native language and go to school in the church when they were under a foreign power. they have been under foreign control for most of their history.
Under the main square is a huge cistern from which they store the collected rain for drinking water. All of the water surrounding them is salty or brackish. The Cathedral of St. James was built in the 15 to 16th century out of all handmade stone blocks without cement. It is a UNESCO site.Their patron saint George of Dalmatia has a statue here and there are 73 different heads of the commom folk carved into the outside of the building . Each head is different, including the several heads of children, and all classes of people were included. they also decorated with seashells and fish shapes because they live on food from the sea. The angel statues from the 15th century are presented as young boys with the pubic aa exposed. This was the first time that was ever done. Adam and Eve are also included to represent humanity, but they cover themselves with fig leaves. The bronze door was replaced in 1958 because of the destruction from WWII. The 8 panels represent Biblical scenes. There are pedestals across the front on which the 12 apostles in statue form used to stand. they are removed when winter comes.The limestone has become darkened from age and dirt and cannot be cleaned by pressure washing. limestone is too soft to withstand the pressure. The Gothic Renaissance style of the altar displays comfort between life and death. The cupola built by a famous Italien from Florence was even accomplished without cement. The war in 1991 destroyed it and even though it has been repaired with cement, it still leaks. The 16th century builders apparently knew more than our modern science. The size of the Cathedral depended upon the size of the town? It must be able to hold 1/3 of it's population inside. Since the rosette had to be redone, they inserted colored glass. Originally it was clear. the balconies in the church were built for the ladies because they were not allowed in the main church. they were completely separated from the men. Much later they allowed the Benedictine Nuns admittance only. in Italy the bell tower was built separate because it housed the Baptistry where babies and heathens were baptized before they could enter the church. The Baptistry font was made of limestone supported by 3 statues of boys. One of the boys is a Dalmatia so he is only supporting it with one hand. The walls are decorated with giant seashells which represent the Holy Trinity and the lines coming down are to His children. the leaves on the columns are hollow and make beautiful sounds when tapped. the ornate window faces east so it catches the morning sun and shines on the carving of God in the center of the ceiling. Around God are carved angels. They needed these windows because they needed light. the ornate carvings around the windows resemble lace.There are various hued limestone evident here. the reddish hues are due to boxite found in the earth. This limestone was only used for decorations.
Sibenik has very narrow streets for walking, but nom cars. there are lots of shoe shops and they mostly sell Itali en shoes. Once Yugoslavia was dissolved all of the factories were closed. The only economy they have now is tourism. they do not have the infrastructure to produce things for export. In these old buildings the shops are on the first floor then you enter the kitchen and sitting room and bathroom on the second floor and the bedrooms are on the third floor.Shops are open from 7 SM until 1:30, then they close for a siesta. they all go home for 1 and 1/2 hour eat a large lunch, then return to work until 8PM. the schools are small so the children go in 2 shifts: a morning shift and an afternoon shift. the children start Kindergarten at age 3 and even learn to speak English at that age. they are taught to speak at least 5 languages by the time they graduate from school. Everyone is home by 7:30 or 8PM and they eat a very small dinner.
There is a park built between the Old Town and the New Town which was constructed by the Austrians when they were in control. in this park are pittosporum , live oaks, Dalmatian oaks, lavender, sage; many of the same plants we have. the library shares a wall with the town's old wall. They just build up against the city's wall, so they only need to add 3 more walls. the town is protected from invaders by 4 fortresses: ST Nicholas on an island in the bay,then ST. Michaels just at the top of the town,ST Ann's above the town and a fortress with a long complicated name of some influential citizen of its time. We jiked to the top to ST. Ann's and it was a gorgeous view. there are lots of dogs and cats roaming all around but they are very well behaved and do not approach people. All of these stone houses have red tiled roofs and they stick citrus, fig and olive trees everywhere in their courtyards. they have no grass.