Lim Canal - September 23, 2013

Last day for Frosty, Jill, and Jake to be in Rovinj.  They elected to spend the day in Lim Canal.  On a beautiful sunny day like this there is no better place to be.  

The boat was way too crowded for good pictures, but sometimes it's good to relax and leave the picture taking to others.

I did get a few good pictures that day.

A dozen oysters for everyone at the table!

The only condiments they offered for the oysters were lemon slices and this bottle of Tabasco Louisianan Hot Sauce.  The best part was the information on the back of the bottle - every word in Croatian.

A perfect illustration of satisfaction!  (This was taken after the oyster snack.)

Feeding the birds on the way back to town.

Watching folks fly home every which way!

It was an outstanding visit!  Come back soon!

A Day in Stari Grad Rovinj - Old Town Rovinj - September 22, 2013

The day started with a harvest.  A grape arbor shelters the driveway in front of our apartment and the white grapes were ready for harvest.  A group of the landlady's friends came by and within half an hour they were done.  It was a small bunch of grapes to be sure, but many residents have an arbor.  For some it is a way to keep their hand in the ancient ways of wine-making, for others it provides table grapes for a few weeks, and for others it's just a delightful way to bring shade and beauty to their front gardens.

Off to Old Town.  Here are some of the best of the photos I took that day:

The last one is a photo of Jill with the owner of the shop where she bought her little olive tree painting.  

Since it covers almost a third of the land mass of Old Town, the church is a must see!

The following are photos I took inside while waiting for the rest of the group to climb the bell tower.  After hearing their stories about rickety stairs, bell ringing, and frightened fellow climbers, I knew I had made the right decision to keep my feet on the ground level. 

Sometimes a person needs a few minutes of quiet reflection!

Leaving Old Town, we saw a small tractor pulling a wagon full of grapes up a street not much wider than the wagon.  We followed and found grapes, a home winery, and two of the cutest little kids you could hope for.

Big Sister was more than happy to stay close to Mom

but Little Brother wanted to be right in the middle of things.

Grandma sold us a bottle of wine, and we were on our way.

We wrapped up the day with dinner at the Blu Restaurant, right on the water.  

Pula - September 21, 2013

For better pictures and information, please visit an earlier blog entry about Pula at http://www.donacalcote.com/2012/10/pula.html.  This entry is just about a day shared with our company.

First, the amphitheater. Interesting note:  All the chairs and staging were there in preparation for the canonization of a saint later in the month.  We haven't been able to find any information regarding the new saint, but I can't imagine a more unlikely setting for the ceremonies than a pagan Roman facility.

A trip downstairs to the museum featuring ancient wine and olive oil industries.
We opted for a Pula Hop On/Hop Off tour.  

Looks like everyone is studying.

We start our tour at the front door of the amphitheater.

Drive along the harbor.

On the edges of Old Town.

Out to the old church by the sea.

And past one beautiful beach after another.

Almost every home, traditional or modern, humble or grand, has flowers either in the garden or in balcony boxes.

A fun archery range.  Run little lambs.  Run!

Pula even has a sky line.

 First person we see when we get off the bus is this character.

He was with an Austrian dance troupe that we saw a few minutes later in front of the market.

Another look at the ancient arch of triumph.

My annual chat with James Joyce.  He certainly is the silent type.

Temple of Apollo, the last remaining building in the Forum, and this a reconstruction.  War is a terrible thing in so many ways!

There were several new things in the temple museum

including this great display of ancient language development.  It fit right in with my fascination with Linear A and B.

Another ancient temple once stood in this place.  

After World War II, the back wall was the only remaining piece of the structure so the good people of Pula built the new building onto the old wall.

Just walking and looking

The Roman mosaic.

You never know who might be watching . . .

And up to the castle we climb.  What's an ancient seaside town worth if it doesn't have a castle?  Like most others this one has a history as long as human presence in the area.  Here is a sample of the photos I took:

And some of the views from the top:

Down the hill and by the market.  It was closed!  Disappointment, I guess!  How dare they close on a Saturday afternoon?!?  Oh, well, that would give us more time to visit the Roman theater.  Would you believe?  Closed for renovation.  

I did score some sweet little herb plants for my tiny kitchen garden at the apartment.  Two kinds of basil, rosemary, parsley and mint. If I can find a chili pepper plant, I'll be set!

We did get to see the old gates in front of the theater.  I've got to speak to someone about moving those cars.  They are a nuisance.

Back to the Pula bus station in time for a glass of wine before boarding.  Most of us fell asleep on the bus back to Rovinj.  Can you spell t-i-r-e-d?????