Fifth Journey Day 155: Chorus Without Mouths

Date: October 10, 2025
Location: Zadar, Croatia

In Zadar, on Croatia’s Adriatic, the sea itself performs at the Sea Organ—steps of stone that turn waves into breathy tones. Roman traces, Venetian rhythms, and maritime light mingle here, casting the waterfront in a lucid, half-glow that invites listening as much as looking.

Listening to the Sea Organ

I spent the afternoon by the sea organ, where sound becomes water and water becomes breath. The tones rise in an uneven way — sometimes faint, sometimes hollow — as if the sea is trying to remember its own shape. Children ran across the marble steps. An old man leaned against the railing next to the steps. He was smoking a cigarette, and his smoke hung in the air. I didn't draw at first. I just sat there, enjoying the feeling of the wind on my clothes, and feeling less tired as the trip went on.

Between Sky and Sound

The sound was like a mix of machines and people, like a shaky choir that never really settles on one sound. Each wave pushed air through the pipes in a different way. I started sketching lines that followed the rhythm of the music instead of the shape of the notes. The sound blended into the sky. For a moment, I felt like I was in between the two.

Harbor Coffee and Half-Glow

Later, I walked to a café near the water. The tables were still wet from the rain that had fallen that morning. The coffee was too strong, but the bitterness felt comforting. I watched the ferries dock and undock, and each time they arrived, a faint echo could be heard on the water. There's something special about the light that hits the Adriatic coast — it doesn't just reveal, it allows you to see things in a new way. Everything exists in a sort of half-glow.

Sketches as a Record of Listening

In the evening, I looked back at my sketches. They were not clear, just traces of tone and motion — a record of listening. But maybe that's all for today. Some days are not for taking pictures; they are for quietly enjoying.

A Slow Exhale

The sound of the sea organ still resonates in me — not as music, but as a slow exhale.

Travel Notes

• Weather: Clear with drifting clouds, 18°C; a gentle sea wind carrying salt and the warmth of sun-soaked stone.
• Scents: Sea salt, sun-warmed limestone, a thread of cigarette smoke, and the dark comfort of strong coffee.
• Sounds: Breathy organ tones rising and fading, children’s footsteps on marble steps, distant ferry horns and their soft echo across the water.
• Reflection: Sketches followed rhythm instead of form; today favored listening, letting the coast’s light and sound draw the lines.

Continue the Journey

You may also enjoy another Croatian shoreline moment in Second Journey Day 94: Luka Kovacic, or a coastal echo to the south in Second Journey Day 95: Marko Ivanković.