Sunday 22nd August

 

22/05/04 Day 50

Slave over a hot stove? Everything feels like slaving over a hot stove in Dubrovnik.

After our extravagant (and rather good, I might say) veg stew, we thought a bacon same I brogfast would go down very well. Which I did. While I was attacked by a 8 ft fit of exhaustion, Heather prepared our sardine samples (which later turned out to be our only fish-dish in Croatia), and then we set out for the old town.

Our route was pre planned, so it was only about an hour before we had ticked off no less than 6 churches (none of any particular note), an old pharmacy, a so-called palace (containing a memorial to the 'Dubrovnik defenders' who died during the war - with a very informative historical summary clarifying the issue of Bosnia's role, although neglecting to mention Croatia's aggression against the serbs in the North) and a fair number of very quaint side streets. It was all remarkably like Split, only less beach-tag hurtsch, more 'fragile' tourists, and much holier and better kept old town.

Then came the wall walk, which is really the highlight of Dubj, and I would go so far as to say one on the overall highlights. The old town was a mass of red roofs and tiny alley ways, the sea beyond as perfect as ever, and far a bit of history, the difference between old a new bits from the bombing.

POT - Dubry is a haven for the rich scamen, the array of ginpalaces, mega-yachts, and what can only be described as a ginpalace with a is most, is most impressive (the biggest being from the Channel Islands). What we arrived therewere two equally huge cruise liners to the East of the old town, and over night one moved around to the port (i.e. outside our window) creating itself to be the Oriana - and my vague memory of her being one of the Southampton liners was (confirmed) when Tall-Dane said from his Mum was starting a an £30 day visit cruise on her in Southampton.

So back to the day. We walked back finding it to be surprisingly not-so-long a walk, and collapsed on the hot afternoon before cooking an excellent chicken in lemon and departing again for a meal date, prompted by an urgent need for some romance.

The need almost met remained unsatisfied as the price of beer in outside cafes was in the £1.60 to £3. category. But we finally stumbled across another cafe ult with some very comfy bar stools where we sat and propped, while watching silent Olympic summaries discussing new and exciting sports (hand ball), and arguing about the nature of bullying.

After my 1.5 litres of cold, delicious beer I almost wet myself, before getting the (wrong) bus to the top highway leaving us to walk & for 10 minutes in the dark with no pavement, in the paths of speeding cars

What Brian neglected to mention was the fact there was a night of nervousness as we worried that our bacon future breakfast would be ruined by the kitchen-bedroom layout. At team about the others were still sitting drinking aloche. I began to lose all hope. But no, they were up before us (and did infact spend the whole afternoon asleep). The day was a bit cooler, with a nice fresh breeze and although we had a latish start it was properly probably the best day & do the tour. The town was a nightmare and very was safe - parked at any time ofthe day/week and full of tourists who just pushed you out of the way (we got in on) little tourists down - really into the old town - it's very small though. The fountain was rubbish but did provide very cold water so we'll leave it be.

I fell in a very relaxed mood walking around the streets which were as wide as Harry and without the too many shops so therefore nicer. As Brian said, the walls were the highlight and for once the views were better than the postcards. On the pavements you could see the marks of the war (we think). The lasting memory of Croatia will be the vistas of the blue shimmering adriatic from the walls of the town. We sat on a bench with Franz Kloss and discussed the shape of the earth. We walked back via what we thought little the new town (with shops and businesses and restaurants) but it turned out to be predominantly residential with a break of shopping centres and banks and no internet places. Dam and blast. We investigated the boat farther and came to the conclusion that a huge cruise boat is unnecessary and to spend too much of my life either cleaning or getting lost in it.

Our 'night out' in Dubrovnik was a refreshing change. It had turned into a bit of a (rainy) at night but we managed to find a quieter place with a barman who thought we were stupid. On our stay we'd down, we walked down the crooked steps in the dark (being careful not to tread on George (of course) when I said 'we should have brought the torch', at which point Brian whipped at the torch. Two brains, one accent, so not quite developed yet. The hotel, in fact, may have saved our lives whilst walking along the turnsay. The view was pretty cool with some of the best lights I ch, very subtle my dear. I thought it was funny.we've I Seen but I thought if we stopped to admire them we'd not get mugged.

I was very proud to find that we were the last to bed of the six of us.

a) now?? b) you owe me your life.