Keep Calm...Hvar


This town has a safe and secure harbor. Apparently in times past, the Government ordered the main harbor to be in Hvar from another island harbor and many of the nobles came to settle in the area. Today it has various inlets and one can walk a promenade around miles of the coastline of the town.


The inlet above is typical of many. Small fishing boats, pleasure craft, water taxi's (Taksi) and the Harbor Master jets around on a craft that looks like a Navy Seal Team would use to storm the beaches of hostile territory.

                  

In the morning we headed to the Old Town and after awhile found ourselves climbing the hillside path through old gardens on the way to the Fortress which at one time guarded the harbor.

        

And it was no surprise when we came upon an old church...no bell though....up on the hillside. The ground is all stone, the fence is stone, the church is made of stone. Stone they've got around here...along with sea water. Often times they have trouble with fresh water on some of the islands.

            

Down below you can see the main harbor where the Ferry boats take us from one island to another. Small cruise ships can dock here. We saw one larger cruise ship anchor in the harbor for Sunday. The huge Ocean-going Cruise Ships avoid a place this small. We'll see if they come to Split on our next stop.

             

The Fortress is well preserved and reconstructed and gives a good picture of what an old military fortress felt like in the day. Plus the views are spectacular.

     

The seaside town of Hvar has numerous bell towers from old and abandoned and old and still active churches. We spied this tower from the main square and from the Fortress and so went to see it. Alas....it is empty. The grounds are abandoned and look wonderful and overgrown and we can't figure out why it is not open for historical purposes or are surprised the Hilton Corporation has not bought it for a hotel property....with rehabbing it would be excellent. All it says on the sign is....
Ruins of the Domincan Monastery and Church of  St. Mark.  14th - 17th Centuries.

        
And yet, just across the small street out front of the ruins....is the building of what was at one time....an old church. Take note of the weathered "Rose" sculpture in the circle above the door frame.


And here is what that old church is today.... A Sushi & Oyster Bar... The Rozeta...The Rose.
Must make Communion quite tasty. (One trip Communion only...please)

       

The above claw foot has no more significance other than I liked it....it's from the town's cemetery and it was the base of some grave marker. 

      

We walked the backstreets of the old town....always interesting and this wall of stone is merely to give you an idea of what there is block upon block and alley after alley all through this or any other Croatian Old Town. Take note....much of the town is quite modern with fancy hotels and restaurants, many dive bars and take away food joints. Choose your expense level and it is there for you. Currently we are staying in a very modern home that looks like it could be in Hilliard or Lancaster. The only difference is that our room (an Air B&B) has a view of the Adriatic Sea. Difficult to have that in Hilliard.

        

Yes, we are fully aware of the tragic events of storms Harvey and Irma. We read all the news online and get updates just as you do. These past couple days have been unusually rainy here...nothing like home...none of the tragedy. Just saying, the weather has been wet when it usually is still dry. But this evening the rain stopped and we were witness to the skies of the Adriatic in all their glory. People came out and the night life flourished.

         

We got to experience Hvar by night in the harbor and in the backstreets of the Old Town

               

At the top of the photo above ....one can see the ruins of the old monastery. It may be abandoned but the Chamber of Commerce spent a lot to illuminate it in the dark.

        

Hvar is known as a destination for tourism, a bit of a reputation as a party town (which certainly drew yours truly to thIs place)...and it is home to the 1% as well as the other 99%. But, it is after the main tourist blasts of summer and there is a good feel to it. It's easy to eat cheaply in bakeries and  grocery stores. We walk down hill to one of three small, well stocked groceries and fix our own food, though last night Makaila wanted a Doner Kebab...and we found a hole in the wall kebab restaurant that felt like John Belushi should be one of the cooks.


But the main show is to just walk the town....see the churches and monasteries and Fortress and watch the boats big and small, modest and pricey. 

                 
            
The Adriatic Sea at our doorstep offers endless changes of colors every hour depending on the sun and weather.


Peace,   Bob



















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