Today I explored the Peljesac peninsula (and got tipsy)
Trsteno
First stop was Trsteno, which has an incredible Arboretum (which is also featured in Game of Thrones, if you care).
The area was always loved for the beautiful nature, and the well-off families in the region started building summer homes there in the 14th century. The Arboretum is over 60 acres, with more than 300 types of exotic plants from all over the world. Why, you ask? Well, before 1492, the people that owned the land were rich as sin, and they’d pay sailors to bring them back seeds from around the world from their voyages. No one knows exactly when it was started, but they built an aqueduct for it in 1492 (which is still in use). Please note: this is actual history about 1492, versus the Columbus history taught to us in 3rd grade.
The area was taken over post WWII, and became a public garden. There was significant damage during the Croatian War of Independence in the 90’s, and then in 2000 a forest fire also caused damage. They’ve been able to mostly recover.
I’d say it is about half landscaped, and half wild, which was really fun. In addition to a small chapel, and a hedge maze, there is also a pond with a statue of Neptune (the god, not the planet.)
It also has a tree is over 500 years old. They say the sapling was brought from Constantinople in the early 15th century. It took 7th place in the 2018 “Tree of the Year” competition (a Whistler Cork Oak Tree in Portugal took 1st place that year, if you were wondering.)
We also got to see some olive trees. With olive trees, wider is better – you need to be able to harvest from the ground, or maybe a short step stool, but on a ladder it is too hard. So, good olive tree farmers trim their trees so that they’re short and wide. You can insult someone locally by telling them they have tall trees.
Ston
Ston was the next stop. It has cool old walls too – and wine, and Oyster farms. I am from Wisconsin. I am very familiar with Dairy farms. These are not like those.
Ston Salt Works
They produce salt here the same way they have for centuries – using the sea, sun and wind. The salt pans here are the oldest in Europe; they’ve been in use for about 4,000 years. Basically, the pans fill with seawater, which evaporates in the warmer weather, which leaves behind the salt.
They have 58 pools, divided into 5 parts, allowing the process to go through 5 different stages.
They can harvest about 500 tons of salt annually. It is huge for the economy; for a long time, everyone stopped their other jobs and worked the summer salt harvest (similar to the story Grandma Tootsie was just talking about, where everyone could get out of school to go work tobacco. It’s all about the economy!). Salt season is April – October, weather dependent.
Salt used to have the same value as gold, ounce for ounce. The origin of the word “salary” is actually the Latin salārium, meaning “related to salt” – and it is commonly believed that the connection was because so many sailors at the time would earn their salary in salt.
And, if you were caught smuggling salt, not only would you be imprisoned, but your ship would be burned.
Ston Old Town
Though their city is much smaller than Dubrovnik, their walls are longer. They’re actually the second longest in the world, behind the Great Wall of China. They were built to protect the salt.
Mali Ston
We then headed to Mali Ston (which means Little Ston), for a quick snack before the next part of the tour.
Next, I went to the Island of Life, where we got oysters and mussels directly from the sea. And then we ate them. They were delicious. And the very kind Captain kept giving us alcohol.
First, we did shots as we boarded the boat (for good weather) of what he called Grappa. It is basically their moonshine version of Italy’s Grappa – a grape based brandy, of around 100 proof.
Once we sat down, we needed another shot (for a safe voyage.) At this point, I couldn’t feel my toes, but still had sensation in my fingers, so was able to taste the local treat (which I had seen at the market, but not tried yet) – sugared almonds and orange rinds. I think it was good?
Then we got to the “island” (a man made dock in the bay, basically), and had another shot (for good luck in our harvest). I learned that mussels can grow anywhere (he said if I left my leg in the water, mussels would attach to me within a month), but oysters are a bit pickier where they grow.
Besides being delicious, oysters help the planet. They feed by filtering algae from the water, so they are a natural filter and improve water quality. Under certain conditions, a single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day.
They thrive here, because the freshwater river Neretva mixes with the sea, creating ideal growth conditions. As we learned all of this, there was more grappa, so I don’t have better notes.
And then there was wine, as we sat down to eat what was just pulled from the water. But first, a grappa toast (to breaking bread with new friends).
At this point, I had forgotten all the Croatian that I had learned, and was having trouble remembering English as well. The only thing that made me feel better was the lovely young couple I met from Indiana; they turned to me about halfway through and confessed that they were drunk. Same, friends.
And after that adventure, I was supposed to be going for a wine tasting. I declined, explaining the grappa had done me in, and I should not have more to drink. (I had my water bottle with me, and knew I should drink it…but bathrooms here are few and far between, creating quite the conundrum) ((I could not have thought of the word “conundrum” much less spelled it a few hours ago)).
On the drive back to Dubrovnik, my driver started asking me about music, and if I could explain some things. He asked about Fortunate Son, which I was all over…and then American Pie. I (think) I know parts of it – Buddy Holly, and then no verdict in the JFK assassination? But then other parts were a bit murkier. I did my best. (In my defense, I wasn’t even born until ’79).
Once I got home all I wanted to do was take a nap, but it’s my last night in Dubrovnik, so I went out for dinner. There was a restaurant two people had recommended to me, so that’s what I went for; more mussels, and fish served (including the head!)
I took a last walk through Old Town, and my last walk up those stairs. (And snorted in derision as I passed some silly Americans who were dragging very large suitcases up them. In many cases, your address is actually on the stairs themselves, with spurs going off of them in both directions. Some of us did our research in advance, so I knew to be dropped off on the upper street, to carry my luggage down my steps, and then tomorrow will get picked up on the lower street, so will be carrying the suitcase down again instead of up.)
