Greetings from Dubrovnik. Still a grande old lady, but in need of some therapy

[DFW]

This beautiful old town, under constant renovation, in a strategic location since at least the year 1350 when the Republic of Ragusa was established, has forgotten WHY it has been such a world destination for so many centuries. Almost every building that is not a cheap jewelry store or an official building, is a tourist trap restaurant with a nearly identical menu. Ridiculously expensive--even a cheap dive will cost $50 for simple lunch for two--big gaudy menus are on every corner with English-speaking, pushy barkers trying to lure you in.

The old town is still a historical marvel, but all the advertising, menus, and gaudy shops are an eyesore. The damage from the shelling from the Bosnian conflict of 25 years ago appears to have been repaired, but the damage to the image of the exquisite old town from all the cheap tourist traps has not. At least they do appear to provide some tourist season work for young people here. Hint for single, straight men between 20 and 40: spend one day here, and you'll enroll in the first Croatian language course you can find, although these days, most of them speak better English than Donald Trump.

Croatia remains a country with striking landscapes and intelligent, friendly people. But with a world cultural treasure like Dubrovnik, they owe it to themselves and their visitors not to let this place become the local version of the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

For about $20 per person, you can buy a day pass to walk (make sure your knees are in flawless shape!) up and around the city walls. The weather has been less than ideal--lower 50s and light rain for most of the time. Some images from the last 30 hours:
From our hotel room:
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Mrs. DFW along the 20 minute walk from the hotel to the old town;
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Just before the entrance to the old town:
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From the walk around the city seen from the walls above:
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A typical narrow city side street:
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Someone likes being photographed with Hercules:
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She intimated it was for this reason:

And someone in town has the most precious (to me) tree of all: an apricot tree!
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The weather is supposed to improve--we sure hope so!

[JHan]

1. The terracotta tile rooftops against a backdrop of blue sea is so breathtaking

I also wish I were in "king's landing" right now :p

[DFW]

13. There even "Game of Thrones" tours here

I have never even seen the show, but apparently the fact that some of it was filmed here is a bigger deal than 1000 years of local history (ugh!).

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. I am so glad you and the misses are up for that kind of sightseeing.

But, are you sure that IS a picture of your wife, and not of your daughter?

[DFW]

6. Well, now that you raise the question, I had to check

But we only have two daughters. The one in New York was still in New York, and the one in Frankfurt was still in Frankfurt, so I guess, yes that is really my wife.

Recently, at a doctor's appointment, one new assistant told my wife she had filled in an incorrect birth date. My wife was pretty sure she knew her DOB, but she asked what the problem was. The assistant said that for the date she filled in to be correct, she would have to be 64 years old. My wife told her, "I AM 64 years old!" Because my wife looks and acts like someone at least 20 years younger, I understand the assistant's amazement, but she still should have given my wife the benefit of the doubt. Most people don't get their DOB wrong by 20 years--at least not accidentally!

[spooky3]

3. Beautiful! Thanks.

[irisblue]

4. Is the trip your girls sent you on? This city is beautiful

And that cat strutting down the lane....lol. So will you give us pics of both of you on vacay?

[DFW]

5. We hate asking strangers to take a photo of us together

But we probably will do one before we go home. She has taken a few of me, too, with her cell phone.

This is indeed the trip that is the birthday present from our daughters.

There are cats EVERYwhere in the old town. They have the run of the place. We suspect it is to keep rats and mice under control, but we do intend to ask someone before we leave.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. I KNOW you both are having a wonderful time, my dear DFW!

The photos are glorious. The town is gorgeous, or at least the parts you're showing us.

And palm trees and an apricot tree! It must be a more tropical location than I'd thought.

I hope the weather improves too.

Your wife looks so very happy!

[DFW]

10. It is very much a southern Adriatic area

Last edited Fri May 26, 2017, 05:32 AM - Edit history (2)

Not tropical, but what is called "sub-tropical."

It is now Friday morning, and it is sunnier and warmer than yesterday. We are thinking of taking the cable car up the mountain. The view from up there appears to be something special.

My wife is usually a happy person, as you know. After all, you are the only one on DU who has met her. Surviving two bouts of cancer, having two well-adjusted daughters who are fending for themselves nicely, and a husband who adores her, but lets her do what she wants, too--I try to keep her happy! She is retired from her job a a social worker, but she still volunteers for everything, and does things with her girlfriends. She and four others of them are going on a study-trip to Athens in October, which is my busiest work month anyway, so it fits in fine. If she's happy, I'm happy!

[trof]

8. I like terra cotta barrel tile.

So simple yet so effective.

[DFW]

11. They have been using it here for many centuries now

There must be something good about it

[WinkyDink]

9. I was there once! Beautiful! I like the atmospheric photo with the cat! (Mrs DFW is lovely.)

[DFW]

12. The cats are EVERYWHERE

They must find enough food, and they must serve some kind of purpose, because they roam around free and act like they own the place.

When I first laid eyes on Mrs. DFW some 43 years ago, we were both 22, and I just thought to myself, "WOW, what do you have to do to get to know a girl like THAT?" As it turned out, all I had to do was speak German (by then, I did), and be my normal self, which apparently wasn't much in vogue in 1974. Well, that and hide her glasses so she couldn't see me too clearly until it was too late. She wears her 65 years far more gracefully than I do, but that's the way the genetic lottery worked out.

[WinkyDink]

18. Genetic lottery, schmenetic lottery. You both hit the biggest one.

[DFW]

21. Well, I DID get to have her as a companion these last 43 years.

There aren't many lottery prizes bigger than that, no two ways about it.

[mnhtnbb]

14. What a gorgeous little town.

Thanks for sharing the photos with us. Enjoy your trip!

[True Dough]

15. My wife and I were there several years ago

One thing that stood out was the visible marks here and there from bullets that were fired during the Yugoslav wars of the early 1990s. It's terrible to think a city with that history was under siege so relatively recently but at least we can be grateful that it wasn't leveled by bombs or destroyed the way Palmyra is being dismantled by ISIS.

Anyway, have a great time, DFW. Stop and smell the flowers dangling from some of those trees.

[DFW]

16. Not a bullet hole to be seen this time.

Of course, I hadn't seen any last time, either, but that was 1974.

We ARE smelling the flowers on the low-hanging trees, actually. They are everywhere!

[Ilsa]

17. Looks just like what Rick Steves had on his show. NT

[DFW]

19. Now my ignorance is showing

Who is Rick Steves?

[Ilsa]

20. He does that PBS European travel show.

He also is very generous, giving funds for crisis centers for women, etc and seems to be very Democratic Party-leaning.

[DFW]

22. I don't get PBS in Germany

I'll have to see if I can find a link to a podcast