Adriatic Cruise – Dubrovnik, Croatia

There just wasn’t enough time in the day to experience all that Dubrovnik has to offer.  We had to prioritize our list of recommended stops and find the most efficient way to seem them.  That, of course, meant that I had to get us lost within minutes of departing the bus, just outside the old city walls. 
Finding our way, but enjoying the view:

After a slight detour, and a long debate over which way was the “right” way, we climbed the steep, rocky slopes of Fort Lovrijenac.  The fort had a sense of emptiness, a sort of eerie feeling like there had been battles fought there and many lives lost.  Turns out it was just used as a concert venue and the season had probably just ended, so it was indeed very empty.
Blake inside the fort:

Canon guarding the city from potential threats by sea:

View of Dubrovnik from the fort:

Then we found our way back to the city gates and entered the Old Town.  Immediately we were stunned by the immense beauty around us.  Ancient architecture, glossy stone streets, and even battle wounds adorned the city.  We began by strolling through the streets and seeing all the buildings and sites from the outsides and reading all their details in our guidebook.  We walked along the harbor and noted how adorable the stray cats seemed to be.  They enjoy hanging out by the fishermen, hoping to snag some scraps.  From the age and size of the cats, they seem to be doing just fine.
The city's giant fountain has provided water since the Middle Ages:

St. Blaise's Church (patron saint of Dubrovnik):

City harbor:

Blake gets chummy with a local:

We took the “wall tour” which was an hour long hike along the top of the city walls.  This gave Lindsay the opportunity to photograph the whole city from pretty much every angle.  The orange tiles on the roofs of the buildings were mostly new, replacing those damaged in the recent conflict in the country.
Us along the top of the wall:

View of the main street from the wall:

Looking back at Fort Lovrijenac from the wall:

Orange rooftops of the Old Town viewed from the highest point on the wall:

That hike wore us out.  We stopped for gelato on the Stradun (main street) before heading back towards the city bus to take us back the ship.  Truly the "Pearl of the Adriatic", Dubrovnik was everything we’d hoped it would be! Magnificent!

Strolling the main street:

Happy tourists!:

~Blake