Reaching a Goal

Dubrovnik, Croatia

To many, it may seem that we wander (or sail) aimlessly, from place to place. But we really do have a plan, at least a very loose plan. This year, Venice was a goal, and Dubrovnik, Croatia was also always part of the plot. So, like Venice, sailing into Dubrovnik was a milestone event. We’ve seen pictures, and read the articles that say: “Dubronik is one of the most beautiful towns in the world.” It is nicknamed the Pearl of the Adriatic.

We haven’t seen the entire world, but from what we have been fortunate enough to visit, we would have to agree, Dubrovnik is stunning.

Some 500 years ago, Dubrovnik was a major maritime power with the third biggest navy in the Mediterranean. Today, it is a small town, with just 900 residents inside the city walls. The town was devastated by bombings during the war in 1991, but the residents of Dubronik protected their land and restored their town very quickly once the fighting ended. When walking the town wall, and enjoying the beautiful views of the town and sea, you can’t imagine the devastation that occurred there.

We spent time with a local who told us that the bombings lefts empty shells where there once were homes. We remember the news reports during the fighting, but had a difficult time relating that Dubrovnik with this one.

The modern Dubrovnik is a clean, classy city designed mostly for tourism. We enjoyed our time there, walking around the wall, through the town, and sitting in various cafés to people watch.

One day, as we wandered inside of the wall, we found a doorway that led through the wall to a bar perched on the side of the cliff. The views were magnificent, and despite a sign saying it wasn’t allowed, people were jumping off the cliff into the water.

We went to the top of the hill above the old town and enjoyed the famous view that we had seen in magazines and tour books over the town and the surrounding countryside.

At night the town came alive with visitors from all over the world. There are good restaurants and we even found a great wine bar run by a transplanted Australian.

The old port of Dubrovnik – a little small and tight for Berkeley East