Croatian Sunset

Croatia - Picnic at the Ruins of a Summer House

Just a short walk from our lovely resort in Mlini is a ruined summer house. Last occupied in the 1920’s by a respected lawyer and playwright. Name is unspellable. 

But here’s the poster. I was here the other evening and took these photos. 

Croatia - Cilipi to Cavtat by foot

At first it was lovely, shady forest and butterflies. Then the trees petered out and it was just rocks and heather and sun and thorns. 

My reward at the end was the first plate of white bait I have had in many years. I had a beer with it and thought of my grandfather. And was grateful to be sitting down. 

Croatia - Konavale Embroidery

Absolutely remarkable silk embroidery on linen. Originally the women of the valley raised their own silkworms and died the yarns to embroider with. 

They also used the silk wool hemp and linen to weave bands. This loom was used by almost a half a century to weave these bands, and was donated to the museum after the woman passed away. 

The costumes are remarkable. Incorporating multiple elements of embroidery and gold work.

Croatia - Cilipi Folklore

We want to this ethnographic museum and exhibition of traditional dance today in Cilipi in the Konavale Valley here in the southern end of Croatia. The dances were familiar as were the songs. Lovely singing voices and very unusual regional instruments. There was one that looked like a large gourd and sounded somewhat like a hurdy gurdy. There was a remarkable dance around the player with a lot of spinning. 

I was very taken with the men’s costume- particularly their hand knit socks/stockings.  One gentleman had even had the feet on his replaced - you could see slightly different coloured wool on the feet compared to the legs. Men and women alike wore the glorious red slippers.

Italia- Bari

We left Vasto de Mariana on the TrenItalia intercity 605 in the afternoon. We arrived in Barri Centrale it just before 6 o’clock. I had no idea what a bustling metropolis and tourist attraction. This town is. Bari Vecchia is the old town shaped kind of like a spear point with ports on either side defended by a substantial wall and a number of castles as well as fortified churches. Apparently one of their many claims to fame because that Santa Claus’s relics are here. 

We came out for a drink after dinner and saw many many young people lounging on the back of this wonderful lion. His entire back is glazed and slippery, and no longer carved from the love of centuries. The kids lay on the back of the lion and put their feet up on the post. It really is lovely to see people able to interact so directly with history.

This is the view from our apartment. Everything is clean and sparkly because there was an intense thunderstorm overnight.

The atmosphere is impossible for me to capture in photos. Suffice to say it was amazing being able to walk in and out of the walls of the old city.

We dying on the local specialty pasta orchetti- made by local women by hand everywhere in the city old city. 

Italy - Vasto

We stayed in the marine Summer village that the residence of this town have enjoyed for a long time during the summer months. The original town is up the hill and highly defensible. 

A little seaside Village of Vasto Di Marina is just beneath in this picture. 

A very atmospheric Vasto evening.