It was another 5AM rise, this time to get a bus from Mostar to Dubrovnik. The bus was a half an hour late leaving and it was looking like, despite reservations made a month ago, we would not get on. But alas, it was all resolved and off we went. We passed border checkpoints three times, as we left Bosnia, entered Croatia, and then went back into Bosnia, and then into Croatia again. We are used to borders being somewhat seamless in Europe since the EU was formed, but I guess we have to realize that Bosnia and Croatia were at war with each other just 25 years ago, so tensions remain somewhat high. Hence no free-flowing borders. As well, the recent waves of refugees from Syria have necessitated that things be tightened up.
In any case, the scenery was breath-taking, especially as we reached the Adriatic Sea and started driving south to Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnic itself only has 28,000 residents. But the numbers swell incredibly in the summer. It is the new hot-spot for Europeans, and rental units and hotels are literally everywhere. The area has been branded as the Dubrovnik Riviera, and it certainly has that same feeling as the French or Mayan rivieras, in terms of tourist infrastructure and vast numbers of visitors.
The sense of awe and beauty when you catch your first glimpse of Old Town Dubrovnik is overwhemling. Maybe this will sound a bit overdone, but my comment to Pam was, "That is just as impressive as our first glimpse of Jerusalem!" Honestly, it is every bit as impressive. All the streets are paved in marble -- slippery stuff, after being polished by millions of people over the years, and the buildings are all Baroque in style. The Old Town is surrounded by walls that protected the elite population for over five centuries.
It all makes it hard to grasp that in 1991-92, the Croats fought the Serbs, Montenegrins and the Yugoslav Army here for independence. In an attempt to demoralize Croatia, the enemy devastated the UNESCO Old Town. The map below shows how many hits were made on the invaluable structures of Old Town and the number of damaged buildings. Even our brand new Sheraton, which is outside the Old Town, sits on the site of a hotel that was burned out in the war. And a stone's throw away, is an entire cove with five hotels that are still sitting as empty, burned out structures.
As it had been an early rise, we chilled out at the hotel pool for a few hours, and tat 3PM, got a taxi boat into the Old Town. We strolled for five hours, had a nice dinner in a quiet alley restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet, and took a boat taxi back to our hotel, arriving at 9PM.
Tomorrow we will walk the walls of the city, which is a must-do. Good night from the Adriatic coast.
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| The turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea, enroute to Dubrovnik |
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| Almost appears as if a giant sinkhole formed in this mountainside! Enroute to Dubrovnik. |
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Our first view of Old Town Dubrovnik from a cliff-side highway, enroute to our hotel |
This map shows the red-tiled Old Town: each dot represents war damage to this architectural treasure.
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| Our Sheraton Hotel opened two years ago on the site of a bombed out / burned out hotel |
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| Out hotel sits in this quaint little cove |
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| One of the abandoned, burned-out hotels near us. Kind of spooky! |
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| St John Fort, at the entrance to Old Town's harbour |
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| Church of Saint Blaise |
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| Rector's Palace |
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| The Bell Tower at the end of Brsalje Street |
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| Onofrio's Fountain |
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| The Cathedral Treasury |
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| Prijeko Street, one of the many narrow alleyways that demand a good climb! |
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| St. Savior Church |
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| Onophrian Fountain |
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| Orthodox Church |
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| The Pile Gate, which is the main gate to Old Town |
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| The Pile Gate guards being drummed to their position |
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| Fort Bokar in the City walls |
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