MIDWEEK MUSINGS: SIBERNIK

On to Šibenik in this week's MID WEEK MUSING. Šibenik takes the title of being the oldest Croatian town on the Adriatic Sea.  Documentation as early as 1066 shows it was founded by Slavs, not Romans or Greeks. A historic town indeed being chosen a UNESCO site since 2000.

The most impressive was the all-stone Cathedral of St James which took over 100 years to build without using mortar, mixing Gothic with Renaissance styles.

impressive doors ...

                                           covered its façade...  

                                         mouldings and statues galore...

In almost all of the towns, we would see these unusually shaped corners. Note the newer triangular additions. Any clue why this change was made? >

Croatia was my first time seeing these modern architectural features. They are to prevent male tourists from relieving themselves in these corners. The angle will reflect the pee back at its perpetrator... You gotta love modern man/not.

Although we navigated a lot of stairs, I personally chose not to navigate up to the St. Michael's Fortress as I was fortressed out. But it dates back to the 11th century guarding Šibenik.

The Aussies and I did climb plenty of stairs to reach the restored Medieval  Mediterranean Garden at St Lawrence monastery also tied to the Franciscan Monastery. Small but sweet, where we could see emerging herbs and medicinal plants, pomegranate trees in an interesting medieval pattern. Dragutin Kiš, landscape designer, helped in 2007 with this effort after the garden had lain dormant for ~100 years. 

There's a coffee shop where one can enjoy a coffee/ cold drink and enjoy the environs. I loved their sign...

The beds are aligned forming a cross in its paths.

You are spared flower shots for now, but no worries since Foto Friday's approaching.

Interesting sculptures also dotted our šibenik walking tour...

Old meeting                                                           the new... 

Nice visit...

tUESDAY tUNES: BLACK IN AMERICA

This tUESDAY tUNE came across my screen thanks to buddy Martina . Take a listen to Dusty Rivers singing  " Black in America, This skin."  Some songs speak volumes...

BLACK IN AMERICA 

MONDAY MUSINGS :HVAR

MONDAY MUSINGS ON HVAR:

After visiting the spectacular Blue Cave* we continued towards Hvar, "the longest island in Croatia, the sunniest in all Europe(2724 hours of sunshine per year) and is considered  among the most beautiful islands in the world. "

Upon arrival, we joined a guided tour of Hvar and learned why this amazing town is a must see on the historical map of Croatia. 

Charming cobblestone streets greeted us with narrow walkways/ alleys ...

                                                                   

Hannibal Luciċ," a local nobleman lived in Dalmatia under Venetian rule also was a prominent Croatian poet and playwright known as the author of Robinja ( The Slave Girl), the first secular drama in Croatian lit. He was influenced by Petrarchan traditions, involved in local governance and construction projects on the island.

Franciscan Monastery

Unfortunately, the Franciscan Sisters' monastery and their museum were closed and we couldn't see their intricate lace work made from threads of the agave plant.

"Lacemaking in Croatia (Croatian: Čipkarstvo u Hrvatskoj) is a tradition dating back to the Renaissance when lacemaking began spreading throughout the Mediterranean^[1] and continental Europe. Throughout the years, Croatian lace has become notable for its unique patterns and designs. In 2009, UNESCO recognised lacemaking in Croatia as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.^[2]

Today in Croatia, there are several centres of lacemaking tradition, most notably the Adriatic towns of Pag and Hvar, the northern town of Lepoglava, and the Sveta Marija village in the Međimurje County."

Hvar lace

This lacework makes extra monies for the manifold projects of the Franciscan Sisters.

water well

 The phenomenal stonework   never ceased to      amaze   me, no matter which island   we visited.

 Hvar was no different and all the towns were so    clean...

With the realization our visit was fleeting,  I became a real tourist and spent time also perusing shops, buying lavender goods from nearby fields and sampling various olive oil flavors. 

              Obviously,  I am just another fish in the sea... LOL

* In case you missed the Blue Cave posting, here's the link.

BLUE CAVE

TBT & FOTO FRIDAY: LUCY EVANS NATURE CENTER

TBT & FOTO FRIDAY : Visited a special place on the Pacific byway called the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center in Palo Alto on the edge of the South Bay. 

The Center is only open weekends although the boardwalk trail is open daily takes one through pristine wetlands on the Pacific Flyway so it's great for birdwatching.  15 miles of flat trails for walking, running/ biking. 

Can you spot the new addition?

a mosaic wash roomWe

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tUESDAY tunes: PENNIES from HEAVEN

Going backwards in my week since I was in the air this tUESDAY tUNES so here's Bryan Eng at the Lincoln Center and one of my Dad's favorite songs... 

It definitely brings back good memories...

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

FOTO FRIDAY: PEACHES 'n CREAM

FOTO  FRIDAY: A considerate neighbor decided to share her bounty of freshly picked peaches from her Uncle's farm. It was a no-brainer how I would enjoy this delicious gift ... a yummy breakfast of peaches 'n cream, 

Last week's FOTO FRIDAY of I am

MIDWEEK MUSINGS & VIS

 DAY 5 in Croatia was spent on the island of Vis, a stunning spot on the Adriatic, Croatia's farthest inhabited island from the mainland. It's considered better preserved than Hvar since it stayed closed as a military base until the late '80s. 

Since we wanted to use our time wisely and the bus would take longer, we took an Uber mini bus to the other side of the island to visit the charming town of Mariža where Mama Mia, Here We Go Again was filmed. 

tight pin curve into town

You see it was so expensive filming in Greece for Mama Mia, Croatia was chosen for its sequel.Vis was used to be the Greek island Kalokari.

  

                                                   

It was fun exploring the back streets of Mariža where film crews probably disturbed the town's residents during their 3 weeks of filming... 

We had the town basically to ourselves -another advantage of being here at the beginning of their tourist season. Perfect.

Wisconsinites raid the small beach heading to the other side.

Iron wrought balcony for 2

Back waterside we did our usual, which was to find a cafe and enjoy the local brew/ wine/ lemon drinks/coffee. 

The table's umbrella provided shade for those who wanted it ...

 It was such a pleasant afternoon.

Private fishing boats and small motorboats lined the harbor's edge where our Uber would meet us to take us back to Vis.

Our driver was on time and before reaching Vis she pointed out her daughter and grandchild walking home roadside. What a coincidence!

We were dropped off near St Jerome's church and its 16th C Franciscan monastery built on top of an ancient Roman theater.

What a humble but beautiful little church, 

behind which was a lovely... 

a well-kept cemetery with a seaside view for the town's deceased residents...

An old-style hay broom and a pail of soapy water were used to scrub the stones...

On our walk back to the harbor, we passed an overgrown historic site. Unfortunately, it was under renovation, so we couldn't go explore. 

Nonetheless, it was another wonderful day on our Croatian adventure...