It stormed loudly last night and continues to rain hard today. We´re hoping it calms down before we get on a ferry tomorrow for our 3 days on the island of Vis. I really don`t want to be on a boat on these waters. It`s the first time we see stormy seas.
We were hoping to explore Diocletian´s Palace today but not in this rain. So we´ll likely see movies instead. We have another chance to see the Palace in 3 days on our return from Vis.
A slow day is pretty welcome at this point. We have the Trogir promenade pretty much to ourselves. We asked at the tourist info place if that´s normal for October\November and they said yes. It´s wall to wall people for 120 days over the summer so they welcome the quiet.
By the way it´s Salona (the ancient town settled by Illyrians then Romans).
More in a few days...or when we reach Split on the 5th.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Quick post from Trogir
Mljet was a bit of an adventure. Many fewer English speakers...and a bad storm the night before wreaked a bit of havoc on the place we were staying. Absolutely gorgeous location, but we had to kill 13 giant moths the first night. Freaked us out a bit. Worth it for the location! And the meal cooked for us by the hostess the next night!
We went yesterday to Krka National Park to see the beautiful waterfalls and today explored Solin (Solina), ruins dating back to BC. (Once the center of Dalmatia during the Roman Empire). Also a place where they persecuted early Christians. 18,000 people sitting by entertained by death, hard to imagine. Nearby is the cemetery of the martyrs.
Tomorrow we will visit Diocletian Palace. Not sure if I will get an opportunity to blog again...but I will try. I am keeping notes.
We went yesterday to Krka National Park to see the beautiful waterfalls and today explored Solin (Solina), ruins dating back to BC. (Once the center of Dalmatia during the Roman Empire). Also a place where they persecuted early Christians. 18,000 people sitting by entertained by death, hard to imagine. Nearby is the cemetery of the martyrs.
Tomorrow we will visit Diocletian Palace. Not sure if I will get an opportunity to blog again...but I will try. I am keeping notes.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Dubrovnik continued
"The Jewel of the Adriatic" as I believe George Bernard Shaw either said or stole. The city really is amazing. White stone and similar colored tile roofs...into the really blue and clear Adriatic, it is indeed enchanting.
We tried to visit the convent of St Clare, patron saint of television...but it's no longer there, replaced by a shop and restaurant. Hmmm, perhaps a victim of the bombing of the city 15 years ago...I don't know. Alas.
We wandered the streets of old town some more under the watchful gaze of St Blaise (or Sveti Vlaho, patron saint of the city). So many little quant shops and such. A bit of history of Dubrovnik...The city was completed in the 13th century and remains true to its history, you feel like you're in a protective bubble here. No vehicle noises. Dubrovnik had an independent merchant republic for 700 years before Napoleon abolished it (1806). They traded with Turkey & India, had reps in Africa and diplomatic relations throughout Europe (including the English court in the middle ages, a letter is on file at the city museum sent by Elizabeth I).
Then the Serbian Orthodox church which dates from 1877 and contains icons dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. We chatted with the Serb from Bosnia in the church (he's from a town with a really old bridge, and when I said I'm from "Minneapolis" he said "where the bridge fell"). He did think Minneapolis was the state though. :) Ralph asked if he'd ever been to the US and he said no, he'd tried a few times but can't get a visa unless he finds himself a woman. Then he asked Patti if she was single and she introduced him to me. Ha. So I've had a proposal of sorts. ;)
From here we went to the synagogue, the oldest Sephardic and 2nd oldest synagogue in Europe. It also holds a museum with Tora (sp?) and other holy relics (from as early as the 16th century). There are the list of holocaust victims from 1945 as well as orders, proclomations, armband identifiers...but also persecutions dating to the 1500's and 1600's. They also have orders proclaiming an end to Jewish persecution dating 1803. Heartbreaking.
On to the Rector's Palace where we saw portraits dating to the middle ages, coins to the 600's etc. Carriages (hand carried, ornate, gorgeous), dungeons, courts, weapons, incredible 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th century artifacts and furnature. They also had teh city gate keys that used to be locked up at night and given to the prince (there are only 2 gates to the city through the walls. Pile Gate dates to 1537 and the inner gate to 1460. As you enter you see a fountain that was completed in 1438 (heavily damaged in an earthquake in 1667). St Savior Church dates to 1520 and is one of the few buildings to survive the quake. At the end of the Placa Stradun is Orlando Column used for edicts & proclaimations to be read in the early days...now starts many of the city tours.
We went to a movie (Michael Clayton) in the Clock Tower (built in 1444) and restored many times. It rings out the hours still.
68% of the city was damaged in the shelling of 91/92. The repairs are mostly complete but a few roffless houses remain in progress of rebuilding. The walls too were damaged but are fully repaired. They're also fortifying for any future earthquakes (a mild one last hit in 1995). Richard the Lionheart gifted teh city after being rescued from a shipwreck on the nearby island of Lokrum.
Lunch was pizza at Mea Culpa where one of the MANY stray animals suckered me into sharing (a grey kitty). It got some ham then several pieces of the softer tomato sauce soaked crust. He even would jump on the table if I wasn't quick enough with the offering. They're tolerated everywhere. Some though break your heart with little matted fur, watery eyes or burrs in their fur. But none look like they're starving!
Off to a visit to War Photo Limited. A gallery of war photos. On exhibit, Lebonan/Israel 2006 (both perspectives). Iraq, Afghanistan and the Serbian/Croatian/Kosovo 90's photos. Less of the gore and more of the emotional impact of war. Croat people from Vukovar being led out of their city with suitcases of belongings, under Bosnian rifles when the city fell. One that really disturbed me was a Serb soldier in a street with a cigarette in one hand, a rifle pointed at 3 women face down on the street with his foot drawn back just about to kick one of them in the head. Awful. Children (African conflict) carrying rifles who couldn't be more than 5. Another thing that impacted me was the first floor shots of the impact of bombing in Lebanon, children dead, a father collapsing after identifying his son...and you go upstairs and see the Israelie perspective, their dead...and a group of children putting messages on the bombs you've just seen the destruction they've caused. It's impossible not to be moved.
Back up the 114 steps to our house, and 14 to my room, for some reflection. Ivona Michl was wonderful to us (owner of House Anica) as was Milly our driver. Dan at the Sesame restaurant..."why" whenever you ordered something when he had a better offer, or if Ralph ordered a Coke Zero to Patti and my wine "no...what else" Cracked me up. A correction from the earlier blog. Java is NOT Evian! It's actually Croatian spring water from St Jana's hills (Prirodna Izvorska Voda).
A great Croatian wine: Mendek Mozalk 2003 Barrique (if I'm reading "Dan's" handwriting correctly). We'll have to get some more. :)
Turned on the TV, 3 channels...last night it was a Croatian "Weakest Link", Married with Children with Croatian subtitles and a British farm show with Croatian subtitles...this morning all Croatian programs (children).
Okay off to the stairs for the last time...phew...my knees would give out in this city! And it's humiliating to realize just how out of shape you are when as you take a break half way up huffing and puffing...and a 70 year old man comes out of his home and teases you...HA.
More from Trogir likely in 2 or 3 days.
We tried to visit the convent of St Clare, patron saint of television...but it's no longer there, replaced by a shop and restaurant. Hmmm, perhaps a victim of the bombing of the city 15 years ago...I don't know. Alas.
We wandered the streets of old town some more under the watchful gaze of St Blaise (or Sveti Vlaho, patron saint of the city). So many little quant shops and such. A bit of history of Dubrovnik...The city was completed in the 13th century and remains true to its history, you feel like you're in a protective bubble here. No vehicle noises. Dubrovnik had an independent merchant republic for 700 years before Napoleon abolished it (1806). They traded with Turkey & India, had reps in Africa and diplomatic relations throughout Europe (including the English court in the middle ages, a letter is on file at the city museum sent by Elizabeth I).
Then the Serbian Orthodox church which dates from 1877 and contains icons dating from the 15th to 19th centuries. We chatted with the Serb from Bosnia in the church (he's from a town with a really old bridge, and when I said I'm from "Minneapolis" he said "where the bridge fell"). He did think Minneapolis was the state though. :) Ralph asked if he'd ever been to the US and he said no, he'd tried a few times but can't get a visa unless he finds himself a woman. Then he asked Patti if she was single and she introduced him to me. Ha. So I've had a proposal of sorts. ;)
From here we went to the synagogue, the oldest Sephardic and 2nd oldest synagogue in Europe. It also holds a museum with Tora (sp?) and other holy relics (from as early as the 16th century). There are the list of holocaust victims from 1945 as well as orders, proclomations, armband identifiers...but also persecutions dating to the 1500's and 1600's. They also have orders proclaiming an end to Jewish persecution dating 1803. Heartbreaking.
On to the Rector's Palace where we saw portraits dating to the middle ages, coins to the 600's etc. Carriages (hand carried, ornate, gorgeous), dungeons, courts, weapons, incredible 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th century artifacts and furnature. They also had teh city gate keys that used to be locked up at night and given to the prince (there are only 2 gates to the city through the walls. Pile Gate dates to 1537 and the inner gate to 1460. As you enter you see a fountain that was completed in 1438 (heavily damaged in an earthquake in 1667). St Savior Church dates to 1520 and is one of the few buildings to survive the quake. At the end of the Placa Stradun is Orlando Column used for edicts & proclaimations to be read in the early days...now starts many of the city tours.
We went to a movie (Michael Clayton) in the Clock Tower (built in 1444) and restored many times. It rings out the hours still.
68% of the city was damaged in the shelling of 91/92. The repairs are mostly complete but a few roffless houses remain in progress of rebuilding. The walls too were damaged but are fully repaired. They're also fortifying for any future earthquakes (a mild one last hit in 1995). Richard the Lionheart gifted teh city after being rescued from a shipwreck on the nearby island of Lokrum.
Lunch was pizza at Mea Culpa where one of the MANY stray animals suckered me into sharing (a grey kitty). It got some ham then several pieces of the softer tomato sauce soaked crust. He even would jump on the table if I wasn't quick enough with the offering. They're tolerated everywhere. Some though break your heart with little matted fur, watery eyes or burrs in their fur. But none look like they're starving!
Off to a visit to War Photo Limited. A gallery of war photos. On exhibit, Lebonan/Israel 2006 (both perspectives). Iraq, Afghanistan and the Serbian/Croatian/Kosovo 90's photos. Less of the gore and more of the emotional impact of war. Croat people from Vukovar being led out of their city with suitcases of belongings, under Bosnian rifles when the city fell. One that really disturbed me was a Serb soldier in a street with a cigarette in one hand, a rifle pointed at 3 women face down on the street with his foot drawn back just about to kick one of them in the head. Awful. Children (African conflict) carrying rifles who couldn't be more than 5. Another thing that impacted me was the first floor shots of the impact of bombing in Lebanon, children dead, a father collapsing after identifying his son...and you go upstairs and see the Israelie perspective, their dead...and a group of children putting messages on the bombs you've just seen the destruction they've caused. It's impossible not to be moved.
Back up the 114 steps to our house, and 14 to my room, for some reflection. Ivona Michl was wonderful to us (owner of House Anica) as was Milly our driver. Dan at the Sesame restaurant..."why" whenever you ordered something when he had a better offer, or if Ralph ordered a Coke Zero to Patti and my wine "no...what else" Cracked me up. A correction from the earlier blog. Java is NOT Evian! It's actually Croatian spring water from St Jana's hills (Prirodna Izvorska Voda).
A great Croatian wine: Mendek Mozalk 2003 Barrique (if I'm reading "Dan's" handwriting correctly). We'll have to get some more. :)
Turned on the TV, 3 channels...last night it was a Croatian "Weakest Link", Married with Children with Croatian subtitles and a British farm show with Croatian subtitles...this morning all Croatian programs (children).
Okay off to the stairs for the last time...phew...my knees would give out in this city! And it's humiliating to realize just how out of shape you are when as you take a break half way up huffing and puffing...and a 70 year old man comes out of his home and teases you...HA.
More from Trogir likely in 2 or 3 days.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
one more thing
since I'm just rambling...let me add something totally personal. :) There are many beautiful people here. Tall dark and handsome! They smell wonderful, dress wonderful and are very charming. I may not come home. ;o
One other thing, since I'm rambling...I'm navigating blogspot by memory because as much as I tried to learn essential words...seeing screens entirely in Hrvatski...I know so few words!!!! My screen to post the blog is Objavi Post, to preview is Spremi Sad. I think the local time here is Skica je automatski spremljena u 21:41 (u is "in or the" so I assume that's something telling me the post will show at 21:41).
So for now, Locho Noche (good night)
One other thing, since I'm rambling...I'm navigating blogspot by memory because as much as I tried to learn essential words...seeing screens entirely in Hrvatski...I know so few words!!!! My screen to post the blog is Objavi Post, to preview is Spremi Sad. I think the local time here is Skica je automatski spremljena u 21:41 (u is "in or the" so I assume that's something telling me the post will show at 21:41).
So for now, Locho Noche (good night)
Day 1 continued & Day 2/3
The plane left Minneapolis late due to turbulance...hmmm. So I arrived in Amsterdam with less than a half hour to run from the end of 1 terminal to the end of another...barely catching my flight to Zagreb. I was completely unable to sleep on the plane...and by the time I arrived late into Zagreb and left late for Dubrovnik (without my checked luggage) I was ready for a nightmare vacation. But it's all good now! The taxi driver the "House Anica" (pronounced AH-ni-tsah) sent had waited since 3pm, it was 6:15pm by the time I'd made my way through the forms to fill out at lost and found for luggage. Patti and Ralph arrived at 6:45 so we waited. Milly (his nickname) got me water, sat me down in his car with the radio playing American music. Super Freak, Love Shack...you get the picture. :) He also chased down water for me (evian here is java...pronounced yah-vah). Once we picked up Ralph & Patti and headed to the house. Ralph asked Milly if he had to serve in the war. "Of course...I don't like to talk about that. Death and destruction, horrible time." We didn't push further. After we settled in the house we went to dinner along the Stradun where we were woo'd by "Antonini" a young man who does the fishing for the restaurant and his father does the cooking "help my father to stay alive". Very good pork chops (I don't do the fish!). There are a lot of stray animals in Dubrovnik. All very well fed by the looks of it. I spilled Ralph's drink when I went to pet one puppy adopted by Antonini. Alas...I finally settled into sleep after 34 hours of being awake.
We went back down the 114 steps to the Stradun this morning and wandered about. The walkway is marble (quite slippery when raining...but luckily for us the forecasting of the weather is as bad here as in Minnesota! It was sunny and 70 with a nice cool breeze an absolutely perfect day!!!). Breakfast at Dobarva (I think). There are few places that serve true American style breakfasts. We then visited a Dominican Monastery. Relics from St Thomas (his forearm according to the description) as well as an 11th century bible and Croatian royalty jewels from the middle ages. Then we walked the city walls of Dubrovnik. Absolutely stunning...and dang exhausting. My legs feel like jelly (and imagine those 114 steps 2 or 3 times a day before we started the many stairs to and around the walls). We'll all sleep quite well this evening!!! But I wouldn't miss it for the world. It truly is some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen. The Adriatic is so crystal clear you see the rocks at the bottom. I've befriended many dogs & cats...
The people here are amazing. If you say something in English they automatically switch to English for you. And as much as I crammed to be able to say Croatian words...I'm lost. They speak so fast I pick up a word here or there. But it's not really needed. Our dinner tonight was at Sesame, a fabulous dining place recommended by the owner of the house we're staying at. Dan, our waiter was a comedian. He grew up near the Serb border and only in the last year moved to Dubrovnik, spoke perfect English. You feel like a schmuck though as they speak at least 2 and likely 3 or 4 languages fluently.
So far so good. I don't think I'll be able to blog from Mljet as the island is pretty closed up for "winter". So I'll check in again in a few days from Trogir.
Hello to all at TPT and all my friends reading this...and sorry to all those looking for project updates...soon!!!
We went back down the 114 steps to the Stradun this morning and wandered about. The walkway is marble (quite slippery when raining...but luckily for us the forecasting of the weather is as bad here as in Minnesota! It was sunny and 70 with a nice cool breeze an absolutely perfect day!!!). Breakfast at Dobarva (I think). There are few places that serve true American style breakfasts. We then visited a Dominican Monastery. Relics from St Thomas (his forearm according to the description) as well as an 11th century bible and Croatian royalty jewels from the middle ages. Then we walked the city walls of Dubrovnik. Absolutely stunning...and dang exhausting. My legs feel like jelly (and imagine those 114 steps 2 or 3 times a day before we started the many stairs to and around the walls). We'll all sleep quite well this evening!!! But I wouldn't miss it for the world. It truly is some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen. The Adriatic is so crystal clear you see the rocks at the bottom. I've befriended many dogs & cats...
The people here are amazing. If you say something in English they automatically switch to English for you. And as much as I crammed to be able to say Croatian words...I'm lost. They speak so fast I pick up a word here or there. But it's not really needed. Our dinner tonight was at Sesame, a fabulous dining place recommended by the owner of the house we're staying at. Dan, our waiter was a comedian. He grew up near the Serb border and only in the last year moved to Dubrovnik, spoke perfect English. You feel like a schmuck though as they speak at least 2 and likely 3 or 4 languages fluently.
So far so good. I don't think I'll be able to blog from Mljet as the island is pretty closed up for "winter". So I'll check in again in a few days from Trogir.
Hello to all at TPT and all my friends reading this...and sorry to all those looking for project updates...soon!!!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Day One-let's see how often I can blog in Croatia
For fun I'm hijacking the Brighid Films blog for the next couple of weeks in order to update folks from afar...Croatia. I have a few internet cafes highlighted in the travel guide but I can't guarantee I'll have access on any particular day. So if you want to follow along, there might be days between communications. This is the first real vacation in like 7 years...so I might get totally addicted to just relaxing. :)
Plans are Dubrovnik the 23rd, 24th & 25th. Gorgeous little stone house in the old city. Then the island of Mljet for a couple days (forecast is for rain as far as the forecasts go...so I'm not sure how much outdoor things we'll be doing) then the old city of Trogir where this history geek plans on seeing as much as possible of the surrounding area. Then out to the western most island of Vis for relaxing Adriatic views and some wine sampling. Then a night in Split (in a hotel built into the ruins of a Roman Emperor's retirement palace) and a final night back in Dubrovnik.
So I'm off for the very long airplane journey. And hopefully I'll blog from someplace more exotic than my living room tomorrow (or the next day).
In the meantime those checking in for updates on the various projects. I did get a bit of editing done last night on the Mankato footage (Dakota 38) and the Legacy project. I'm bringing research books along to occupy the 15 hours or so on planes or in airports. So I'm not totally checking out for 2 weeks. :)
Plans are Dubrovnik the 23rd, 24th & 25th. Gorgeous little stone house in the old city. Then the island of Mljet for a couple days (forecast is for rain as far as the forecasts go...so I'm not sure how much outdoor things we'll be doing) then the old city of Trogir where this history geek plans on seeing as much as possible of the surrounding area. Then out to the western most island of Vis for relaxing Adriatic views and some wine sampling. Then a night in Split (in a hotel built into the ruins of a Roman Emperor's retirement palace) and a final night back in Dubrovnik.
So I'm off for the very long airplane journey. And hopefully I'll blog from someplace more exotic than my living room tomorrow (or the next day).
In the meantime those checking in for updates on the various projects. I did get a bit of editing done last night on the Mankato footage (Dakota 38) and the Legacy project. I'm bringing research books along to occupy the 15 hours or so on planes or in airports. So I'm not totally checking out for 2 weeks. :)
Sunday, October 7, 2007
overbooking oneself!
Projects Update:
Legacy edit: continues.
Colin Devlin edit: continues...hopefully something fun to report in the next couple weeks.
Dakota 38 project: The taping in Mankato was truly inspirational! From the dancing itself to the Memorial tributes around town (including Reconciliation Park which is the original site of the hangings, once marked with a morbid stone "here we hanged 38 Dakota" and now stands a white buffalo statue). We had a bit of trouble with audio on the interviews that I'm hoping can be fixed in post (the magical words). We had the honor of talking to (among many other fabulous people) Vernon Ashley who is a direct descendent of one of the 38 (Cetan Hunka). Vernon and 2 of his brothers served in WWII and Mr. Ashley has donated his history to the University in Mankato. Now we must focus this project back into the grant writing stage. More soon hopefully.
Recent cinema outings: Into the Wild (first time I heard people applaud as the lights dimmed...the movie hadn't even started yet-highly anticipated I'd say!). A unique kind of travel story...people you meet, challenges you face, mistakes you make. It's beautifully shot, directed and acted. And the music by (among others) Eddie Vedder is perfect! It touches the soul!
Legacy edit: continues.
Colin Devlin edit: continues...hopefully something fun to report in the next couple weeks.
Dakota 38 project: The taping in Mankato was truly inspirational! From the dancing itself to the Memorial tributes around town (including Reconciliation Park which is the original site of the hangings, once marked with a morbid stone "here we hanged 38 Dakota" and now stands a white buffalo statue). We had a bit of trouble with audio on the interviews that I'm hoping can be fixed in post (the magical words). We had the honor of talking to (among many other fabulous people) Vernon Ashley who is a direct descendent of one of the 38 (Cetan Hunka). Vernon and 2 of his brothers served in WWII and Mr. Ashley has donated his history to the University in Mankato. Now we must focus this project back into the grant writing stage. More soon hopefully.
Recent cinema outings: Into the Wild (first time I heard people applaud as the lights dimmed...the movie hadn't even started yet-highly anticipated I'd say!). A unique kind of travel story...people you meet, challenges you face, mistakes you make. It's beautifully shot, directed and acted. And the music by (among others) Eddie Vedder is perfect! It touches the soul!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)