Lokrum and Bonanza at Church
From Preparing for Croatia in Lokrum, Croatia on Sep 13 '06
This entry is about:
dprsjacksn has visited no places in Lokrum
show more map
On the water polo bleachers this afternoon after returning from Lokrum.
see all photos »
see all photos »
- My day began on the terrace overlooking Cavtat, with my parents, having our usual morning conversation with our friends from England on the terrace of the Villa Kvaternik. (http://www.dub-iz.hr/) We planned to take a trip to the island Lokrum later in the day (http://www.lokrum.hr/index.htm).
- First I went to the ATM to use my debit card to get kunas and then went in the bank to exchange them for US dollars because my cousin Mladenka told me the priest at St. Nicholas Church would prefer a donation in US dollars. Then I went to her house to pick her up.
- She was up on her terrace with her dog Baby , a golden lab. Our other cousin Marija was up there too in her "office" as she said, which was the laundry room for the restaurant! Then Mladenka and I went to the church where we had an appointment with the priest.
- The first best news was he had my camera bag with my tape recorder from the day before. I knew I had left it somewhere and had been worried about it.
- The second most fabulous news was him handing me the baptismal and birth certificate of my great grandfather with the seal of the church. My absolute dream come true. I am told by the Consulate in the United States that this is the document I will most need to apply for dual citizenship which I intend to do. You will see my photo holding up this document inside the church. This church is well over five hundred years old.
- Afterwards Mom, Dad, and I boarded a boat for the island. The waters were a bit choppy and I realized how much I loved Cavtat and don't want to leave at all, even for a little island trip!! We passed the area of Milini which was still in its bombed condition so obviously the government and the people have not yet restored this area. It is quite sad to see. Mladenka told me more about when the bombs first started here in Cavtat also that about fifteen days after the bombing started, they were soon occupied. Families lived with each other wherever they could.
- On the island, I walked a little in the monastery and the botanical gardens and then sunbathed and had lunch. Mom and Dad of course walked hundreds more miles and took the six thirty pm boat home while I took the 3:10 boat home. When the boat pulled up to the dock to pick me up, it hardly came near enough for me to step on!!! I kept waiting for him to pull with a rope closer to dock but when I realized he would not, I tried to imagine how my short legs would hop into this boat full of people. I knew I would land in the water or on someones lap. I finally decided to sit down on the wharf and scoot forward into the boat and then drop down while holding on to the sides of the boat. Two Italian men inside the boat said "No, no, no", but what was I to do? The captain was getting in a hurry to leave. So, in my sundress, I sat on the dock, scootched forward, hung on to sides, crotch exposed to the people already on the boat, and flung myself forward. Easy. Long ride home but I had a to- go salad of shrimp with some bread and it went quickly.
- Upon return, I went right to Mladenkas where she was swimming in the water polo area with her grandchild of five years, Givo. I bought some "white coffee" which is coffee with cream, in a plastic to- go cup and sat on the bleachers. She got out and joined me and we visited for hours. At that point, she insisted I have some dessert for no good reason which are these delicious "pancakes" (http://www.croatiareport.com/crofood/palacinke.html) with coarse sugar and fresh berries and the best ice cream I have ever tasted. Then another cup of white coffee promptly appeared. This was from the outdoor restaurant that she owns. Her son had changed out of his waiter clothes and was now in the water polo area swimming with his five year old while her other son was called into the area to repair one of the underwater goal posts that had fallen down.
- While walking home, I passed her daughter in law Diana with her baby Bruno and stopped and chatted with them awhile. By this time, my parents were home and we cleaned up and went over the hill with flashlights to the other side to have dinner at a restaurant where they served fresh fish, of course, and the best lobster salad imaginable.
- Then I noticed back home there was the problem that my computer would not charge. There is the awful possibility that it is happening because I had it switched to the wrong power. I had loaned it out for a different appliance and then forgot to switch it back before trying to charge it. It has really been my "lifeline" here for my genealogy and my pictures so I hope that is not the case only one third of the way into my trip. Any ideas back at home?? All for now. Goodnight. Adio!
Where have you been lately?
Share your travels with friends & family
- Free Travel Blog
- Stunning maps
- Share experiences
- Automatic emails
- Unlimited photos
- Unlimited entries
Would you like to comment or ask a question?