Pula: Day Six

Speaking of asking the right questions, the one we should have asked before booking online for our hotel for  Day 5 was:

1.  Do you play rock music all day long and into the night by your 3 beautiful swimming pools?
 or maybe more specifically...

3. Do you consider yourself a family- oriented " package" hotel?

These features were not for us, but I was finally so tired , that after a cafe supper , I slept soundly and ignored the pastel pea green color scheme to the best of my overly sensitive abilities.

The next morning we were on our way to  Pula and the Hotel Histria that we loved and only left when it was time to wind our way home  again.

Pula's most famous landmark is the reconstructed Roman Arena, the only remaining Roman amphitheater to have four side towers and all three Roman column styles represented. It was constructed in 27 BC - 68 AD and is among the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the World.   It is also the best preserved of all of the ancient monuments in Croatia.

It is often in use today for concerts and operas when grass and chairs are brought into the center of the arena.

                   The monument was bombed in WWII but was rebuilt to it's former glory.  Originally used for gladiator sports and perhaps mock ship battles,  although there is no evidence of the latter.

I felt like the bull in the bullring as there was no escape from the relentless sun.

Luckily there was an exhibition of amphora in some cool rooms beneath the arena.... 

     I found out that Amphora ,used for the storage and transport of olive oil and wine, were marked with the name of the owners and in some cases the name also of the workshop where they were made by slaves or "freed-men"

   These are from first century AD found in the Istria area of Croatia.

They continued to be made for two more centuries.  I liked this Amphora catacombs display. 

Enough, we are out into the sun to look for a phone booth.  There are still phone boxes in Croatia and also one can call anywhere from many of the post offices.  My mobile phone worked in Croatia but as I have "pay as you go", I was not able to pay for more time while out of FRance.

That Saturday, we just happened to hit Pula on a day when all of the dance companies of the area were giving a free recital.  We sat for an iced coffee over and saw at least 25 different dance groups.  

   We were really impressed by the quality of the offerings.   There was some ballet as one might expect, but mostly very creative choreography for modern dance, ballroom, salsa,  break dancing and musical comedy.

We were surprised at how many young dancers there were that were more than proficient in this town of 62,000 + (2006).  I don't think I have ever seen such a large turn-out of aspiring dancers anywhere I have ever visited or lived.

                         We took in some more of Pula,  quite a lively old town....

....joined the other strollers for a bit and then back to the hotel for a preprandial swim.

We had nabbed the last room at the Hotel Histria, a three star.

                                      This is the upper deck outside the lobby of the hotel

                       ....and  looking out from the upper deck of the hotel.  The sea is beyond the trees with more chaises lounges below.

The most coveted chaises were around the salt water pool, however.   We really enjoyed this hotel, with great service and restaurants and wondered why it had only 3 stars. 

 It turns out that next year it will gain a 4th star but it will no longer be under the same ownership.  The new owner will refurbish the spa offerings and facilities but then will charge more.   Dommage! 

Vodnjan Mummies: Day five

WE take another side trip to see the relics of St. Blaise, Vodnjan's parish church.

 ST Blaise is a veritable museum of body parts!

 Besides the main 6 saints in glass cases, St Blaise keeps 370 relics belonging to 250 different saints.

Also there is said to be one of the thorns from Jesus' crown, a fragment of the Holy Virgin's veil, a  particle of Jesus' Cross and even a un-decomposed tongue of St Mary of Egypt!!

 But those don't interest me,  the reason we are here is to see the special attraction of the desiccated remains of the 6 saints whose bodies or body parts have mysteriously not decayed:  These are purported to be St. Sebastian, St. Barbara, St. Mary of Egypt, St. Leon Bembo, St. Giovanni Olini and St. Nicolosa Bursa.


 The attraction is that these bodies have been there for centuries, without being embalmed or hermetically sealed .   This is supposed to be the true mystery that has baffled scientists.  

According to legend the bodies of saints are considered to have healing powers as well so St Blaise is a pilgrimage site for believers.

Surprisingly for September, there are not any pilgrims.  We are alone in viewing the relics and this charming town is also in siesta with few residents in evidence.

St Blaise Church

                                              Venetian style windows

                               
                                                       Bell tower of ST Blaise

                                    Charming Town hall: Venetian Renaissance style

           

                                                              Close up of the Frieze

                                                                            Istra.net

  When we got inside the church and paid our fee, we were led behind the altar through a velvet curtain by a gentleman who whispers in the presence of the saints.

  We are not allowed to photograph the remains (there are many photos on the web ) and are told about them only by a tape playing for us by an American speaker who is not used to reading text .  The remains are all behind glass but in the dim light one can get a good look at them.

 There are dark, wooden looking fingernails and stretches of leathery skin.  I have seen this in mummies which have been found in circumstances where there could not be oxidation, such as a peat bog for example.

 But I remain fascinated with why scientists say that these bodies have not deteriorated at the rate of most bodies of their age.  They looked pretty desiccated to me!!

  However, I am prepared to believe that something strange is going on with the energies surrounding these people that  keep their remains them from turning to dust.

  It may sound gullible , but I believe we really know so little and our fears of not knowing and our fragile egos keep us from asking the right questions.    I believe thoughts are things and powerful.  What if all the thoughts and prayers surrounding these "objects" change the rate of decay.  What if , what if....let's explore the power of thought.  I am not put off by these sorry looking saints.  I remain fascinated .  I am glad we turned off at Vodnjan...it's got me thinking..

Summons by Robert Francis

Summons
 
Keep me from going to sleep too soon 
Or if I go to sleep too soon 
Come wake me up. Come any hour 
Of night. Come whistling up the road. 
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door. 
Make me get out of bed and come 
And let you in and light a light. 
Tell me the northern lights are on 
And make me look. Or tell me clouds 
Are doing something to the moon 
They never did before, and show me. 
See that I see. Talk to me till 
I'm half as wide awake as you 
And start to dress wondering why 
I ever went to bed at all. 
Tell me the walking is superb. 
Not only tell me but persuade me. 
You know I'm not too hard persuaded. 

Robert Francis 

Novigrad : Loud colors, quiet town

 The day we hit Novigrad  the town was about as sleepy as Porec was touristy.  It was quiet that is, except for the colors .

 Maybe the town council realized that they needed to wake us up.    Ochre green was a big choice with lemon yellow and several shades of burgundy and dusty pink.... Orange, intense orange buildings.    Really original combinations, I must say.

         
                                Novigrad's famous wall but no one there to see it....

                                        Novigrad's little park with nary a soul in it......

the church with no one praying...

The bell tower with no bells tolling....

The sign of the bell tower which I was too lazy to read....its contagious... this sleepiness.

                              The only thing that woke me up were the colors....crazy ass colors , oh and one more thing.  THe restaurant closed while we were ordering because the health inspectors were there and had given the thumbs down! We had to leave right away.

 Maybe something exciting happened in Novigrad for once.... Maybe they found a human thumb in the stock pot.

We took a table in another restaurant facing the sea.  There was one waitress and four guests.  The pasta was unremarkable.

These are the things I will remember about Novigrad.

Byzantine mosaics and sacred art: Porec

                                                  Exterior mosaic in entry door archway



The most striking feature of the Euphrasian Basilica of Porec are its mosaics , dating from the 6th century, and which are considered amongst the finest examples of Byzantine art in the world.  For this reason after leaving Ravinj on the 5th day, we made a special trip to see them.

 According to the wiki:    (These are the parts that are not easily photographed so here is the explanation.)

The central mosaics between the windows of the apse represent the Annunciation and the Visitation. In the Annunciation mosaic an angel raises his hand to indicate a message. In his left hand he holds the staff of a messenger. Mary wears a purplish blue dress and a veil. She holds yarn in her left hand. On the other side the mosaics depicts the visitation of Mary to Elisabeth. Both wear contemporary sacerdotal vestments with a cape full of ribbons. A small female figure is looking from behind the curtain of a house. The three small medallions depict St. John the Baptist, Zacharias and an angel. 


Between these two large mosaics are smaller mosaics depicting the Young Christ with halo, and two martyrs with their martyr crown. In the northern apse these are probably Cosmas and Damian, in the south apse Ursus (or another Bishop of Ravenna), and Severus.


The front wall of the apse is framed with a narrow decorated band filled with praise of Euphrasius and his works. The lower part of the apse is decorated with stone slabs encrusted with mother-of-pearl. Part of these came from an earlier wainscotting. They consist of 21 fields with 11 different decorations. In the middle stands the bishop's throne, flanked by candlesticks.

                                         

                         Saints Bartholomew, Jacob and Andrea ,  apostles each with their attribute

13th century wooden crucifix 

                                                  One of 12 female martyrs

                                       
           
The vault over the apse is decorated with mosaics with Mary and Child, sitting on the Heavenly throne, under a wreath held by a hand - symbol of God the Father. This is the only surviving depiction of the Mother of God in an early-Christian western basilica. She is flanked by angels, Bishop Euphrasius, holding the model of the church; also local saints are depicted, including St. Maurus, the first bishop of Poreč and the Istrian diocese, and the archdeacon Claudius . The child between Euphrasius and Claudius is accompanied by the inscription "Euphrasius, son of the archdeacon". All figures stand on a meadow covered with flowers.

 These are the  mosaics in the triumphal arch over the apse represent Christ; holding an opened book with the text "Ego sum Lux vera" (I am the true light) with the Apostles, each with their attribute, The arch below contains mosaic medallions with the Lamb of God and portraits of twelve female martyrs. 

  13th century cross transformed in 14 and 15th centuries which can be viewed in bishops quarters.

                                                  Middle panel of altar piece above

      Statues of two saints , two prophets and 2 reliquary in the form of busts of saints, around 1770

                                                            View from Bell tower

                                                                 Town of Porec


 I was pleased to have seen the well preserved Byzantine mosaics , a United Nations World Heritage site, but was not happy that you must go through all the displays before you can see the mosaics.

 My advice if you are there on a very hot day like we were,  is to read about the Basilica first in English, so you know what you are witnessing.  Skip the bell tower (unless you are with children who will insist) and its narrow one way system of steps, and convince the guard ( like we did ) to let you bypass the outdoor ruins of the former church which can be seen from the view ways.

  Go directly to the main sanctuary with its intricate well maintained mosaics.  And sit and observe for a while before you exit into the busy streets of Porec town.  Like any great collection, you need some time to take this all in.

Fishing , and eating in Rovinj

Having learned that Rovinj is a lively fishing port, I got up at 7am to catch the boats coming in...... but all I found was this jolly duo putting into the port with a small load of what might have been sea bass.

                             This fellow proceeded to remove the fish from the nets by hand...

     Joined by his burly companion who filled some buckets with fresh water and tossed in the paltry catch.

One fish, mangled by the nets was tossed to this wary customer

who kept looking around for competition from cats and seagulls ...

but this calico calmly waited her turn, hopeful as ever.  Very nice manners for a feral cat.

I was baffled about the lack of boats until later nearing our car for the day's departure, I saw at least three monster, fishing vehicles loading their catch of sardines into a huge truck bound for Italy.

Those styrofoam trays contain about 30 fish each, packed with ice by " Mr. orange waders".

 So that's where all the fishing boats were!!

  Those buoys in the background look like lemons.  I must be thinking of all the great fish and shellfish we have consumed in Croatia already.

   I haven't mentioned the great restaurant, La Puntalina, we found on the waterfront last night.  It was so popular that we had to wait a half hour to get seated on the balcony.

             We didn't mind the wait, the small staff was friendly and extremely busy... fun to watch.

   
 I ordered mixed seafood grill and that was just right and we talked a bit to a beautiful young couple from Ireland who were already fans of the place.

 As you can see, there was some very original  seating ...I love places where all the rules and regulations haven't spoiled everything.