Yesterday in Split I stopped at a ladies room on the way to the boat right next to the police station. I didn't have the 3 kunas in my hand when I entered so the lady allowed me to use the toilet and then pay her. When I counted out the change I didn't have enough so I added American money to make up for it. I walked out and handed her the change and then placed my coin purse on top of the towel dispenser so it wouldn't get wet. There was nobody else here except the lady and I. My other choice was to place it in my mouth. So I placed it on the towel dispenser and turned to wash my hands. When I turned around to get a towel the dispenser was empty. She handed me a towel to dry my hands and I reached for my coin purse; only, it wasn't there anymore. Of course, the lady couldn't speak any English or pretended not to be able. Daddy and I searched all over the stall and sinks. It just wasn't there. I don't know how she did it because I never saw anything; but I know I had it in the stall. So it had to be somewhere in there; probably on her. So I lost $360 kunas which is about $150 of our money. There goes my souvenir money. It didn't do any good to go to the police because the people are not afraid of them; so it would be a waste of time.
It started raining so we went to a mall by taxi. There was a McDonalds and maybe we could get the Internet. They didn't have it and they had no milk or cream for their coffees. We have been in McDonalds all over this world and never found one that didn't have cream or milk. Till now!!! We finally found an Internet cafe on the fourth floor and they had coffee with cream. YES!!! The mall was called JOKER but pronounced as a Y. At least I was able to catch up on the first couple days of our trip because the hour I spent at the library in Sibenik was lost. How Disappointing!!!!!
We sail out to Hvar tomorrow morning at 9 AM. In the middle of the night strong winds came up and started pushing the boat. They had to unhook from the dock and go out into the harbor and anchor. If they didn't, we would have been sitting on top of the dock by the morning. The winds were supposed to be 50 mph, Our sister ship, the Artremis, is in the harbor also. In the middle of the night the anchor chain
sounded like a very loud vacuum cleaner. They had to pull it up and turn the boat around in the middle of the night. At least we are on the third floor and in the middle so the anchor noise was less. The anchor noise was called a bow thruster.
Hvar is basically a touristic island that promises no snow or ice or they will refund your money. they have only had snow or ice 33 times in 140 years. The town began when they built the fortress high on the hill for protection. The arsenal was the most important part of the town. the Galleon sailed right inside the walls. Now a 100 foot sidewalk has been built outside of the sea wall. The clock tower built in 2012 has an unique sundial on the outside.. In 1571 all of the locals hid within the fortress when the Turks attacked. During the Renaissance the Benedictine Nuns moved into the fortress and never came out. They have learned how to make lace out of the agave plant leaves. Several
are in residence now. It is a very laborious job and the lace is stored under glass for protection. The first Renaissance theatre in Europe was here. The Austrians in 1903 built the first hotel. Hvar was known to be the largest town, 4500 square meters, had the oldest well in Europe and the oldest church built in the 5th century dedicated to Mary. Outside the church is a statue of St. Stephen the Pope with the left hand holding the Bible and the right hand blessing the people. The Roman Catholics built the church in 1571 after the Turks left, taking two centuries to complete it.
Hvar has olive trees, orange groves, vineyards, fig trees, rosemary and lavendar everywhere. They plant these wherever they have some
dirt. Just outside of the wall they have a community garden where each plot is separated by low stone walls in terraces because their land is
very hilly. These terraces are all over the hills and they represent a lot of work. In 1999 they had a forest fire for 7 days and lost most of their
crops. They are regrowing them, but olives, grapes and figs take time to mature enough to produce. Before the fire they produced 20 tons of
lavender, now only 2 tons. This lavender hybrid was actually brought to the island by Russian soldiers. It is used as a pain killer for muscles,
essential oils for the skin, a repellant for mosquitoes and it calms the body. Lavender was the base of the local economy. They grow other
herbs: Rosemary-to stimulate, ST. Johns wort for digestion, Myrtle, chamomile and sage. They actually drink a Rosemary tea instead of
coffee in the morning. They pick the ST. John wort's yellow flowers before noon, put them in a jar until it's full, then add extra virgin olive oil, let it sit for 6 weeks. It turns red, they strain out the flowers and use the oil.
Hvar has a population of 4000 people. It is on an island of 11,200 people called Island of the Sun because it receives 2750 hours of sun
in a year. The town of Starigrad,founded by Illyrian Greeks, is an UNESCO site due to it's fertile fields which can only be used for agriculture. In 1868 a local doctor founded the first Wellness Clinic here. the town of Vrboskn was built. In 1468.
We visited a winery fallen Vina Pinjata which was down in a cellar near the water owned by the Garbaleich family , 5 generations of this family with this winery. they make their wines the old fashioned traditional way of their ancestors. the white grapes they use in this wine only grow on this island called Bogbanjuilar. We tasted a1-Vanuscha-a light green clear white, 2-Pare with 14% alcohol so you need really good food with it; both white wines are fermented in steel casks, 3-a red Sang grape in oak, 4-grappa with 45% alcohol, 90 proof, no smell, no color, Travaleita with anise, and 5- red grappa with wild bush berries. they pick them in January when they are dark blue and place in a cellar for 42 months. it turns a red color. they use it for stomach troubles. they also had a dessert wine called Provance which was sweet, with 17% alcohol and 35 proof. The Hvarti cheese was served sitting in olive oil.
In 400 BC the Illyrians from Pathos, Greece settled on the island of Btaches in caves. They moved inland to more fertile land and named it Pharos which meant the light house. It became the political, religious and social center. In 200 BC the Romans arrived and brought mosaics and money. Now it is Slavic with an Italien influence. From the 13th to the 18th century when under the rule of Venice was the most productive time and they moved the capital from Starigrad to Hvar because it was easier to protect Hvar from the many outer islands. Now Hvar is the most important harbor on the Adriatic Sea. During the Renaissance in Hvar interesting laws were developed that are used world wide now. they developed equal rights and health care. Even the poor have free medical care and free school.
The buildings date back to the 15th- 16th centuries. In 1510 - 1516 there was a public rebellion of local fisherman against the nobility who wouldn't allow them to sell fish on the mainland. They burned most of the Venetian nobles' houses. You can still see some of the fire scars. The main leader escaped to Rome and became an important person there.
In the 16th century the plaque came and they lost a large part of their population. In the 18th century the Venetain republic dissolved. Many of their words are Italien, due to their long rein. The island just outside their harbor is called Vis, an Italien word. After the Venetians, Napoleon came, then the Austrians. The Austrians used Hvar as a resort 150 years ago. The first hotel was built here by the Austrians in 1903. Tourism started 150 years ago and 70% of their people work in tourism today. Everything costs more on the island because everything has to come from Split on the mainland, which is 2 hours by ferry. Because fire is a major problem on the island everyone is a volunter firefighter. They have elementary and high schools but no university. They need to go to Split on the mainland for college. But they often return here after college because jobs are easier to find here than on the mainland.
During WWI they were occupied by the Italiens. During WWII they were occupied by the Germans then became the federal republic of Yugoslavia. Then they were under Communism.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Split, Croatia, December 4, 2010
Split is the second largest city in Croatia and was originally called Salona by the Romans and Spalato by the Italiens in 1700. It is named after the yellow plant called broom that blooms all over the countryside in spring. It has 250,000 people and the Diocletian Palace which is a UNESCO site was built in 300AD and for 1700 years has been occupied by citizens living within it's walls. Diocletian was born in Salona from two freed slaves, entered the military and became famous for his abilities. He killed any Christian that he found. When he found his daughter, Vitalia, and his wife, Brisca, had secretly converted to Christianity, he had them executed 6 years before he died. He bought the land near the Adriatic Sea for his retirement home. It was built against the sea for a quick getaway if needed. It took 20,000 slaves to build it, of which 5,000 died. The limestone from Brach Island required 4,000 stonemasons to complete it. The Roman bricks were molded clay that were burned into bricks and held together by egg whites. The brown stone is raw travertine that has been cut into flat slats. Diocletian had it under filled so his apartment would be at the same level as the interior of the town. Originally the cellars were full of water from the Adriatic Sea. They threw their garbage and rubble down in the cellar. Surprisingly, this act saved the supports of the walls and floors; otherwise the currents of the Adriatic Sea would eventually have undermined the supports.. The shape of the Palace is a rectangle with Diocletian's apartments across the front half against the sea. He had 3 large bathrooms. and choose this site because he needed the sulphur springs for his rhuematism. Next to his apartments was Jupiter's temple where he worshipped his pagan gods. He actually felt he was a god himself. It was originally empty inside, but when Christianity took over, they adapted it to their needs and added the cross shaped tub to be used as a Baptistry. The bell tower was built in the 15- 16th century and is located outside the north Gold gate. This is the tower Napoleon turned into stables .The towers are square on the outside but circular on the inside and this is called a Roman vestibule; a word still used today. Outside the north gate is a statue of Gregory from Niem near Zadar. He hated the Italiens so you can rub his toe and be granted a wish. The first Medieval homes were built 1500 years ago. The back of the palace were for the military and their families. The
courtyard square called the Peristyle divides the palace in half. It is open to both sides. There are 54 red columns Diocletian had shipped from Aswan, Egypt which took 10 months to arrive. Now the people have enclosed those columns to make homes. Diocletian brought 6 black granite sphinxs from Aswan to his Palace to help in the underworld. He died at 73 years of age. When the Christians came they destroyed the heads of the sphinxs because they represented a pagan religion. But one was hidden and is still in tact. Since the mausoleum was designed and used by a Roman pagan emperor, the Christians turned it into a temple in the 15th- 16th century to hold a mass. They removed all the pagan frescoes, added 5 windows and got rid of Diocletian's urn of ashes. All that is left is the Roman structure. The outside is octagonal, but the inside is circular. There are 23,198 bricks in the domed roof. It is ironic that the patron saint of this town is now Saint Dominick who Diocletian had originally beheaded. The door is of carved walnut but resembles the bronze door in Florence. The first mass ever held in the world was here in 428 AD in this small cathedral. There is an eagle perched on top of the pulpit and a pipe organ that is regularly used. It has 3 altars, but only one has been used for the last 300 years. It contains the bones and skull of a saint which is displayed once a year for 7 days only. At Jupiter's Temple there is a 15 foot hollow bronze sculpture of John the Baptist holding up 4 fingers representing N, S, E, and W. He holds a bowl in his left hand which is closest to his heart.
We sat in the open square outside the palace drinking cappuccinos. This was actually, during the days of Diocletian, inside the sea. They have added a large square out into the sea and it is where they all socialize. When the weather permits the people are always outside. The idea is to see or to be seen. Lots of leggings in all colors-purple, black, white, striped; plenty of boots and coats, strollers, dogs, cats all unleashed; boots going over the knees and extremely high heeled boots. This enormous palace has been altered very little to facilitate it's usage. The mausoleum, Jupiter's temple, colonnades along the Roman
streets, early Croatian churches and Romanesque houses are still preserved. There are many cafes and shops here now.The people have built their houses up against the walls leaving the original walls intact. They just incorporate the original wall into their homes and restaurants.
When the Avars and Slavs attacked the town, the citizens fled into the Diocletian Palace to be safe. In 812 AD to 1069 AD the Byzantine
Empire annexed Croatia, Then in 1105 the Hungarians controlled the Croatian Kings. In the 16th century they were threatened by the
Ottomans. In 1797 Venice fell and Dalmatia went under Austrian rule. In 1882 it was under a Croatian administration and was heavily
bombed in WWII due to it's military presence.
courtyard square called the Peristyle divides the palace in half. It is open to both sides. There are 54 red columns Diocletian had shipped from Aswan, Egypt which took 10 months to arrive. Now the people have enclosed those columns to make homes. Diocletian brought 6 black granite sphinxs from Aswan to his Palace to help in the underworld. He died at 73 years of age. When the Christians came they destroyed the heads of the sphinxs because they represented a pagan religion. But one was hidden and is still in tact. Since the mausoleum was designed and used by a Roman pagan emperor, the Christians turned it into a temple in the 15th- 16th century to hold a mass. They removed all the pagan frescoes, added 5 windows and got rid of Diocletian's urn of ashes. All that is left is the Roman structure. The outside is octagonal, but the inside is circular. There are 23,198 bricks in the domed roof. It is ironic that the patron saint of this town is now Saint Dominick who Diocletian had originally beheaded. The door is of carved walnut but resembles the bronze door in Florence. The first mass ever held in the world was here in 428 AD in this small cathedral. There is an eagle perched on top of the pulpit and a pipe organ that is regularly used. It has 3 altars, but only one has been used for the last 300 years. It contains the bones and skull of a saint which is displayed once a year for 7 days only. At Jupiter's Temple there is a 15 foot hollow bronze sculpture of John the Baptist holding up 4 fingers representing N, S, E, and W. He holds a bowl in his left hand which is closest to his heart.
We sat in the open square outside the palace drinking cappuccinos. This was actually, during the days of Diocletian, inside the sea. They have added a large square out into the sea and it is where they all socialize. When the weather permits the people are always outside. The idea is to see or to be seen. Lots of leggings in all colors-purple, black, white, striped; plenty of boots and coats, strollers, dogs, cats all unleashed; boots going over the knees and extremely high heeled boots. This enormous palace has been altered very little to facilitate it's usage. The mausoleum, Jupiter's temple, colonnades along the Roman
streets, early Croatian churches and Romanesque houses are still preserved. There are many cafes and shops here now.The people have built their houses up against the walls leaving the original walls intact. They just incorporate the original wall into their homes and restaurants.
When the Avars and Slavs attacked the town, the citizens fled into the Diocletian Palace to be safe. In 812 AD to 1069 AD the Byzantine
Empire annexed Croatia, Then in 1105 the Hungarians controlled the Croatian Kings. In the 16th century they were threatened by the
Ottomans. In 1797 Venice fell and Dalmatia went under Austrian rule. In 1882 it was under a Croatian administration and was heavily
bombed in WWII due to it's military presence.
Sibenik, December 3 and Krka National Park
Sibenik is not a great town in which to live because all of the factories have been closed since Yugoslavia has disintegrated. There is no job market and the only market available is tourism. Under Yugoslavia they had a TLM factory that produced aluminum and exported it worldwide. It had employed most of the town. Now all of those people are without jobs. After the civil war of 1991, Croatia, Bosnia and it's mountains have been destroyed by the Serbs.
Krkrtina River flows from the mountains to the Adriatic Sea. It is rich with mammals and birds. Krka National Park was founded in 1985. It has a tiny village that is open for business in the summer only. On an island in the river is a San Franciscan Monastery from the 1660s and a 14th century Orthodox church. They are also closed for the winter. It is 53 outside and cloudy. They have had so much rain that much of this park is flooded and we cannot do the hike that was planned. Because of the heavy rains, the falls were awesome!!! It is very rocky and because the water is flowing so rapidly there is a lot of mist. All of the walks were made of flagstones and the walls were of stacked stones. The water is a turquoise green and is surrounded by cedars, evergreens, poplars, oaks, bamboo, junipers. This area is called the Dalmatia Hinderlands. The dry stone walls mark the boundries between properties and also are used to stop the soil from washing or blowing away. The people are mountain people who have to work hard to survive. Mount Dinara is the highest peak at 6000 feet.
A hundred years ago the houses were built of stone with stone floors. They used wooden bowls and buckets of juniper to freshen the house inside. There was no milk to drink so they all drank wine. The houses took a long time to build and they were built in parts, adding on when they need more room. The roofs were assembled in pieces, but they never leaked. There were several layers of rock and a plant called "housekeeper" grew on top. This helped to seal out some of the cold also. This herb had another use: for sore throats and sick stomachs. The women traditionally didn't drink. They couldn't grow very much on this unforgiving soil, but they did raise a small amount of grain(polenta) and tomatoes. Since food was scarce, they didn't talk while they ate. The faster they could eat, the better they would feel.
The first room in a house was the bedroom with 2 single beds. The mother slept with the children so the Father could have a good nights rest to be able to work hard the next day. When the children were fast asleep, the wife would hop into his bed for some hanky-panky. Therefore this was called a working room which didn't show the results for 9 months. The second room contained the loom which was the wife's job to keep her family clothed and enough cloth woven to exchange for food they couldn't grow. When a young girl married, she brought a loom with her to the marriage. The husband had to build the house. The third room was the kitchen where a fire was burning all year. It was called a black kitchen because all of the limestone rocks were darkened from the fires.The eggs were placed up high in a basket so the children couldn't break them. They had a mouse trap made of a huge block of wood on pegs with a wooden spring. The block of wood was so heavy it could probably mash the bones in your hand. In the fire they pushed away the ashes and placed the dough for bread, meat and veggies right on the stones. Then covered it with a big bowl and covered it with ashes so it could bake for 3 to 4 hours. They only ate meat on Sundays and Thursdays because Sunday was the Holy day and Thursday was mid week. The rest of the week they just ate soup, polenta and veggies.
The man worked very hard all day outside because that was his job. When he came in he had a special chair right up against the fire. The wife's job was everything inside; so when he came in she needed to get him a glass of wine and take off his shoes for him. When the first son was old enough he was able to get the wine. The stools they made to sit on only had 3 legs because they were more stable on uneven stones with just 3 legs. Smoke rises up so the stools had short legs therefore, their faces weren't in the smoke. The fourth room was the smoke room for the meat. Hams were hung here for 18 months to cure. A household needed 2 to 3 proschuittos for a year to be able to eat and trade. They placed the 2 back legs in salt, then ashes to cure. The pigs ate corn and acorns. The wine cellar was always under the smoke room and the hams were placed in the wine cellar in the summer so they would remain cool. The hams hung upstairs from November to April. The smoke room was the only room with a wooden floor.
The stones for the roof weighed about 60 tons of flat rock laid in layers. There were always tiny holes for a draft for the smoke house, but they didn't leak because the rocks overlapped each other. But, they needed the winds to be able to get into the smoke house to help cure the hams. These stones were supported by oak beams in the ceiling. When a son married he brought his wife to his family's house and they added a bedroom for just them. The Grandmother passed her loom to her Granddaughter. There were several generations living in one house.
To identify single available women when they met in the villages, the single girls carried small bags made with few colors. The married woman had a large colorful bag. The men wore orange and black hats with a solid black interior. If they were available, they wore the solid black side out. If married, they wore the colored side out. A man looking for a healthy wife looked for a woman who could jump and could jump for a long time and had pink cheeks and some fat on her. She needed to be able to jump into his bed and if she could jump for a long time then her lungs were good. She was then healthy enough for childbearing. The marriages were arranged by the families. They were always looking for girls who could bring a loom along because that would eventually bring in trade for her woven cloths and make their own clothes. Sunday after church all the families danced together. If a man squeezed your hand, it meant he was interested in you. If the girl squeezed back, it meant she was interested too. Then they planned to meet after and discuss the families.
These families raised pigs, chickens, cows, goats and sheep. They traded olive oil with the coast for cork from the fishermen to be able to seal their wine. The wine was in oak casts. They made their dessert wine from white grapes that were allowed to dehydrate with their skins
on to turn slightly reddish. It was drunk in small amounts all year. They drank white wine from Easter until November. Red wine had more
body and warmed the body so they drank it from November until Easter.
We had small glasses of their wines. The first drink was a grappa schnapps made with juniper herbs. The second glass was a white local wine that they drank from Easter to November. The third wine was a red local wine they drank from November until Easter. The last was a red dessert wine made from white grapes that are dried and turn reddish. It was very sweet.
Krkrtina River flows from the mountains to the Adriatic Sea. It is rich with mammals and birds. Krka National Park was founded in 1985. It has a tiny village that is open for business in the summer only. On an island in the river is a San Franciscan Monastery from the 1660s and a 14th century Orthodox church. They are also closed for the winter. It is 53 outside and cloudy. They have had so much rain that much of this park is flooded and we cannot do the hike that was planned. Because of the heavy rains, the falls were awesome!!! It is very rocky and because the water is flowing so rapidly there is a lot of mist. All of the walks were made of flagstones and the walls were of stacked stones. The water is a turquoise green and is surrounded by cedars, evergreens, poplars, oaks, bamboo, junipers. This area is called the Dalmatia Hinderlands. The dry stone walls mark the boundries between properties and also are used to stop the soil from washing or blowing away. The people are mountain people who have to work hard to survive. Mount Dinara is the highest peak at 6000 feet.
A hundred years ago the houses were built of stone with stone floors. They used wooden bowls and buckets of juniper to freshen the house inside. There was no milk to drink so they all drank wine. The houses took a long time to build and they were built in parts, adding on when they need more room. The roofs were assembled in pieces, but they never leaked. There were several layers of rock and a plant called "housekeeper" grew on top. This helped to seal out some of the cold also. This herb had another use: for sore throats and sick stomachs. The women traditionally didn't drink. They couldn't grow very much on this unforgiving soil, but they did raise a small amount of grain(polenta) and tomatoes. Since food was scarce, they didn't talk while they ate. The faster they could eat, the better they would feel.
The first room in a house was the bedroom with 2 single beds. The mother slept with the children so the Father could have a good nights rest to be able to work hard the next day. When the children were fast asleep, the wife would hop into his bed for some hanky-panky. Therefore this was called a working room which didn't show the results for 9 months. The second room contained the loom which was the wife's job to keep her family clothed and enough cloth woven to exchange for food they couldn't grow. When a young girl married, she brought a loom with her to the marriage. The husband had to build the house. The third room was the kitchen where a fire was burning all year. It was called a black kitchen because all of the limestone rocks were darkened from the fires.The eggs were placed up high in a basket so the children couldn't break them. They had a mouse trap made of a huge block of wood on pegs with a wooden spring. The block of wood was so heavy it could probably mash the bones in your hand. In the fire they pushed away the ashes and placed the dough for bread, meat and veggies right on the stones. Then covered it with a big bowl and covered it with ashes so it could bake for 3 to 4 hours. They only ate meat on Sundays and Thursdays because Sunday was the Holy day and Thursday was mid week. The rest of the week they just ate soup, polenta and veggies.
The man worked very hard all day outside because that was his job. When he came in he had a special chair right up against the fire. The wife's job was everything inside; so when he came in she needed to get him a glass of wine and take off his shoes for him. When the first son was old enough he was able to get the wine. The stools they made to sit on only had 3 legs because they were more stable on uneven stones with just 3 legs. Smoke rises up so the stools had short legs therefore, their faces weren't in the smoke. The fourth room was the smoke room for the meat. Hams were hung here for 18 months to cure. A household needed 2 to 3 proschuittos for a year to be able to eat and trade. They placed the 2 back legs in salt, then ashes to cure. The pigs ate corn and acorns. The wine cellar was always under the smoke room and the hams were placed in the wine cellar in the summer so they would remain cool. The hams hung upstairs from November to April. The smoke room was the only room with a wooden floor.
The stones for the roof weighed about 60 tons of flat rock laid in layers. There were always tiny holes for a draft for the smoke house, but they didn't leak because the rocks overlapped each other. But, they needed the winds to be able to get into the smoke house to help cure the hams. These stones were supported by oak beams in the ceiling. When a son married he brought his wife to his family's house and they added a bedroom for just them. The Grandmother passed her loom to her Granddaughter. There were several generations living in one house.
To identify single available women when they met in the villages, the single girls carried small bags made with few colors. The married woman had a large colorful bag. The men wore orange and black hats with a solid black interior. If they were available, they wore the solid black side out. If married, they wore the colored side out. A man looking for a healthy wife looked for a woman who could jump and could jump for a long time and had pink cheeks and some fat on her. She needed to be able to jump into his bed and if she could jump for a long time then her lungs were good. She was then healthy enough for childbearing. The marriages were arranged by the families. They were always looking for girls who could bring a loom along because that would eventually bring in trade for her woven cloths and make their own clothes. Sunday after church all the families danced together. If a man squeezed your hand, it meant he was interested in you. If the girl squeezed back, it meant she was interested too. Then they planned to meet after and discuss the families.
These families raised pigs, chickens, cows, goats and sheep. They traded olive oil with the coast for cork from the fishermen to be able to seal their wine. The wine was in oak casts. They made their dessert wine from white grapes that were allowed to dehydrate with their skins
on to turn slightly reddish. It was drunk in small amounts all year. They drank white wine from Easter until November. Red wine had more
body and warmed the body so they drank it from November until Easter.
We had small glasses of their wines. The first drink was a grappa schnapps made with juniper herbs. The second glass was a white local wine that they drank from Easter to November. The third wine was a red local wine they drank from November until Easter. The last was a red dessert wine made from white grapes that are dried and turn reddish. It was very sweet.
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.
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.
Zadar, Croatia November 30, 2010.
Diocletian who built a palace in Split was responsible for dividing the empire in half. All of western Europe became the Roman Empire. Eastern Europe became the Byzantine Empire. The eastern empire was subjected to invasions from the Visigoths, Huns and Lombard warriors. When the Romans left, the Croats and Slavs moved south below the Carpathians in the mid 7th century.The Slavs of the Western Balkans were divided into 2 groups: the Croats of Pannonia and Dalmatia, and the Serbs of Central Balkans by the 8th century. They joined together but each had their own dukes. The Croats always had to fight off the Serbs, Huns, Venitians, Ottomans, Haspbergs,and Mongols. At the end of the 11th century, Hungary invaded and ended the Croatian king rule. It was renamed Pannonia- Slavonia. By 1107 they included the Dalmatian coast also. All of this land was coveted by the Hungarians because they were a landlocked country.
For 800 years Venice tried to capture all of the Croatian islands and denuded them of their forests for their shipbuilding. They refused to allow the Croats to build or sell any ships and they took their figs, olives, olive oil, wine and salt to be sold cheaply. Therefore, they made the Croats very poor. Croatia is known to have the best salt in all of the Mediterranean area and their ships were of the finest quality. On the island of Pag they produce the best cheese in the world. They won an award worldwide for this cheese which is made from free range
sheep. The flavor is unusual because of the salt infused herbs the sheep eat. The houses are all stones that are cut to fit together exactly like a puzzle with red tile roofs. Zadar was called Zada in the Roman times. In 1991, the Serbs placed mines all over the town.Q
Zada became a walled town in the 16th century. They are a UNESCO site for their "Greetings to the Sun" and the " Sea Organ". The Greetings to the Sun is a huge solar panel to represent the sun, set in the concrete on their seaside surrounded by the planets and engraved with the saints names all around it's circumference. The Sea Organ is a set of pipes similar to a pipe organ's pipes and placed under water at the seaside. When the tide comes in and goes out, the pipes sing a song. The Romans laid out the streets and they remain the same today. There is a basilica here, a cathedral to Saint Anastasia, with huge concrete or stone cisterns where they stored their olive oil in the past centuries. They do not have a tower but a round building which is empty now because Napoleon used it as a barracks for his gunpowder. When they built the cathedral they saved the Roman forum colums to use as the foundation for the church. In 1203 Zada was destroyed by the Crusaders. Now the church has 2 crosses on top and is a Greek Orthodox church. Only 3 original buildings still stand because the city was bombed by the Allies and British during WWII.
There is a Roman column in the town square that Venice added a winged lion (which was their symbol) at the top. This was where executions and hangings were performed. Also there is an altar in front of the Roman temple for the sacrifice of live animals. It has a drain in front for the blood to run off. On the front of the basilica of Saint Anastasia is a round rosette window from the 13th century which is the Gothic style. It was built on top of the Romanesque temple. Several carvings in the stones depict cows which is was a sign of wealth. Saint Anastasia was a Roman woman who was captured and executed by burning at the stake. Her remains were transported to Constantinople then brought here to Zadar. The paintings in the cathedral were done in the Middle Ages. The apostles and the city's patron saint Chrysogonus are carved into the sides. A Romanesque style church has the church and the bell tower separate. The basilica has the Romanesque style on the first floor. The top is finished by a Victorian architect, Grant Jackson, who also built Oxford University. The clock tower called loggias was built for watch guards and has round holes for the cannons during Medieval times.The town symbol for Zadar is a knight on horseback which is carved into the wall at the land gate on the continental side. During the late 15th century the Venetians added a winged lion at the top to make it theirs. The goldsmiths had a shop here and it is now the Museum which the Benedictine Nuns run. Inside are the bones and hair of several saints. These were hidden from the Italiens during WWII. Saint John the Baptist's bones are in a golden arm that has it's first finger pointing up. These items are called reliquary. In the 14th century Croatia was controlled by the Anjou family of Hungary. Their King and Queen Elizabeth protected the Croats from attacks. Their elaborate crowns with jewels and the King's chalice is also in the Museum.
Our boat is called The Athena, but they don't pronounce the h.It was built here in Croatia. It has a very international crew. They are from Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine, Croatia, Indonesia, Tunisia, England and India. They are constantly trying to please us. The Indonesian waiter says hello to us everytime he sees us and uses our first names. I don't know how they memorize all 50 passenger names. He heard me refuse the onion soup so now at dinner he makes sure I receive a dinner with no onions.There are 4 decks including a sun deck. Our cabin is 306 just below the sun deck and we have a balcony with a table and 2 chairs. Tomorrow we sail at 6:30 AM for Sibenik. The s in Sibenik is pronounced as a sh.
For 800 years Venice tried to capture all of the Croatian islands and denuded them of their forests for their shipbuilding. They refused to allow the Croats to build or sell any ships and they took their figs, olives, olive oil, wine and salt to be sold cheaply. Therefore, they made the Croats very poor. Croatia is known to have the best salt in all of the Mediterranean area and their ships were of the finest quality. On the island of Pag they produce the best cheese in the world. They won an award worldwide for this cheese which is made from free range
sheep. The flavor is unusual because of the salt infused herbs the sheep eat. The houses are all stones that are cut to fit together exactly like a puzzle with red tile roofs. Zadar was called Zada in the Roman times. In 1991, the Serbs placed mines all over the town.Q
Zada became a walled town in the 16th century. They are a UNESCO site for their "Greetings to the Sun" and the " Sea Organ". The Greetings to the Sun is a huge solar panel to represent the sun, set in the concrete on their seaside surrounded by the planets and engraved with the saints names all around it's circumference. The Sea Organ is a set of pipes similar to a pipe organ's pipes and placed under water at the seaside. When the tide comes in and goes out, the pipes sing a song. The Romans laid out the streets and they remain the same today. There is a basilica here, a cathedral to Saint Anastasia, with huge concrete or stone cisterns where they stored their olive oil in the past centuries. They do not have a tower but a round building which is empty now because Napoleon used it as a barracks for his gunpowder. When they built the cathedral they saved the Roman forum colums to use as the foundation for the church. In 1203 Zada was destroyed by the Crusaders. Now the church has 2 crosses on top and is a Greek Orthodox church. Only 3 original buildings still stand because the city was bombed by the Allies and British during WWII.
There is a Roman column in the town square that Venice added a winged lion (which was their symbol) at the top. This was where executions and hangings were performed. Also there is an altar in front of the Roman temple for the sacrifice of live animals. It has a drain in front for the blood to run off. On the front of the basilica of Saint Anastasia is a round rosette window from the 13th century which is the Gothic style. It was built on top of the Romanesque temple. Several carvings in the stones depict cows which is was a sign of wealth. Saint Anastasia was a Roman woman who was captured and executed by burning at the stake. Her remains were transported to Constantinople then brought here to Zadar. The paintings in the cathedral were done in the Middle Ages. The apostles and the city's patron saint Chrysogonus are carved into the sides. A Romanesque style church has the church and the bell tower separate. The basilica has the Romanesque style on the first floor. The top is finished by a Victorian architect, Grant Jackson, who also built Oxford University. The clock tower called loggias was built for watch guards and has round holes for the cannons during Medieval times.The town symbol for Zadar is a knight on horseback which is carved into the wall at the land gate on the continental side. During the late 15th century the Venetians added a winged lion at the top to make it theirs. The goldsmiths had a shop here and it is now the Museum which the Benedictine Nuns run. Inside are the bones and hair of several saints. These were hidden from the Italiens during WWII. Saint John the Baptist's bones are in a golden arm that has it's first finger pointing up. These items are called reliquary. In the 14th century Croatia was controlled by the Anjou family of Hungary. Their King and Queen Elizabeth protected the Croats from attacks. Their elaborate crowns with jewels and the King's chalice is also in the Museum.
Our boat is called The Athena, but they don't pronounce the h.It was built here in Croatia. It has a very international crew. They are from Turkey, Egypt, Ukraine, Croatia, Indonesia, Tunisia, England and India. They are constantly trying to please us. The Indonesian waiter says hello to us everytime he sees us and uses our first names. I don't know how they memorize all 50 passenger names. He heard me refuse the onion soup so now at dinner he makes sure I receive a dinner with no onions.There are 4 decks including a sun deck. Our cabin is 306 just below the sun deck and we have a balcony with a table and 2 chairs. Tomorrow we sail at 6:30 AM for Sibenik. The s in Sibenik is pronounced as a sh.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Zagreb to Zadar, Croatia, 12/1 to 12/2
The airline found Daddy's luggage in Paris and delivered it this morning at the hotel. Good thing too, because he needed his heavy coat here. Wish I had brought some boots, but they weigh so much in your luggage.
Croatia is a socialist country that has been dominated by so many other countries throughout their existence. They were ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, Hungary, the Ottomans from Turkey, the Huns, the Haspbergs, and Venice. From 1945 to1995 it was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which included 6 republics: Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Slovenia. Yugoslavia means Yugo-south and Slavia- Slavic homeland. Croatia gained it's independence in 1991 and covers 57,000 square kilometers and has 4.8 million people who are 90% Roman Catholic. Zagreb has a population of 1 million, is the capital and is on the 48th parallel which is the same latitude as Montana and Canada. The trees around Zagreb are pines and oaks and right now they are covered in snow. We are in the mountains and the highway goes through tunnels that are built as overpasses just for the wildlife; very similar to those we saw in Canada. Split is the second largest city with a population of 250,000. The Sava River is their longest river. The Croatia flag is red and white from the Republic and blue from the Adriatic Sea. The Coat of Arms for Croatia is a crown with 5 old coats of arms from the old countries:: Debrovnik, Zadar, Split, Bosnia and Hvar. HRVATSKA is Croatia spelled in their native language. Their native animal is the brown bear which is also protected.
We are on our way to Zadar on the coast to board the boat. Zadar is a modern yet 3000 year old city. It is a UNESCO site because the 3000 year old buildings were built without the use of cement and are still standing. The area of Croatia that touches the Adriatic Sea is called the Dalmatian Coast. This coast is rocky and has forests and the farmers grow olives and vineyards. They are known for their red wines. they also are the origin of the Dalmatian dog.
Croatian people living here 30,000 years ago were Neanderthal. By 3000BC they were called the Vucedol with an advanced culture. The town of Hvar came with the rise of the Mediterranean culture. In 1000BC the Illyrians from Greece came here. Croatian natives fought the Greeks in 231BC and lost. From there the Romans obtained control and renamed it the Illyrium Province in 11BC. The Dalmatian Roman town called Jadera is now called Zadar. Croatia is related to the Slavic nations and call themselves HRVAT which is actually a Persian word. They were a Slavic tribe that was previously ruled by Persian speaking Arans from Central Asia.
Croatia is a socialist country that has been dominated by so many other countries throughout their existence. They were ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, Hungary, the Ottomans from Turkey, the Huns, the Haspbergs, and Venice. From 1945 to1995 it was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, which included 6 republics: Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Slovenia. Yugoslavia means Yugo-south and Slavia- Slavic homeland. Croatia gained it's independence in 1991 and covers 57,000 square kilometers and has 4.8 million people who are 90% Roman Catholic. Zagreb has a population of 1 million, is the capital and is on the 48th parallel which is the same latitude as Montana and Canada. The trees around Zagreb are pines and oaks and right now they are covered in snow. We are in the mountains and the highway goes through tunnels that are built as overpasses just for the wildlife; very similar to those we saw in Canada. Split is the second largest city with a population of 250,000. The Sava River is their longest river. The Croatia flag is red and white from the Republic and blue from the Adriatic Sea. The Coat of Arms for Croatia is a crown with 5 old coats of arms from the old countries:: Debrovnik, Zadar, Split, Bosnia and Hvar. HRVATSKA is Croatia spelled in their native language. Their native animal is the brown bear which is also protected.
We are on our way to Zadar on the coast to board the boat. Zadar is a modern yet 3000 year old city. It is a UNESCO site because the 3000 year old buildings were built without the use of cement and are still standing. The area of Croatia that touches the Adriatic Sea is called the Dalmatian Coast. This coast is rocky and has forests and the farmers grow olives and vineyards. They are known for their red wines. they also are the origin of the Dalmatian dog.
Croatian people living here 30,000 years ago were Neanderthal. By 3000BC they were called the Vucedol with an advanced culture. The town of Hvar came with the rise of the Mediterranean culture. In 1000BC the Illyrians from Greece came here. Croatian natives fought the Greeks in 231BC and lost. From there the Romans obtained control and renamed it the Illyrium Province in 11BC. The Dalmatian Roman town called Jadera is now called Zadar. Croatia is related to the Slavic nations and call themselves HRVAT which is actually a Persian word. They were a Slavic tribe that was previously ruled by Persian speaking Arans from Central Asia.
Croatia and the Dalmatia Coast on Adriatic Sea
Monday, November 29, 2010.
Today we flew out of JIA airport to Atlanta to fly international to Paris, France and then Zagreb, Croatia. It was an extremely packed flight and very warm, but we both had aisle seats. Daddy paid $46.00 online last night for the luggage and then found out all international flights wave that fee. We fly out of Atlanta at 3:45 to Paris for an 8 hour flight. This flight wasn't full, so I had an empty seat beside me. YES!
It was chilly and very cloudy in Atlanta and they call for it to be unseasonably cold in Paris. The dinner was really good with white meat chicken, sweet potato puree, green beans, salad, cheese, crackers and a triple chocolate brownie. The flight seemed really long and we arrived in Paris at 5:30 AM on Tuesday, the 30th. It is dark outside, even at 7:30 AM and snow is laying on the roofs, grass and cars. Our flight to Zagreb, Croatia is at 9:45 AM and is to be 2 hours long. The time difference between Paris and home is 6 hours so it is now 2 AM at home.
The young girls here wear very long shirts or very short shirt dresses with leggings underneath covered with thick knee highs and short boots. What a combination, but it looks okay on them! It's supposed to be snowing in Zagreb now and 80% chance of snow the next 3 days! We are to stay overnight here then board a bus for a 4 hour drive to Zadar, a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea.
Zagreb has snow on the ground and roads, but the city is very clean. Daddy's luggage didn't arrive in Zagreb when we did. They only have 2 flights a day, so hopefully, it'll be here in another 6 hours. The Zagreb Palace Hotel is gorgeous! It must be a 5 star. It has damask drapes, thick inlaid carpet, crystal chandeliers, inlaid wooden tables and walls, even their towels have their names woven into the weave! Our room is a mini suite with a living room separate from the bedroom. Of course, all across Europe the beds are always 2 twin beds pushed together with percale duvets on top. We were able to open the windows to cool off the room. Because of the snow they have heated the room way too much for us. We also had a huge jacuzzi tub which most of the other couples in our group didn't have. It sure felt good after that long plane ride. Our dinner was delicious with a choice of white or red wine, salad with arugula, radicchio in balsalmic vineigrette , carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, a noodle and cheese strudel which is a local speciality( called mlinci) and 5 different desserts from which to
choose. Our bathroom has a radiator to warm the whole room which is covered in a white porcelain substance to be used as a towel warmer also. How about that!!!! This hotel is the oldest in Zagreb (1891) but is so well kept up, it just oozes European charm. The airport-aireaka- is the largest in Croatia and is used mostly by Hungary.
Wednesday,December 1, 2010.
It snowed quite a bit overnight. It's on all the roof tops, streets and trees. They have blue streetcars that ride down both sides of the street right next to the curbs. Our bus picked us up at the hotel and we rode for 4 hours to the coast. The closer we got to the mountains the more snow was falling. The roads were slippery because we saw 3 cars that had overturned on the side of the highway. But our bus.driver did well; we weren't even scared. The trees are so covered with snow they looked flocked! It's absolutely gorgeous ! At one of the gas station stops they had very tiny woven straw Xmas ornaments like angels and bells no more than an inch high. I'll have to see if I can buy some of them. Funny - our bus is called Gulliver Travel. The closer to the coast we go, the snow is now changing to rain because we are over the mountain. Zagreb is in the interior of Croatia. Zadar is on the coast and that is where our boat picks us up.
Today we flew out of JIA airport to Atlanta to fly international to Paris, France and then Zagreb, Croatia. It was an extremely packed flight and very warm, but we both had aisle seats. Daddy paid $46.00 online last night for the luggage and then found out all international flights wave that fee. We fly out of Atlanta at 3:45 to Paris for an 8 hour flight. This flight wasn't full, so I had an empty seat beside me. YES!
It was chilly and very cloudy in Atlanta and they call for it to be unseasonably cold in Paris. The dinner was really good with white meat chicken, sweet potato puree, green beans, salad, cheese, crackers and a triple chocolate brownie. The flight seemed really long and we arrived in Paris at 5:30 AM on Tuesday, the 30th. It is dark outside, even at 7:30 AM and snow is laying on the roofs, grass and cars. Our flight to Zagreb, Croatia is at 9:45 AM and is to be 2 hours long. The time difference between Paris and home is 6 hours so it is now 2 AM at home.
The young girls here wear very long shirts or very short shirt dresses with leggings underneath covered with thick knee highs and short boots. What a combination, but it looks okay on them! It's supposed to be snowing in Zagreb now and 80% chance of snow the next 3 days! We are to stay overnight here then board a bus for a 4 hour drive to Zadar, a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea.
Zagreb has snow on the ground and roads, but the city is very clean. Daddy's luggage didn't arrive in Zagreb when we did. They only have 2 flights a day, so hopefully, it'll be here in another 6 hours. The Zagreb Palace Hotel is gorgeous! It must be a 5 star. It has damask drapes, thick inlaid carpet, crystal chandeliers, inlaid wooden tables and walls, even their towels have their names woven into the weave! Our room is a mini suite with a living room separate from the bedroom. Of course, all across Europe the beds are always 2 twin beds pushed together with percale duvets on top. We were able to open the windows to cool off the room. Because of the snow they have heated the room way too much for us. We also had a huge jacuzzi tub which most of the other couples in our group didn't have. It sure felt good after that long plane ride. Our dinner was delicious with a choice of white or red wine, salad with arugula, radicchio in balsalmic vineigrette , carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, a noodle and cheese strudel which is a local speciality( called mlinci) and 5 different desserts from which to
choose. Our bathroom has a radiator to warm the whole room which is covered in a white porcelain substance to be used as a towel warmer also. How about that!!!! This hotel is the oldest in Zagreb (1891) but is so well kept up, it just oozes European charm. The airport-aireaka- is the largest in Croatia and is used mostly by Hungary.
Wednesday,December 1, 2010.
It snowed quite a bit overnight. It's on all the roof tops, streets and trees. They have blue streetcars that ride down both sides of the street right next to the curbs. Our bus picked us up at the hotel and we rode for 4 hours to the coast. The closer we got to the mountains the more snow was falling. The roads were slippery because we saw 3 cars that had overturned on the side of the highway. But our bus.driver did well; we weren't even scared. The trees are so covered with snow they looked flocked! It's absolutely gorgeous ! At one of the gas station stops they had very tiny woven straw Xmas ornaments like angels and bells no more than an inch high. I'll have to see if I can buy some of them. Funny - our bus is called Gulliver Travel. The closer to the coast we go, the snow is now changing to rain because we are over the mountain. Zagreb is in the interior of Croatia. Zadar is on the coast and that is where our boat picks us up.
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