up the coast to Split

(I'm never quite sure how the pictures are going to view once I post the blog, so just know that the pics above are all from Split; most from Diocletian's Palace and the harborfront.)

Friday was our longest field trip day yet; a four-hour ride along the Dalmatian Coast to Split, the second largest city in Croatia. The ride was magnificent; the view of the coast was breathtaking... again, sea and islands to our left, mountains to our right. And what made the trip doubly pleasant was air conditioning!! The day before, island hopping, the temperature had to be in the 90s and it was sweltering, after awhile, we didn't even bother wiping off sweat. This day we rode along in climate-controlled comfort. I could barely contain my glee.

We arrived in Split before noon and took off for Diocletian's Palace. Built in 305AD, the structure still stands and is in use as living and commerce space. It's overwhelming to think of how many people have moved through this area.

Outside the palace was a huge statue of Grgur Ninski (Gregory of Nin), a tenth-century bishop who introduced Croatian language into the religious services of the time. The statue is almost 50 feet tall and legend has it if you rub his big toe, it will bring you good luck. Who am I to question legend? Of course I rubbed it... a handful of hot brass big toe!!

We wandered through the palace area and the picture with the pillars and tall archway is where we entered the underground market area (you see people walking into that dark rectangle with stairs on either side). Inside were vendors with souvenirs; marble, religious relics, jewelry. It is awe-inspiring to think how long ago these structures were built and that they still stand... and are in use. As we shopped and waited for everyone to assemble, two Roman soldiers strolled through the main aisle of the underground market. One was kind enough to pose so I could take his picture (and I used my best Croatian to ask: "Molim (moe-leem - please) and Hvala (vah-la - thank you); I imagined how hundreds and hundreds of years ago, he would have been much more authentic.

After a lunch, again in blessed air-conditioning, we headed to a modern shopping mall for a little retail therapy. For some reason, I wasn't too excited to be there; all this history surrounding us... I can go to Eastview anytime! Our next stop was a church nearby Split. There was a small cemetery in the adjoining yard and I was able to get a few pictures of family burial plots. Many of plots were family members, with their pictures on the gravestones.

One last stop to see the sports stadium and we were on our way back "home". This time, our trip began down a mountainous area rather than along the coast. Luisa and Tanya were singing songs in Spanish in the way back, and Cathy and I decided to show off our musical skills as well. That's when we were asked requests from the "O Brother, Where Art Thou" soundtrack. Gladly, Cathy and I performed "Some Glad Morning" and "Keep on The Sunny Side", in delightful harmony, I might add. Cathy whispered, "I wonder what we should prepare as an encore?" and I replied, "well, we haven't been asked yet".. lol

Cathy did perform a solo though, "Jesus Loves Me" as we began our drive down the mountain, the steep, winding, curvy mountain, with very few guardrails. How she managed to keep her voice from shaking, I don't know, as my hands were cemented over my eyes. I was never so happy to see the coast!

The ride home seemed shorter, even being four hours long. We came upon a car that had an accident; hit a tree along the windy coast road. Our driver, who knew a little English, uttered an expletive, then as we passed he said, "asta la vista, Mercedes". The car was toast, but it didn't look like the driver had been injured, thankfully. Also, as we neared Dubrovnik, about an hour or so away, we were treated to a magnificent lightening storm. The cracks of lightening illuminating the coast and the islands were amazing. The driver dropped the students off, then took Vincent, Mrs. Cathy and myself as far as Bikers Caffee. With the thunder in the background, we made our way up Upper Hell and Personal Hell just before the rains began. Of course, here, rain storms are fairly brief events, but it felt nice to be safe and sound in the apartment.

Our trip to Split was long but interesting and educational. I thought I would enjoy being back in the "big city" atmosphere, but in actuality, I missed our Old Town. I know I'll be looking forward to getting home and seeing my men, but I will miss my mornings and evenings on the balcony, overlooking the Dalmatian Coast and the Adriatic Sea, watching the sun peel back from the hills and islands, and finally Old Town.

Next adventure... touring Old Town and walking along the city walls; a new perspective of an "old place".

until then.. mir.. annette

island hopping in Dubrovnik

Thursday, with very little time to recover from our Italian adventures, we boarded a boat in Old Town harbor to tour a few local islands of Dubrovnik. The first island was Lokrum, the one we can see from our balcony. It is just south of the Old Town and we had been told it is inhabited by only one family, the caretakers of the island. Little did we know, from looking at this piece of land every day, the wonders and delights it held.

The island is deceiving. The southern part actually splits open and that is where the boat docked so we could get off. There are many remains of Roman ruins there and a fortress (Fort Royal) at the top of the island, built by Napoleon's army. Many people come here to go swimming and sunbathing. There is also a beautiful botanical garden with over 200 varieties of plants and trees; eucalyptus, cactus, palm trees. If you close your eyes, you can almost hear a voice-over saying, "Welcome to Jurassic Park".

We wandered a bit more and came to a park area where we encountered one of the island's inhabitants; a peacock. After much patience, squawking and various methods of coaxing, we were able to get the feathered critter to show us his wares. Gorgeous!

Our next stop was a small island, with a restaurant as the only establishment. The owner had prepared a wonderful barbeque for us of sardines, mackerel, squid and sausages. Not your typical American picnic fare, but it was delicious. There were grilled vegetables, potatoes and cabbage, coleslaw salad. We enjoyed a leisurely meal before we headed onto Cavtat.

Cavtat (Sah-v-tat) was our last stop; here we visited the gallery of one of Croatia's most famous painters, Vlaho Bukovac. The gallery was actually once his home and he had painted murals on many of the walls. We also visited one of the churches on the island, again, impressed and in awe of the beautiful artwork and architecture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaho_Bukovac

view of Cavtat from the boat

Next: Adventures in Split, or how we sang ourselves down the mountain :)

Until then, mir... annette

Buongiorno and arrivederci Italy!

(sorry if some of the pics don't line up with the captions... argh!)

a Smart car - Cathy wants one - I think they fit in your purse

home base in Bari

our floating bedroom

Our trip began Tuesday evening. Figuring out what bus to take to get to the port was our first hurdle but one that was easily solved. We packed light, each of us just taking a tote bag that we knew we would have to carry for the duration. A change of clothes, a toothbrush, deodorant, cameras… its amazing how little you really need or want to schlep around with you.

We were able to board the boat at 9pm, so we unloaded our gear in the room and headed out on deck to say “see ya later” to Dubrovnik. Our room was nice, compact, bunk beds (Cathy offered to take the top, bless her heart) and our own toilet. There was a shower down the hall, which didn’t lock… made for a quick clean-up the next morning… lol.

Our boat was sailing at 11pm, way past our bedtime, so we decided to settle in for the night before the ship sailed and get a good night’s sleep. We docked in Bari, Italy, at 8am and had the whole day before us for sightseeing.

The morning started with the aforementioned shower and a continental breakfast, then arrival into the port of Bari. Getting off the boat, we expected a group of Italian people to greet us at the pier, welcome us with open arms, bring us a plate of orecchiette and sauce and offer to guide us through the city. At the very least we thought there would be a tourist information booth. Wrong on both counts. We wandered one way along the pier, wondering how the heck to get over the fence to the road. After awhile, we turned around, went back towards the port and cut through a parking lot, at least leading us towards what looked like the old, touristy part of the city.

Our wanderings took us essentially through a few neighborhoods; you could hear people’s conversations as you passed. Wooden shutters were open and there was usually just a lace curtain separating you from someone’s kitchen or living room. We had our first cappuccino along a main shopping district and we made our way along, asking a few people where we might find tourist information. While the people were nice and polite, no one seemed to know what we were asking or where we could find information. Finally, Cathy asked a policeman, using her very best Italian, and he directed us towards the bus terminal and a nearby kiosk.

We picked up maps and did our best to decipher them. Many of the streets start with one name then change at an intersection. We continued wandering, arriving at the gates of the Old City. At last success! We saw the familiar stone walls, the fortress that protected the city. We knew there had to be monuments, sculptures, treasures to behold. Confidently we walked across the short bridge towards the office area to pay our Euro for admission. “Oh sorry, the City is closed today, come back tomorrow,” they said in their best broken English. The great and powerful Oz, closed?! How can you close a city?

We continued to wander along some of the main streets, admiring the clothes and shoes! Yes, shoes, that was it! That would be our proof that we were in Italy. We would buy shoes (yes, I can hear some of the sexist comments about women and shoe shopping… but we were dejected, turned away at the Old City gate… we had no choice!! Besides, we saw lovely sandals and had to buy them so when we wore them when we got back home people could ask, admiringly, “Where did you get those?” “Oh, in Italy,” we would say nonchalantly, with a smile.) But before the shoes, we found another beacon in the sea of unfamiliarity, a golden shining light, beckoning us, welcoming us, comforting us. Yes, the yellow arches of McDonald’s, in the heart of Bari. This would become our home base, as we continued wandering the city… after lunch, across from the Governor’s Palace… after gelato at a nearby park (where two Italian mothers hummed, “Hi Ho” to their kids as they played at the playground… so unusual yet familiar to hear a Disney tune in Italy.)

And still we wandered, many times doubling back or finding ourselves in a place we had already seen before. Deciding the only thing we had left to do on our checklist for Italy was have a meal of pasta, we found a restaurant at 2pm that had a simple menu. The older woman beckoned us in, “mangia”. “Grazie,” we said; we’ll be back at 6pm or so we tried to tell her. We thought she understood. So we made one last trek down to the golden arches. What was odd to us was that many of the stores had closed after lunch; they seemed to reopen as the afternoon wore on; siesta time in Italy, no doubt.

As we made our last stop towards the port, with visions of our fabulous Italian pasta dinner looming before us, we were approached by a little person dressed in soccer apparel and a baseball cap. He held out a plastic cup for coins; “No” we said politely and shook our heads. Again, he pushed the cup towards Cathy and she repeated, “No”. He mumbled and cursed us in Italian; then to be sure we got the point, he uttered some English expletives with correction enunciation, pronunciation and inflection. Of all the American phrases he could learn, he chooses this one? Sheesh!

Tired, wanting to get back “home” (Dubrovnik) we made our way to the restaurant. We arrived a little before six and it was closed, so we sat across the street waiting, our mouths watering in anticipation of a culinary delight. Authentic homemade Italian pasta and sauce. That, our sandals, the cappuccino and gelato would make our trip complete. Six o’clock came and there was no sign of movement in the restaurant. Maybe we misunderstood. But have no fear; there was another establishment just down the street, Gusto. If that didn’t sound like an amazing Italian meal waiting to be devoured, what did?

We went in and asked if they were serving dinner. The owner gestured in another part of the restaurant and a young guy came out. He spoke some English and we were relieved, until he informed us that the restaurant would not open until 8pm. That must be the early dinner seating; it was also the time we were expected back on the ship to return to Dubrovnik. Dejected, visions of our dinner fading faster than angel hair pasta, we walked to a café nearby and ordered a meal. Cathy’s risotto was far from memorable; my fettuccine with sauce was a little better, but both were far from our expectations. Not to worry though, we still had our sandals and the well-wishes of a little person in a baseball cap.

We made our way to the ship and waited in line for what seemed like an eternity. We boarded the boat and made our way to check-in, receiving our room key. The attendant showed us to our room. Unlike the first time, when they unlocked the door for us and showed us our accommodations, this time she pointed to the stairs going from the third level to the first. “Your room is down there, second door on the left…” I swear, she shuddered. Cathy and I hesitated, but realized we had been lucky to get the last room on the return trip; it had two beds, it had running water. So we would have to shower in a room down the hall; what was so bad about that?

We made our way down the stairs… down… down… down… and through a much narrower hall than above. “My God, we’re sleeping with the crew,” I whispered to Cathy. We located our room and unlocked the door. Yes, there were two beds and a sink. And the beauty of all of it was that you could lay in the bed and reach the nightstand, sink AND door easily. It’s ok, we’re just sleeping here, we reassured each other. We got ready for bed and climbed in, noticing that everything had been downsized on the first level: beds, sheets, towels, pillows. Either that or we had grown much larger during our day-long walking tour of Bari.

We nestled in for the night only to be awakened by a shrill alarm outside our door. Then a hissing noise. Neither of us said anything but Cathy was convinced we would die of carbon monoxide poisoning. I, on the other hand, was positive the boat would be filling with water any moment. Would they remember to get us? Would someone pound on the door and help us to the light of day? The alarm stopped, and exhausted, we fell asleep, praying for a safe journey home.

As seems to be my pattern since I’ve been in Croatia, I wake before the alarm, no matter how early I set it. This time it was 5am; and I bounded out of bed, grabbed my gear and had a quick shower before heading up to deck. I was rewarded with a beautiful view of the sunrise and the knowledge that we would be arriving in Dubrovnik soon.

The ship docked safely and we were fortunate enough to immeditely grab the bus home (well, almost home, we had upper hell to ascend) so we could shower and get ready for our next adventure; a class field trip with a tour of some of the islands along the southern Dalmatian Coast. But that, dear friends, is a story for another day.

Until then… mir… annette

on the road, again

Dobra Jutro! ("dough-bra you-trow" - good morning!) Well, I'm getting ready to set sail in less than 12 hours... Bari, Italy, watch out! Cathy and I are excited to visit the country, if anything to at least say we've been to Italy and eaten pasta. What an experience!

Today Zoran, our student guide at the college, gave us another lesson (albeit abbreviated) on Croatia. The country is bordered by Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Montenegro, with Hungary, Austria and Serbia nearby. There are over 2000km of coastal areas, counting all the little islands along the Dalmatian Coast. Croatia has 4.5 million people with 90% of the population being Croats, 5% being Serbians (although there were more before the war) and the balance being Muslims, Germans... etc.


Zoran's sense of humor is wonderful; he informed us that Slovenia, at the northern end of Croatia, is the butt of many jokes. Most Croats don't like Slovenians... they say that every night they sweep the whole country (it's a small piece of land) and that when they have a party in Slovenia the Austrians call the police to complain about the noise... plus you can travel the entire Slovenia coastline in 3 minutes (no respect, I tell you (she said giving her best Rodney Dangerfield impression :))


Thursday when we return from Italy, we'll schlep to the apartment for a shower then head back out on a boat for a tour of three nearby islands, one of which is the island we can see directly outside our apartment windows. Professor Bagoje will guide us through the islands, pointing out architecture and artwork.


Friday we board vans for a four-hour road trip to Split, north of Dubrovnik. A long trip, but Split is the second largest city in Croatia, with more sights to see and admire. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity; to have personal guides lead us through these cities and landmarks and educate us from a native perspective.


I expect to have more pictures to post in a few days, so while I'm gone, talk amongst yourselves, keep cool, and keep me in your thoughts for safe passage.


Dobra Dan ("dough-bra dahn - good afternoon) for now... and mir... annette

murphy's law... alive and well in Croatia

Yes, I know this has happened before, but as I wait all day to go into Art History at 4pm, I decide a kokalado moccachino would hit the spot. Who cares that the cup is the size of a 3 oz. bathroom cup... who cares that it's my last 3 kunas in coins and the smallest bill I have is 50 kunas ($10USD)... who cares that it's 88 degrees outside, in the shade.

I need a caffeine fix and there's not a damned Dunkin Donuts in the entire city, let alone country. And so I plunk my 3 kunas into the machine, press my buttons and inhale the delicious aroma of coffee and milk and chocolate blending together... again, into the drip pan. To put the icing on the cake, the darn machine beeps when it's done, taunting me... nah, nah, nah, nah, nah.

Cathy tells me I should let the vending machine man know... problem is, he doesn't speak a word of English and I speak even less Croatian. Next time, maybe I'll just jam my head under the plastic door and have at it. Sigh... a

the day some laughter died

Rest in peace, George Carlin :(

weekend adventures

After our adventurous (read "tiring") hike through Mljet National Park Friday, we decided to be a little more low key on Saturday. A leisurely breakfast than another pilgrimmage to Tommy grocery store. We walked through Old Town on our hour-long trek; I never tire of walking down the Stradun, although we are developing a little bit of a 'tude... the first few days in Dubrovnik, it was just a "huh" kind of look as tourists pushed past us, oblivious to the "natives". Then they became "those tourists"... and now they're "damn tourists" (said with a sneer and look of disdain). This week I'm sure we'll start swearing at them in Croatian.. and we're told in August, when the Italians vacation, it's even worse. Thank goodness we'll be gone by there, or we might be responsible for an international incident... lol.

Anyway, after our purchases of cheese and yogurt and fruit (how very European), we hit the bread counter and bought a loaf of bread, still warm from the oven.. and a cheese pastry that was thin layers of dough and about 12" long. It wasn't sweet and I told Cathy as we ate it on the grocery store steps that it would have been awesome dipping it into pasta sauce.. yum.
We took a cab home and hung out at the apartment until we decided to go back into Old Town and stop at the college to check mail. We got through Ploce gate and as we started down the Stradun, we stopped in our tracks. Cathy and I looked over at some of the tourists at one of the outdoor cafes. They were signing.. two women were at a table signing to another woman walking down the Stradun, telling her they were deaf, asking her to join them. Cathy and I were amazed; we don't know what nationality the ladies were, but WE understood them. As I looked around, I saw a few other people having their picture taken, gesturing to their photographer friend to take the picture portrait length, not landscape. It felt like a touch of home, to be somewhere where we understood very little of the native language but saw people signing to each other and knew what they were 'saying'.


Pictures: The drummer and guards.. they march through Old Town to the Pile and Ploce gates each evening at 7:30

A minstrel who plays near Pile gate... that red thing on his foot is his tambourine which he uses to keep time with the music by stomping his foot up and down.



Sunday morning Cathy and I took momentary leave of our senses and planned out an ambitious day. We would go down to the beach in the morning for a swim in the Adriatic. Then we would attend the noon service at Saint Blais' and that evening we had been invited to the Dean's home for dinner. We knew that involved at least three trips down all those stairs and at least two trips back up, but we were buoyed by how well we had done on the stairs the day before; obviously one of the benefits of our trek around Mljet.

What we failed to consider in this equation was that after swimming in the sea for an hour, we would be tired. And we had 400+ steps to climb to get to the apartment, shower, and descend into Old Town again... in the hottest part of the day... and after church, we would face those same steps again... in STILL the hottest part of the day. Any sense of Saturday's accomplishment that we had ascended Harold and Kumar steps without taking a break and had climbed upper hell with only TWO rest stops... and then walked from the road all the way up the apartment without a break, vaporized. We're not twenty-something young chickies... I can tell you right now, even with all this exercise, I do NOT expect the producers of "Buns of Steel" or "Thighs of Iron" to be calling me to record their next video. ("Buns of Tapioca", maybe... "Thighs of Cottage Cheese", absolutely!).

We vowed not to plan this much ever again. I know during the church service, not understanding a word of Croatian, we were praying we'd just make the second trip up the hill without heat stroke or twisted ankles :)

Dinner at Dean Don Hudspeth's home was a delightful event. It was the Dean, Vincent, Cathy and me. He had a special room, built away from the house, where he barbequed veal chops and sausages. We had potatoes baked with fresh rosemary and onions and grilled vegetables, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms and peppers. His mother-in-law, who lives just down the road, had made a dessert, a custard with carmel syrup... baked with eggs fresh from the chickens penned in the Don's yard. There were tangerine, pomegranate and olive trees; grapevines and artichoke plants; chickens and kittens and bats, oh my! I said all Don needed was a cow for milk and he'd never need to visit a grocery store.

His home was at the base of mountains; on one side, if you went over the mountain, you'd be in Bosnia. There were actually mortar rounds discharged from the top of that mountain and Don showed us where the house and walkway had been hit. It is very humbling to think that a little over fifteen years ago there was a war going on here.

His wife's family is from Croatia, while he himself is a Candian. During dinner he explained the variations in languages in Croatia and Serbia and Slovenia, and the histories and attitudes of people in the different regions. As with Professor Stasa, Don told us how families are so tight-knit in this part of the world. It's not just immediate families, but mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers that many times gather for a meal, everyone sharing the cooking and cleaning and entertaining. Kids spend time on the computer playing games, but they also wander down to the river and congregate with their friends for hours of fun. Over and over we've heard of the strong sense of community and the unhurried pace here, something lacking in the States.

Well, I suppose I should get some work done. This week is going to be a busy one... Cathy and I leave for Italy tomorrow evening, as Wednesday is a holiday here. Tentatively, there are two class field trips planned for Thursday and Friday, so we jump off the boat from Bari Thursday morning and hop on another a few hours later. What was that again about us not being young chicks...? I can't remember... I'm too busy soaking up the culture and surroundings... I'll have time to sleep on the plane on the way home :)

mir... annette

I love to go a'wandering...

The view from our balcony, again, what I refer to as the sun peeling back from Old Town.. my morning ritual as I drink my coffee :)

Friday was our field trip to Mljet (me-yet... the J is pronounced like a Y) National Park (the scenic view pictured here). We began early, 7a, taking the steps down to the farthest Old Town gate. We hailed a cab (such a treat for a country gal like me.. lol) and a black Mercedes station wagon pulled up to give us a ride to the port of Gruz (rhymes with "cruise"; please note, I am not putting in accent marks on a lot of the Croatian words... some are pronounced just like they sound.. others.. well, we massacre the word best as we can and the locals nod and smile politely. Quite honestly its difficult to get an inkling from most words what it means, but the Croatian alphabet is actually very easy to understand, each letter only making one sound).

We took a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride to get to Mljet and our first stop was the site of ancient Roman ruins, a palace and church that had been built there hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years ago. It's so strange as you stand on these spots to imagine life back then. We were in the kitchen area and there was no signs whatsoever of rusted out dishwashers and fridges or Mr. Coffee machines. I mean, just how uncivilized were these people?!?

From the ruins we took a quick jaunt up a little mountain. Ok... I'm lying. It was not quick, jaunty or a little mountain by any stretch of the imagination. It was uphill (yes, both ways) with rocks and soft dirt and slippery places and flies that were the size of ping pong balls and an odd metallic green color. We climbed and climbed and climbed, until Cathy and I could climb no more. The students and teachers continued on, as we rested casually on rocks along the path. Ok, I'm lying again. We propped ourselves against rocks, gasping for air, squeezing every last drop from our water bottles. What happened to all that training we were getting doing 400+ stairs every day? Obviously, the air must be thinner on Croatian Islands, it's the only thing I can guess... at least that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Taking pity on us, some of the party came down early and pushed us back down the mountain. We waited for the rest of the group then took a paved road to a boat launch site (why we couldn't have just walked the paved road all around... I'll never know!). A three-minute boat ride took us from one island in the park to another, where we were served an amazing, authentic Croatian lunch (oh geez, here she goes again talking about food!). It was a noodle soup (yes, in 80 degree weather, but it tasted damned good!), then an entree of small pieces of the world's most tender beef with gravy and homemade noodles. The noodles were shaped in long tubes; Vincent pulled one up from his bowl that I swear was 8" long. The environmental professor told us that it was a real treat to have this meal, as it is usually reserved for weddings and special celebrations. Below is a website that shows a great pic of St. Mary's Island.. the church is to the left; the restaurant to the right.

http://www.mljet.hr/

[The view of St. Mary's altar.]

The professor regaled us with stories at lunch about the work he used to do. He used to be the director of natural resources at the park before he went into teaching. At that time, he also had a company that planned and organized VIP trips/tours/stays for people on the islands. He told us tales of Tom Cruise, Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg coming to the islands. Way Cool! After lunch the students went in for a swim, as this little island was nestled inside of other islands. The water was cool, deep and I waded to my waist before wandering off to see the monastery/church that also shared the island with the restaurant. You could walk the whole island in ten minutes, but it held treasures and history that were amazing.

We finally bid farewell to our host and headed back to the bigger island to catch our ferry back to Dubrovnik. This time I spent part of the trip up on deck, hanging onto the railing and feeling the breeze in my face. The scenery, all the surrounding islands, was breathtaking. I didn't want to go below and get my camera, so I don't have pics to send, but I don't know that I could have captured the immense hills and shorelines of the Dalmation Coast and surrounding islands.

We took public transportation (a bus) to get back to the base of upper hell, knowing there were 170 steps to climb before personal hell (another 58 steps). Mr. Vincent went on ahead, as we reassured him we always panted and huffed and puffed and stopped every 30 stairs to gulp air. When we arrived back at the apartment, Mr. Vincent had two tall glasses of water with fresh lemon in them waiting for us. There is a special place in heaven for Mr. Vincent :)

Today was a morning trek to the grocery store... we bought fresh bread, still warm... that was lunch, with a few slices of cheese and some olives and fresh vegetables. How very European! Tomorrow evening we've (Vincent, Cathy and myself) been invited to the Dean's house for dinner. At noon we're going to attend church at Saint Blais in Old Town; I know we won't understand a word, but God will know we're there... we may even get extra credit :)

When we first arrived in Dubrovnik, there was scaffolding and tarps in front of the church... they've just been removed in the past day or so, so we can see the beauty of Saint Blais'.

Well... that's it for today... this upcoming week will be very busy... Wednesday is a holiday for Croatia, so Cathy and I are taking an overnight cruise to Italy Tuesday night, arriving in Bari Wednesday morning, sailing back to Dubrovnik that evening to arrive back "home" Thursday morning. A few hours later, we hop another boat to sail to some of the local islands for a class field trip. Friday we drive to Split (spleet) for still another class trip. Saturday, we collapse. I wish I would have done this when I was younger :)

mir...a

at last... visual proof I am here :)

Bear with me as I figure out how to caption the pictures I'm attaching now :)

The view on the left was taken when we first arrived at our apartment, from the balcony. You are looking down at the Adriatic Sea and Old Town below. The view on the right is in closer, we ate our first meal in Croatia at the restaurant with the arched windows. This is where the cruise ships send their little boats to unload passengers for a day of sightseeing.

Pictures from Medjugorje - the base of Apparition Hill and the statue of Our Lady, outside St. James church. The landscape view was taken from the van as we traveled home... it's so hard to capture the true beauty of the area.

Rush hour in Dubrovnik... this was taken after we walked along the outside walls of Old Town and went under the archway. To your left is the Pile gate to go into Old Town; to your right, a few minute walk to the college.

just another day in Dubrovnik

Cathy and I remarked yesterday, that it seemed nothing of importance happened to write about in our blogs... oh yeah, except we're in CROATIA! We find ourselves more and more feeling like "regulars", cursing "those damn tourists" who flock down the streets after they are unloaded from busses and cruise ships. Cathy has actually taken to barreling through the throngs; I prefer the more civilized approach, following in her wake :)

Last night we ate at our favorite nearby restaurant, Fuego. Again, I had seafood pasta, but was actually dismayed that there were no legs in my bowl. Instead, the calamari (sounds so much more exotic than "squid") must have been the catch of the day. Chewy rings of seafood; not as good as the first bowl, but tasty nonetheless. Of course, we had company... one of the local kitties decided to join us... and we made instant friends when I shared dinner with him.

I am pleased to report that I finally was able to download my pictures, so rather than dull you to sleep with my typewritten droning today, I'll attach some of the "best of the best of Dubrovnik and beyond".

Tomorrow we head to the Mljet National Park for environmental class... stay tuned for that adventure :)

mir... a

reflections on a walk to work

This morning I decided to be a big girl and come into work all by myself. As pleasant as my fellow roommates are, sometimes its nice just to have some time to yourself. The breeze was light and there was only a smattering of rain; I headed off down the hill. To my left was the Adriatic Sea, small whitecaps breaking across the water. I could hear the waves hitting the shore of the small beach below but the sound is not thundering like it is in Virginia Beach. It's more a calming, soft swish carried upwards to my ears. On my right were the mountains and various trees and plants and who knows what manner of wildlife. Below, my destination was Old Town and the college.

I walked past the pink wall (a tall barrier for the curve as the road turns) and down the asphalt path that leads to the upper wide stairs. We have names for each of our paths that we take. The 56 stairs to the apartment is "personal hell". The stairs by the house with glass block windows (everything has some sort of landmark, that is how directions are given... "turn right at the Biker's Cafe"... "go straight at the fountain and left at the clock tower"...) is "upper hell". If we take the stairs (all 200+ of them) down by the beach, that is "lower hell".

We have another set of stairs that comes out near the Ploce ("plaw-chick") gate of Old Town. We call these the "wide stairs" (or as I call them affectionately "Harold and Kumar" because words to that effect are spray painted on the side of one of the walls). There are upper wide stairs as well, but we generally don't take them even though they lead to our road. They end in an asphalt path at the top that is covered in part by thick trees. It's like walking through a rabbit hole even though it's just a short distance. We prefer to be out in the open where we can see the sea below.

I took the upper and lower wide stairs this morning. These are nice because it's not constant stairs with infrequent landings like upper and lower hell. Instead, its a two steps, a long landing, two steps, a long landing. You get a rhythm going as you walk along, your sandals slapping out a beat on the well-worn rocks and marble.

I arrived at the base of the stairs and crossed the street; rather than going through Old Town (they wash the stone walkways and main street in the morning and it's slippery as hell), I took the sidewalk around the fortress and along the road. It's easy to feel insignificant as I look up at huge stone walls above me, walls that protected the city and kept its inhabitants safe. As I continue, I walk under a stone bridge, high above, and am flanked by rough stone walls on both sides kept in place (although I think it's just for show, I can't imagine it offering any real protection) by wire netting. It's a one-lane road, with intermittent steel poles, about three feet high, the only protection against getting run over by a delivery truck, a mini-car (they all seem to be mini-cars around here) or a motorscooter.

As I continued, I couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity and dedication it must have taken for people to build these walls, these fortresses. Each block of stone chipped away to make reasonably consistent squares then stacked up on top of each other. It wasn't like you could have loaded up a cart at Home Depot and built it by yourself. How many people have walked along this sidewalk, shoes and boots wearing it down? What dreams and ideas and thoughts did they have to share with the world? How many had ice cream cones in their hands (ice cream is the BIG treat here... and it's difficult to describe how amazing the flavors are)?

I walked past the Pile ("pee-lay") gate of Old Town, right near one of the ice cream shops and ATM. Yesterday after lunch we treated ourselves to dessert before we headed to work. Cathy got a lime ice cream that was delicious. I opted for a tiramisu dessert. Now, before you start salivating along with me, it was the size of a double shot glass. A whipped sort of cream/cheese with a layer of coffee liqueur. It had a teeny tiny spatula-type spoon to eat it and I did my best to savor it so it lasted more than two mouthfuls. It made me think of how small pleasures can be so easily overlooked and unappreciated.

We're struck by how odd it is to be walking along the narrow sidewalks and people don't move out of your way or smile at you. We're told that is the Croatian way, but I wonder why. We are also curious how people seem to know we're Americans before we even open our mouths. People stand along the Stradun, the main street of Old Town, holding out menus for you to look at; they always seem to have the English page opened for us. It's not like we have tattoos of American flags on our foreheads. Maybe Croatians just have a better sense for reading people's faces, expressions.

Life here seems so simple and uncomplicated. The food is fresh and the pace is unhurried. The football fans are enthusiastic to the nth degree. The kids seem joyful and unstressed; happy to chase after the pigeons by the clock tower, realizing they'll never really catch one. The teens seem to be in their own world, much like America, but they don't look sullen or resentful of life. And the old folks (like myself, middle-aged and above), while not outwardly smiling, seem to be happy and satisfied with their lives. Just like in the States.

Yes, people and life here can be much like it is in America as well... I just put in my 3 kunas for a moccachino from the machine right outside our office. I watched as the coffee and syrup and milk mixed directly... into the dribble pan... as no cup had descended... yep, 3 kunas right down the drain. Sixty cents I'll never see again. The only problem; the vending machine man doesn't understand a word of English and I don't understand a word of Croatian. He has machines to stock and I have blogs to write. Life is like that sometimes.

mir... a

(p.s. I still have not figured out how to unload my camera, but I promise once I do, pictures will be forthcoming... and I thank people for their comments. I haven't been good about acknowledging them individually, but they are appreciated nonetheless.)

paper... or plastic

Sunday was truly a day of rest for us. Without classes or adventures planned, we took our time just relaxing on the balcony, enjoying the view (which we will never tire of) of Old Town and the Adriatic Sea. Breakfast was unhurried and Cathy and I decided to wander west of the college in search of a grocery store, or a reasonable facsimile.

Uphill we trekked, resting on a bench along the busy narrow road before we crossed a bridge that led to a new and previously unexplored part of Dubrovnik. Walking down what appeared to be a commercial/office building area, Cathy decided to rest a bit while I went in search of something bigger than a 7-11 (or at least the Croatian equivalent). With thoughts of "just around this next curve up ahead" a few times, I decided to cross the street, trudge through a parking lot and see what the parallel road had to offer.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear, but a Tommy Mart. Oh joy, oh rapture! Could it be? I hurried (ok, not really hurried, but I didn't dilly-dally either) back to Mrs. Cathy. "Come see the wonders of the new world I have discovered. I have heard tell of amazing machines and culinary delights beyond our wildest imaginations."

We proceeded to Tommy Mart and took the escalator to the grocery store entrance. There were shopping carts.. there were scanners.. there was a deli area larger than Wegmans.. there was a security guard. We wandered the aisles, delighted to behold such treasures. Fresh produce and breads, meats and cheeses, shelves upon shelves of items that we could not identify were it not for the pictures on the labels. Of course, we loaded our baskets and headed for the checkout. (you will be delighted to know they even had my coveted Aero bars!) Now the problem was schlepping our packages home.

Not to worry. A taxi was nearby. We told him where we lived and he immediately gestured his hand in that direction, making a steep uphill motion. Yes, we nodded, on the top of the hill. We bundled in and Cathy was kind enough to give me the front seat. All the better to view our trip home as we sped up hills and around curves, the likes of which Mario Andretti probably has never traveled. "Don't talk to me while I'm driving uphill," the driver cautioned us. It was easy to keep quiet with my heart in my throat.

We arrived safely, delighted to unload our packages and relax on the balcony once again. Of course, our wonderful landlords made a visit upstairs to deliver pieces of fresh baked cherry cake and blankets for Cathy and Vincent (you know me, I don't need one!). All in all, a peaceful, relaxing Sunday.

Yesterday, Zoran (the student assigned to watch over us :) covered his culture class from 11a to 12p. He brought us up to World War II, which he will finish Wednesday. He is such an intelligent, enthusiastic young man; we found out from Vincent last night that he wrote an essay in a national Croatian contest about why Croatia should join the European Union, and he won! It's obvious he will go far, as he is working on both degrees in hospitality and law. And his sense of humor is delightful :)

Yesterday's Environment class was a viewing of the Al Gore movie, "An Inconvenient Truth". Having not seen it before, it was eye-opening and interesting and as Professor Stasha said, told in a plain language people could understand. View it if you get a chance, it is enlightening.

Art History was a review of prehistoric, Egyptian, Roman, Greek architecture, sculpture and paintings. While the material can be a little dry, its great to have this foundation as we delve more and more into the great masterpieces of all the periods. Friday is our trip to Mjlet National Park... stay tuned for details on that.

This morning since our classes didn't start early, we still walked in with Professor Vincent but took a detour for coffee, to go. Yes, coffee in good old fashioned paper cups with plastic lids. Imagine our surprise when we thought perhaps they forgot to finish filling the cups. What they lack in quantity, they make up in quality... and pastries (which we avoided with the willpower of saints)... although I can't say we didn't leave nose and fingerprints on the display cases. Definitely a place to return to, it's just down the alley off the Stradun (the main street of Old Town)... the only problem is remembering which alley.

Well, that's it for today. As always, I send my love and happy thoughts... stay tuned for the next installment of "Cathy and Annette's Excellent Adventure".

On the road to Medjugorje

(note: another long missive... I can't seem to get in the routine of writing short and sweet... but then, that is the joy that is me :)

Anyway, again, I start with the food (I really don't have food issues.. it's just interesting to describe all these new experiences... bear with me :)

Friday, June 13, we at lunch at one of our favorite pizza places, Mea Culpa. I decided to try something different, pizza fruit di marre… pizza with seafood: shrimp, mussels, crab. Imagine my surprise when they brought out a pizza that was staring back at me. Five big shrimp, beady black eyes focused on me. Cathy and I laughed so hard I think we might have disturbed the other patrons in the alleyway café. After dinner we decided to treat ourselves to dessert at Dolce Vita, because of the stressful week we had had. Dessert for me was a light cake with custard and fresh cherries, peaches and strawberries, along with a cappuccino. Cathy decided to go with ice cream and I swore I would never speak to her again if she choose vanilla.

Friday night there were showers that lasted into the morning Saturday. This was the day of our big trip to Medjugorje. It was a two and one-half hour bus ride, mostly along the Dalmatian Coast; the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful. We passed by cruise ships in one harbor that were gigantic. We were traveling with nine other people; a young and old couple, I think from Australia (by their accent); an older couple from New Zealand and a father, mother and daughter from Ireland. Cathy struck up a conversation with the New Zealand couple, as she had just visited there not too long ago to see her son.

We passed a 500-year old tree on the way; a pedestal had been placed under one of the limbs to support it. It was hard to see the tree from the van, but it was impressive nonetheless. We also passed the Fici Islands and Mjlet National Park. We’ll be visiting the park next Friday as part of the Art/Environmental field trip.

The first rest stop was in Neum on our way to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Along the way we saw beautiful areas of coastline, fertile valleys with orchards and farms, well irrigated, fishing traps for mussels and oysters. The guide told us the farmland area was called the Croatian California. We went through the city of Melkovic which is about 100km from Sarajevo. From there we traveled west to Western Herzegovina and towards Mostar. In these areas Croatians, Muslims and Serbs have been living together since the war. It was interesting to see the rebuilding… many second floors of homes were open, no windows, just clothesline strung inside to hang their laundry. The land was mountainous, rocky. We saw a few cemeteries; crypts above ground most likely because they could not dig through the rock to bury the dead underground and because the land might flood. There was one mosque on the way; what looked like a brand new building in the middle of farms and fields.

The vegetation was sparse, gnarled old trees and an occasional flowering plant. The area was, however, known for its pomegranate trees. I noticed as we would leave each town the there would be a sign with the name of the town and a red diagonal line through it. No “Venture back to Victor soon” signs out here.

The morning continued to be cloudy, a little gray and drizzly, even as we approached Medjugorje. We left the main highway for more of a secondary road. No guardrails, just a narrow strip of pavement, enough to fit a lane of traffic going each way. Oddly, once we arrived and found a small café at the foot of Apparition Hill so the guide could give us background, the sun came out. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay out. Our guide’s name was Julianna Stoic. We found out a little later that her family is one of the original 200 families that lived in Medjugorje before the vision. Her cousin is one of the children that saw the Virgin Mary. Now there are about 4,000 families.

Julianna told us the story; it’s something you can read online if you Google Medjugorje (I put a link below), so I won’t go into all of it here, but she did say that the fact that we were all in Medjugorje was not an accident or even our own choice; it was because we were supposed to be there. I can honestly say I did not feel the power or spirit or any living altering experience while I was there, but I did sense from our guide the incredible belief and faith that she held. Perhaps that was my message I was supposed to receive.

http://www.medjugorje.org/overview.htm

After you leave the narrow road, there is a short climb up a steep hill of paved stones. That in of itself was slippery and intimidating; Cathy and I looked up from the base of Apparition Hill and decided not to attempt it. Even on a sunny day, with dry weather and ground, it was treacherous. The rocks are jagged and uneven, interspersed with patches of red clay dirt. Mix that in with the rain overnight and that morning and we decided our limbs were not quite fit for the journey. The only disappointment (and I had forewarning from someone at the college) was all the little gift shops situated along the stone path, before you arrived at the bottom of the hill. Cathy wondered what the Virgin Mary would think of those.

We watched as some of our group made the trek up the hill (God bless them, literally). There are bronze plaques staged along the way so that you can pray at each, following the signs of the cross. From there you could also see across to Cross Mountain where a huge stone cross was erected, in further tribute. One of the words that Julianna translated for us was mir, peace. I found it highly ironic, because after we attended the Croatian mass at St. James' church and had lunch, lit candles at the church and waited for our tour guide and driver to return home, in the parking lot were three elderly ladies, fighting over a package of some sort. Pushing, yelling, hitting each other… like little kids. Again, I wondered if they realized how bizarre that looked, given the lay of the land.

It was a long day; finally arriving back at the gates of Old Town around 6:30, but the scenic drive and hearing Julianna tell the story of Medjugorje was worth the time.

As we walked through Old Town to get to the restaurant and meet the students for dinner, we stopped to take pictures of a wedding at one of the churches in Old Town. The bride and groom stood at the top of the steps and threw candy to the crowd, while a small band serenaded them. It was very festive.

Sunday was our own day of rest. We decided to venture to the west of Old Town in search of a real grocery store. I became the sole search party as Cathy wanted to rest. I was thrilled to find a real store with grocery carts and scanners... although neither of us could read a word of Croatian on any of the packaging. The language does not lend itself to even fuzzy interpretation; there's just no reference to understand it.

We decided to forgo the hills and stairs and took a taxi back to the apartment. The driver was whipping around a corner and up a hill and I asked a question just to make conversation; "don't talk to me while I'm driving uphill," he said nicely.

Well, today is another day; our student seems to have settled in and I don't think she'll be going home, so we should be here for the duration. As much as I'm enjoying the culture and surroundings, I have my moments of homesickness as well.

for now.. hugs and mir.. annette

Waiter, there's an octupus in my pasta!

Salutations! It's hard to believe we arrived a week ago, almost to the hour. It feels like time has gone by so quickly. On the other hand, we feel a little more like natives and less like tourists every day. With both of us keeping journals and blogs, things are starting to get jumbled in my mind (more than usual), so please excuse any reruns of information.

Yesterday was a wee bit of a stressful day; our student was a little homesick but Cathy and I went into Mom mode and she's going to see how the weekend goes... we're keeping her in our prayers, as well as the other students so that all get to enjoy the experience that is Croatia.

We also had a bit of bad weather yesterday, which probably didn't help. Again, I'm sure you're sympathizing with us :) We lost power/internet briefly, but were back up in no time.

We've booked an excursion to Medjugorje for tomorrow; a bus trip up to the shrine - an all day event. Details on that later, of course.

Yesterday we went to one of our favorite spots for lunch, Fuego. It's just a sidewalk cafe near the college, but we had great salads there earlier in the week. Cathy got a pasta with garlic and butter that smelled divine. I decided to spread my culinary wings, so to speak, and had seafood pasta. Imagine my surprise and delight (read that as "surprise and even more surprise") when I poked in my fork and pulled out a little octupus. I didn't verify all the legs, but there were enough there to confirm the protein source. Honestly, it was delicious... maybe it was the sauce (akin to a Campbell's Tomato soup base), but it tasted like chicken... no, just kidding. It tasted like octupus; assuming you know what octupus tastes like. In any event, I had to restrain myself from licking my bowl clean. Thank goodness for all the wonderful bread :)

Dinner last night was in the main street (pictures will follow, as soon as I figure out the technology of my camera) and we enjoyed listening to the soccer fans cheering and singing in a nearby cafe. Someone had a flare down the main street of Old Town and it seemed like half the people walking around were wearing the red and white checkerboard in some sort of apparel. Croatia won, beating Germany 2:1, but I will have mixed feelings Monday when they play Poland... who should I cheer for? :) It's very odd, too, to see this old street with well-worn stones that we walk each day... and a flat screen TV brought out for the patrons to enjoy. The celebration went on well into the night and early morning, as singing could still be heard at the apartment all the way to Old Town, and cars flashed their lights and beeped their horns.

Last night, actually early this morning (1:30 a.m.), Cathy and I awoke to a magnificent thunderstorm. The lightening illuminated the island across from us and the booms and cracks were amazing. Our roomie, Professor Vincent Serravallo, slept through the festivities.

Today our (actually Cathy's) achievement was figuring out how to use the washing machine. Don't laugh. Other than a few icons (a cotton plant, chemical bottle and sheep's head), it was a wee bit intimidating to figure out how to wash clothes. There is no dryer... we set up a rack in part of the living room and there's a clothesline outside.

Thank you for all your posts and well wishes. Feel free to ask questions, we love sharing our newfound knowledge): We haven't seen a library yet, but we know where the post office is, the location of ATMs and the few small grocery stores. There aren't really lawns or yards that people have; it's really more like apartments connected randomly and stacked on each other. We're never sure when we take a new stairway if we'll end up on the street below or in someone's patio.

TV is mostly BBC, CNN, but world versions. Yes, I know... we don't know who won Top Chef, and we could go online to find out, but don't tell us. I don't miss TV at all; I much prefer the view from the balcony as my entertainment. It doesn't change often, but it's more the sense that "we're in Dubrovnik, for crying out loud... can you believe it?" Life is good.

The few grocery stores we have visited are small, closer to a mini-mart than a grocery store. We're able to find the basics of what we need, but our landlord had offered to take us to a store with shopping carts (as he pantomimed). To be honest, I don't think we miss Wegmans much. Simple is best.

We have not gotten into the water yet. We were excited about the prospect until the environment professor mentioned the fecal coliform that he thinks is in the Adriatic; "I wouldn't swim in there." So, stay tuned for that adventure.Thank you for all of your thoughts and wishes... it's hard to begin to describe how awesome this trip has been, and how more awesomer it will be.

I've realized I've been writing a great deal about food, but I think I'm actually losing weight here... lol. It's just one of those things that is so different.. no McDonald's or Subway, so it gives me something to write about.

Sending my love and thoughts in return... annette

Life in Croatia

Well, day five and we're beginning to feel more like natives (ok, that's a stretch, but that's our story and we're sticking with it). The money situation is really pretty easy to figure; the currency is a kuna and 100 kunas is about $20US. We just multiply the kuna price by two and add a decimal point. The next hurdle was food. There are no Wegmans here... (or Wal-Mart, Starbucks, McDonalds). Just a few little grocery stores tucked (and I mean tucked) into nooks and crannies. We have become quite European eating yogurt and museli (an unsweet, more natural kind of granola) for breakfast. There are a lot of meats and cheeses here, ham, salami, and who knows what. Not a lot of salads in the traditional sense. Usually a salad is a small plate of greens (your choice if you want octupus with that... don't laugh... I want to try it). Lots of seafoods, and you can see the Italian influence (we've had amazing pizza here... gorgonzola cheese, green olives, corn, shrimp... definitely not Dominos!)

Ann Marie: you will be quite dismayed to know that you cannot walk into a cafe and get coffee to go. There are very few places that serve coffee in paper/styrofoam cups. There is a Croatian/Dubrovnik phrase, "hurry went to hell" that sums up their attitude. Coffee is best enjoyed at a table in a porcelain cup, sipped, not gulped. While I miss my Dunkin Donuts, I'm looking forward to my first coffee bar experience. In the meantime, my coffee bags give me the jolt I need to get going in the morning.

Not, that I need a jolt... I've yet to have to wake up to an alarm here. Usually its the birds and faint sounds of the sea, and the sun that filters through the open shutters that gets me up... yes, envy me... I even envy myself. I can't imagine ever tiring of the view from my balcony as the sun comes over the mountain behind us and starts to shed light on Old Town. I will try to post pictures soon... I want to get some of the alleyways and the fountain and church facades... even going to Fort Niagara as a kid doesn't compare to the history of this area. Our student has switched one of her classes and is in Art History of Dubrovnik, Venice and the Mediterranean now so we'll learn more in classes. The instructor helped with the restoration project of Old Town after the war... I can only imagine what it was like then... better yet, I'm glad I don't really have to know. Walking along the worn stones, I wonder how many feet crossed them... it's just overwhelming.

Well, best get to work... that IS why they sent me here. Hope you are all well and enjoying my missive... and I do hope to post pictures soon.

hugs & peace.. annette

Monday, June 9

First day of classes and things went well, considering. We are still waiting for our laptops to clear customs, so we went to Plan B... straight typing on Word. I did not realize how much I valued C-Print software until we had to go to Plan B. But, we could provide the student the best in service, with what we had.

Last night we became unofficial soccer fans - Croatia was playing Austria in World Soccer and they won 1-0. You could hear the fans chanting and singing in Old Town, 20 minutes away. It is odd to see huge flat screen televisions in a 600 A.D. structure, but fans were seated all around, cheering on their team. The celebrations went into the early morning - these are diehard fans.

Well, I need to do some prep work for class tomorrow... but stay tuned for more :)

Full day two... today was an orientation for all the students that finally arrived. Lunch was at a local cafe where we sat and chatted with the president of RIT and the Dean of the college here at Croatia. Tomorrow classes begin, I cannot wait... Fridays will be field trip days, so I am sure they will be exciting.

More to follow as the week unfolds... a

Greetings everyone, from Croatia. The flight here was long, a little bumpy, but I managed to keep myself calm and collected through the trip (i.e., I didn't curl up under my seat and suck my thumb). We spent all of an hour at the Zurich airport so didn't get to see much, and the weather was cold, wet, drizzly.

It was raining when we arrived in Dubrovnik, but it cleared up quickly. The ride from the airport to the apartment was interesting. The apartments and homes are built into the hillside; getting down to the sea is easy.. it's the trek back up that's a killer. I imagine I'll be able to compete in the Ironman by the time I get home :)

The view from our balcony is breathtaking. As soon as I can get access to my laptop, I'll try to post pictures so you can seriously envy me. The students arrive today and get settled in, so Cathy (my co-worker) and I will tour some of Old Town this afternoon.. find an ATM, cafe, postcards :)

Here's a website to check out.. the picture in the middle of the fortress walls is part of what we see from our balcony.. yeah.. life is rough :)

http://www.dubrovnik.hr/

Hugs & peace to all.. more to follow.. annette