Mediterranean Cruise -- Dubronvik & Venice

Europe
October 3rd 2007

Published: October 3rd 2007

June 15th -- Day at Sea
The sun lovers were out all day soaking up the sun's rays. We were energic and did several tours around the track on the top deck. A lot of people may have read that too much exposure to the sun will damage your skin but the message didn't penetrate, particularly when you see some asleep and starting to turn a nice lobster red.

June 16th -- Dubrovnik Croatia
Dubrovnik is one of UNESCO's "World Heritage Treasures". The City is amazing, it has been maintained exactly as it would have looked 300 years ago. It is even more amazing when you consider that the City from 1991 to 1995 was under seige and constant bombardment from the Serbian Army. There are pictures of the Catherdal (one in particular brought the horror through to me was the arm of a priest sticking up from the pulpit in his vestments dead and the pews behind him and the ceiling and interior destroyed) plus the streets where you have just wandered. You won't believe that it could be restored.

For 700 years Dubrovnik was a wealthy independent republic, whose ships traded both with the West and with

How narrow and steep the streets of Dubrovnik

Almost every side street off the main square was filled with cafes and restaurants

Turkish Empire. On the West they had to wary of Venice and on the East the Turks. Portions of the City wall are 11 feet thick. Finally the City fell to Napolean and after his defeat was given to the Austrians. The City was crowded when we were there and I found the ancient marbel cobbestone slippery beneath my sandals. Our jouney into and from the City was vai a reconstructed old sailing ship that plied the Adriatic Sea and beyond.

June 17th -- Venice
Our entry into Venice on this trip was much more dramatic than our previous trip. Our ship traveled down the Grand Canal and all of Venice passed by. Our choice for Venice was a walking tour of the hidden treasures of Venice. A wise choice since the city was jammed with tourists and where we ventured there were few other than our group. One interesting bit of history that I was unaware of, after Napolean was defeated and the City given to the Austrian's; the City rebelled. For several months the Austrians shelled the City from the mainland. That summer was very hot and there was little rainfall so the wells in the City