Still in Dubrovnik
Feeling marginally better this morning, we decided to catch the cable car to the top of the 400m hill behind the old city. This involved a long walk and a lot of money exchanging hands. However it was worth it for the view. We decided to have a drink at the cliff top bar. My Campari was only 6€ but the accompanying soda was also 6€! Ray managed to spill some of his beer, talk about pouring money down the drain. Anyway, we spent a lovely half hour slowly sipping our drinks and wondering what the poor people were doing.
Back at sea level we wandered around the old city and on our long walk home, decided to get a take-away for dinner. Turns out that take-away is just as expensive as dining out, except for the wine. Whilst waiting for the meal, we amused ourselves by trying to predict when an accident would happen, as one car, waiting for another car to leave (the car's indicator was on but no-one was in the car) had successfully blocked the vision of many cars that were pulling into the traffic from an angled side street. Miraculously no accidents occurred, and apparently parking on a pedestrian crossing is quite ok.
We survived the lack lustre take-away and decided to visit Lokrum Island on Tuesday. It is just a twenty minute boat ride from the port in the old city. A Benedictine monastery is de rigueur for Croation islands that are also national parks. So we silently roamed the gardens and then went for a swim, avoiding sharp rocks and sea urchins. We walked up the Path of Paradise (who wouldn't?) to the million year old fortress and then around the back of the island to join the crowd waiting for the second last ferry back to the mainland. We almost outdid our best walking day on the trip (way back in Fribourg) but dipped out by 1000 steps.
Wednesday took us down to the new port to check out where the bus left for Albania at 7.15am the next morning. We decided that as it was only 3 kms, we would walk down early next day, instead of nervously waiting for a taxi or Uber that might not come. On our way back we visited the Red Museum, which had a very interesting take on life under Tito.
Gelato beckoned in the old town in the afternoon, followed by drinks and nibbles on the deck in the evening - we had to finish off the cheese and tomatoes still in the fridge. While we were enjoying our evening wine, our lovely hosts Svanka and David presented us with a box of Croation chocolates and chatted for quite some time. We decided not to have dinner and get some breakfast at the bus station on the morrow.
We quietly (as if) rolled our suitcases out of the apartment and down the hill to the quay in the dawn, bidding farewell to Dubrovnik and all its cats.
Taken from the Dubrovnic to Mt Srdg cable car ovelooking the old town and Lockrum Island in the Adriatic
Looking at the cable car going back down to its lower station just outside the walls of the old city.
Happy Brenda enjoying the Campari atop Mt Srgd
Ditto with a beer. Probably the most expensive drinks we have ever bought, but hey, we're rich.
Looking down on the rest of the hilltop restaurant
Looking out the North along the Croation Coastline. Croatia has over 1200 islands in the Adriatic.
Returning to the Old City after our cable car experience. There are about a dozen such alley ways leading down to the main street from the top side of the city walls.
The main cathedral in the main square as seen through the entrance to the port.
We went to Lockrum, a small island a little way off the coast which used to be a monastery. This is part of the main monastery building
The leaning cypress tree in the monastery gardens.
We did a walking tour of the island, taking in all the sights of Lockrum. There are dozens of large peacocks roaming around annoying the tourists. Or is it the other way around...
The upgraded steps leading up to what appears to be a large cistern at the top of the highest hill on Lockrum, belong to an old fort complex.
Looking to the top of Mt Srgd from the cistern on Lockrum
No recent usage thankfully although Brenda was tempted.
Inside the cistern. It is no longer in use as water storage.