2012年9月27日木曜日

モーレ、モーレ、アモーレ♪ More, More, Amore♪

8月中旬、まだまだ暑い日が続いて夏が終わる前にもう一回「アドリア海で泳ぎたい!!!」と思い立って、海を目指すことに・・・。今回はザグレブから車で2時間半で行けるイストラ半島のクルク島(Krk Island)のモーレに決定。「モーレ(More)」とはクロアチア語で「海」の意味。

I missed MORE (more, pronounced as mo-re, means "sea" in Croatian)!!! It was still very hot in the middle of August, and I really wanted to bath in the Adriatic Sea before the summer ends. So, we decided to drive to a beach at Krk Island of Istria (or Istra) peninsula, which is my husband's recommendation.

通常、クロアチアの観光シーズンのピークは7月初めから8月初めまでで、さすがに8月上旬にもなれば道も空いているだろう、と思ってたのですが甘かった・・・!まだまだクロアチアのモーレを目指して近隣諸国から車が大挙して押し寄せてきていました。写真はザグレブの高速入口。

Usually, the touristic season in Croatia reaches its peak from the beginning of July and the beginning of August. So, I thought the road should be empty compared to the holiday seasons. But, I was wrong. Even in the mid-August, still many people from Europe came to Croatia aiming at the More.

予想外にも道中、渋滞につかまりました。周りの車を見るとEUプレートの車ばかり。高速の80%くらい、下手するとそれ以上がドイツやオーストリアなどなどクロアチア外の車じゃないかな、と思います。遠いところでは、イギリスのプレートを付けた車、フィンランドからのバイクなどを見かけました∑(・ω・ノ)ノヨーロッパじゃぁLCCもたくさんあって航空網も発達しているから飛行機で移動か、と思いきやまだまだ車で旅行する人がたくさん。ガソリン代考えたら飛行機の方が安いと思うんだけどなぁ・・・。その話を旦那にしたら、「車のほうが面白い場所を見つけたら寄っていけるし、車窓からの景色もきれいじゃない?」との返事。時間がない日本人の考え方とはちょっと違うみたい。

Unexpectedly, we were caught in traffic :S As you can see on the photo above, we are surrounded by cars from outside Croatia. European car plate states in which country the car is registered (the left blue part). I think, possibly about 80% or could be more of the cars on the road were non-Croatian. I also saw a few cars with British plate and a few bikes with Finnish plate! People do love to travel on roads in Europe. Personally, I think it would be much faster and cheaper to fly, because Europe has many low-cost carriers ad they do have relatively good connections between European countries and also because petrol price is very high. When I told about this to my husband, he answered to me like "but, if you travel by car, you can stop wherever you want when you find interesting places, and you can enjoy beautiful view from the window". For me, as a Japanese, I would like to save time and money (because our lifestyle is very tight with time), but it seems like people here have different opinion...

渋滞に巻き込まれながら、ザグレブから3時間ほど車を走らせてやってきたのはクルク島のバシュカ(Baška)。バシュカにはホテルや広大なキャンプ場があって、まだまだ観光客で賑わっていました。

After about 3 hours drive from Zagreb, we finally reached our final destination, Baška beach. Baška has long beach, about 2km, and it was full of people. There are several hotels and also a big camping spot, and I saw many camping cars there.




バシュカはクロアチアでも有名なリゾート地らしく、レストランやカフェ、お土産屋さんが充実していました。暑いので、道を歩く人も水着のままだったり、かなりリラックスした雰囲気。夜もものすごい人でにぎわっていました。

Baška is said to be one of the most popular resorts in Croatia. It seems like that Baška is well developed resort, as there are so many restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops! People are walking on the streets and beach in their swim wear and summer dress, and it has very relaxing atmosphere.


ちなみにクロアチア政府の発表によると、2012年1月から7月末までにクロアチアを訪れた外国人は440万人にも上るのだそう。クロアチアの人口が640万人なので、年間を通したらクロアチア人の人口に届きそうな勢い!

According to the Croatian Government, about 4.4 million people visited Croatia from January 2012 to the end of July! The Croatian population is about 6.5 million, so the number of the annual visitors to Croatia could reach the population in Croatia.



太陽に照らされてキラキラと光る水面。肌をじりじりと焼きつくような太陽の下では、この冷た~いアドリア海の水がとっても気持ちいい 水も透明感があってきれい。昔イタリア人の友達が「同じ海なのにクロアチア側の方がきれい」と言っていたのを思い出した。旦那曰く「それは海流でゴミがクロアチア側からイタリア側に流れていくから・・・」だとか・・・Σ(゚Д゚)??!!! でも夜になると海岸を掃除している人もいたし、ちゃんと管理しているからじゃないかな~とも思う。でも、夕方になると海にぷかぷかゴミがどこからか流れてくるのを見るとやっぱり海流で南から北にゴミも運ばれてくるのかも・・・とも思ったり・・・(ー_ー;)

Look at this beautiful beautiful shining sea! :))) The water is a bit cold, but under the strong sun and high temperature outside, it felt really good♬ Although there are lots of people on the beach, the water is relatively clean. I remembered that my Italian friend said that "Croatian beach is much more beautiful than Italian beach although we share the same sea... it's very weird."My husband's answer to it was "because all the trashes are carried to Italy by ocean currents"Σ(゚Д゚)??!!! But, I saw people cleaning the beach, so I think Croatian beaches are clean because people take care of them. On the other hand, when it gets afternoon, there were some trashes floating on the sea, so maybe as my husband says, the current brings trashes from the South to the North... :S Generally, people say if you look for a beach, find one located South of a big city and avoid North of it.
リゾート気分満点の葦(?)のパラソルの下で強い太陽をしのぎつつ、真っ青な空と青い海を堪能♪ ちなみに、このパラソルは一日80Kn(現金のみ)。人気なので朝早くに行くか、前日に予約することをお勧めします。

There are some reed parasols on the beach and they added more of "resort atmosphere" to Baška. The price to rent the parasol is 80Kn per day (cash only). They were always occupied, so if you want to get one for you, then you should go to the beach early in the morning or book one a day before. We were lucky to get a parasol for us and enjoyed the blue sky and blue sea under the parasol :)

周りを見渡すとこんがり日焼けした人ばかり。肌の白い人を見ると「あ、ここに着いたばかりなんだ」とすぐに分かる。きっとバシュカに何日も滞在してがんばって日焼けするんだろうな~なんて想像できる。私はというと、シミになるのが嫌だから日焼けはしたくない方なんだけれど、周りを見ているとついつい「ちょっとくらいいいかな~」なんて思ってしまう。でもちょっとどころか、一日ビーチにいたら日焼け止めを塗っていたにも関わらず、ばっちり日焼けしました(>_<)

People are so much tanned and I felt so out of place because my skin was so pale that time... In Japan, especially young women don't want to get tanned and getting tanned is not considered as cool like in Western countries. Historically, tanned people were usually farmers or people who work outside, meaning not wealthy people. Wealthy people in old Japan stayed at home and had pale skin. So, I think still this kind of thinking remains and "not tanned" or light tone skin is considered to be more beautiful than tanned skin. So, in Japan, you will see many women holding a sunshade and maybe wearing long gloves in summer!

ちなみにクルク島にはアパートメントホテルやソベが何か所かあるのですが、長期滞在でないと貸してくれないところが大半。1泊などショートステイならば事前にホテル予約をしておいた方が絶対に安心(ウェブサイトはこちら)。

それにしてもきれな海せっかくクロアチアまで来たら、アドリア海でココロをチャージして帰るのもいいかも

In krk Island, there are many apartment hotels and sobe (private rooms). But, most of the owners are reluctant to rent one unless you stay there long (like 5 nights, a week). Finding an apartment hotel or sobe just for one night was very very difficult near Baška. So, if you plan to stay for a short time, definitely better to book a hotel or apartment hotel before you go (website).

Anyway, I really really love Croatian beaches and More I was so soothed and healed by this clear blue sky and water. We recharged our batteries and went back to the city (Zagreb) :)


Recharge yourself at the beautiful Adriatic Sea of Croatia!!! ;)

2012年9月21日金曜日

ザグレブっ子の夏の夜の過ごし方 Summer Night Out on Stross

9月に入って気温もぐっと下がって秋の陽気のザグレブですが、地元ザグレブっ子の夏の夜の楽しみシュトロス(Stross)を語らずに夏は終えません。夏の間のザグレブっ子の合言葉と言えば「じゃぁ、シュトロスに××時に!」っといった感じ。そんな風にザグレブっ子に愛される「シュトロス」はロトルシャチャク塔の下に東西に延びるStrossmayerという通り、ケーブルカーの出入り口の西側に夏の間出現します。

Unlike in the title of this article, it's already autumn in Zagreb and getting colder and colder every day. No more summer clothes... so sad :S Anyway, I should mention about how Zagrepčani (local Zagreb people) enjoy their summer night on Stross! During summer, when they meet friends, they say "Let's meet at ××pm on Stross!!". So you see how much Zagrepčani love Stross :) "Stross", pronounced as "shtros", is the West part of street called "Strossmayer" extending East and West in front of Lotrščak Tower.


シュトロスは5月29日から9月2日まで開かれるサマーフェスティバルです。この期間中、毎晩7時、8時ごろからバンドの生演奏が聞けます。ライブミュージックは、ポップ、ロック、オールディーズ、ケルト音楽、ジャズ、ラテンと多岐に渡っていて、しかも毎晩違ったバンドが演奏するので頻繁に通っても飽きることはありません。

個人的にはケルト・ナイトとオールディーズが良かった!ケルト・ナイトの時は輪になって踊っている人もいたり、笑い声の絶えない楽しい夏の夜でした♪

ちなみに、オープンスペースなので入場料とかはありません

Stross is a kind of a Summer Festival held from 29 May to 2 September. Every night different bands play music raging from pop music, rock, oldies, jazz to Celtic music around 7-8pm (end at 11:00pm). So, each night different live music is played, and you wouldn't get bored at all even if you visit Stross every night :) And it's ope-air music concert, so there is no entry charge for Stross.

Personally, I really liked the bands who played Celtic music and Oldies. On the Celtic music Night, some people started dancing in a circle to the music. It was such a great night, people were chatting, laughing, enjoying the music... :)

Actually, this reminds me a bit of "beer garden" in Japan. In Japan, many beer gardens open during summer to provide open-air space to enjoy cold beer and other drinks in the hot and steamy summer. Usually people go to the beer garden with colleagues after work or friends. So, you will see so many men in suit. Most of the beer gardens are found on the roof terrace of the buildings. But there are some interesting options, such as beer garden on a train/tram and on a boat :)

なんだかとってもエキゾチックな木の彫り物が飾ってありました。聞くところによるとシュトロスはパリのモンマルトルをまねて始まったそう。モンマルトルには未だ行ったことがないので、どの辺が似ているのか今一分からないけれど、パリの人々のように音楽と芸術の夜を楽しもうっ!っていうことなのかな??? 

シュトロスには焼きトウモロコシやらポップコーンの屋台、ビールなどの飲み物を売っている屋台があります。でもほとんどの人はワインなど飲み物持参で来る人が多いです(^ ^;) 本当に地元の人が夜集まって、ライブミュージックを聞きながらおしゃべりを楽しむ場、っていう感じ。

Back to Stross... I found exotic wooden carvings hanging on trees. I've heard that the summer festival on Stross was inspired by Montmartre of Paris. I've never been to Montmartre, so I can't really compared those two, but I guess Stross started in the spirit of enjoying music and art like Parisians.

There are some stands selling grilled corn, popcorn, beer and other drink, painting, artistic goods and so on. But, many Zagrepčani bring their own drink and food to Stross. So, Stross is an open-air where people gather to see their friends, enjoy chatting and drinking with nice live music.

座る場所も少ないのでほとんどが立ち飲み&立ち話です。「席を確保したかったら6時くらいに来ないとね」、とザグレブの友人が話しているように、とっても混み合います。地元のザグレブっ子ばっかりなので、ちょっと"アウェイ"な感じもしますが、機会があったらザグレブっ子の愛するシュトロスでザグレブの夏の夜を楽しんでみてください!詳細なプログラムは公式ウェブサイトこちら)にあります。あれ?9月2日までってあったのに、9月22日までバンド演奏のスケジュールが・・・。延長になったのかな???まぁ、そういう適当なところがクロアチアっぽい(笑)

There aren't so many chairs and benches to sit down on Stross, so most of people just stand to drink and chat. My local friend told me that if I want to reserve a table and bench, when I should come to Stross by 6pm. And when it's on Friday or Saturday, Stross gets really really crowded! I hardly see any foreigners there, but if you have time, visit Stross and enjoy summer in Zagreb with Zagrepčani! The detailed program of Stross Summer Festival can be found on their official website (here). Oh? I just found that still some band play music until 22 September, although the official website says that Stross opens until 2 September. Maybe they extended the schedule :) Sometimes, things doesn't go on schedule in Croatia. I think Croatian people are very flexible.

2012年9月18日火曜日

ドブロブニク周辺のビーチ Beach near Dubrovnik :)


ドゥブロブニクはクロアチア最大の観光地にも関わらず、海が透き通っていてとってもきれい!EUの水質調査によると、クロアチアの海はマルタ、ギリシャ、キプロスに並んでヨーロッパで最もきれいなんだとか。この写真はホテルベルビュー(ウェブサイトはこちら)から旧市街に行く途中の海岸沿いで撮ったもの。海の底まできれ~に見える、何とも言えない色の透き通ったブルーの海

Croatian beaches are among the cleanest in Europe, together with Cyprus, Malta and Greece, according to the research done by the European Commission, and so is the water in Dubrovnik even though Dubrovnik is the most popular touristic destination in Croatia! Look at the photo above! You see, the water is so clear that you can see the bottom of the sea clearly, and it has breathtaking emerald blue colour. This photo was taken on the way to the Old City of Dubrovnik from the Hotel Belleveu Dubrovnik (website is here ).
ピンクの花アドリア海のブルーのコントラストがとってもきれい 本当に吸い込まれそうなブルー。強い日差しの中歩いていたら、アドリア海に飛び込みたい誘惑に駆られました。実際、この辺で泳いでいる人もいましたが、岩場のビーチで海が深そうなので、よっぽど自信がある人にしかおススメできません・・・。

The contrast between the pink flowers and the blue Adriatic Sea is marvelous This dazzling blue water tempted me a lot to dive into the sea while I walked under the strong sun. Actually, I saw some people swimming around this area. But, it seems the beach is very rocky and the water is very deep, so I wouldn't swim there unless I'm extremely confident in my swimming skills...

ホテル・ベルビューから旧市街に向かう途中、パリのPont des Artにあったみたいに、愛の南京錠が何個か金網にかかっていました。カップルがお互いの名前を南京錠に書いて鍵をかける、これって、最近の流行なのかな?少しくらいならいいけど、パリのPont des Artみたいにたくさんありすぎると反対に醜いと思うんだけれど、どうなんだろう・・・?(^ ^;)

I also saw some "love-padlocks" on the fence like on the Pont des Art in Paris, on the way to the Old City from the hotel. Couples write their names or initials on padlocks and affix to the fence or bridges to wish their everlasting love, it seems like. I guess it is a kind of trend? But I'm not sure if I agree with this practice. When I visited Paris this May first time in 6-7 years, I was actually a bit shocked to see the Pont des Art shining because of heaps of love-padlocks. For me, it looked a bit ugly and I preferred the "old" Pont des Art without them.


ロクルム島のビーチ Beach at Lokrum Island


ドゥブロブニクにはプライベートビーチも含めて何か所かビーチがあります。旧市街から歩いて5分くらいのところにあるバニエビーチ(Banje)ロクロム島(Otok Lokrum)なんかが公共のビーチとしては人気。極めつけはドブロブニク旧市街の城壁もありますが・・・。

There are many beaches (private and public) around Dubrovnik. The most popular public beaches are Banje Beach (only 5 min walk from the Old City) and Lokrum Island. Some people dive into the water from the City Wall of Dubrovnik, though :)
私たちせっかくだからドブロブニクで泳ぎたい!ということで、ドブロブニクではないですが、クロアチアに遊びに来てくれた元上司ご家族を空港までお見送りした後に、空港近くのツァヴタット(Cavtat)という小さな町のビーチで一日のんびりすることにしました。ドゥブロブニクからツァヴタットまでバスやボートが出ているのでアクセスもそんなに悪くない場所です。しかもドゥブロブニク周辺に比べたら観光客も少なくてビーチでゆったりくつろげるのがステキ。このあたりにもホテルやアパートメントホテルがたくさんあるみたいなので(Booking.comのウェブサイト)、ドゥブロブニクに慣れた人はここでゆったり旧市街も楽しみつつビーチも楽しむのがいいかも。

So, yes, we were tempted by this clear blue Adriatic sea and decided to spend a relaxing day on a beach after my husband and I saw my ex-boss and his family off at the Dubrovnik Airport. We dropped at a small town near the airport called Cavtat. Buses and boats travel between the Old City of Dubrovnik and Cavtat, so access to Cavtat is not bad at all. And compared to beaches close to Dubrovnik, much less people on the beaches in Cavtat (well, at least in the end of June!), so we spent whole afternoon with just lying down, relaxing and a bit of bathing in the sea :) When I searched on Booking.com, I found that there are many hotels and apartment hotels in Cavtat. So, if you want to stay longer in Dubrovnik and want to enjoy nice beaches (and save some money), then Cavtat is one option.

海の水も透き通ってとってもきれい!海で泳いでもベトベトしなくてさらっと乾燥するから海で泳いだ後そんなに困らなくて便利。体に塩の結晶ができているのを見てちょっとびっくりしたけど・・・!写真を見ても分かるように、クロアチアのビーチは小石やら岩やらがゴロゴロ転がっています。なので、ビーチサンダルは必ず持参した方がいいでしょう。

As you can see on the photo, the water is so clean and transparent. Beaches near my house back in Japan was, to be honest, horrible. When I bathed in the water, my body got so sticky! But here, in the Adriatic Sea, because the water is so clean, I didn't feel sticky on my skin after bathing in the water. I also a bit surprised to see crystallized salt on my skin! I think I've never seen that before :)

Anyway, beaches in Croatia are usually rocky or pebbly. I mean, it's hard to find a sandy beach. There are several, but such sandy beaches are usually full of people. So, definitely better to prepare a pair of beach sandals with you when you go to the beach.
ドゥブロブニク周辺でプライベートビーチがあるホテルはベルビューの他にもリソス(ウェブサイト)、エクセシオール(ウェブサイト)やグランド・ヴィラ・アルゼンティーナ(ウェブサイト)などがあります。ドゥブロブニクに長期滞在するならツァヴタットのほかにラパド半島(Ladad)がお勧め。ここから旧市街までのバスも頻繁に出ているので、交通に困ることはそんなにないです。ドゥブロブニクのホテルやアパートメントホテルを検索するときにBooking.comで地域を設定すると探しやすいです。ドゥブロブニクのホテルはピーク時(7月頭から8月中旬くらいまで)になると予約が取りにくくなるので、早めにホテルを押さえることをお勧めします!

There are some hotels with private beach near Dubrovnik. One of them are Hotel Belleveu Dubrovnik, Rixos Libertas Dubrovnik (website) , Hotel Excelsior (website), and Grand Villa Argentina (website). I wish I could stay either one of them someday in the future! :D But if you are a bit tight with your budget, try Lapad Island or Cavtat. Dubrovnik has a well-developed bus system, so the access won't be problem in Lapad and Cavtat. Also note that it's very hard to find a hotel in the peak touristic season (usually July to mid-August), so better to book a hotel as soon as possible.

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2012年9月14日金曜日

フランシスコ会修道院とオーガニックコスメ✿ Franciscan Monastery & Centuries-old Cosmetics Recipe

ピレ門から入ってすぐ、オノフリオの大噴水の左手にあるのが14世紀に建てられたフランシスコ会修道院。ちょっと狭くて薄暗い小道を進んでいくと、中庭に続く入口にたどり着きます。入場料は2012年6月の時点で大人一人30Kn。私たちが訪れた時は、クロアチアの祝日だったのに、この修道院も含め主だった観光施設、お店は空いていました。ザグレブだったら、祝日に空いているお店なんてレストランやカフェ以外ないので、ちょっとびっくり。やっぱり観光地だからかな。

Franciscan Monastery is located near the Pile Gate, the North side of Big Onofrio's Fountain. This monastery is said to be established in 14th century. Follow the small and narrow passage and you will find the entrance to the monastery's museum, Mala Braća museum. The entrance is easy to miss though... The entrance fee to the museum was 30Kn for an adult in June 2012.  I write the date because the prices increase each year in Dubrovnik :S

When we visited the monastery, it was the Croatian national holiday. But unlike in Zagreb where all the shops close (except for cafes and restaurants), most of the sightseeing facilities, shops, restaurants and cafes were opened even in the national holiday.

ここは何と言っても、美しい回廊に囲まれた中庭が見どころ。人で溢れかえっているプラツァ通りから別世界に飛び込んだのかと思えるほど、回廊はとっても静か。そして外とは違ってちょっとひんやり。アドリア海の強い太陽が柱の隙間から回廊に差し込んでとっても神秘的。ここはドブロブニクの中でも一番お気に入りの場所

The Franciscan Monastery has very very beautiful interior courtyard surrounded by delicate and elegant columns. Compared to the Placa street full of people and very lively, here was so quiet in the courtyard as if I wandered into a completely different world or back in the Middle Ages. The strong sun of the Adriatic streamed in the cool and dark cloister through columns and made such a breathtaking moment. This is my favourite place in Dubrovnik :)

回廊を周っていると奥の方に「マラ・ブラーチャ博物館」が見えます。ここには薬壺、手書きの処方箋、ラテン語で書かれた薬学書、調剤道具など、フランシスコ会修道院が力を入れていた薬学に関する展示がたくさん。

Exhibited inside the Mala Braća museum were gallipots, hand-written prescriptions, medical books in Latin language, medical tools and others relating to pharmaceutics. They told us that friars strove to develop the pharmaceutical technology and knowledge to help people.
写真を撮った後に気が付いたのですが、ここは「撮影禁止」でした…。ごめんなさい(>_<)でもせっかくなので、ここに載せることにしました。他にも宗教画、祭具なんかも展示がありました。

I just noticed after I took photos, but it seems like photos are prohibited here. I'm so sorry...(>_<) Well, other than medical and pharmaceutical exhibition, there were religious paintings, ritual articles and others.





そして、女子なら絶対に気になるマラ・ブラーチャ薬局(Ljekarna Mala Braća) !!!1317年創業でヨーロッパで3番目に古い現存する薬局なんです。フランシスコ会修道院に暮す修道士たちが自分たちのために調合した14世紀から伝わる門外不出のオリジナルレシピに基づいた知る人ぞ知る修道院オリジナルコスメが売っているのです。

And if you are interested in organic natural skin care products, don't miss Pharmacy Mala Braća!!! This pharmacy is established in 1317 and said to be the 3rd Oldest pharmacy in Europe. Sounds very attractive, isn't it??!! :)

薬局の中は白を基調としたシンプルな作り。棚に並べられたアンティークなビンがおしゃれ地元の人が薬剤師さんにお薬の相談に来たり、と本当に今でも薬局として使われています。

The pharmacy is just before the entrance to the interior courtyard. Those antique bottles on the shelves look so charming and add some "oldness" to this modern white interior of the pharmacy. This pharmacy is actually still used as "normal" pharmacy where many local people came to consult pharmacists about medicines.
さてさて、お目当ての修道院オリジナルコスメは、というとカウンターのところに並べられていました。マラ・ブラーチャのコスメはクロアチアでもここでしか手に入らないので、とっても貴重です。修道院でオーガニックハーブを使って一つ一つ丁寧に手作りされているらしいので、大量生産は無理なのかも…。でも中世から伝わるコスメなんて、ロマンチック(人ˊ ∀`).☆.。.:*・°

The monastery original cosmetics are displayed on the counter table. Their skin care products are made based on centuries-old cosmetic recipe handed down since 14th century! This secret recipe was not allowed to be taken out of the monastery until recently. But now, you can buy their natural skin care products made from organic herbs based on the secret recipe of the beauty of Croatia only at this pharmacy. It is said that each product is carefully handmade, so I guess they won't be mass produced and be sold anywhere but here. So, the beauty from the Middle Ages!!! Sounds very romantic :)
こちらが修道院オリジナルのナチュラルコスメ。ローズやラベンダーなどのハーブウォーター(化粧水)、フェイスクリーム、ハンドクリーム、ボディミルク、セルライ対策クリーム、しわ取りクリーム、リップクリームなどがありました。中でも人気なのがローズウォーター、ラベンダーウォーター、ローズクリームと万能クリームと言われるゴールドクリームだそうです。どれも優しいハーブの香りがして、癒されそうちなみに、後ろに写っている箱がかわいい石鹸、良く見たらMade in China...これはわざわざ買わなくてもいいかな…。

Here is the close-up photo of the natural skin care products. They sell herbal water , face cream, hand cream, body milk, anti-cellulite cream, anti-wrinkle cream, lip cream and so on. Especially, their Rose Water, Lavender Water, Rose cream, and Gold cream are beautiful! All of them have natural herb and flower odor and make me so relaxed and refreshed The soaps in lovely boxes are, actually  Made in China... So, I guess no need to buy them here in Dubrovnik.

2012年9月7日金曜日

総督邸 Rector's Palace



6日もドブロヴニクに滞在したのに、文化財、美術館や教会などの観光はほとんどしていません(^ ^;) なにせ、ランチを食べてからは夕方までシエスタだったので、開館時間内に行動できる時間が限られてしまいました・・・。その限られた時間内に一応訪れたのがここ、総督邸(Knežev Dvor)。ここはドゥブロブニクが共和国として繁栄したころ、政治の中心として使われていた場所です。

We stayed in Dubrovnik for 6 days, but didn't have much time to visit cultural and heritage attractions, museums and churches, mainly because we had siesta after lunch til evening. It was really hot while the sun was high up in the sky, so it was good to have siesta, also we wanted to take photos of Dubrovnik early in the morning and night. So, in our limited time for sightseeing, we decided to visit the Rector's House  (Knežev Dvor). This palace was used as the administrative centre of Dubrovnik when the city prospered as a republic (back in time, it was called as "Ragusa Republic").





ここにはラグーサ共和国の政治機関、代表気概、小評議会が置かれただけではなく、裁判所もあったみたい。そして、権威の象徴である「総督」が住んだ場所でもあります。でも汚職や独裁に走らないように、任期はたったの1か月だった様です。しかも、その1か月間は無給だったとか・・・!金もうけのためじゃなく、国民のための政治。その精神は、今はどこへやら・・・。

The Major Council, the Minor Council, and the court were placed in this palace, also, the Dubrovnik Rector resided there. The Rector was chosen each month as a symbol of authority.  The serving term of the Rector was very short as 1 month, because it is said to avoid the Rector to seize the power to create dictatorship and to be corrupted. It is notable that the Rector served his job with no salary. So, yeah, long long time ago in Croatia, there was an ideal model of politics, and it seemed to work very well.


ドゥブロブニクは軍隊を持たない共和国だったそうです。軍隊のないこの小さな都市国家が繁栄した裏側には、しっかりとした要塞設備と巧みな外交手段によるものだそう。オスマン帝国に攻められた際も、税金を払うことで共和国の独立と貿易を守ることに成功したらしい。ちなみに、1416年にはすでに奴隷制度も廃止していて、ロヴリィエナッツ要塞の入口のモットーにあるように、自由を大切にしていたことがうかがわれます。

According to the guide book I've got with Dubrovnik Card, Dubrovnik Republic didn't have its own army. Dubrovnik wouldn't have prospered without its strong defensive fort system and skillful diplomacy. In fact,  when the Ottoman Empire attached the city to seize it, the republic succeeded in negotiating with Turks and both agreed to keep the autonomy of the republic by paying tax to the Ottoman Empire. Apparently, the tax was not as high as to collapse the republic, rather, Dubrovnik enjoyed its prosperity through trading with all over Europe while being protected (kind of) by the Ottoman Empire.
総督邸の中はそんなに広くないものの、中庭の階段や階段など、なかなか美しい作りになっています。展示物は決して多くなかったですが、その中でも金庫かな?宝箱のような箱に施されたものすご~く複雑で芸術品のようなカギのシステムが面白かったです。

The guide book states that Dubrovnik Republic abolished slavery and prohibited slave trading back in 1416. This tells that freedom is the motto of Dubrovnik, as seen on the entrance of Lovrijenac Fort.

Well, the inside of the palace was not that big, but it remains beautiful architecture such as the stairway and the gallery at the entrance. There weren't many things exhibited, although I was interested in small boxes, which I think were used as the safe or treasure boxes. They have very complex and detailed but very beautifully made artistic key lock system.





階段の手すりにこの手の彫刻がありました。何か意味があるのかな・・・?

All the railing of steps were held by this hand sculpture. Not sure if it has any meaning though....


このドアの上には、ドゥブロブニクが共和国だったころに政治モットーがラテン語で「Obliti Privatorum Publica Curate」と刻まれています。意味は「私事は忘れ、公共のために尽くせよ」。権力を握る人に対する戒めのようです。政治のあるべき姿をみた、と思いました。当然のことなのに、今の世界では完全に忘れられていること。

The letters inscribed on the door reads "Obliti Privatorum Publica Curate", meaning "Forget private affairs, take care of public ones". This was the basis political motto of the Dubrovnik Republic and inscribed at the door of the Rector's Palace to remind all those in power. What a nice phrase!












夜のライトアップされた総督邸。黄金に輝いていて、まるで昔の栄華を再現しているかのよう。

The Rector's Palace at night. It looks as if shine gold :)

2012年9月6日木曜日

ドブロブニクの物価とレストラン Prices and Restaurants in Dubrovnik


夏のバケーションシーズンにはヨーロッパ中から観光客が押し寄せてくるほど、ブロブニクはヨーロッパ人にとって人気のリゾート地です。なので、レストランやカフェはいたるところにあって、食べるものには困りません。どこのレストランもシーフード料理が充実しています。しっかりした味付けで日本人にはなじみやすいかも。ちなみに、クロアチアではサラダを注文するとドレッシングなどかかっておらず、テーブルの上にあるオリーブオイルと酢をかけて食べるのが一般的。

Dubrovnik is the one of the most popular destination for European people for summer vacation. So, there are lots of restaurants and cafes inside and outside the Old City of Dubrovnik, and you wouldn't have any difficulty finding a restaurant there. Most of restaurants serve really good meat plates and seafood! As far as I tried, restaurants in Dubrovnik serve tasty food.

By the way, one thing I was a bit surprised in Croatia was that mostly, salad is brought to table undressed. So, usually, I have to pour olive oil and vinegar prepared on the table.



でもドブロブニクに旅行に行く、となると気になるのは物価。レストランでの食事は、ザグレブの30%~40%増しといったところ。コーヒー1杯大体18Kn、ピザ1枚約45Kn、パスタ約70Kn、ケーキ約30Knと、まぁ、他のヨーロッパの観光都市と比べたらまだまだ安い方かも。

But, I think many people wonder how pricey Dubrovnik is. I would say, prices in Dubrovnik is higher by 30 to 40 % compared to Zagreb. Still, I think Dubrovnik is not pricey compared to other major European touristic destinations.  For example, a cup of coffee in Dubrovnik is about 18Kn, a middle-size pizza is about 45Kn, a plate of pasta is about 70Kn, and a cake is about 30Kn.

旧市街内のレストランの方が断然割高なので、旧市街の外かLapad半島あたりのレストランがお勧め。

そうは言っても、ぜひお勧めしたいのはスルジ山にあるレストラン・パノラマ。運よくテラス席に座ることができると、ライトアップされたドゥブロブニクを見下ろしながら食事ができます。私たちはここでケーキとコーヒー(二人で合計90Kn)をいただきながら、静かなドゥブロブニクの夜景を(ほぼ)独占していました。

There are more restaurants in Lapad peninsula, and they are usually cheaper than restaurants in the Old City.

But, I really recommend Restaurant Panorama next to the cable car station on mount Srđ if you have time! If you are lucky enough to get a table on terrace, you will have a gorgeous view of Dubrovnik in front of you :) My husband and I had cakes and coffee (90Kn for both of us) at the table on the terrace, having a very romantic time with just chatting and enjoying the lit-up night view of Dubrovnik :)

他の日に行ったら、ちょうどサンセットを狙って、このレストランに来る人が多いらしく、夕食時は長~い列ができていました。できれば予約することをお勧めます。朝食(50Knくらい)も出しているらしい。このテラス席から朝日に照らされるドゥブロブニクを見ながら朝食なんて、ものすごい優雅な時間!次に来るときは、ここで朝食を取るぞ!と心に決めてスルジ山を後にしました・・・。

When we visited the restaurant the other day just after the sunset, there are many people queuing up for dinner! So, I would recommend you to book a table before you go. Also, the restaurant serves breakfast (about 50Kn). Having breakfast on that terrace table over the panorama of Dubrovnik hit by the morning sun would be such an elegant morning :) I would definitely love to have breakfast at the restaurant next time when I visit Dubrovnik!

Restaurant PANORAMA
Brsalje 1, 20000 Dubrovnik
Tel: 020 321-664


レストランはケーブルカーの稼働時間に合わせているみたいです。冬期は営業時間が短いので気を付けてください。ちなみに、スルジ山の上は、6月末でも日が落ちると寒かったです。テーブルにひざ掛けがあってよかった(>_<)

The opening hour of the restaurant Panorama changes depending on the operating hour of the cable car (see the pic). Also, after the sunset, the temperature suddenly dropped on the mount Srđ, and it was actually very cold even in the end of June! Lucky that the restaurant prepared rugs for us...


プレチェ門を入ったすぐ近くにあるレストラン、REVELIN CLUB。ここのテラス席からはドゥブロブニクの旧港が見渡すことができて、この中世な街の雰囲気がステキ。テラス席は食事をする人のみで、コーヒー、デザートだけだと手前の席に案内されます。

We also had lunch and coffee at a restaurant called REVELIN CLUB located near the Ploče gate. The curtains at the terrace give it very Roman atmosphere, and I really liked it :) And from there, you will have a great view of Dubrovnik Port.


レストランREVELIN CLUBでいただいたチョコレートケーキ(34Kn)、バナナ・スプリット(39Kn)、コーヒーと紅茶(それぞれ18Kn)。ケーキの値段がザグレブのカフェの倍くらいしていたけど、チョコレートケーキがものすっごくおいしかったので良しとしよう!ちなみに、ディナーのピーク時は席が空いていてもカフェの利用は断られてしまいました(>_<)カフェを利用したい場合、夕方の早い時間か夜の10時以降なら大丈夫そうです。

The photo shows the chocolate cake (34Kn), Banana Split (39Kn), coffee (18Kn) and tea (18Kn) we ordered. Comparing to prices of cakes in Zagreb, they were very expensive, almost double! But, the chocolate cake was super tasty and I didn't regret for that :)

By the way, when we returned for coffee the other day during the peak time of dinner, we were refused to have coffee and cake even though there was a table available :( So, if you want have only coffee and cake at the restaurant, avoid the peak time of dinner!