Day 69 & 70 ~ A Renaissance Garden & Dubrovnik, Game of Thrones Style!

March 19-20, 2022

51 degrees. I know it's spring somewhere. When will we see 60's again? 

"Winter is coming." ~ Eddard, Lord of the House Stark from Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

The DH, still smiling even though he's lugging my POC on his back as usual when we go on excursions. More than I need extra oxygen, I need this wonderful man! 

Carob seeds

We have two days to explore the Dubrovnik area, so on the 19th, we headed out of town to visit the arboretum at Trsteno and the Rector's Palace there. The garden was a delight, and it will be even more wonderful in a couple of weeks when everything is in bloom. Even so, we were led by a very knowledgeable guide named Diane, who knew every bush and tree by name--the maidenhair tree, the gum tree, black bamboo, the American lime tree, Hymalayan cypress, the Oriental plane-tree, to name a few.

She spied a carob pod from last season and cracked it open to show us the little identical seeds inside. Not only is it a chocolate substitute, the seeds are so regular, they used to be used as a measure of weight. (Diane squirreled the seeds away in her pocket. "To build up my garden," she said with a grin. 

To reach the arboretum we had quite a steep walk down to the sea (and an even steeper one walking back up!) Please check out the DH's photo montage for all the flowers, the hidden pool with Grecian statuary, and a Roman aqueduct that is still bringing water from the heights down to the garden. 

The Republic of Dubrovnik

Back when Dubrovnik was a republic instead of part of Croatia, it was divided into several regions each governed by a rector who did the bidding of the leaders in Dubrovnik. We visited the Rector's Palace in the light green section of the map, located at the end of the very narrow inlet. The name of the village is Slano, and in medieval times, it was famous for the production of salt.

For some reason, I was thinking the rector had something to do with the clergy, but it was a civil administrative position. The rector is in charge of his area for a period of 30 days only and then the task of making sure all the laws are followed passes to another man. No one may be a rector again until two years have passed. 

Modern Croatia is shaped like a backward number 7, with a very fertile part of the country along the top of the 7. They can grow enough food to feed their population and have enough grain for export. There is a slight break in the country to allow their neighbor, Bosnia Herzegovina to have a port on the Adriatic. This was a concession for peace after Yugoslavia (which was made up of 6 or 7 Slavic countries) broke up in the 90's with a devastating civil war. At present, to get from the north to the south of Croatia, you must pass through customs twice. But the Croatians are busy building a bridge that will span the Bosnian port, so its citizens need not pass through another country to get to the other side of theirs.

March 20, 2022

Today we visit the walled Old City of Dubrovnik in all its barbaric splendor. It's easy to see why this incredibly intact site was chosen as a backdrop to HBO's Game of Thrones series. Everywhere you look has authentic production value. I saw a couple of episodes of the first season when we visited one of my nephews a few years ago. Then I read the first book, but didn't continue with the story because George RR Martin killed off the character I cared most about. Very frustrating. 

One of the wider lanes used to bring grain from the port into the city's storehouses. A year's worth was kept on hand against sieges.

Practicing some of the tricks from my on board photography class--I'm starting to look for how light plays with a space. 

However...after visiting Dubrovnik, I think I'll give it another try. The setting really is evocative enough to carry me for a while. At least until I pick a new champion from among Martin's cast of characters. (It's easy enough to spot the villains!)

I'm starting to spot natural frames for my photographs too. However, I've yet to learn how to make sure my towers don't end up leaning in my photo when they don't in real life!

It's Sunday, so the bells call the faithful to mass. There are 50 (!) churches within the old city walls, and only 800 permanent inhabitants. 

We returned to the Star to be greeted with a Game of Thrones style feast! Tables were lined up on the pool deck and we were treated to fish, chicken, pork, T-bones or Tomahawk steak to share with our tablemates (all of us supposedly members of the same royal house!) I'd made a reservation for us in the House Stark, but I think we ended up with Khalessi, Our Lady of the Dragons!

More soon...