Dubrovnik

Hello from sunny and gorgeous Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic. The Dalmatian coastline (named for the multitudes of feral Dalmatians) is dramatic beyond my expectations - and has already been "discovered" by northern and Italian Europeans. I can tell because the tourists are getting fatter (Germans, not Italians).

Here is a shot from the walls surrounding Dubrovnik out towards the island just offshore - looks like Greece doesn't it. Below, a shot of the mountains further up the coast where I stayed a few days before heading to Dubrovnik. Dramatic!
Above, another beach shot, albeit a pebble beach (hey, that is so NorCal!). This is from a town north of Dubrovnik. I liked to get good and hot - then go and float on my back in the Adriatic and look at those mountains.

From the fountain in Dubrovnik -people used to get their drinking water from this centrail fountain.

Took a turn around the walls of Dubrovik - they have protected the city from would be invaders like Venice for centuries - only Napolean succeed in breaching them. WARNING -MORE WAR COMMENTARY COMING......In Dec 1991, after a seige from the hills above town and the sea, the Serbs started bombing the entire area, including the old town surrounded by these walls. No military purpose, just to be dicks. 80% of the roofs were destroyed, 100 people killed in town, and 200 Croatian troops killed, some in hand to hand combat, over the next 8 months. You can see the new bright orange tiles on these roofs next to the older undamaged ones.

Europe's clothes dryer!

A charming "street" - they are shown as streets on the map but are more like staircases and alleys. Didn't need the width 1,000 years ago when they didn't have cars.

Interesting architecture. The windows all have shutters which are shut midday to keep the heat out. All stone architecture.

A view back towards the main "new" section of Dubrovnik. The stone building to the left is another fortress frequently used for the Dubrovnik Arts Festival. The guy who plays Lucca on ER, Gorin Iamababeic, occasionally acts in plays there. Like we care if he can act.

A view along the walls up to a corner fort. The Serbs took those hills inthe background and then shelled the city from them.

I bet you are happy that I am leaving the war zone tomorrow -I am a bit obsessed with it!

Cats cats everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shot above is of the main drag in the old town - the major activity is eating ice cream , sitting at a table paying too much for coffee, or strutting your stuff. Note the street - its paved with marble... so slick it reflect light... I think it would be fun to sit under an umbrella while it rained and watch tourists slip and fall.

Swimmers on the rocks just outside the old town walls. Sorry Adil -they all have their tops on!

Still a major fishing area - the area hasn't been overfished by large commercial boats yet, mostly family owned.

Towards the end of "our" walk around the town - the walls are 2km long, 3-6 meters thick, and as high as 26 metres. A highlight of my stay in Dubrovnik.

I can already hear my nieces saying "YUCKKKK"... squid of all sizes!

Saw this in English with Croatian subtitles... I listened to the English. George gave it a Thumbs UP!!

Took a tour of town with a ...... Yes, indeed War theme! The guide was a local and had many color stories I intend to capture in a separate message. Here is he standing in front of a map of the old town of Dubrovnik with dots for every Serbian bomb dropped on the city, plus red for houses that burned down.

A shot of my birthday dinner - ate at a restaurant at Lapad Bay, facing a western sunset - very nice. I was visited by a Cheese Bandit - this little bird was very aggressive and managed to take a piece of cheese as big as his head. The bottle to the left is 200 ml, or about a quarter of a regular wine bottle, to give you some idea of how small he was.

Sunset at the same spot below.

Walking back from dinner came upon this family who had a pretty pooped looking kid who still wouldn't give up his beach ball.













Shot of the place I am staying. Staying in a private home is very common in Croatia - they are called Sobes, and usually involve a woman hosting you in a bedroom in her house, while you share her bathroom. My hostess Ivana, has a great garden outside, where I could take my morning coffee and read or journal. She also has a 1 year old german shepard named Bellina, who would not stop pestering the little gray kitten who also lives here.