Ston, which was on the way to Dubrovnik, has a wall similar in function to the Great Wall of China, but much shorter. It's sufficient to see it through a bus window.
Dubrovnik was also hit by the conflicts here. This was earlier than the Bosnian War, though, when Croatia fought for its independence. The old town is beautifully restored; I didn't see any traces of damage at all.
Once again, we're staying in someone's living room, but it's okay. They are a bit over-hospitable. They are very nice, and keep trying to wash our dishes and feed us, but sometimes you just want your privacy. Their green beans and potatoes hit the spot though. The place is a short bus ride (or a medium walk) to the old town or to the beach. One of the women living here speaks French and not English, so it's nice to practice that a little.
Here's my favorite swimming spot on the whole trip. It's right next to the casino's hotel, so there's a knife-edge pool right up the stairs. If you look like you might be a guest, they don't bother you. The local kids know how to work the system. One will try, and get kicked out of the pool, but they hang out close and keep an eye on the lifeguard. One by one, they test him and jump in the pool and run away quickly. When more arrive, and the number of kids reaches critical mass, they are emboldened by their numbers and mob the pool. The lifeguard then gives up, and it's chaos with a bunch of kids splashing around in the pool. I think this happens every day after school. Even if you can't swim in the pool, there is nice, clear, deep water to swim in, rocks to jump off, and warm rocks to lay out on, if they aren't a bit sharp and uncomfortable. Right down the path is an actual beach as well. The kids play picigin there.
This enclosed saltwater lagoon was also nice. It's on the island of Lokrum. There's a little cave, and a rope swing, and some cliffs to jump off.
Also on the island are some nice looking cliffs. As I have said before, they seem to have a liberal definition of the word "beach" here. This place was marked as a beach on the map. You have to risk your life to get down to the water.
Here's a view of the city from the island.
Within the walls is the old town.
There was a sea of tourists there. This is the bridge going into the north gate. There's a drawbridge at the end.
This is the main street. It's full of shops, but the day we arrived, everything was closed due to a religious holiday. Even the grocery stores were closed.
I'm not sure why this arch is here over the water. That would be cool if the water cave extended underneath the city, and if there was a secret passageway in!
The harbor looks great. I keep thinking it would be awesome to rent a sailboat and sail around the Mediterranean, stopping in at these ports. At a lot of ports, the people who sail around all get together at night and party on someone's boat. They have their own culture, kinda like backpackers at a hostel.
I thought about going to Montenegro on a day trip to get one more country in (I'm at 13 on this trip) and to see the different (Serb-like?) culture there. But I decided instead on relaxing in the sun. Elaina is continuing on to Montenegro for her travels. I'm heading home.
No comments:
Post a Comment