Yesterday we took the cable car up Mount Srd to watch the Sunset and explore the museum in the Imperial Fort. The sunset was spectacular as there was just that wee bit of mist above the Elaphite Islands that provided a touch of Magic. At the Fort the presentation of the Seige of Dubrovnik was equally moving.
In the fall of 1991 my daughter was just a tiny baby. I was enjoying her baby smiles and her chubby little cheeks. The news reported conflict in the former Yugoslavian countries but somehow that seemed remote or less relevant to my life in a country at peace. When you are in Croatia it suddenly becomes very real. The people of Dubrovnik considered their city safe. They believed that as it had been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site that the JNA (Yogoslav People’s Army) would hesitate to attack. They were attacked from the land and the water. Museums, churches, streets and homes all suffered damage. Food was rationed...water was scarce. Children barely older than mine carried water home for their families. The people of Dubrovnik are resilient. They painted murals on the boarded up windows. They swept up the debris from the bombings from their proud streets. When the key to their ancient clock tower was found they wound it and gathered in the square to celebrate that the bells still rang over the town of Dubrovnik. Today, unless you look carefully, you can barely see the repairs of the damage from the Seige. This morning one of our neighbours helped us with the Croatian phrase “dobro jutro”. We must have been pulling it off fairly successfully because we were greeted by smiles when we wished passers by “Good Morning”. You Are Always in my Prayers. Love Mom. P.S. When it comes to conflict there is often three truths: your truth, their truth, the truth. Clearly today’s Blog is the Croatian perspective.
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After an early morning start (3:30 a.m.) we have arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Executing a complicated plan involving a flight layover, trains, buses, bag-nannies, and the Underground we spent yesterday in London, England. Our time spent at the National Gallery— complete with free admission and a quirky free guided tour— was fabulous. A picture truly paints a thousand words. I would like to share with you one of our extraordinary finds. Turner is renown for his use of light. The Fighting Temeraire is no exception. To provide a bit of context the 98-gun ship, gloriously highlighted, played a significant role in the Battle of Trafalgar 1838. In this case the ship itself became a symbol of England’s glory—their naval successes. None of the tragedy of war—just a concentration on the Victory. A bit of a twist....Turner paints the ship as it is being dragged into retirement by a tug boat. I wonder, as Canadians, do we have any symbols that glorify war in this same way?? Our evening ended with a Fish & Chip supper complete with mushy peas and a spot of tea. Perfect. You are Always in My Prayers. Love Mom.
A Dubrovnik, Croatia B Kotor, Montenegro (Day Trip) C Mostar, Bosnia (Day Trip) D Split, Croatia E Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia F Zagreb, Croatia G Lake Bled, Slovenia H Venice, Italy I Padua, Italy (Day Trip) J Verona, Italy (Day Trip) K Mantova (Mantua), Italy L Cinque Terre, Italy M Milan, Italy On September 16th we are strapping the backpacks on and heading off on our own for over a month through what looks like a very fascinating part of Europe. The plan is the hit all of these highlights—well, at least that is the plan. Sincerely hope you enjoy our adventure complete with local transportation and language challenges! I am sure we will come home with many stories to tell. You are Always in my Prayers. Love Mom & Dad |
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Ray & Diane
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