We awoke this morning already anchored near Lokrum Island off the walled Venetian city of Dubrovnik. There was a slight chill, and we could feel fall in the air as we disembarked the ship to take the tenders ashore. We luckily beat the crowds and enjoyed the empty streets during our walking tour with Maris and Marijana. We enjoyed the city at our leisure as we had the entire day to explore, and even had time for a nap! Toward the end of the fabulous day, we were treated to a beautiful a cappella performance, and had the chance to eat on the ship before returning back to the Sea Cloud and heading off to Korčula.
9/23/2024
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Sea Cloud
Hvar, Croatia
On the last day of our voyage, we spent the morning on the lovely island of Hvar, known for its fragrant fields of lavender and rosemary. Our walking tour started with the Franciscan monastery, featuring a centuries-old cypress tree and a 17th-century painting of the Last Supper attributed to Matteo Ponzoni. We continued on to tour one of the oldest community theaters in Europe (dating to 1612), the Hvar Arsenal (instrumental in building and repairing Venetian ships), and the town’s stone buildings which often feature the winged lion of St. Mark. This afternoon, after a lunch featuring the famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel, we enjoyed a lecture by cultural specialist Zrinka Šapro on the history of Croatia, focusing on the 20th century. Hearing about the rule of Josip Broz Tito and the wars of the 1990s from someone with personal experience was a particularly fitting conclusion to our tour of this region so rich in history. Our final evening aboard included a cocktail hour and the guest slide show on the lido deck, followed by the captain’s farewell dinner in Sea Cloud’s elegant dining room, after which we bid our travel companions and newfound friends a fond farewell.
