Blogs from Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Croatia, Europe - page 47

Or, at the very least, get mown down by a moped ridden by a family of four, all on mobile phones. Tuscany was everything you might expect, winding roads, vines and olives, beautiful farmhouses owned by German industrialists, French politicians and posh English novelists. We saw three quaint fortified towns perched on a rocky outcrop in one day (Pienza, Montepulciano and another which escapes me - they all blur together). San Gimignano is beautiful but they hate campervans and wanted us to park two miles away in a coach yard, which soured us somewhat. The drive down to the Bay of Naples was long but never dull - there's always something happening on an Italian motorway. I saw a conman doing the one with a pea and three little bells at a service station, ripping off ... read more

I am sitting here in the Dubrovnik Airport waiting for my flight bound for Split. I haven't had much time to write since I've been in Dubrovnik, but this place is drop dead gorgeous. Also, this journal was lost to me for 24 hours courtesy of Croatian Airlines losing my bag. But, hey at least they gave me a t-shirt. I was just happy to arrive in Dubrovnik after our daylong trek from Sofia. Sitting down in Dubrovnik for a cold beer after a shower in my clean Croatian Airlines t-shirt was a refreshing feeling. My friend and I have hooked on with the other three members of our traveling party for the Croatian leg of the journey. Yesterday, we spent ten hours on a boat hopping around on three islands. It actually sounds a lot ... read more

We felt creative So this blog's all in haiku (Hope you're not annoyed) Peace, Liz and Pia (p.s. Sarajevo next!) Croatian Transport We get free candy And the nice blond girl translates Dream bus? Please come back. Accomodation in Split(Part 1) Zimmer, Sobe, Rooms Sleeping in a stranger's house Less than safe...Oh well! Accomodation in Split (Part 2) At Nikola's house We made eggs and curdled milk The bath didn't drain. "The Pacifier" O, Vin Diesel, why? Why did you do this to me? I want my life back. Inventory Clothes I left behind: Two shirts, undies, sack of socks My bag? Still heavy. Accomodation in Trogir Creepy old hotel Where no one stays, except us I didn't sleep much. Day at the Beach Fell asleep on rocks 'Cause Trogir has no sand beach Lots of ... read more

I took the night ferry from Ancona, Italy. We stopped at Split briefly before continuing down the coast to Dubrovnik. There weren't anywhere near as many tourists in early June as when I revisited in mid-summer a few years later: traveling during the shoulder seasons is the way to go here. Dubrovnik quickly became a favorite city, mostly for its position - azure Mediterranean waters cradling the Old Town, with beaches on the edges and steep arid hills arching above. The marble streets and terra cotta roofs (at this point some still destroyed by the recent war) add to the charm, and its proximity to the islands makes it a perfect base for a week.... read more

Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic" is, of course, attractive for its walls and the medieval city they contain. I spent much time up on the ramparts, circumnavigating the entire wall around Dubrovnik. One one side of the ramparts, one views the Adriatic, on the other, the streets and alleys of the old town. At each turn was glimpse into a scene out of the past. Our hotel, the Hotel Excelsior, had a lovely terrace right on the Adriatic with a view north to Dubrovnik. We also rode the Dubrovnik Cable Car (aerial tramway) up to the top of Mount Srd above Dubrovnik. The walled city clearly stood out here. There were also scenic views up and down the Adriatic coast. The Old City of Dubrovnik was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.... read more