Croatia – Zadar

2014  August  —–

Len, Michaela, Julian, Ed and Irene took the rental car back to the Zadar airport a few days early and decided to make a day of it.  We took a taxi into Zadar to explore the Old City.  We didn’t see and do as much as we normally would have, because Michaela started to feel ill.  We initially chalked it up to pregnancy morning sickness, but later that evening Irene and Lubica were also ill.

What we did see made us wanting more. We entered through one of the old gates that lead to the square. Every Old City has a square and they are all pretty much the same, a church, town hall, markets and a fountain or statue; but we never tire of them. We cannot help but wonder what stories the walls and cobblestones would have if they could speak. What victories and tragedies have they witnessed? What famous person walked this same piece of street?

That being said, we stopped at at coffee shop and had a juice. However, the coffee shop was sandwiched between a Corinthian column and Roman ruins. Captain’s Tower was across the plaza and St. Elias’s Church was behind us.

From the coffee shop we wandered toward the sea. It was then that Michaela really started to get ill. She rested for a short time, while Len took Julian on a children’s ride. Julian was all smiles. Len commented that even he enjoyed the ride, not so much for the ride, but to take his son on his first amusement ride.

Ed and I walked along the waterfront until we heard the unmistakable sound of the sea organ. A unique instrument hidden beneath white marble steps leading to the water. The organ plays music through a system of 35 pipes and a resonating cavity that turns the site into a huge musical instrument, played by the wind and sea. Apparently, it is fantastic when a ship goes by.

Near by is a huge solar panel. 22 meters in diameter, it collects enough energy to light the entire waterfront at night. Howingenious!!

Irene wandered through the Roman Forum which was founded by the first Emperor Augustus in the 3^rd century. No signs forbid you from sitting or touching, which really enhances the experience of being there, especially for the “Pillar of Shame” which was where the naughty people were chained for public disgrace.

The forum is located very near St. Donatus Church. This circular church, which was built in the 9^th century, is no longer in use as a church, but the fantastic acoustics serve well for the concert venue for the International festival of Medieval Renaissance Music.

Cathedral of St. Anastasia was locked up, so we could only peer in through the glass interior door. This church was originally built in the 4^th & 5^th century but the “new” part was built in the 12^th & 13^th century. We enjoyed an ice cream on the steps of the old church. Julian was oblivious to these historical surroundings, his only thoughts were his yummy ice cream cone.

There was much more to see and explore in old Zadar, but Michaela was feeling very poorly so we called her step-sister, also named Michaela, to come pick us up.

On the way back to Ivan’s, we were waiting to turn left at a reg light when a car pulled up beside us – not in the turning lane. He barely slowed down when he cut in front of us and zoomed through the red light to turn left.  We were sitting there rather shocked at his bravado.  When the light turned green we turned left to proceed up the hill and around a curve, when we spotted the same hurried car pulled over by the police.  We laughed!