Thank the Croats for Wearing a Tie

Thank the Croats next time you have to wear a tie. Young men and girls tid kerchiefs around their loved ones’ necks as a sign of fidelity. Unfortunately for us who have to wear them to work, this was a spontaneous act of love that spread around the world like wildfire. These kerchiefs became known as cravats in the 17th century after the Croatian soldiers wore them. 

If you happen to sail on a Mediterranean cruise this fall and stop at Dubrovnik in Croatia, make sure you find the Boutiques Croata. Here you will find a variety of cravats or ties as we like to call them, all priced in euros. When we visited the store last fall, we were curious to find the store to browse through the cravats but when it came to time to buying it, we failed to do so. I hardly wanted to pay more than $20 for one, let alone pay 55 euros. The Boutiques Croata was not equivalent to the Tie Rack in Vancouver nor Toronto. And there were no ties on sale neither.

Getting to the walled city from your cruise ship usually cost a mere $4 for a one way shuttle. It is a good 20 minute walk so take the shuttle unless you have plenty of time to spare. I would recommend that you purchase a good tour book from your bookstore and skip the city tour that the shore excursion offers. A round trip shuttle, a tour book and your own sense of curiosity should give you enough history about Dubrovnik.

Lobster Bake in Boston

Peruse through your history books before you fly into Boston’s Logan Airport and your trip will mean more when you tour the city. For instance, when you cross over the bridge to downtown Boston, you will pass by a pier known as Griffin’s Wharf where the infamous Boston Tea Party took place. It was December 16, 1773 when a group of rebels dressed as indians carrying a small hatchet and a club, were ordered by a commander to board three ships and destroy all the tea onboard. The rebels took the tea and threw it overboard causing tea to wash up on Boston shores for weeks to come.

There is a lot of history that still remains in Boston. Take for example, Paul Revere’s house situated in downtown Boston. It is the oldest house downtown and contains colonial furniture, historic documents and Paul Revere’s silverware. You can tour it by yourself on a self-guided tour. Did you know that the oldest public park in the whole USA is in Boston? It is the Boston Common and it is situated right in the heart of city. The area was designated as a pasture and was used for public hangings until 1817 where the gallows were removed from 1817 to 1830.

Aside from the history, Boston has retained a lot of historical buildings and restored them for modern uses today. The Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall are used today to house food stalls, restaurants, shops and entertainment. The Faneuil Hall was called the ‘Cradle of Liberty’ because it was on the second floor when Samuel Adams and his fellow revolutionary colonists protested new taxation laws. 

Incidently, we toured Boston on May 24th and remembered passing by a lobster wholesaler. Last week, we heard there was a big fire in Boston and it burned 60,000 pounds of lobster at a business that was established in 1925. It turned out to be the same place. The moral of the story is to see as many places as you can before they disappear.

Day at Sea

Today we get to sleep in, since we are at sea all day. Yesterday we visited Quebec City and we are now enroute to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. PEI is Canada’s smallest province and Charlottetown is the capital city. We will probably walk into town and explore on our own, unless the port talk tells a different story. First-time cruisers usually find port talks to be of interest but we’re beyond that. Cruise lines now tape the program and show it on tv throughout the day. It’s easier to watch it while you lie on the couch than it is to attend it in person. These port talks used to be informative, telling you what to see and what to do, but lately, I’ve found them to be a complete waste of time. It depends on the port talk advisor. On my last cruise, the port talk advisor zero’d in on the ladies, telling them what to buy and where to buy jewelry, purses, dresses, shoes, etc. which were of no interest to the guys. Instead of hearing about the history and things to see at each port, we were given maps of the stores to shop at.

Anyways, I’m going to get something to eat. Tonight is formal night and the beauty salon is buzzing. The casino is open. The putting contest is on. And the shops are busy. 

See you in port tomorrow.