Dubrovnik

McKay:
We arrived in Dubrovnik by plane from Bratislava (an hour train ride from Vienna), rode a bus to town, checked into our sobe (a rented room in someone’s home and THE way to stay in Croatia), and walked the city wall. Dubrovnik is like a modern small town 500 years ago, if that makes sense. If you’ve been to any Italian small towns, this is similar. - old buildings, beautiful scenery, all woven into tiny secretive streets. The wall affords great views of the old city, surrounding hillsides, and the Adriatic. *Sigh* I love the ocean. I love the way it smells, even when it’s mixed with all those other seaside smells! After our walk, we went for refreshment at the bar that is very highly recommended by all tourist scources - Buca. Very difficult to find (unless you already know where it is) one enters through a hole in the wall of the city (the name means “hole in the wall”) out to tables balanced on jutting platforms overlooking the Adriatic. This scenic spot is easily top of my list for places to have a drink! There’s no way I can describe precisely how perfect this spot is – you will just have to go there yourself! It’s the best!

After the sun set (yea, I watched the sun set over the Adriatic on the Croatian coast yesterday!) we went for dinner at a recommended restaurant in the market square and found ourselves waiting in a line for a table (with the cafes surrounding this one showing empty tables) so we figured it would be good and continued our wait. We were well rewarded! The octopus salad was a lot like a bruschetta with fresh, flavorful tomatoes and a perfect mix of spices. My mussels (best ones I’d had since Ireland!!) were splendid! I love mussels and was so pleased to taste these stellar specimens. I think maybe mussels are better in rocky clear water? Rob ordered the “fried little fish” at the server’s conformation that they were very fresh and very good. She turned out to be precisely right and the fish turned out to be sardines! I’d never had sardines before. These were so tasty! You ate the whole fish and they reminded me slightly of eating a plate of French fries. Both meals were excellent and very filling and we both had a bit leftover. We loved this place and have decided to wait in future restaurant lines.

For dessert, we topped our wonderful meal with cones of gelato. YUM! Dubrovnik has good gelato! The last night of the summer concert festival was that evening so we strolled around to the side of the cathedral and watched the backs of the symphony’s cellists and base players with the other non-VIPs; non-ticket-holders “cheap seat” style. Perfect.

This morning, we absorbed Dubrovnik a little more and this afternoon, we’re on a bus to Split to see Roman ruins and stay overnight along our trek across the long coastal country of Croatia. Rob and I have chosen the left side of the bus for it s breath-taking over-the-cliff sea views and now I’m picking up too much of a glare to continue writing. (You’re pretty much caught up anyway). Later.