We headed to the coast and arrived in Zadar in time for dinner and a stroll through town, which is known for its Roman and Venetian ruins. No cars allowed in the Old Town, so we parked our rental car by one of a number of gates in city walls built by the Venetians.

Our hotel is right off a large square, one of several that are ringed by buildings from the 9th to 12th centuries.

On the square

The Zadar Cathedral by day and by night

Nearby

Church of St. Donatus

Benedictine Convent of St. Mary

We spent Sunday out on the water, stopping on several islands to swim, stroll and have a coffee, a major pastime in Zadar (and the rest of Croatia, from what I can tell).

On Monday we went to the Museum of Ancient Glass. All of the extensive holdings were unearthed in Zadar.

Below “glass accessories from the grave”.

Above, various glass vessels including some used for cosmetics. Accompanied by timeless advice from Ovid, in Ars  Amatoria.

We had an early dinner so that we’d be sure to catch the sunset, along with the eerie tones of the Zadar Sea Organ.

Yesterday we drove from Zagreb to just outside of the park and checked into our inn, which is described online as offering the friendliest welcome in Croatia. Also offered is a beautiful home cooked dinner and a breakfast buffet that is out of this world. To work off all that food, we set out at 8;00 for the park.

Plitvica is world famous for its lakes and waterfalls. The lakes take their colors from the minerals and organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight and range from green to turquoise to blue gray.

The water is so clear that you can see the fish . .

. . . and an underwater world with its own spectacular ‘landscape’.

There are a total of sixteen lakes in the park, and too many waterfalls  to count.

Plitvica is a place to meander through for hours, which is just what we did, prompting Jay to refer to us as a couple of meanderthals.

Several years ago I turned on the radio on my way home from work and came upon a fascinating pod cast on NPR. A narrator was telling stories about objects in a ‘museum of broken relationships.’ What a fantastic (fictional) premise, I thought! Only when the podcast was ending did I realize that this was a real museum, and the “‘narrator” was actually giving a tour of its holdings, all of them donations from people around the world. My immediate reaction was: I have to go there. My second reaction was: it’s in Zagreb, Croatia, so that’s not happening.

Just goes to show!

Here are my pictures. First, a description of the museum’s mission.

So you get the idea. This is not a pity party. It’s a place that offers people a chance to free themselves from the past. It’s  a place to tell your story, and at the same time, to let go of an object that you need to have out of your life.

It was as wonderful as I had imagined.

Of course, this bring a museum of broken realationships, many things are unresolved, there are missed opportunities, failures of communication, regrets.

But the overriding feeling you get from people who’ve made donations is one of relief

. . . and in more than a few cases, a certain sense of satisfaction.

I loved it all.

What do you think?

Our last full day in Ljubljana. We walked by the American Embassy

through the Square of the Republic and past the Parliament building.

Then it was over to the Slovenian National Museum to get a look at the exhibit of Roman ruins. This lion was probably placed in a cemetery to guard the deceased.

The Romans considered it important to keep track of where people were buried. Family members visited the graves for at least a year after the death. Below, tombstones and a fragment of a grave marker.

Stone coffins (sarcophagi) mostly for wealthy Romans

Our next stop was the Museum of Modern Art. An interesting display of art in the context of political upheaval, the collection of 20th century Slovenian painting is displayed along with newspapers from the 60’s through the war for independence. Other rooms in the exhibit trace the emergence of the art of the Partisan resistance.

Below, political posters urging citizens to support Slovenian independence from Yugoslavia.

So much history, so much art. I took as much of it all in as I could.

In the morning we said good bye to our neighborhood

and after a final view from above, headed to the train station.

Plecnik’s final commission and final resting place. The columns are a typical design element- he liked nodding to classical architecture.

Near the entrance to the cemetery is a WW II memorial.

So many died so young. The devastation to families is hard to imagine.

As with other cemeteries we’ve visited, this one has many deeply affecting monuments.

The most interesting feature of the cemetery was that the grave markers do not describe the deceased in terms of their family relationships. There’s no “beloved husband”,  “cherished grandmother”. I’ve always thought that describing s person this way is a statement about what really matters at the end of life – and about what remains, namely those connections. Here, though, it’s just names and dates, and the occasional reference to the person’s profession.

The one exception I came across: Oce (father) and Mama.

A last look.

We were planning a day trip to Lake Bled; Jay had the inspired idea to make it an overnight. We rented a car and off we went.

We arrived before check in time at our hotel,  so we dropped off our bags and caught a boat across the lake to the island to  see the church. The boats that ferry visitors are called Pletna boats. They were first used in the 17th century, and like the gondolas in Italy, are steered by a single skilled oarsman.

Crossing Lske Bled

Below, a view oF Bled Castle

When we returned we had a nutritious lunch of creme cake, one of several Bled specialties included on Jay’s list of 100 Dessers to Eat Before You Die.

A group of friendly locals was taking pictures of each other and obligingly took several of us. Here’s my favorite, sure to be this year’s holiday card.

We spent some time at the lake dozing and dipping, and as we were about to head back to get ready for dinner Jay announced that he really, really wanted to go on the luge that we had seen.

He had been thinking about it, this was something he’d always wanted to do, this was his chance, etc.

Reader, we both went on the luge (comfortingly referred to by the operators as the ‘summer toboggan ‘). Our pictures were taken remotely. Here is Jay.

We purchased this picture. We did not purchase mine.

After the necessary cocktails we had a lovely dinner by the lake, soothing music included.

The following day we had breakfast at our hotel and then headed to Triglav National Park to get a look at the Julian Alps.

Here are the three peaks of Mt. Triglav

At one of the turn offs on the way up we stopped to see this chapel, a remembrance of Russian prisoners of war who died while building the road. Many of them were killed by an avalanche that occurred during construction.

The road features a total of 50 hairpin turns.  We took a break at the peak.

I can’t  say I know what these guys were doing.

We wound our way down the road and then headed home to Ljubljana.

Ljubljana is an unusual city in that it represents the vision of a single architect, Joze Plecnik (1872-1957) who designed the layout, many of the important buildings, and even the cemetery (!) which we will visit later in the week.  He also designed the unique Triple Bridge, seen above and below, which connects the Old Town and the New Town.

The Bridge, and the central square, are the heart of the city. The square is ringed by cafes, there’s music, a water feature, and in the summer months there are (great) bands playing every night. The area brings the city inhabitants together – which is just what the architect intended.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we visited the library (see previous post) and Plecnik’s home.

Below, Plecnik’s work  desk. Everything in the house has been left exactly as it was when he died  His home is quite modest. And although he designed a city that would bring people together, he lived alone and seldom had visitors.

Plecnik regarded his home as a sacred space. Rather than admitting people other than family and a few close friends, he preferried to receive guests in an unheated ante room with uncomfortable seating.

From around town: a lovely bookstore with a name I love.

Gorgeous doors, just because

Below, Congrress Square. Built in 1821, it was here that in 1991 Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia.

That’s the castle in the background.

After a ten day war of independence and the withdrawal of the Yugoslav army, the former barracks  were occupied by an art collective. It’s been christened Metelkova Mesto and is now a tourist attraction during the day, albeit a bit sketchy after dark.

Tomorrow we head out of the city for a day and a night in Lake Bled and the Slovenian Alps.

Here in the capital of Slovenia, things are hopping like you wouldn’t believe. Here’s the central square. Our apartment is on the square, across from the pink church.

Cafes and restaurants are everywhere, and throughout the day and evening they are all fully occupied by what one imagines is the entire population of the city.

There’s something for everyone.

With all of its modern influences the city has a fairy tale quality, complete with dragons, which are its emblem. Here’s one of them on the aptly named Dragon Bridge.

There’s also a castle in town, though most of it has been reconstructed multiple times due to war, natural disasters, and other events that are hard on castles. There’s a funicular up to the castle, and great views from the tower.

The castle has many other attractions, notably the Puppet Museum, a history and display of puppets of all kinds. Hard to do justice to the magic of this exhibition.

Below, from the story of the fisherman and the magic fish.

Below, “Partisan Puppets”

Above and below, en route by train.

After a day of travel and a bit of rest we ventured out for dinner and a walk through our beautiful and quiet part of the city.

We spent four days in Venice, with a day trip to the island of Murano. It is the height of tourist season in Venice and once again we were faced with hoards of people. Tourists!! 😩 Below, St. Mark’s square at 10:00 a.m.

Ever determined, we see the sights.

St. Mark’s Basilica

Below, views from the St. Mark’s bell tower, the Campanile

The Doge’s Palace was the most intriguing sight of the day. Every element has layers of meaning – the glory of Venice, the wealth and power of the Doge, the machinations of the other official and quasi official ruling bodies.

Above and below, the Golden Staircase

Here, Venice (the lion) confronts bullying European powers

Walls and ceilings covered with gilding and artwork

Below, a small but significant element of decor in the ante room of the Council of Ten, a select group of senators with largely unrestricted power. Through a slot on the other side, people could anonymously submit accusations against their fellow citizens, which would be considered by the Council.

We spent the next day in Murano. ❤️

Below, how it’s done in Murano!

And back to Venice for more strolling and more gelato.

 

 

 

The stairs just outside the door of our apartment, which we are very sorry to leave.

The tunnel through town to the train station is lined with mosaics. Each section isdone in different styles and textures.

Some closeups of the mosaic mural:

The images evoke the sea, the hills, and all the variability and color of this fantastic place. Goodbye for now, Riomaggiore and the Cinque Terre!