On June 7 and day 5 of this Viking River Cruise, we went by bus at 8:30 AM for our shore excursion.
That included a tour of Vukovar, one of Croatia's major cities.
This is St. Michael The Archangel Church in Old Town Osijek
Will come back to this later...
Around 9:30 AM we did split up in groups for a visit to a Croatian family home.
Turned out it were selected B&B's as here is clearly seen in the front garden with sign that shows a bed!
Lots of flowers were greeting us.
We got served several home made fruit and nut liqueurs, for those interested to taste one of them.
Also a kind of a Turkish coffee and some home baked sweets as seen here.
Hospitality was great!
The actual owners of the home were not there.
Their daughter instead had come, to tell a story about the war era.
She showed us some photos of the house, as it got damaged...
All a very vague story and for both of us it was for sure not the highlight of the trip!
Too much rewriting of history - so why then bother to include it?
This was the house from the outside, to the left I took the earlier photo, it was very much in the shade.
No, Viking River Cruise, you better improve this part!
We got off our bus again near the ancient city walls of the Old Town of Osijek.
We did enter the Watergate, entrance from the old city walls into Old Town, also known as
Tvrada the Fortress City right on the bank of the River Drava.
A unique 18th century Baroque military, administrative and commercial urban center! Click on the above link for more info.
In the distance you already see the St. Michael the Archangel Church steeples.
We first walked to the 18th Century Church of the Raising Holy Cross, which contains a wealth of Baroque ornamentation inside. It is also a
Franciscan Monastery.
Don't let the simple exterior trick you!
Location in Fortress Tvrada where the Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross is situated, close to the River Drava.
Indeed very much baroque style inside; look at this altar!
My photos cannot give a true impression of this
Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross Osijek, Croatia interior but click on its name for some quality images.
This all is proof that architects, builders, artists and composers had enormous love for their Creator! Almost heavenly...
We all enjoyed here a lovely flute concert!
This 18th Century Church has been build atop the Three-Nave Basilica -- 14th Century
Three-Nave Basilica old remains...
Viking did not write much about this Included Tour and even misspelled on their website the
'Rising' of the Holy Cross Church... instead of the correct RAISING!
The very same
'Rising' in their brochure... instead of RAISING!
But anyway,
we did enjoy a lovely flute concert while being at this Raising of the Holy Cross Church!
Now back to the
St. Michael the Archangel Church, a beautiful 18th Century Baroque building.
This single-nave Church with two towers was built in 1725-1748 by the Jesuits on the foundations of a Mosque.
For more information, please click the above link and click again...
Shown is Holy Trinity Square of Osijek one of the most attractive ones in Croatia.
You also see
Holy Trinity Column that got erected in the military fortress' main square as a monument to protect them from the Plaque.
In 1728 there must have been several victims to a plaque epidemic...
The widow of a general had it erected 1729-1730 after the Black Death took his life.
Pine Marten were brought into the city and they killed off most of the rats that were to blame for the Plaque...
Husband Pieter is standing to the left of that yellow bus in above photo...
Here Pieter is studying the impressive
Baroque Architecture and one can tell by the
18th Century cobble stones that this is a well preserved gem in Croatia!
Another fabulous building from 1779 where Pieter is standing in front...
The air was fragrant from all the
Linden Blossoms...
They make
special honey from it!
Vukovar is a town that got severely damaged during the Balkan Wars...
It is quite shocking for seeing such a sight at present day!
All these Central and Eastern European countries have paid over the ages a very high toll due to many wars between different religions...
Shore Excursion Osijek & Vukovar, some walking via relive.cc
City walk in Osijek Old Town... (not Vukovar!) via relive.cc
Where we walked...
After dinner, with view over the Danube you see the
Church of St. Philip and Jacob in Vukovar, Croatia... Bye-bye!
Photo taken in the middle of the Danube River from our Viking Lif
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