Split and Trogir, Croatia, 9/13/2024, Sea Cloud II
Aboard the
Sea Cloud II
Europe
Overnight, the bridge team of Sea Cloud II navigated from the island of Korcula to Split, which is the second largest city in Croatia and home to world famous Diocletian’s Palace, built during the Roman Empire. We enjoyed walking through the historic city and taking in the sights. After lunch, we had the chance to visit the old town of Trogir, known for the Cathedral of St. Lawrence and the work of the 13th century sculptor, Radovan. That evening, we boarded the tenders for our ship and enjoyed an evening of celebration for Captain Kathryn Whittaker’s official welcome cocktail party and dinner. What a fantastic and unforgettable day!
Lisa Hornak is a visual journalist and filmmaker based in San Diego, CA, who has worked for newspapers, magazines and wire services worldwide since 2004. She focuses her work on women’s issues, human rights and the impacts of climate change. Her awar...
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Coming from Slovenia, we approached yet another part of the Istria peninsula, the one that belongs to Croatia. The historical city of Rovinj immediately showed its venetian roots, with small alleys that remind us of those we will find at the end of our journey, in Venice neighborhoods off the beaten path. Climbing to the church of Saint Euphemia which overlooks the city and has an outstanding view of the bay, we found some huge remains of the Roman city that was built on top of a pre-existing Greek colony. After Rovinj, we reached the interior of Istria for a taste of local wines at the San Tommaso winery. The wines made from native Istrian grapes were accompanied by a delicious mix of cured meats and cheeses. Some of us will be bringing home the fragrance of this land… in bottled form. A perfect gift for friends and family. The day ended on a crescendo with farewell cocktails with the captain, giving thanks to the officers, a rich formal dinner, and a much-applauded slideshow that summarized our adventure.
During the night it rained and it poured! However by the time we were ready to go ashore, the sun came out and the town of Bourg was fresh, clean, and ready for business. Instead of a “Good Morning” or “Buenos Dias”, we had to remember to say “Bonjour!” We were in a French-speaking country for the day, and the ambiance was overwhelmingly of bygone French colonialism mixed with trendy boutiques, cafes, and friendly cats. On landing I could almost smell the coffee and croissants brewing and baking! Traveling in small vans along hairpin turns up a steep mountainside, we passed bright yellow, blue, green, and pink storefronts and homes before finally arriving at Fort Napoleon. Strategically placed (of course), it was never attacked, despite some of the biggest naval battles that took place nearby. The vista from above — the succulent plants, carefully tended gardens, and unique cacti around the fort — kept us interested before even visiting the museum. Once inside, we received a wonderful tour by our very own historian on board, Maria Intxaustegi. Snorkeling afterwards was really quite good: parrotfish, trunkfish, grunts, spiny lobster, sponges, soft corals, hard corals… even the “flamingo tongue” mollusk was abundant on the purple sea fans gently waving in the light current. A final dip in the sea was offered after lunch — but this time from the Sea Cloud itself! A luxury indeed, with floating mattresses to be had for rest!
When we sailed into St. Telmo Fort, we could not see much of Malta; it was about 6:30 in the morning. Slowly, the amazing walls of the Grand Harbor of Valetta showed up, painted in their unique, gold-colored limestone. Most of it is globigerina limestone, the outcropping of the area. We walked the city of Valetta later in the morning. We had a close look at the rock, which contains many fossils, especially those of the foraminifera Globigerina. This limestone was formed 2 to 14 million years ago. It is known for its honeycomb weathering because Malta, at some point in the distant past, was submerged. It stands on an underwater ridge that extends from North Africa to Sicily. The ridge was pushed up as the Strait of Gibraltar closed through tectonic activity. That’s what I love most about Malta. Its limestone. But also, its history, from megalithic temples dating from 3600 BC, to the Order of Saint John from 1530 to 1798, to its life as an independent country since 1964. Maltese is a unique language with Semitic roots and words in Italian, French, and English. It is a country like no other country, and like many. And what about their art? Two Caravaggios in the most spectacular church, St John’s Co-Cathedral, with more than 400 marble tombs! Mdina, the old capital (Mdina means “the city” in Arabic), with the same shiny, golden rock, tells of a more ancient history. We spent the afternoon exploring its narrow streets, finishing with a coach tour at Mosta. Mosta has a church with a magnificent dome that imitates the design of the Pantheon in Rome. It survived heavy bombing during the Second World War. Today, we have discovered a unique country. We traveled through millennia of history and across millions of years as we looked at the colors of the amazing limestones of Malta.
