Today we need our passports again because we are not in Croatia. Most of our trip has been in towns in Croatia. When we flew to Zagreb, Croatia we went through customs; therefore, we do not need our passports anywhere in Croatiaa. But we needed them in Montenegro and now in Bosnia.
Our boat is docked in the river outside of Neum, Croatia. The water is crystal clear and the shore is steep and rocky. The trees on the shore are pine, fir, cedar, palms and oleander.There are 6 hotels here. The area is rich because the trade is only 1% tax here; but Croatia has 23% tax. The hotels are very expensive and exclusive. Croatia is on the border against the water for 8 miles. So Bosnia does not touch the water. We had to get in tenders to get to shore. There they had to check our passports before we boarded a bus to go to the Bosnian border.
we are rdriving through a valley in Croatia where they grow most of their agriculture. Their weather is perfect for it. They have olive groves, vineyards, apple groves, kiwi groves, tangerine trees and watermelon. From the 15th century to the early 19th century, the Ottoman Empire was in control of this area. From the 7th century on it has been Christian. The olive trees are only 2 years old because the Civil Wars destroyed their crops. First, it was the Serbs who set them on fire. Then it was bombed when the Muslims were fighting the Croats.
The Yugo was the only car produced in Yugoslavia. By the end of the 1980's the Yugo had been upgraded. The village is deserted now
because when the war came the Muslims left and not too many bothered to come back. They just left their mosques with their minarets because the Croatians moved in from Bosnia. It was known as an art colony in the summer because of all the artists that visited to paint. They store their beer and grappa outside because it is so cold.
Mostar, Bosnia is a city of bridges. It is at the crossroads of the East and West. Founded and developed by the Turks, it is still a place where all of the cu,tures meet and blend. It is the second largset town in Bosnia. The largest is the capital, Sarajevo. This countrygoes by 2 names: Bosnia and Herzegovina. They use 2 alphabets: the Surrelic and Latin. It is protected from the winds by the hills so it is a little warmer here than where the boat is. It was 35 degrees at the boat, so we are dressed in layers. Plus the sun is shining now since it is later in the day. Now it is 50 degrees.You can see a lot of destroyed houses and the streets have trash blowing all around. They are so depressed they don't have the pride the Croatians have for their towns. Before the war Mostar was a great town, but not now. They had an aluminum factory that was connected to Croatia by train. After the Civil War all industry has halted. During the war all of the factories and infrasucture was destroyed, so the economy is in very bad shape. The people only care about themselves, not about their towns or others. There are lots of graves on the sides of the road just from the Civil War of 1991 - 1999. Before the war 100,000 people lived here, now only 70,000. In all of Bosnia/Herzegovina the population is 4.5 million. Bostnick is Muslim for Bosnia. Bosnia/Herzegovina is 35% Muslim, 30% Roman Catholic and 20% Serbian and a small percentage of Jewish gypsies. We can see a Christian cross up in the hills which is the highest cross in the Balkans. The first people that settled in Bosnia were the Illyrians, then the Romans, then the Baltics, followed by the Turks, then the Austrians. Then it became part of Yugoslavia and now is Bosnia/Herzegovina. The Turks brought the Islam way of life to these people and they just assimilated it. The Austrians brought schools, culture, music and theatre.
They had many Turkish wars. You could tell what faith a person was by the color they wore. The Serbs wore green, the Muslims wore blue and the Roman Catholic Croats wore red. In a Muslim house the women and children never saw the visitors. The man entertained them by himself with food and drink prepared by his wives. She would prepare the food and place it on a shelf that would turn and open up on the other side of the wall where the husband was entertaining. Therefore, the visitors would never see the man's family at all. Today, they can have several wives if they can support them. In most cases they can't afford more than one. The kitchen was in the yard with the fireplace. To keep the house warm they brought the coals inside and placed them in a metal pot with a lid. It served to keep the food and room warm. They drink Turkish coffee very slowly because it is very thick. Their cups have no handles and they are very small. The women always had their faces covered. A man could not see her before he married her. Now they don't practice this anymore. When the Austrians came and they could see the ladies eyes, they changed. When the Communists came the ladies became powerful.
When the Serbs fought the Croats, Bosnia was the land caught in betwee;, so their people were divided in their patriotism depending on where they lived. So many have not come back to where they used to live and their houses are just sitting there destroyed and empty. it is a really depressing city.
We also visited the old town. It has all cobblestone streets and is hard to walk on. it is also very cold outside with a strong wind called the burra. It has forts, towers and gates all built in the 16th century. it is built around the river which is flowing so swiftly today because eof all the rain they recently had. In fact, part of the river is flooding into people's yards and porches. The recent Civil War destroyed the old bridge and it has just recently been reconstructed. This old bridge of the Old Town of Mostar is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. They had to do the reconstruction exactly as if it were being done in the 16th century. When it was reopened the Prince of Wales did the honor in July, 2005. It is amazing to see how high the bridge rises in such a short span, that they could have built something like this in the 16th century!.
The streets are steep and narrow in the Old Town. There are many, many shops and mosques here. At noon bells ring and the Muslims walk towards their mosques for their daily service. This occurs 5 times a day. They definitely seem to be more religious than we do, if mosque attendance is counted. There are also Roman Catholic churches too. We were able to do a lot of souvenir shopping here. I was able to buy some beautiful scarves and of course, I found my thimbles. At one point I got nervous because a young girl was begging for food. she grabbed my arm as if to pull me and get my attention. I just kept on walking. That part is hard to deal with. You know we live in such a nice country with all of the modern conveniences, and here they are in a third world environment.
We are back on the bus going to a restaurant for a very late lunch, like 2:30PM. It has been a rather long ride and in some spots the bus can hardly stay on the roads because they are so narrow. When we went over one bridge I looked out and couldn't even see the road below us. It looked like the bus was literally, driving on top of the river. We weren't sure what food we were eating. The salad was identifiable, but the meat: chicken? Turkey? Beef? Pork? Found out later that day. It was chicken and veal. Some people don't believe that. But it definitely was not pork because the restaurant was a Muslim one.
We arrived back on the boat very late and had to hurry up for the Captain's Farewell Dinner. It was very good and the people somewhat dressed up, but not like you see on the big cruise ships. All of us have been wearing our clothes more than once over here. You just cannot pack enough for this long of a trip into one suitcase.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010, Korcula, Montenegro.
Korcula, Montenegro is an old historic town that dates back to 4BC when the Greeks came here, which they called Lombardo. The Greeks and Illyrians drew up a contract in 4 BC as friends not as invaders. Then it was called Korcula Black because of the mountains. The first written document in Korcula was written in the 10th century AD. During the 11th century the Venetians gained control. In the 16th century they built walls around the town. The Austrian-Hungarian Dynasty took control in the mid 19th century. The wall surrounding the town has been broken down at the top several times to be able to use the stones. originally the wall had 12 towers, but now there are only 7. Two of the square towers are of Rabeline construction and have a lion with wings holding a book. the lion represents Venice and the book represents peace. So the Venetians came in peace but not to control them. In 1863 they had a draw bridge in order fomented the town. It was locked p at night and you had to ring a bell and pass inspection in order to enter.The highest point around the town is Mount Elias which is 961 meters high.
The main church is ST. Marks. Inside the museum are souvenirs from wars during the 14th -17th centuries. They have come from Crete. The church ceiling is painted with Biblical scenes. On Good Friday the town has a procession of men from 3 separate brotherhoods that originated from the 3 churches. They are: the Brotherhood of All Saints which represents the shipbuilders, the Brotherhood of ST. Michael which represents the stone carvers, and the Brotherhhod of St. Druggall which represents the tradesmen. ll of these brotherhoods are connected to their respective churches. These brotherhoods were influenced by the Venetians and only men march in the procession. the rights to belong to these guilds passes down from father to son at birth. The shipbuilders guild was started in 1301 and was the largest and
oldest guild. The women perform all of the preparation and clean up at the festival. Each guild has a representative that carries a very large candle in a cup supported by a sash. The ST. Michael candles weighs 160 pounds. It is carried in the procession for 1 hour.
ST. Lucie is the lady patron saint of the blind. She is celebrated on December 13th. ST. Katherine is celebrated on November 25th. ST. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th. Officially, there are o gifts given on Christmas.The gifts are given by Santa in the New Year. Christmas is for the celebration of Jesus only. The Chapel of the Lady of now is on an island and it has protected the town from the Turks. This island controls the channel and all ship traffic. When the Turks attacked Korcula the Bishop sent all of the people outside the walls with weapons. The Turks figured they had just as many soldiers inside. plus a very strong north wind came and the Turks ran away.
The town hall was built on the 16 th century behind the palace for the Venetian rulers. Now the town offices are there because it is the political center of the town. The first example of a public servant in the 17th century was a doctor that was paid by the government.The town is laid out in an unusual way. There is 1 main street with all the other streets crossing this main street. All of the streets on the east of Main Street are curves to slow the wind and cool off the town with it's very hot summers. The streets to the west of Main Street all end at the water and are straight so the wind from the water can flow straight into the town. This is their form of air conditioning and it was built this way thousands of years ago.
The palaces then had the door and window built as one. The kitchen is always on the top floor for safety reasons because fires always burn up. Up at the top of the house they have 2 more hours of light to see to cook. In addition, food smells rise to the roof instead of going into the bedrooms. Last, but not least, they have privacy and a great view from the top floor. One of the stores had a sign that said " OLD IS NICE". They still need stonemason skills today because they need to constantly fix their homes and walls. They keep olive oil in huge stone jugs with a stone on top to keep animals out.
ST. Mark is the patron saint of the town from the 14 th to the 16 th century. The church was built with Roman, Gothic and Venetian influences. It has been built in 4 part; the last part in the 16th century was the bell tower. children and people who had not been baptized had to enter the bell tower to become baptized before they could enter the church. This cathedral was built on top of the Roman castle, so it isn't symmetrical like most. There are carvings showing lions coming down from the heavens with Adam and Eve below them. The columns have a knot in the center representing a connection between the heavens and earth. the remains of ST. Theodore are behind a drape on the altar. Swords are on the walls inside the church because they protected the town against invaders. instead of an organ , they have a piano becaus sit has great acoustics.
In 1254 Marco Polo was born here in Korcula a citizen of the Venetian Kingdom. His family was known for their travels all over the world, so he was just following in their footsteps. He came back and told stories of things he had seen. Europeans did not believe him about the silk, ice cream and fireworks from China. They thought he was making it all up.
We have tasted cappuccinos in every town we have been in. Their coffee is very small and without cream. A cappuccino has steamed milk, not cream. I don't think they even make cream.
The main church is ST. Marks. Inside the museum are souvenirs from wars during the 14th -17th centuries. They have come from Crete. The church ceiling is painted with Biblical scenes. On Good Friday the town has a procession of men from 3 separate brotherhoods that originated from the 3 churches. They are: the Brotherhood of All Saints which represents the shipbuilders, the Brotherhood of ST. Michael which represents the stone carvers, and the Brotherhhod of St. Druggall which represents the tradesmen. ll of these brotherhoods are connected to their respective churches. These brotherhoods were influenced by the Venetians and only men march in the procession. the rights to belong to these guilds passes down from father to son at birth. The shipbuilders guild was started in 1301 and was the largest and
oldest guild. The women perform all of the preparation and clean up at the festival. Each guild has a representative that carries a very large candle in a cup supported by a sash. The ST. Michael candles weighs 160 pounds. It is carried in the procession for 1 hour.
ST. Lucie is the lady patron saint of the blind. She is celebrated on December 13th. ST. Katherine is celebrated on November 25th. ST. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th. Officially, there are o gifts given on Christmas.The gifts are given by Santa in the New Year. Christmas is for the celebration of Jesus only. The Chapel of the Lady of now is on an island and it has protected the town from the Turks. This island controls the channel and all ship traffic. When the Turks attacked Korcula the Bishop sent all of the people outside the walls with weapons. The Turks figured they had just as many soldiers inside. plus a very strong north wind came and the Turks ran away.
The town hall was built on the 16 th century behind the palace for the Venetian rulers. Now the town offices are there because it is the political center of the town. The first example of a public servant in the 17th century was a doctor that was paid by the government.The town is laid out in an unusual way. There is 1 main street with all the other streets crossing this main street. All of the streets on the east of Main Street are curves to slow the wind and cool off the town with it's very hot summers. The streets to the west of Main Street all end at the water and are straight so the wind from the water can flow straight into the town. This is their form of air conditioning and it was built this way thousands of years ago.
The palaces then had the door and window built as one. The kitchen is always on the top floor for safety reasons because fires always burn up. Up at the top of the house they have 2 more hours of light to see to cook. In addition, food smells rise to the roof instead of going into the bedrooms. Last, but not least, they have privacy and a great view from the top floor. One of the stores had a sign that said " OLD IS NICE". They still need stonemason skills today because they need to constantly fix their homes and walls. They keep olive oil in huge stone jugs with a stone on top to keep animals out.
ST. Mark is the patron saint of the town from the 14 th to the 16 th century. The church was built with Roman, Gothic and Venetian influences. It has been built in 4 part; the last part in the 16th century was the bell tower. children and people who had not been baptized had to enter the bell tower to become baptized before they could enter the church. This cathedral was built on top of the Roman castle, so it isn't symmetrical like most. There are carvings showing lions coming down from the heavens with Adam and Eve below them. The columns have a knot in the center representing a connection between the heavens and earth. the remains of ST. Theodore are behind a drape on the altar. Swords are on the walls inside the church because they protected the town against invaders. instead of an organ , they have a piano becaus sit has great acoustics.
In 1254 Marco Polo was born here in Korcula a citizen of the Venetian Kingdom. His family was known for their travels all over the world, so he was just following in their footsteps. He came back and told stories of things he had seen. Europeans did not believe him about the silk, ice cream and fireworks from China. They thought he was making it all up.
We have tasted cappuccinos in every town we have been in. Their coffee is very small and without cream. A cappuccino has steamed milk, not cream. I don't think they even make cream.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010, Cetinje
Cetinje was the former capital of Montenegro. Here single story cottages share the street with mansions. In 1452 the town was founded by Ivan Crnojevic, ruler of the Zeta State. The Monastery was built in 1785. We had to ride on a bus from the docks thru a tunnel in the mountains and out into the country to this historic capital. The Gothic medieval castle became the monastery. The peasants hid here when the Ottomans and Muslims attacked the town. The first books were printed here in 1494. The church books were made with gold, silver and pearl ornamentation and were protected for 400 years. It is the soul and spirit of these people. The 12 most important ambassadors of Europe came here at the end of the 19th century.
Prince Nicholas was chosen to be educated in Europe. He learned German when very young and attended a primary school in Vienna. He was at the Cadet Academy of Paris at 19 when he was sent a message to come home to takeover the throne. He was coronated from Prince to King. His marriage was arranged in 1860. She was only 15 and he was 19 years old. They were married for 50 years and had 9 daughters. One died at 1 year old, another died at 11 years. Being all girls and out in the country with no nobility around the girls' marriages were also arranged. One, Regina, became Queen of Italy. One married Serbian royalty, 2 married Prussian royalty and one married Russian royalty. One was a tomboy and one remained unmarried. In 1918 the commission decided to join together Montenegeo, Serbs, Croats and Bosnians. During WWI King Nicholas and his queen had to evacuate through Italy to Dieppe, France. They died there in poverty in 1921. When Communism was in control their coffins were not allowed back home. After Communism fell, the coffins were returned to Montenegro.
The Monastery was destroyed and rebuilt many times by the Ottomans and Serbs. Every spring these countries attacked Cetinje. All the embassies that were here have been turned into cultural centers for music, art, theatre and academy. Now there are many people living here concerned with improving the town. The museum was built with parquet floors. Inside are the decorations given to King Nick by the Prussians, Germans, Turkish, Japanese, Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, French, English, Croatians, Spanish, Illyrians, Romanians and the Pope. They had the formal clothing of the King and Queen and even some of their children. They didn't wear boots, but leather shoes.
Our Lady of the Rocks Island was built by dumping rocks on a reef in the bay. Some fishermen found a painting of Mary and Jesus in 1450 on the reef and thought it was a miracle. So they started to build the island. The bay was 22 meters deep and they started building the island with rocks in 1550. In 1630 they built a small Baroque church with 68 paintings from Paris. The ceiling is painted with Old Testament scenes, Mary's Assumption and Jesus. One hundred services a year are performed here in the form of weddings and baptisms. The bride must leave a present for Mary when they use this church. There are pictures of ships in storms at sea and sailors with maimed arms and legs and they are asking for protection when at sea. The pipe organ is the oldest working organ in all of Yugoslavia. The altar is made from 4 types of marble: white from Italy, most expensive is the green from Italy, yellow marble from sienna and rose colored marble from Egypt. The compass in the courtyard is made of roseand white marble. Buried underneath the church are the first two priests of this church.
A lady from Kotor whose husband was a sailor and away at sea more than at home embroidered a replica of Mary and Jesus above the altar. She used 8 different thread forms including gold, silver, cotton, silk, and even used her own hair for the angels' hair. it took 25 years to complete.
At 2:30 today we took a tender out to the Our Lady of the Rocks Island and the historic Roman Catholic church with each of us carrying a rock. Once there we all tossed our rocks into the sea just around the church and it's courtyard; thereby adding to it's size. That was the cost of admission to the island. When we arrived back on board one of our passengers who is an artist drew a cartoon of fish under the water as we toss in the rocks. The fish has a band aid on his head and throbbing marks above his head to show it was painful when the rock struck him. The caption read, " Those OAT people are here again!"
Prince Nicholas was chosen to be educated in Europe. He learned German when very young and attended a primary school in Vienna. He was at the Cadet Academy of Paris at 19 when he was sent a message to come home to takeover the throne. He was coronated from Prince to King. His marriage was arranged in 1860. She was only 15 and he was 19 years old. They were married for 50 years and had 9 daughters. One died at 1 year old, another died at 11 years. Being all girls and out in the country with no nobility around the girls' marriages were also arranged. One, Regina, became Queen of Italy. One married Serbian royalty, 2 married Prussian royalty and one married Russian royalty. One was a tomboy and one remained unmarried. In 1918 the commission decided to join together Montenegeo, Serbs, Croats and Bosnians. During WWI King Nicholas and his queen had to evacuate through Italy to Dieppe, France. They died there in poverty in 1921. When Communism was in control their coffins were not allowed back home. After Communism fell, the coffins were returned to Montenegro.
The Monastery was destroyed and rebuilt many times by the Ottomans and Serbs. Every spring these countries attacked Cetinje. All the embassies that were here have been turned into cultural centers for music, art, theatre and academy. Now there are many people living here concerned with improving the town. The museum was built with parquet floors. Inside are the decorations given to King Nick by the Prussians, Germans, Turkish, Japanese, Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, French, English, Croatians, Spanish, Illyrians, Romanians and the Pope. They had the formal clothing of the King and Queen and even some of their children. They didn't wear boots, but leather shoes.
Our Lady of the Rocks Island was built by dumping rocks on a reef in the bay. Some fishermen found a painting of Mary and Jesus in 1450 on the reef and thought it was a miracle. So they started to build the island. The bay was 22 meters deep and they started building the island with rocks in 1550. In 1630 they built a small Baroque church with 68 paintings from Paris. The ceiling is painted with Old Testament scenes, Mary's Assumption and Jesus. One hundred services a year are performed here in the form of weddings and baptisms. The bride must leave a present for Mary when they use this church. There are pictures of ships in storms at sea and sailors with maimed arms and legs and they are asking for protection when at sea. The pipe organ is the oldest working organ in all of Yugoslavia. The altar is made from 4 types of marble: white from Italy, most expensive is the green from Italy, yellow marble from sienna and rose colored marble from Egypt. The compass in the courtyard is made of roseand white marble. Buried underneath the church are the first two priests of this church.
A lady from Kotor whose husband was a sailor and away at sea more than at home embroidered a replica of Mary and Jesus above the altar. She used 8 different thread forms including gold, silver, cotton, silk, and even used her own hair for the angels' hair. it took 25 years to complete.
At 2:30 today we took a tender out to the Our Lady of the Rocks Island and the historic Roman Catholic church with each of us carrying a rock. Once there we all tossed our rocks into the sea just around the church and it's courtyard; thereby adding to it's size. That was the cost of admission to the island. When we arrived back on board one of our passengers who is an artist drew a cartoon of fish under the water as we toss in the rocks. The fish has a band aid on his head and throbbing marks above his head to show it was painful when the rock struck him. The caption read, " Those OAT people are here again!"
Tuesday, December 7, 2010, Kotor, Montenegro
Montenegro is a small nation, 13,812 square kilometers (size of Conneticut) that has a great position in the Balkan Peninsula. They have a strong army and are extremely tall people, population -680,000; but are considered lazy.They have 10% unemployment. It's name means black mountains because from a distance that's how they look. The mountains are covered with dense dark green forests. From the boat you see black mountains, aquamarine water and red tiled roofed limestone villas and rocky, steep hillsides. Their people were originally Roman Catholic, but after Yugoslavai fell, the Serbs moved in in large numbers. Now they are mostly Orthodox. Boka Bay that leads to the town of Kotor is an UNESCO site because it is considered to be the most beautiful bay in the world. They are poor in natural minerals, just have limestone; but have natural beauty. The inner part of the bay resembles a fjord. Boka Bay means "out from". In the past ships would come into Boka Bay for trade, rest and repair. The shipyard was built in the 14th century by the bay because the water is always calm. The town in so far up the bay that the rough waters of the Adriatic Sea does not reach them. The coastline is gorgeous because it has pebbly beaches. Lots of people spend their summers here and it is extremely crowded. Last week in Vienna, Austria, the red wine Montenegro produces won the gold medal over a1300 other wines.
It was a little difficult to eat breakfast as we were sailing to Montenegro. The captain said it'll be very rough because the south winds were blowing very hard. He said anyone with a sensitive stomach needed to take some Dramamine. Daddy and I were fine.
For 500 years the Kingdom of Montenegro was able to protect itself against invaders because the have very high mountains.The walls around the city of Kotor were built from the 9-19 centuries. They have a seagate that holds the seawater back.. At the top of the mountain is the Our Lady of Herbed Remedy which in 1667 was the largest in Europe. It was built into the hillside and is only open now for the holidays because you need to climb 600 steps to reach it. These people are extremely tall and their steps have very tall risers. When the Black Plaque hit here in the 16th century they took the sick up to the church.
After WWII, Montenegro's borders were fixed by Tito, but they were basically the same as they were previous. As Yugoslavia they had plenty of industy. Plus, they had an industry based on organized crime. Their main industry was smuggling tobacco. After Yugoslavia folded, all of their industry was destroyed. Montenegro was liberated on November 21, 1944. Now, they only have tourism. The Serbs living in Montenegro did not want their independence in the civil war of 1991-1999, so they held out to the end. They were the last to receive independence, June, 2006. In 1998 they changed their currency to the German Marc. Then it was changed to the Euro; but it is not in the European Union.
Montenegro today is 70% Orthodox; but the southern half is Roman Catholic. They have learned how to harmonize together and there is a lot of intermarriages. They do whatever they have to to survive. One week ago today they had a huge rainstorm which flooded the town up to the bench seats. Today, there are still lots of big puddles. The mayor of the town is a lady and she requires they wash their stone squares every day. Inside the town the main square is called Weapons Square because this was where they made beautiful swords out of gold, silver and bronze. The clock tower was built in the 17th century and they continue the tradition of oiling the clock daily. The pillory in front of the clock was where they tied the criminals tom the building. The Pima family were the aristocrats that started education for all the people. Their castle is now the Grammar School and is 4 stories tall. The Roman Catholic Cathedral was built in 1166 with a clock tower dedicated to ST. Triphon, the patron saint of the town. From 809AD to 2009AD they carried his body through the town every February. This is part of their heritage.
The Maritime Museum has the 98 Coats of Arms from all over Boka Bay of the aristocratic families inside it's walls. There was elegant furniture made from the wood of the lemon trees. On display were many items that sailors brought back from foreign countries: elephant tusks, hair pins from the 18th century, fan from China, English dishes, guns decorated with gold, sliver, ivory and pearl, ornate gunpowder boxes with huge silver tassels. Ladies of that time carried carved blades inside their sleeves for protection when they were alone on the streets.
The Orthodox Square is called ST. Nick and was built in the 19th century. The ST. Luca Church was built in the 12th century and it is Roman Catholic. Their squares have restaurants with tables outside under huge umbrellas. These umbrellas curve up (looking upside down to us) because it forces the hot air to flow up, out and away, instead of staying under the umbrella. Neat idea! I ordered a cappuccino and a water while I people watched. The ladies wore a lot of leggings, patent leather boots that come above the knees, short skirts, wool coats, scarves and umbrellas. Most of the people have dark hair and eyes. Daddy went to walk the wall. I can't after re-injuring my knee in Dubrovnik. There are very few cars within the town walls. Instead the people drive bicycles with baskets on the front the size and shape of a coffee table to carry their wares. They could carry a month's groceries in these.
We were supposed to have a group of performers tonight on the boat performing local native folk dances, but the winds are so bad they cannot get onto the boat. The winds are called burras and are 55 to 70 mile per hour winds but no rain. it whips up the sea into very high waves and the boat has to anchor down with several anchors to try to level it out. These winds come down from the north and usuallys last for at least 8 hours. It'll be hard to sleep tonight with the boat pitching around. But at least when we sail away tomorrow, the winds'll be gone.
It was a little difficult to eat breakfast as we were sailing to Montenegro. The captain said it'll be very rough because the south winds were blowing very hard. He said anyone with a sensitive stomach needed to take some Dramamine. Daddy and I were fine.
For 500 years the Kingdom of Montenegro was able to protect itself against invaders because the have very high mountains.The walls around the city of Kotor were built from the 9-19 centuries. They have a seagate that holds the seawater back.. At the top of the mountain is the Our Lady of Herbed Remedy which in 1667 was the largest in Europe. It was built into the hillside and is only open now for the holidays because you need to climb 600 steps to reach it. These people are extremely tall and their steps have very tall risers. When the Black Plaque hit here in the 16th century they took the sick up to the church.
After WWII, Montenegro's borders were fixed by Tito, but they were basically the same as they were previous. As Yugoslavia they had plenty of industy. Plus, they had an industry based on organized crime. Their main industry was smuggling tobacco. After Yugoslavia folded, all of their industry was destroyed. Montenegro was liberated on November 21, 1944. Now, they only have tourism. The Serbs living in Montenegro did not want their independence in the civil war of 1991-1999, so they held out to the end. They were the last to receive independence, June, 2006. In 1998 they changed their currency to the German Marc. Then it was changed to the Euro; but it is not in the European Union.
Montenegro today is 70% Orthodox; but the southern half is Roman Catholic. They have learned how to harmonize together and there is a lot of intermarriages. They do whatever they have to to survive. One week ago today they had a huge rainstorm which flooded the town up to the bench seats. Today, there are still lots of big puddles. The mayor of the town is a lady and she requires they wash their stone squares every day. Inside the town the main square is called Weapons Square because this was where they made beautiful swords out of gold, silver and bronze. The clock tower was built in the 17th century and they continue the tradition of oiling the clock daily. The pillory in front of the clock was where they tied the criminals tom the building. The Pima family were the aristocrats that started education for all the people. Their castle is now the Grammar School and is 4 stories tall. The Roman Catholic Cathedral was built in 1166 with a clock tower dedicated to ST. Triphon, the patron saint of the town. From 809AD to 2009AD they carried his body through the town every February. This is part of their heritage.
The Maritime Museum has the 98 Coats of Arms from all over Boka Bay of the aristocratic families inside it's walls. There was elegant furniture made from the wood of the lemon trees. On display were many items that sailors brought back from foreign countries: elephant tusks, hair pins from the 18th century, fan from China, English dishes, guns decorated with gold, sliver, ivory and pearl, ornate gunpowder boxes with huge silver tassels. Ladies of that time carried carved blades inside their sleeves for protection when they were alone on the streets.
The Orthodox Square is called ST. Nick and was built in the 19th century. The ST. Luca Church was built in the 12th century and it is Roman Catholic. Their squares have restaurants with tables outside under huge umbrellas. These umbrellas curve up (looking upside down to us) because it forces the hot air to flow up, out and away, instead of staying under the umbrella. Neat idea! I ordered a cappuccino and a water while I people watched. The ladies wore a lot of leggings, patent leather boots that come above the knees, short skirts, wool coats, scarves and umbrellas. Most of the people have dark hair and eyes. Daddy went to walk the wall. I can't after re-injuring my knee in Dubrovnik. There are very few cars within the town walls. Instead the people drive bicycles with baskets on the front the size and shape of a coffee table to carry their wares. They could carry a month's groceries in these.
We were supposed to have a group of performers tonight on the boat performing local native folk dances, but the winds are so bad they cannot get onto the boat. The winds are called burras and are 55 to 70 mile per hour winds but no rain. it whips up the sea into very high waves and the boat has to anchor down with several anchors to try to level it out. These winds come down from the north and usuallys last for at least 8 hours. It'll be hard to sleep tonight with the boat pitching around. But at least when we sail away tomorrow, the winds'll be gone.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Dubrovnik, Home Visit, Monday , December 6, 2010.
The country of Croatia being 90% Roman Catholic celebrates Xmas and decorates their towns with Nativity scenes and lots of ornaments. They were very strong people to have been able to keep their culture in tact even though they were invaded many, many times. Under Communism the only place they were allowed to speak their native tongue was in church. Therefore, they attended church everyday to be able to socialize with their friends. Their religion allowed them to be able to stay connected with others of their own nationality but only inside their churches. The children were able to attend school in the church also. This formed very strong bonds.
In Hvar, (pronounced without the "h"), we ate Hvarti cheese in cubes but it was served in olive oil. it was delicious. We need to try it that way at home. They serve it on a wooden board. we also ordered seafood risotto with muscles, squid and shrimp. They cooked the seafood with the shells and legs in the risotto. Therefore, we had to pull the legs, heads and shells off before we would eat them. But it was tasty. We also had bread with olive oil. They make the best bread done inside a dome that is covered with ashes to bake for about 3 hours. The dessert was called Rosata which is a caramel cream. It is more like our flan.
We visited a local family that lives outside of Dubrovnik on a farm. With OAT, you always have a home visit with the locals. In 1991, during the Civil War, he was inscripted into the Crotian Army for 4-5 years as a MP. They had to rebuild their home after the Civil War. Most of their house was destroyed; but between them, their extended family and friends, they were able to rebuild it by themselves. The man did all of his own woodwork and stonework. Their walls are of stone on the inside as well as the outside of the house. The two children they have were born after the Civil War. They are 6 and 9. When we arrived they took us into their wine cellar. They had several oaken barrels full of homemade wine and homemade olive oil. They have a farm; therefore, in the wine cellar were huge baskets full of white potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbages, turnips, beets, peppers, almonds, black walnuts, figs, grapes and citrus. Their main citrus they call clementines but it looks like our tangerines. They make their own black walnut schnapps. It was delicious. I had 3 shots of it. They also make their own grappa. This one had herbs in it. When Bill next to me asked which herbs were fermented in it, she pulled out her Croatian/ English dictionary and pointed to the word. It ended up being weeds, instead of some fancy herb!!! And we had already had several shots of it!!! But nobody got sick. I guess it is like the older farmers in America making dandelion wine.
The lady of the house kept stressing that everything they eat is natural. Everything they eat at supper is grown in their gardens. They buy baby pigs at 6 weeks of age and raise them till butchering time. They raise pigs and butcher them and hang the hams up in the wine cellar to cure after they have been placed in salt. Then they slice them very thin into proschuitto which they serve as an appetizer along with cheese, bread and olive oil. They have a special slicer to be able to cut the ham so thin you can almost see through it.
The main course was stuffed cabbage rolls. The rolls were stuffed with rice, carrots, potatoes and ham and then boiled. This is served with a side of mashed potatoes. They eat a lot of starches, but they work really hard outside in the fields all day. They obtain their beef from his parents. His parents raise the calves and butcher while they are young. Therefore they eat a lot of veal. They also raise chickens for the eggs. His wife made Rosata which was so much better than what we ate in the restaurant today. She has a special caramel liquer she pours over it. It just melted in your mouth. After the meal he played a 3 stringed lute and the girls danced their native folk dance to the music.
We were a group of 4 couples and Darko spent some time with us as well. Bill's wife, Karen, said the wife related to me more than the others. I didn't notice it, but I was able to ask her questions and make comments because of the dictionary. She had items for sale after the dinner : homemade crocheted scarves , homemade black walnut liquer, homemade caramel liquer with the recipe for the flan. I wanted to buy that too, but didn't. she had homemade dolls dressed in their native folk costumes; but they weren't dolls to play with. When we left she gave everybody a stocking full of walnuts, almonds, carob sticks and a Clementine.
It was very chilly out tonight because it rained. During the winter they receive a lot of rain. They have no snow and in the summer it can reach 120 degrees Farenheit which is 44 degrees Celcius. The wife came from the town of Dubrovnik where her parents still live. She remembers being able to watch TV a lot as a kid. Her kids do that now. The husband came from the rural area where they now live. He remembers helping out on the farm as a kid. Now the wife works in town as a bookkeeper, but she has even more work to do when she comes home. She has to help in the fields and she has to help with the olive oil, wine, hams, nuts, citrus, figs and putting up of all the veggies.
Tomorrow morning we sail to Montenegro at 6:30AM while we are eating breakfast.
In Hvar, (pronounced without the "h"), we ate Hvarti cheese in cubes but it was served in olive oil. it was delicious. We need to try it that way at home. They serve it on a wooden board. we also ordered seafood risotto with muscles, squid and shrimp. They cooked the seafood with the shells and legs in the risotto. Therefore, we had to pull the legs, heads and shells off before we would eat them. But it was tasty. We also had bread with olive oil. They make the best bread done inside a dome that is covered with ashes to bake for about 3 hours. The dessert was called Rosata which is a caramel cream. It is more like our flan.
We visited a local family that lives outside of Dubrovnik on a farm. With OAT, you always have a home visit with the locals. In 1991, during the Civil War, he was inscripted into the Crotian Army for 4-5 years as a MP. They had to rebuild their home after the Civil War. Most of their house was destroyed; but between them, their extended family and friends, they were able to rebuild it by themselves. The man did all of his own woodwork and stonework. Their walls are of stone on the inside as well as the outside of the house. The two children they have were born after the Civil War. They are 6 and 9. When we arrived they took us into their wine cellar. They had several oaken barrels full of homemade wine and homemade olive oil. They have a farm; therefore, in the wine cellar were huge baskets full of white potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbages, turnips, beets, peppers, almonds, black walnuts, figs, grapes and citrus. Their main citrus they call clementines but it looks like our tangerines. They make their own black walnut schnapps. It was delicious. I had 3 shots of it. They also make their own grappa. This one had herbs in it. When Bill next to me asked which herbs were fermented in it, she pulled out her Croatian/ English dictionary and pointed to the word. It ended up being weeds, instead of some fancy herb!!! And we had already had several shots of it!!! But nobody got sick. I guess it is like the older farmers in America making dandelion wine.
The lady of the house kept stressing that everything they eat is natural. Everything they eat at supper is grown in their gardens. They buy baby pigs at 6 weeks of age and raise them till butchering time. They raise pigs and butcher them and hang the hams up in the wine cellar to cure after they have been placed in salt. Then they slice them very thin into proschuitto which they serve as an appetizer along with cheese, bread and olive oil. They have a special slicer to be able to cut the ham so thin you can almost see through it.
The main course was stuffed cabbage rolls. The rolls were stuffed with rice, carrots, potatoes and ham and then boiled. This is served with a side of mashed potatoes. They eat a lot of starches, but they work really hard outside in the fields all day. They obtain their beef from his parents. His parents raise the calves and butcher while they are young. Therefore they eat a lot of veal. They also raise chickens for the eggs. His wife made Rosata which was so much better than what we ate in the restaurant today. She has a special caramel liquer she pours over it. It just melted in your mouth. After the meal he played a 3 stringed lute and the girls danced their native folk dance to the music.
We were a group of 4 couples and Darko spent some time with us as well. Bill's wife, Karen, said the wife related to me more than the others. I didn't notice it, but I was able to ask her questions and make comments because of the dictionary. She had items for sale after the dinner : homemade crocheted scarves , homemade black walnut liquer, homemade caramel liquer with the recipe for the flan. I wanted to buy that too, but didn't. she had homemade dolls dressed in their native folk costumes; but they weren't dolls to play with. When we left she gave everybody a stocking full of walnuts, almonds, carob sticks and a Clementine.
It was very chilly out tonight because it rained. During the winter they receive a lot of rain. They have no snow and in the summer it can reach 120 degrees Farenheit which is 44 degrees Celcius. The wife came from the town of Dubrovnik where her parents still live. She remembers being able to watch TV a lot as a kid. Her kids do that now. The husband came from the rural area where they now live. He remembers helping out on the farm as a kid. Now the wife works in town as a bookkeeper, but she has even more work to do when she comes home. She has to help in the fields and she has to help with the olive oil, wine, hams, nuts, citrus, figs and putting up of all the veggies.
Tomorrow morning we sail to Montenegro at 6:30AM while we are eating breakfast.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Dubrovnik, Monday, December 6, 2010.
Dubrovnik is an old city that was very wealthy during Mediaval times. This fortress was built from the 12th - 18th centuries. The main part of the town is called the Gruz which is the section closest to the Sea. It was in the center of all the trade routes and did very well also, having the third strongest fleet in the world. It was also powerful. The patricians built summer homes along the seashore. They are known for their long, hot, dry summers from April to November, and their cool winters from November to April. A couple of years ago it snowed in the winter and it stayed on the ground for 3 days. They had to ski down the streets. It's known for it's coral which it harvests from the sea.
It's economy is based on commerce. In the 7th - 13th century they began their commercial center. During the Byzantine Empire they acquired their autonomy then Venice took over from the 13th - 14 1/2 centuries. It became a city-state from the 14th- 19th century. During this time they had 50 consulates all around the Mediterranean Sea as spies. They had good relations with everyone and avoided wars. They were able to keep their freedom because they were wealthy from the salt trade and very strong with their fleets of ships. Their salt was exported everywhere. For only 1000 square kilometers in size they were a power. They emphasized brains over braun and were at the height of their diplomacy during this time. In the 16th century it had one of the largest fleets in the world, 280 ships. They developed excellent shipbuilding skills and have been known worldwide for their " Argusy" high quality ships and the Academy of Sea Faring. They have a population of 50,000, terra cotta roofs and walls one mile long. It took 500 years to build the wall in the 12th century.
In 1667, they had a large earthquake where 6000 people were killed. They never fully recovered. Plus at that time the new world was discovered and their importance in shipping declined. In the beginning of the 19th century Dubrovnik was captured by Napoleon and in 1808 it's republic was abolished.Then Austria gained control and from there on it has been downhill.
Yugo means south and slavia means land of Slavs. So Yugoslavia means land of southern Slavs. Saint Ursula is the patron saint of young girls and she is evident here. There are many statues erected in her honor. She overlooks a botanical island with a deserted
Benedictine Monastery. Mount Search is the highest point and that is where Napoleon built his fortress. There is a cable car that will take
you up there to see all of the surrounding land, but it was destroyed during the civil wars of 1991 - 1999. They have just reopened it. In fact, many of the roofs still show destruction of the war. UNESCO financed the reconstruction.
All around Dubrovnik are city walls and when they were built they were surrounded by a moat for protection. The ST. Lawrence port was built in the 13th century. The Venetians were going to attack so they had to protect themselves. The wooden draw bridge was closed at night and locked, and anyone entering the city had to have proof of who they were to gain admittance. Saint Blaze was the patron saint since the 10th century and on every February 3rd he blesses the city. The Peelee gate is Greek and is decorated with bay leaves which is a symbol of victory. Bay leaves are resistant to insects so they are placed on their houses to show they are healthy. Every person that gained admittance to this city had to bring a stone with them in order to be admitted. These stones were used to build their city. This area was called Rosara when the Illyrians lived here. Then it was called Dubrov when it was populated by Serbs. The main street now used to be a canal originally. The aqueduct is from Roman times with a huge dome with fresh running water from the spring of the Ombria River miles up in the mountains. Next to it is the Curch of Our Saviour from the 16th century. During the civil wars of 1991-1999, the Serbs cut off their water supply and their electric. Then they had to use the wells in order to survive.
Saint Francis stopped in Dubrovnik on his trip from the Holy Land to Rome. He started the Franciscan Monastery here. Originally it was outside the city walls and had vineyards. But Dubrovnik eliminated all of the large buildings outside of their walls, so the monks moved
inside. The monks couldn't work the vineyards so they started making wax candles and making medicines from herbs. This is the oldest working pharmacy in Europe. They still make the rose cream they made in the 14th century from the same prescription. You can smell the roses when you pass by. I bought a jar to bring home.
When the Black Plaque hit Europe from the 14th-16th centuries they established a quarantine building where people entering the town needed to stay for 40 days outside the city walls to be sure they were healthy. It could house 3000-5000 people at a time. Five women had survived the plaque so they were the nurses in the quarantine building and they cleaned it with vinegar. They even provided a church for the quarantine people called Church of Saint Rock.
In the monastery Cloisters, which are decorated in Baroque and Gothic styles, they grow citrus trees, olives and roses. Originally it
housed 30 nuns who never saw society. Now there are only 6, but they still segregate themselves from the outside world. They learned to spin lace from the agave plant. This lace is very expensive and labor intensive; therefore when it is completed it is hidden under glass. Surrounding the Cloisters are very colorful frescoes from the 15th century, which they are repairing and preserving. During the 13th century there was an orphanage, called ST. Claire convent, inside the city walls but connected to the Cloisters. Here a mother could place a child she couldn't feed on this window sill that had a wheel attached. When the nuns turned the wheel they were able to pick up the child, but not see the mother. The mother would break a coin in half and give half to the infant and keep the other half. If in a few years she had enough t be able to raise her child, she could come back and claim him/her by matching the coin halves together. If not, the child would be raised in the orphanage until they were 6 years old. Then they would be sent to the countryside to work. This ensured the children were fed and taught a trade.
They were known for their gold and they had certain standards which they had to meet. If the goldsmith did not meet their high standards, his hand would be chopped off . That practice ensured the quality. They also became rich on their harvesting of the coral from the sea. After the civil war in order to rebuild they used old stones from an old railroad station to replace the damaged houses. It blended beautifully.
Now inside the city walls the ground floors are all commercial shops. One street from the beginning extends up from the port into the town. It is called the Jewish Street. It began as the street where the merchants sold their wares. Now it has become the center for bankers and shippers. The upper floors are used as residential homes. At the very top are the kitchens because they need light to cook and the top floors keep the sunlight the longest. In addition, placing the kitchen at the top was a safety issue. Fires always go up, so the rest of their house would be somewhat protected for a while. During the 17th century they had 10,000 people; now they only have 1000. It is very expensive to live within the city. Most people live outside the city and rent out their houses in the city to tourists. The main square has the church of Saint Blais(Blaze), who is their patron saint; but he never visited this city. The Archbishop of this church had a dream in which he was warned about an attack from the Venetians. He alerted the town and they were able to defeat the Venetians.
At the East gate, Bloche, there is a bell tower with a clock that has two figures( Mato and Botto) that strike the bell on the hour and the half hour. The Rectors Palace was built in the 15th century. Each month a different person is elected to be the rector for 1 month only. That person must be a nobleman over 30 years of age. He is to live upstairs of the Rectory for that 1 month. The Rector wears a red gown with a black sash. Inside the Rectory is a Music room with very old instruments. It has a Venetian chandelier with grape shaped teardrop crystals. They had notary services, a fountain to wash clothes in, and a dragon dungeon for bad crimes against the state which led to death. If a nobleman was doomed, he had to walk the 12 stations of the cross then he was beheaded. If it was a poor peasant, he was hanged outside of the town. In the 17th century, they had carriages with sit down chairs for the royalty only. The servants carried the women and the soldiers carried the men. But the curtains had to remain open because they were so afraid of spies coming into the city and hiding. The upper middle class were usually merchants and the common people were craftsmen. The lowest level was the slaves, but they were not indentured, but free. Slavery was abolished in the 14th century.
We walked on our own in the town and found an Internet store and many shops. I was able to find a jewelry store that sold locally made items. In Medieval times the buttons on the noblemen's clothing were made out of filigreed balls of sliver and gold. These have been turned into earrings and necklaces. I was able to buy some. We also hiked up to the top of the huge wall that surrounds the town. These people have extremely long legs, even the women. They are at least a head taller than I am and that is the short ones. Therefore their steps have very high rises. I had trouble climbing up them and pulled my knee. The view from the top was awesome. you can see forever!
It's economy is based on commerce. In the 7th - 13th century they began their commercial center. During the Byzantine Empire they acquired their autonomy then Venice took over from the 13th - 14 1/2 centuries. It became a city-state from the 14th- 19th century. During this time they had 50 consulates all around the Mediterranean Sea as spies. They had good relations with everyone and avoided wars. They were able to keep their freedom because they were wealthy from the salt trade and very strong with their fleets of ships. Their salt was exported everywhere. For only 1000 square kilometers in size they were a power. They emphasized brains over braun and were at the height of their diplomacy during this time. In the 16th century it had one of the largest fleets in the world, 280 ships. They developed excellent shipbuilding skills and have been known worldwide for their " Argusy" high quality ships and the Academy of Sea Faring. They have a population of 50,000, terra cotta roofs and walls one mile long. It took 500 years to build the wall in the 12th century.
In 1667, they had a large earthquake where 6000 people were killed. They never fully recovered. Plus at that time the new world was discovered and their importance in shipping declined. In the beginning of the 19th century Dubrovnik was captured by Napoleon and in 1808 it's republic was abolished.Then Austria gained control and from there on it has been downhill.
Yugo means south and slavia means land of Slavs. So Yugoslavia means land of southern Slavs. Saint Ursula is the patron saint of young girls and she is evident here. There are many statues erected in her honor. She overlooks a botanical island with a deserted
Benedictine Monastery. Mount Search is the highest point and that is where Napoleon built his fortress. There is a cable car that will take
you up there to see all of the surrounding land, but it was destroyed during the civil wars of 1991 - 1999. They have just reopened it. In fact, many of the roofs still show destruction of the war. UNESCO financed the reconstruction.
All around Dubrovnik are city walls and when they were built they were surrounded by a moat for protection. The ST. Lawrence port was built in the 13th century. The Venetians were going to attack so they had to protect themselves. The wooden draw bridge was closed at night and locked, and anyone entering the city had to have proof of who they were to gain admittance. Saint Blaze was the patron saint since the 10th century and on every February 3rd he blesses the city. The Peelee gate is Greek and is decorated with bay leaves which is a symbol of victory. Bay leaves are resistant to insects so they are placed on their houses to show they are healthy. Every person that gained admittance to this city had to bring a stone with them in order to be admitted. These stones were used to build their city. This area was called Rosara when the Illyrians lived here. Then it was called Dubrov when it was populated by Serbs. The main street now used to be a canal originally. The aqueduct is from Roman times with a huge dome with fresh running water from the spring of the Ombria River miles up in the mountains. Next to it is the Curch of Our Saviour from the 16th century. During the civil wars of 1991-1999, the Serbs cut off their water supply and their electric. Then they had to use the wells in order to survive.
Saint Francis stopped in Dubrovnik on his trip from the Holy Land to Rome. He started the Franciscan Monastery here. Originally it was outside the city walls and had vineyards. But Dubrovnik eliminated all of the large buildings outside of their walls, so the monks moved
inside. The monks couldn't work the vineyards so they started making wax candles and making medicines from herbs. This is the oldest working pharmacy in Europe. They still make the rose cream they made in the 14th century from the same prescription. You can smell the roses when you pass by. I bought a jar to bring home.
When the Black Plaque hit Europe from the 14th-16th centuries they established a quarantine building where people entering the town needed to stay for 40 days outside the city walls to be sure they were healthy. It could house 3000-5000 people at a time. Five women had survived the plaque so they were the nurses in the quarantine building and they cleaned it with vinegar. They even provided a church for the quarantine people called Church of Saint Rock.
In the monastery Cloisters, which are decorated in Baroque and Gothic styles, they grow citrus trees, olives and roses. Originally it
housed 30 nuns who never saw society. Now there are only 6, but they still segregate themselves from the outside world. They learned to spin lace from the agave plant. This lace is very expensive and labor intensive; therefore when it is completed it is hidden under glass. Surrounding the Cloisters are very colorful frescoes from the 15th century, which they are repairing and preserving. During the 13th century there was an orphanage, called ST. Claire convent, inside the city walls but connected to the Cloisters. Here a mother could place a child she couldn't feed on this window sill that had a wheel attached. When the nuns turned the wheel they were able to pick up the child, but not see the mother. The mother would break a coin in half and give half to the infant and keep the other half. If in a few years she had enough t be able to raise her child, she could come back and claim him/her by matching the coin halves together. If not, the child would be raised in the orphanage until they were 6 years old. Then they would be sent to the countryside to work. This ensured the children were fed and taught a trade.
They were known for their gold and they had certain standards which they had to meet. If the goldsmith did not meet their high standards, his hand would be chopped off . That practice ensured the quality. They also became rich on their harvesting of the coral from the sea. After the civil war in order to rebuild they used old stones from an old railroad station to replace the damaged houses. It blended beautifully.
Now inside the city walls the ground floors are all commercial shops. One street from the beginning extends up from the port into the town. It is called the Jewish Street. It began as the street where the merchants sold their wares. Now it has become the center for bankers and shippers. The upper floors are used as residential homes. At the very top are the kitchens because they need light to cook and the top floors keep the sunlight the longest. In addition, placing the kitchen at the top was a safety issue. Fires always go up, so the rest of their house would be somewhat protected for a while. During the 17th century they had 10,000 people; now they only have 1000. It is very expensive to live within the city. Most people live outside the city and rent out their houses in the city to tourists. The main square has the church of Saint Blais(Blaze), who is their patron saint; but he never visited this city. The Archbishop of this church had a dream in which he was warned about an attack from the Venetians. He alerted the town and they were able to defeat the Venetians.
At the East gate, Bloche, there is a bell tower with a clock that has two figures( Mato and Botto) that strike the bell on the hour and the half hour. The Rectors Palace was built in the 15th century. Each month a different person is elected to be the rector for 1 month only. That person must be a nobleman over 30 years of age. He is to live upstairs of the Rectory for that 1 month. The Rector wears a red gown with a black sash. Inside the Rectory is a Music room with very old instruments. It has a Venetian chandelier with grape shaped teardrop crystals. They had notary services, a fountain to wash clothes in, and a dragon dungeon for bad crimes against the state which led to death. If a nobleman was doomed, he had to walk the 12 stations of the cross then he was beheaded. If it was a poor peasant, he was hanged outside of the town. In the 17th century, they had carriages with sit down chairs for the royalty only. The servants carried the women and the soldiers carried the men. But the curtains had to remain open because they were so afraid of spies coming into the city and hiding. The upper middle class were usually merchants and the common people were craftsmen. The lowest level was the slaves, but they were not indentured, but free. Slavery was abolished in the 14th century.
We walked on our own in the town and found an Internet store and many shops. I was able to find a jewelry store that sold locally made items. In Medieval times the buttons on the noblemen's clothing were made out of filigreed balls of sliver and gold. These have been turned into earrings and necklaces. I was able to buy some. We also hiked up to the top of the huge wall that surrounds the town. These people have extremely long legs, even the women. They are at least a head taller than I am and that is the short ones. Therefore their steps have very high rises. I had trouble climbing up them and pulled my knee. The view from the top was awesome. you can see forever!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Dubrovnik, Sunday, December 5, 2010.
We arrived in Dubrovnik at 7 PM and are going on a tour tonight. They have the best preserved Medieval wall in Europe, which is 1940 meters long, and they also are credited with having the oldest hospital in the world. it was started in the 1400s because they needed a quarantine section during the Black Plaque. The ST. Lawrence Fortress was built to the west to protect them from the Venetians from the 12 th - 18th centuries. They would do anything to be free. They are known for their quote " We will not sell our freedom for all the gold of this world". This was a very rich area from the 15th to 16th centuries because they were in the middle of the trade routes. They had the third strongest fleet in the world,; Spain- 1st and Venice- 2nd. They exported Adriatic salt which is the best salt found in the world. At that time salt was needed to preserve meat. One kg of salt equaled one kg of gold then. There are 2 entrances inside the walled city: the east gate which is called Bloche and the west gate which is called Pella. Inside these walls is a Franciscan Monastery that was built in 1370 and has a Rector's Palace. We will visit that tomorrow as it is Sunday and they are closed. This area of Croatia is very narrow and Bosnia is just a few miles across the hills from here. The old town inside the walls is built 2 miles above the port so they could readily see anyone coming to attack them by sea. We must go by bus from the boat to the walled city because it is so far and so steep a walk.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)