MONDAY MUSINGS: THE PEARL

MONDAY MUSINGS: It was a lovely welcome dinner on board the MS Diamond Saturday night and the next morning after breakfast, a bus took us back to the old city of Dubrovnik where we met our city guide Ivan  (BTW Ivan is a very popular Croatian name like John  here.) This one had steely blue eyes. 

Ivan shared Debrovnik's history, important  main square sites and stories to accompany the main statues.

He had a lot of competition from the many tourists starting to fill the square and the bell announcing a first communion. 

After seeing my copious note-taking, yacht mate Steve (transplant Skokie'ite now St Louis resident) wanted to see if he'd make my blog- Here it is Steve, Sorry you are upstaged by St. Blaise's church's bell tolling for the first communion... (Nancy was more visible than you in the lead photo too). 

Imagine what these children's memory will be of having their first communion in this historic church.

 

Sveti Vlaho, the patron saint of Dubrovnik is St. Blaise. Armenian-born, a 4th-century bishop and physician, martyred ~316 for his faith. The Croatian legend is he appeared in a vision, warning the city of a sneaky Venetian attack in 971. A year later, grateful locals made him their protector and have celebrated him in a city feast on February 3rd since 972. 

1000 years of parades, costumes, doves, etc...

He's also the Saint you go to with throat problems/choking since he saved a boy choking on a fishbone.(reason for the famous throat blessing of crossed candles on that day.)

This is the 18th C Baroque style Church with St Blaise above the main entrance holding a model of the city. 

Also in the main square is a bronze statue of Marin Držć (b.1506-died1567), a Croatian Renaissance playwright, the Croatian Shakespeare. He wrote popular comedies still performed today and actually criticized the ruling aristocracy which didn't go over well. Those plays were banned over fear of stirring up trouble. In 1566, he wrote secret letters begging the wealthy Medici family of Florence to send help to overthrow the government in Dubrovnik. They wanted no part of it, so Drznik although never jailed, returned to Venice, died there as he certainly wasn't welcome back home.

Note that Držić's nose is very shiny from visitors rubbing it for good luck.

Locals bring their water jugs to fill at the square's iconic Onofrio water fountain, built in the 1400s right inside the Pile gate. For almost 600 years, this 16-sided stone fountain has supplied fresh water, which flows from the carved heads. People love to sit on its sides and cool off from the spray too.

Arches can be seen everywhere... 

Beautiful carvings in wood/ stone.

It must have taken a long while

 to carve all of these...

Our hour walking tour left us with a half hour to wander more on our own, and we decided to head for an outdoor cafe to sit for a cup of coffee and try a local pastry to celebrate the beginning of our Mother's Day in Dubrovnik... 

We made it back to the bus in time as lunch was awaiting us on the yacht and a very special field trip to Slano. 

Stay tuned...

Goodbye to the Pearl of the Adriatic. Dubrovnik, we will miss you...