homeitalycroatiaistanbul: Dubrovnik conquered

Today was an early start to board the ferry to take us to Dubrovnik where we were to scale the walls around the city. Or climb them or walk them or something. I am sure stairs are involved.

It was a very nice ferry trip from Cavtat to Dubrovnik via Mlini and Srebeno once we were on board.

As I looked over the huge gap between the dock and the ferry, I had flashbacks to jumping the jetty experiences in Venice. Very traumatic.

A long way

this was after we took off. I didnt have to swim across.

Cavtat is very pretty from the water

Yes another selfie. It was a bit windy.

There are lots of houses and hotels and touristy things on the shore with lots of pretty swimming spots.

But there were also remains of buildings that had been bombed in the war in 1991. They have been left as they were.

As we neared Dubrovnik, the coastline was beautiful.

And then Dubrovnik itself.

Once disembarked safely, we made our way to the walls. Yes there was some uncertainty as to where we should go. There was no trust in the map bearer after yesterday's debacle. However after much wasting of time and energy, she was right and we found the ticket box and wall entrance. I

t was really not easy to find and there were others also wandering around seeking the entrance. It was 'tempting' to follow others but they were going in the wrong direction!!!

Anyway all fine in the end.

The walls have 1080 steps. It felt like there should be more zeros in that number!

It was beautiful and amazing but really hard.

Great scenery from the walls

The wall ahead

Pretty

People on the walls ahead

Us when we were happier

The walls were high

Look a cat!

Me going down very steep steps

Easy

Me going up very steep steps

I made it!!

It took about 2 hours in the hot sun. There were a couple of rest stops with restaurants and drinks on the way. There was even a toilet stop.

I am so glad we did the walk even though it was very hard for some of us. Definitely worth it.

After our walk, the plan was to ride the cable car, which was a short but uphill walk away. We found a taxi and paid him lots of money to take us this short distance but promised that he could drive us back to Cavtat afterwards. That was the only reason he did the short trip apart from the huge amount of money we paid him.

The cable car was nice but after the wall walk, did not add a great deal. Maybe you would do one or the other.

But I took some nice photos.

A beach

It was a 10-minute ride at most to the top where there were shops and restaurants. We were tired and went back down almost immediately.

The nice taxi driver picked us up to take us back to Cavtat. He told us he was a war veteran and had lost friends and family to the war. He also said that he makes all his money in summer and nothing at all in winter when there are few if any tourists. He also said we had made his day as he had been waiting in the taxi line for 40 minutes waiting for a fare.

So I was happy that I was so tired, not lazy, that we took the taxi instead of the ferry.

Once home it was time for lunch, finally. I wanted pizza from my favourite restaurant of the day before as she had promised me gluten free cake.

We both had beer, even Paul

My coffee and cake. It was so good.

Paul swam and walked in the afternoon but I was exhausted. So after a restful afternoon until I broke a wine glass with my hand, it was time for dinner.

We had dinner at Ankara, as suggested by the concierge at our hotel. Funny he did not recommend the hotel restaurant.

My fish

Paul's lamb

GLUTEN FREE tiramisu

This is me with olive oil on my hands as it is meant to be good to help remove any glass possibly left in my hands. Great that we finally used the oil and vinegar that is always on the table. The waiter could not quite understand why I had poured olive oil onto a plate.

After a nice walk we found the docked Lady Eleganza, our cruise ship which was on its next cruise including a stop at Cavtat. We miss the nice crew, fellow passengers and 3 course meals.