Kula Zaherlan Gate of Korcula
Korcula Side Street
Marco Polo work
Marco Polo Tower, where he was imprisoned and wrote his Journal
SV Marks Cathedral
Revelin Gate of Korcula
Pstry Shop for local goodies - the only one mentioned in Lonely Planet guide books
The Flood...
Vijecnica - Townhall of Korcula
SV Milhovila Church
Lone open store in rainy Korcula
Downhill lane in Korcula
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According to ancient legend Korcula was founded by the Trojan hero Antenor in the 12th century BC, the same hero who founded the city of Padua in Italy.
He definitely picked a pleasant spot on the Dalmatian coast, where the central Dalmatian archipelago made up of about 1000 alluring islands, is separated by the Strait of Peljesac from the mainland...verdant, mild climate, protected by the Dinaric Alps. Even today vines, olives, fruit and vegetables, as well as large pine forests grow in abundance, some on hundreds of terraces carved into the mountain sides.
Korcula town sits on a tiny horse shoe shaped peninsula, tranquil and picturesquely surrounded by high walls and strong defensive city gates, crammed with residential houses, churches and official buildings with a rabbit warren system of narrow lanes and stairs. One may cross the entire town (depending on one's stair climbing speed) in five minutes. Styles range from Romanesque and Gothic to Venetian Renaissance.
The Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Hapsburg Empire, the Venetian Empire, the Napoleonic Empire all occupied or owned this area at one time or another. Then Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajewo June 28, 1914 - igniting the First World War.
The creation of Yugoslavia (Southern Slavic Nation) came afterward, and Marshal Josip Tito ruled it until the bloody wars amongst Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo and Slovenia broke the artificial state up...at the cost of thousands of horrific deaths.
Marco Polo (1254-1324) is one of it's most famous alleged residents. Allegedly he was called Marko Pavlovic. Young Marco's teenage years were not spent texting, he accompanied his father Nicolas and his uncle, Maffeo, on a long journey to China, following the Silk Road. Later on, he was taken prisoner by Genoese forces during the naval Battle of Korcula between Venetian and Genoese republics. He spent his incarceration in a tower in Korcula, where he wrote the book 'Millions', a Renaissance kind of blog about his travels. No one read his blog, but his cell mate, Rusticello, pirated the story and wrote 'The Travels of Marco Polo', which was read - and mostly believed to be fiction - by the entire known world and made Marco famous.
Korcula is proud of it's history. Moresca and Kumpanjija and Mostra, spectacular knight fights/dances going back to 1300 are still performed weekly/annually, accompanied by bagpipes (!!!). Processions staged by period costumed 'brotherhoods' snake through town each year. In 1214 Korcula established the 'Korcula Statute' one of the oldest legal documents in this part of Europe.
We had anchored just off Korcula, tendered ashore, in reasonably clement weather with a bit coolness to it.
As soon as I began my tortuous clambering up/down and up/down through this town without a bit of flat street or sidewalk, deafening thunder shook the ancient walls and reverberated off the nearby mountains. Just had time to duck into a local 'patisserie' offering a taste of Croatian almond cookies, before the waterfall commenced. The one time I leave my trusty umbrella aboard - it pours buckets! Water follows gravity rules, and Korcula peninsular is a bit of a mound, and soon the stone steps outside were converted into lively cascades collecting all the run off from 'higher up' rivalling the best 'water features' in any park. Only Wellington boots would have kept ones feet dry - maybe. A flock of chattering Japanese tourists floated past, umbrellas keeping their hair dry, but not protecting their nether regions, and took shelter under the awning of a tourist store. The owner, hoping that the awning would not collapse under the downpour, arrived with a broom to poke the canvas swimming pool above, with the result that all those non-buying Japanese were totally drenched from above as well.
After the flood subsided somewhat, but rain and squalls continued, I skipped over into said tourist shop and bought a $ 6 umbrella with my (how lucky) earlier ATM withdrawal of local currency. The umbrella withstood the onslaught - barely - and I sloshed off to further discoveries. Korcula seemed almost deserted except for a few hardy waterlogged die-hards, who visited the local museum, Marco Polo tower, scant cafes and even scanter shops, who had kept their doors open. Count me in, I 'did the town' and warmed up with a hot chocolate in one of the cafes. Wanting to spend my last remaining Croatian Kuna (named after a tiny local rodent like a small marten) I entered the ***star Hotel Korcula to savour some of the local brew/vine. However, the ever so correct waiter pointed out, that my chosen area was reserved for diners - the place was empty except for one local family - and I was welcome to use ‘the bar’. The latter was emptier than a catacomb, as well as colder and darker, and the Grand Terrace with advertised view of great sunsets was rain soaked still, so I skipped my attempt at Local Elegance and spent my Kunas on a couple of postcards, taken in sunny weather of course.
Despite tempestuous weather, I found it a pleasant stay (some people took a 'scenic boat tour' of the Dalmatian Coast seeing nothing but rain-streaked boat windows) which convinced me that Korcula must be very attractive, if even thunderous rainfall does not diminish it's charm.
However, despite Hollywood and it's 100 Dalmatians, I did not see a single spotted dog the entire day.
