Travels Part 3

I didn't mean for this to turn into a travel log.  If you're not interested tune back next week when there (might) be some weaving.

We took a bus trip from Split to Fort Klis which would have been even more interesting than it was if a film crew hadn't been preparing to shoot an episode of Game of Thrones the next day.  Just our luck.  Some parts we couldn't get to at all and others said No photographs.  If you're a fan and interested click on the pic below to see some of the props lying on the ground.  Not to be a spoiler but I did see a crate with "someone or other's wedding" written on the side.  (Obviously I don't follow the series.)

Fort Klis

Fort Klis

Split Archeological Museum

 On the left - sewing needles in ivory or bone, Roman Imperial

Centre - bone pins, Roman Imperial

Left - 14, spindle, bone Roman Imperial, Salona

Above centre and right - 16, 17, Spindle Whorls, bone, Roman Imperial, Split

Below right - 18, distaff, bone, Roman Imperial, Salona

Below centre - 19, buttons, bone, 1st-3rd century AD, Salona

Loom weights

The third week we stayed a couple of nights in Trogir, north of Split, then to the island Hvar for one night then caught a ferry to Korcula island which we loved.  Interesting that many Croatian families who settled in New Zealand early last century came from Korcula. 

Korcula harbour

After four nights in Dubrovnik and one in Mokarsha we were sadly saying farewell to Croatia and back on the overnight ferry to Italy.  

First stop was a city in the hills called Perugia where I had an appointment with Marta to see through her Laboratorio of weaving.  Lovely lady and enjoyable visit which I'll talk about in another post.  Despite it being cooler and wet and thundery we really enjoyed Perugia and the old buildings.

Perugia

Then we hit Rome.  What can I say, its lost its charm.  Too crowded, too many umbrella sellers, dirty, neglected.  But we walked the Appenine Way in the footsteps of the ancients,  we visited the Baths of Caracalla, awe inspiring.  I had a strange experience at the Colosseum in that when we climbed to the top and looked down on the auditorium I couldn't stop shaking and felt really nauseous - it cleared as soon as we walked down the stairs.  

Spanish Steps, Rome. Romantic? If you weren't tripping over people rose sellers were pushing flowers in your face.  There's one, bottom left corner.

We were disappointed that the Mausoleum of Augustus was not only neglected but not open.  

However, we did see through Augustus's house on top of Palatine Hill but, unfortunately, Livia's House nearby was closed.  A few years ago the frescos from Livia's House were removed and are now on

display at one of the many museums and it was the one we happened to visit. 

Livia

Final stage of the trip was a stopover in Singapore where we saw an exhibition of work of some of the world famous artists:  Botticelli, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Monet, Renoir, Modigliani, Picasso and more.  A fitting end to a very full and exciting 5 weeks.