Dubrovnik
CROATIA | Saturday, 29 September 2012 | Views [321]
Picked up from the hotel and headed for the jetty where a water taxi took about 15 of us on a 15 minute ride to the other side harbour. Picked up by a mini bus and away to Dubrovnik. The countryside we passed through was mountainous on one side and valley on the other for quite a while. It is a 2 hour ride to Dubrovnik and was very picturesque. The ocean with its islands scattered throughout came into sight numerous times and looked like boating heaven. Dubrovnik came into sight and immediatly it was another WOW. Houses built up the side of a hill and a walled city on the other that hugged the ocean. We were dropped just outside the old walled town so we dragged our cases over cobblestones and across the moat and through the arch of the wall into the city. Steps and more steps. We thought we had seen it all but these are serious steps ,straight up and all laneways go straight up from beautiful squares. We took the funicular that was just outside the city and what a view from the top. The view that looked down onto Dubrovnik and out across the ocean and islands is stunning. At present it is 30c and the sun is blazing so we are checking out a few of the laneways and will do the wall walk tomorrow morning. Our Apartment is on the 2nd floor of a small guest house up a laneway in the old city (yep more stairs) but it is a great location. We found Buzzas bar which is a hole in the wall that opens out onto the Ocean. If you do not know its there you would walk straight past. What an amazing view. The bar is perched on a rock face below the wall with concrete and stone steps down to the water. Having a drink watching the sun go down we met up with Garth and Beth a young Perth couple we shared the bus ride from Korcula to Dubrovnik with. Dinner then bed.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Last day in Dubrovnik and Europe today and the weather is still warm although predicting a bit of rain later in the afternoon. Headed for breakfast and the town is still quiet as the tour buses and boats haven't arrived yet. The Old Town takes on a mystical feel at night and in the morning when the crowds have died down and you sense the size and magnificence of its structure. We tackled "the wall " early before the heat and hordes.The climb is not for the faint hearted and O.H & S in Australia would not be happy. But on top it has views that are wonderful. The walk around the top took us about 1.5 hours and it does wind around and up and down with the fall of the land. Structurally it is huge with the thickness of the walls about 2.5 metres. It towers above the town and appears to rise out of the waters edge and is regarded as the most impressive fortress in the Meditteranean. It's beginnings go back to the 9th Century, then in the 14 Century it was fortified. In the 16 Century it was devastated by Earthquake and then rebuilt in Baroque style. In 1991 it was under attack again by Bosnia and Montenegro who shelled the city causing widespread destruction. After the hostilities finished reconstruction got underway and still today some restoration continues. The wall, the harbour, the laneways and terracotta tiled houses and churches make this town a very special place. The fact that my knees and legs have held up under the amount of steps and stairs and the elevation of them has amazed me. Many times I've stopped for a rest, looked up and nearly given up only to have a local virtually jog past and keep going,(they were young though). We have really enjoyed the food which comprises of seafood and also hearty red meat dishes with a Balkan style. Beer and wine also was very good and reasonably priced and very affordable. Celeste has found the icecream to be very delicious and I must agree. Great food. Lovely people. Fantastic weather. This being our last official stop in Europe has rounded off our "European Discovery" with yet more memories (and photos) of a very enjoyable journey.
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