Cavtat - Day 11 Wednesday 9/11

Today, we had a number of choices regarding how to spend our day. Jane offered a full day optional excursion to Montenegro, which we considered; however, we were the only two people interested. We decided against returning to Dubrovnik, opting instead to spend a leisurely day in lovely Cavtat.

We enjoyed sleeping in this morning! After breakfast, we set out to hike up to the Mausoleum. Along the way, we ran into Jane, who took us on a short detour to see a friend's home, where she and her family have rented an apartment. It was a lovely property that even had a private chapel on the grounds.

It was a steep walk up to the mausoleum...

...but the views were worth the effort.

This graveyard may win the award for the best final resting place with a view.

The highlight was seeing the interior of the Račić Family Mausoleum. The Račić family were wealthy shipbuilders. In 1918, the Spanish Flu claimed the lives of the father, son, and daughter. Mrs. Račić comissioned family friend, the Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, to build a tomb in the Art Deco style of the day. It is stunning.

The entrance door is flanked by angels.

The main altar has a scene where Jesus is being removed from the cross, while the statue of Mary and the Infant Jesus above the altar suggests the promise of eternal life.

The surrounding columns feature faces in grief.

Note the carved angel faces floating in the dome, waiting to guide the departed to heaven.

Here are some of the side altar figures, starting with St. Rocco. We have seen many chapels dedicated to this saint in European cities to guard against the plague. He is always shown with a dog who licks his wounds.

Finally, here are some of the other sculptures that adorn the mausoleum:

We had gelato for lunch, which is always a wise choice, and ate it while sitting along the harbor.

At this point, Charlie and Tommy decided to go back to the hotel to finish the remnants of the bourbon, while Maureen and i did some shopping . We then visited the Vlaho Bukovac House, which was the home and museum of the Croatian artist. We can tell you that he was a great lover of the self-portrait...lot of self love there. The walls in the rooms were painted with colorful designs like this one.

Let me also share this rather disturbing portrait of Bukovac’s family members. Or, rather their heads. Food for thought.....

We spied the boys on the balcony as we returned to the hotel.

After a little rest, we went to this seaside restaurant with two other couples from our tour. Jane noted that it is known for its excellent mussels, so Charlie was looking forward to trying them. Of course, they were all out, but there were pork chops, so all ended well. We enjoyed many laughs with our new friends, as well as a memorable sunset.

Photos are tagged Croatia and Cavtat