Fri
07.Jun.2013
Šibenik, Croatia
Where are we now again?
Šibenik (SHEE-ben-ik), Central Dalmatia, about midway between Zadar to the
north and Split to the south. A small city, but picturesque, and more
relaxed than either of its bigger neighbors.
And yes, like most of the Croatian coast, it looks sort of Italian. This was
obviously Venetian turf in Venice's heyday. The 18 churches in the little
Old City, the maze of twisty lanes and stairs, and especially the tan karst
limestone paving stones of those lanes and ways, polished slick and shiny by
the feet of centuries. To say nothing of the Venetian-style bell tower (not
pictured), the turf-marker that they left all up and down the Adriatic.
If you have been paying improbably close attention, you'll remember that I
posted almost identical shots to these from here in Šibenik about a year
ago.
One restaurateur here
has been paying improbably close attention.
"You ate here before, no? Last year. You ate
palačinke.
We still have internet." I was and am honored.
I am eating in the little square at his resto-cum-sports-bar now, even as
I type.
Here is a lesson for all of you would-be photographers. When you frame a
neat shot, make sure the water horizon is level. See how neat this picture
almost was? The balance, the colors, the vibrant light? But the tilted
camera makes it a reject. You'll never see this photo in one of these posts.
An unexpected treat.
My outdoor sports bar has turned off the sound on the TV soccer game, and a
pair of musicians has got going. "Whoopee", I hear you say. Gypsy accordian
schmaltz, or yet another European or American junk-pop knock off.
Surprise! We've got ourselves a genuine acoustic blues guitar and bass
duo. Moreover, they know how to play! They opened with an upbeat version
of Driftin' And Driftin', which Paul Butterfield used to do as a
slow blues. There has also been an acoustic-sounding Voodoo Chile,
the old Hendrix standby.
These guys' material is not Hot Tuna - not enough ragtime, and too little
finger-picking. But some of the spirit and tonalities are there.
In a sports bar in a small city in Croatia, this a startling and welcome
treat, at least if you have heard much of what you are likely to get
instead.
Resisting the temptation to eat this mountain of french fries that came with
my squid. Definitely not good for the blood pressure, weight, etc.
Giving the fries time to get cold while I nibbled down the squid and salad
was a good strategy. Even pretty good fries, which these are, are easy to
resist when they are cold. At my age anyway. Mileage with your kids may
vary.
