Wrapping Up The Work Week

RIT

We had meetings from 12:00 to 2:00 today just covering general faculty and teaching issues. Nothing earth shattering.

For the geeks among you, I did see a perfect example of deadlock on the street leading to the RIT building:

DEADLOCK!

Interesting Croatian Solution
Make a Resource Where None Existed

Late Afternoon

It was threatening again, so we decided it wouldn't be wise to walk the walls of the city if lightening struck. Instead we went to the Franciscan monastery (just inside the Pile gate), which, among other things, houses Europe's oldest pharmacy. We couldn't take pictures in the pharmacy area itself, which was a shame because the paintings, reliquaries, chalices, etc. were exceptional. On the other hand, too many pictures degrade the quality of the artifacts - oh, well.

We did get some pictures from the Monastery atrium and from the walls on the walk around it. We also visited the Franciscan church itself - another example of beautiful interior architecture.

Afterward we had drinks at the Bodega, a relatively new wine bar near St. Blaise's church. The young man in one of these pictures was our server - he also took the picture of Mari and me.

A bit later we went to dinner at a Rick Steve's recommended restaurant the Dalmatino. Unfortunately we couldn't sit in the courtyard as it was raining, but the ambience more than compensated. Mari had an octopus appetizer - I, as usual, refrained.

She's into seafood and I'm into meat, and that's just the way it is.

On the way out of the city we caught the changing of the guard:

When we got home, Nick and Luci, our landlords, invited us up to their patio for wine and conversation with some friends. We had a nice chat, and Luci provided us with some leads for the trips we want to take. Then it was downstairs to change for the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra.

Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra

The symphony performs in the courtyard of the Rector's Palace in the old city.

The seating goes all around the orchestra:

Yup, up-close-and-personal; this gives new meaning to the phrase "intimate setting." I was concerned for a bit that if one of the violinists sprained a finger ligament I'd be drafted into the third violins. Fortunately, nothing untoward happened.

The concert began with Mozart's Symphony No. 40, a warhorse that everyone would recognize. After the intermission came Beethoven's Egmont overture, then two sets of songs from Mahler/Schoenberg and Gotvac. The mezzosoprano, Janja Vuletic, is a Dubrovnik native; her voice was simply beautiful. Things wrapped up with Brahms Hungarian Dances No. 3 & 5 - everyone has heard the rousing No. 5, and it was a fitting climax to a thoroughly enjoyable concert.

TTFN,
Mike