Today we stopped in one of the true jewels of the Adriatic – Korcula. It lies just off the Dalmation coast and is the most populated island in the Adriatic that isn’t connected to the mainland by bridge. It is very narrow here, and the Strait of Peljesac, has always been strategically important both militarily and for commerce. Consequently, the story of the island is tightly connected to the ships (and goods) that have passed through this strait. Settlement of this island goes all the way back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods and the island has probably been “owned” by more countries/groups than any other in the Adriatic. In fact, the island name came from the Greeks whose name translates to “Black Corfu” because of the dark, densely pine-wooded landscape that reminded them of home. Many notable people came from here, but none more than Marco Polo, who was born and spent many years here (more of that later). The island is also known for its sword dance (the Moreska) that we unfortunately didn’t get to see.
Today, the island is a very popular tourist destination. It is a fairly short ferry ride from Dubrovnik and the walled city is still quite intact and beautiful. There is also a lot of shopping here. Needless to say, they really leverage the Marco Polo connection with lots of Marco Polo stores and a somewhat cheesy Marco Polo Museum (hokey dioramas, schmaltzy audio tour). Having said that, I learned a lot about Marco (and yes, you know you want to – say it! “Polo!”) and his 24 year trip where he became an advisor to the Kublai Khan.
Last night we took taxis to the center of the island to eat at Maha, an organic, slow food restaurant where we enjoyed a whole spit-roasted lamb. It was really wonderful. Today, we are off to a national park for a bit of hiking and biking and then we will start wending our way down towards Dubrovnik. We are on the downhill side of this portion of the trip!
I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.
