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Live Trip Report: Vienna, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy

Live Trip Report: Vienna, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy

Old Aug 3rd, 2010, 10:08 PM
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Live Trip Report: Vienna, Slovenia, Croatia, and Italy

My husband and I are taking our 18th trip to Europe, and this year's trip will include stops in Vienna, Lake Bled and Ljubljana in Slovenia, Dubrovnik and Korcula in Croatia, and Sorrento and Rome in Italy. We will begin our trip with three nights in Vienna. We will post our trip report nightly, but you can also follow our blog at explorerbear.blogspot.com. We welcome any suggestions for sights to see or restaurants to try.

August 1 - Visiting Vienna

As I sit in our hotel room writing my first journal entry tonight, it's hard to believe all that we have done in the past 24 hours. Yesterday we left Boston on a new Aer Lingus Airbus, crossed the Atlantic in just over five hours, and landed in Dublin at 4:55 am. By 7:30 am we were on our way to Vienna and landed here at 11:00 am this morning.

While riding the airport transit bus to our hotel, evidence was everywhere that Vienna is the jumping off point to some very exciting cities that just 20 years ago weren't the popular tourist destinations they are today. Sign posts pointed the way to Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest. Our hotel, Pension Corvinus, is just one block away from one of the main subway lines and although the room is small, it is clean, modern, air conditioned, and comfortable. Better yet, it only costs 90 euro per night and is right in the middle of a nice shopping district on a tree lined street.

Feeling hungry for a snack, we headed down the street to Buffet Trzesniewski. Here you can choose from an elaborate array of 22 different kinds of fancy open face finger sandwiches served with miniature glasses of beer. Not sure what any of the sandwiches actually were, I decided to stick with easily recognizable ones such as egg salad or tomato and they were delicious. I tried mine with fresh pear juice and it was the perfect combination.

After a much needed three hour nap, we bought a 48 hour transit pass and headed into the heart of the city. Our first stop was the pedestrian zone where they had every store imaginable. An interesting contrast I noticed is that the shops all have bold colorful signs seen in almost any city, yet if you look above them, the old buildings these stores are housed in are beautiful. We had an early dinner at Gingerl Stadtheuriger. It is a heuriger which means it serves wine and fresh food that would normally be served in a vineyard. We tried their spinach strudel made with flaky pastry, and a fresh garden salad.

Feeling energized, we decided to visit the Hausdermusik which is one of the most unusual museums I have ever visited. The self guided tour begins with a visit to a small auditorium where you feel as if you are watching a live presentation of the Vienna Philharmonic Symphony's New Year's concert. Then, following a series of arrows, we visited a series of interactive exhibits which included lessons about tone, rhythm, pitch, and the far limits of the human ear's ability to interpret sound. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the unusual sounds offered to us on headphones such as gurgling, spinning, coughing, sneezing, and rattling paper, it was a welcome relief to enter the classical music section. There was a separate room for each composer which included his music, posters from his concerts, and period instruments. The grand finale of the visit was an opportunity to virtually conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. If you did a good job, they played well, but if you weren't focussed, they stopped playing and told you that you were a bad conductor!

Our final stop of the evening was Zinoni and Zinoni for a scoop of their gelati. I ordered a scoop of raspberry and one of blueberry and it was the freshest gelati I have ever had. We will be sure to go back there tomorrow.

It is now midnight, but outside the streets are still alive with people enjoying cafes and street performers. It's been a long day and it's now time for bed. Seeing the lights of the city outside our window, I can't wait until tomorrow to get out and explore this magical city some more.

August 2 - A Walking Tour of Vienna

No matter how tired you might feel at the end of a day, a walking tour is a great introduction to any city or town, and a walking tour of Vienna is exactly what we did today.

We started our morning off with what might be the highlight of any visit to Vienna, a tour of the Opera House. Built over 140 years ago, it is stunning inside and well worth a visit. As you enter the Opera House, straight ahead at the top of the steps is a room fit for a king, and it was too. In the late 1800s, patrons would check to see if the room was lit. If it was, the emperor was there most likely enjoying a cup of tea. Our guide took us behind the stage where ten trucks per day drive right up on it to deliver the scenery. We heard that one time the maestro couldn't find a parking space. In desperation, he drove his car right onto the back of the stage and parked it there. As in any tour, there is always one family who stands out. On our tour it was an American family who monopolized the guide's time by asking trivial questions. He entertained them with guessing games such as, "Guess how much it costs to go to the opera ball?"

Feeling hungry, we went to the Hotel Sacher for their world famous Sacher torte. It's layers of delectable chocolate cake with apricot filling. A cup of cappucinno was the perfect complement.

During the summer there are numerous classical music concerts all over the city. Everywhere you look are salesman dressed as Mozart. We're hoping to find a concert that doesn't feature musicians wearing 18th century outfits.

Following our walking tour map, lunch today was at Rosenberger Market. It's so touristy not a single resident from Vienna probably ever goes in there, but you can get great salads, fresh fruit, pasta, and a cooked meal served cafeteria style, all for a reasonable price.

Our next walking tour stop was St. Stephen's Cathedral. The oldest part dates back to the 1200s. Sadly, photographs show devastating destruction during the war, but thanks to the generocity of donors, it was restored
.
Before heading to the museums, we stopped at Julius Meinl. According to Rick Steves, it's an aristocratic grocery store with cheese, wine, herbs, jams, vegetables, fine chocolates, and even gourmet potato chips all displayed as if they are in museum.

In the late afternoon, David wanted to visit an art history museum and I wanted to visit a natural history museum, both from the Habsburg's empire. After agreeing to meet at a fountain, we went our separate ways to the museums which were directly across from each other. I paid 12 euro for my ticket and never thought twice about the fact that instead of a dinosaur, it had a gilded carriage on it. Turns out I was in the art history museum! No problem, though. David promptly showed up and we toured it together. We saw a magnificent collection of paintings by Peter and Jan Bruegel, Velazquez, Carravaggio, and even a painting by Vermeer. Downstairs was an Egyptian collection and a desk top cameo once owned by Julius Caeser.

By 6:00 our feet couldn't take it anymore. We stopped at Demel, an old world cafe since 1786 for another coffee and tiny torte. It was delicious.

Dinner tonight was in Spitleberg Quarter of Vienna at Witwe Bolte. Eating outside in their candlelit garden, we felt as if we were in the countryside, yet we we were actually in the heart of the city. Not a car was in sight and cicadas chirped in the summer night. Our meal was incredible. I had spinach stuffed dumplings topped with pine nuts and David enjoyed lasagna that was the best ever. Paper thin pasta was cut with a biscuit cutter and stacked in three layers heaped and topped with mushrooms and garnished with blueberries.

We took the Ubahn back to the hotel and noticed an interesting display on the subway platform. Science Goes Public featured a meteorite, fossils, and an 18th century illustrated guide to arachnids. It's now midnight and we're looking forward to another great day tomorrow.
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Old Aug 3rd, 2010, 10:36 PM
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ExplorerB- thank you for posting. I'm enjoying reading your trip report; can't wait for you to get to Croatia!
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Old Aug 4th, 2010, 02:01 PM
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August 4 - Discovering the Treasures of Vienna

When I was a child, I used to wonder what it would be like to be a member of a royal family. Today I got the chance to find out.

The sun was shining brightly this morning and we were thankful because today's plan was to tour the greatest palace and treasures in all of Austria. As strange as this may sound, we read in our guidebook that there was an early 20th century WC in the Graben and decided to check it out. It featured sliding wooden doors, antique sinks, brass fixtures, fine towels, and even an attendant in a white jacket who kept it spotless. It represented a throwback to the Habsburg empire and was actually much more authentic than another WC down the street advertising "Opera WC mit musik."

Our first stop this morning was the Hofsburg Treasury. It was an exhibit of a staggering collection of ornate gold crowns, jewels, embroidered royal silk robes, a royal cradle made of sterling silver, and even what is said to be a nail from the true cross.

A globe museum is not something everyone would enjoy, but I could not wait to go there. Not surprisingly, it was sparsely attended with hardly a soul in sight, but with over 200 objects on display, it surpassed even my expectations that it would be great. Some of the globes dated back to the 1500s and showed only fragments of North America. My favorite item was a miniature globe in a tiny box with an accordion book called "Inhabitants of the World." Curiously enough, the book had pictures of Sandwich Islanders, Tiroleans, and the Iroquois.

Included in the ticket was a visit to the Esperanto Mueum. We thought it was a display of colorful old posters, but learned that in the 19th century, there was an attempt by a group of people to link all European languages with a new language, Esperanto. This effort failed during the war.

After a quick lunch back at Rosenberger Market, we visited Schonbruun Palace. It was a summer holiday home for the Habsburg family and also a place where dignitaries gathered. JFK met Khruschev there in 1961 during the Cold War. Today you can tour 40/1000 rooms. We used our downloaded audio tour on our ipod and it was perfect. The rooms are all in different themes giving you a real flavor for how royalty lived.

There is something for everyone at Schonbruun Palace. There's a world class zoo which includes pandas, mazes, tropical gardens, an apple strudel bakery, and even mock Roman ruins. We enjoyed a delicious Eiskaffee (ice coffee with coffee ice cream) in the same garden overlook where the family once came for a glorious view of the grounds and the city.

After a busy day touring museums, our budget did not include a restaurant fit for royalty. We headed back to our new favorite restaurant from our first night, Gigerel, where we spent hours at our candlelit table outside talking over spinach and crab strudel and salad. It may not have been a restaurant for the Habsburgs, but for us it was the perfect ending for our first visit to Vienna.
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Old Aug 4th, 2010, 11:13 PM
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Thoroughly enjoying reading about your trip ExplorerB. Looking forward to reading future instalments.
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Old Aug 5th, 2010, 08:04 AM
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I'm researching for an upcoming trip to Vienna, so this was timely and helpful. Thanks!
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Old Aug 5th, 2010, 09:36 AM
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Thanks for posting this. I look forward to the rest of the installments.
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Old Aug 6th, 2010, 03:34 AM
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August 5 - Riding the Rails to Slovenia

Every summer we never cease to be amazed with the public transportation system in many countries in Europe and Austria is no exception. Their trains are clean, modern, efficient, on time, and seem to effortlessly whisk you straight to your destination-or maybe not!

The train to Slovenia left Vienna at 12:30. Our compartment held six people. but there was only one other person inside with us so plenty of room. Our five hour trip seemed easy and we all spent it listening to ipods plugged into handy onboard outlets. Out the window the scenery was spectacular with wooden framed houses with window boxes bursting with flowers, rolling green hills dotted with wildflowers, and churches with tiny onion domes. All too soon it was time to make our one and only transfer to Lake Bled. We settled into our seats when a cry went out from a group of British students, "Get off the train now. They are splitting it into two going two different ways!" and just as we found a conductor, the train pulled away.

Two other passengers in our compartment, one from Germany and one from Bosnia, were able to speak to the conductor. We were able to figure out we needed to go back the other direction and it would all work out, but when it was translated to us, he had actually said, "Sometimes there are complications and that's your problem." Ouch!

Thank goodness we had our cell phone and called our accommodation to alert them we would arrive after 7:30pm. After a 90 minute wait in a small train station with nothing to eat except popcorn, finally our new train arrived and after an hour we arrived in Bled.

The Pension Mayer is an alpine chalet style with a bathroom like one you would find in a first class hotel. We ate in the restaurant and had the grilled salmon and potatoes with spinach.

After dinner we ventured down to the lake where the castle was all lit up high above the water. Our day of riding the rails is over. It's time for a day of adventure on this alpine lake and maybe a piece of their famous creme cake too.
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Old Aug 6th, 2010, 11:49 AM
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August 6 - Lake Bled, Slovenia

Sometimes, even when the clouds roll in over an alpine lake, it can still be a day of discovery and surprise. We know because we experienced that kind of day today in Slovenia.

The day started out as a sunny one this morning and we enjoyed our buffet breakfast outside. Following the path down to the lake, we were amazed at the number of tourist buses at neighboring hotels. This is a very popular tourist destination for families from all over Europe. We talked with an interesting British couple on our shuttle bus to Bled Castle and they told us that Slovenia was just added as a destination with the tour company they use.

Bled Castle sits high above the lake on a cliff with an incredible view. It dates back 1,000 years although archaeologists can only piece together the history based on fragments from the past. We followed a tour group from eastern Europe whose guide interpreted the English speaking guide's commentary. In one room the group huddled around one object and shouted with laughter. Hurrying over, I peeked over their shoulders to see what was so funny. It was a medieval toilet.

This area is famous for their creme cake and Vila Preseren is a great place to try it. Their trendy restaurant has tables right on the water's edge. We decided to skip the grilled octopus and have the Mr. Toscana sandwich which was grilled bread with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and mozzarella. Dessert was the creme cake. It's light and fluffy dusted with powdered sugar.

Vila Preseren is right on a footpath that circles the lake for 3.5 miles. The water in the lake is crystal clear and we stopped again and again to take pictures of the Church of the Assumption on a tiny island in the lake. Picturesque wooden boats with colorful striped canopies called pletnas
take people out to the island. No engines are allowed so the guide rows the entire way standing.

Halfway around the lake the rain clouds rolled in, but that only made the lake look more mystical. Umbrellas in hand, we continued along the path to the Vila Bled. Now a hotel owned by the Slovenian government, it was the retreat of Tito during his rule of Yugoslavia. As the rain poured outside, we enjoyed a cappucino in the Vila's lounge. It was served on a silver tray with a glass of water. We had heard there was a mural commissioned by Tito in the 1940s in the vila and it was a pleasant surprise to be able to get a personal historical tour of it. It represents a story leading to the socialist victory of the people of the former Yugoslavia. Today Slovenia preserves the mural as a piece of art of historical significance.

Tonight the rain poured down, but that didn't stop us from discovering a great pizza restaurant, Pizzeria Rustika. Their crispy pizza cooked in a wood burning oven was delicious and served on their covered porch lit with lanterns. As we left the restaurant, the waiter called out, "Tomorrow it will be a nice day!" Maybe there will be time before leaving for Ljubljana to go out and discover that island!
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Old Aug 6th, 2010, 12:01 PM
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I would kill for a kremna rezina right now. Great report!! Are you going to make it to Vintgar Gorge (about ten to minutes from you)?

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Old Aug 6th, 2010, 10:51 PM
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maitaitom,

Ordering a famed cream cake by the water's edge from the Preseren restaurant is an especially nice way to enjoy a lazy August afternoon. While we very much enjoyed the kremna rezina, we're equally enthusiastic about trying a grmada, a dessert that was preferred by our waitress. Perhaps we'll sample one - as well as an outing to Vintgar Gorge - today.
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Old Aug 7th, 2010, 12:48 PM
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August 7 - Lively Ljubljana

Leaving a fairy tale alpine lake such as Lake Bled is always difficult, but knowing there are many more sights to see makes it easier. Today our journey took us to the capital city of Slovenia, Ljublljana.

The rugged Julian Alps were peeking out of the clouds high above the lake this morning making that one last chance to ride a pletna boat irresistable. Holding 20 people under a beautiful striped canopy, the beautifully varnished wooden boat glided effortlessly through the water to the island where the tiny Church of the Assumption, lies. Views ranged from the peaceful island church and Tito's former villa hidden behind trees, to the blocky looking aging grand hotels from the Soviet era back in town.

At the island we were allowed 30 minutes to explore. We decided not to pay the 3 euro fee to enter the church and ring the bell for good luck. Instead we admired an exhibit of handmade Slovenian nativity scenes, and clay dolls dressed in native costumes. They represented the 27 EU countries with 23 official languages. The EU motto is "Unity in variety."

On our trip back from the island it was so quiet and peaceful. Only the sound of the oars lapping the watter and dueling church bells ringing out from across the lake broke the silence until a college girl from Calgary spoke up. Her voice was so loud it jarred my nerves. Based on her conversation with her friends, we learned she's a novice swimmer, has tried surfing, had toe surgery, and thinks Crocs are utterly useless. Glancing around the boat I noticed the others seemed oblivious to her aimless chatter. Most likely they did not know what she was saying.

For lunch we returned to Vila Preseren right on the lake for their Mr. Toast (grilled ham and cheese) and a piece of grmada, known as bonfire. It is cake with rum, milk, custard, and raisins topped with chocolate syrup. A small colorful craft fair was set up behind it selling wooden toys and jewelry. I bought a tiny clay bird whistle.

Our bus ride to Lubljana was one hour. We are staying at the Slamic B&B which is only 5 minutes from the main pedestrian zone. Our first stop was Ljubljana Castle. The original castle dates back to the Roman period, but little if any of it survives. The present day castle was rebuilt in the 1940s and renovated in the 70s. Although you can still see the main foundation, it is quite modern inside with exhibits, a gift shop, wedding halls, and a walkway with fine views. A modern glass funnicular whisks you to the top. One interesting part I noticed was called Library Under the Treetops. It was crates of children's books nicely arranged under trees with mats for the children to use for chairs. It seems like it might be a nice idea for the elementary school where I teach. We also visited the cathedral in town which is an 18th century church dedicated to St. Nicholas.

Ljubljana is a vibrant lively city after dark. One interesting feature of street food sales is corn on the cob (koruza) roasting on tiny charcoal grills and served right with the husks as plates. Olive oil and salt are offered as condiments. I tried some and it was tasty. Dinner was at Zlata Ribica. Our table was right above the river. We had gnoche with mushrooms. We met a mother and daughter from Arlington, Virginia who were traveling around and exchanged travel stories. The daughter was studying in Italy and is a college student in Virginia. Like us, they are Rick Steves fans too.

After dinner we strolled along the river's edge and were amazed at the number of outdoor cafes. Various restaurants had entertainment ranging from traditional to trendy. At one point hundreds of people leaned over the railing to watch a canal style boat that had stopped in the water for a moment and played traditional Slovenian folk music. It was wonderful.

Ljubljana looks like a lot of fun. Tomorrow we will explore the Sunday market in the market square and visit one of the caves. I think it will be a great day!
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Old Aug 7th, 2010, 01:22 PM
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Great report! I loved Ljubljana. Greatly enjoyed the Joze Plecnik House (house he lived in in the last years of his life). Plecnik was the architect who designed many of those quaint little bridges in Ljubljana! (But if you have Rick Steves' book, you know all of this!) His house is fascinating - you can feel him still living there. I think it's only a half hour tour, which is about the right length.

Considering a trip back to Slovenia to see more of it beyond just Ljubljana. I'd heard Bled is super touristy and your report confirms that...
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Old Aug 7th, 2010, 10:09 PM
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Please note that Esperanto has not failed. I am not certain from where you received this information ?

Please check out the facts on http://www.lernu.net or on http://www.esperanto.net
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Old Aug 7th, 2010, 10:23 PM
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Andrew,

Thanks for writing. Bled certainly does benefit from tourism - and much of it. But sometimes a strong dose of tourism isn't a bad thing. The lake and its environs seem to strike a good balance between scenic beauty and the various amenities that many travelers crave. In short, Bled is a lovely place that doesn't seem tourist trampled.

As regards Plecnik, we were looking forward to touring his home, but unfortunately opening hours are limited and we won't be able to get in on this trip. Fortunately, though, much of his work is on display as you stroll Ljubljana.
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Old Aug 8th, 2010, 01:29 PM
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August 8 - Learning About History In Ljubljana

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step back into prehistoric times? We actually experienced it today visiting Postojnka Jama, a cave an hour outside Ljubljana.

We started the day off with a history lesson at The Museum of Contemporary History which had some very interesting displays. The first floor featured the work of Louis Braille. Visitors can try out Braille typewriters and experience a world of darkness by navigating a pitch black room. After walking smack into a wall, I lasted about one minute.

Upstairs was an extensive exhibit about the history of Slovenia beginning with WWI through 1991 when Slovennia became an independent country. One exhibit had about 30 different kinds of shoes holding down informational banners suspended from the ceiling. The shoes represented the common aim to help Slovenia gain independence.

Lunch today was at McDonalds. We had their Shankin' salad which is mozzarella balls and tomatoes. Since McDonalds was in a railroad station, it was decorated in a railroad style and actually had some antiques in it.

We took a bus to Postojnska Jama, one of the biggest caves in Europe. It's touristy, but fun. A small open air train takes you deep inside the cave where everyone breaks into language groups for a tour. The 90 minute tour was amazing. We learned the cave is over 5 million years old and has had visitors since the late 1800s. The caverns were mammoth with enormous stalactites and stalagmites which grow at the rate of 1 mm. every 10-30 years.

Dinner was at Pizzeria Focculus. Their pizzas cooked in a wood burning oven and salads are excellent.

Walking around Ljubljana after dinner, we took the elevator to the 11th floor of a building with an interesting history. In the 1930s it was known as the skyscraper and was the tallest building in central Europe. It is a building with a history, but after recent renovations, the top is very contemporary with walls of glass on their outside observation deck. It was great place for a final view of Ljubljana. Tomorrow we head to Croatia.
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Old Aug 10th, 2010, 06:54 AM
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August 9 - In Love With Dubrovnik

Every so often I see a photograph of a travel destination and I think to myself, "There's a place I must go." Today I am in such a place: Dubrovnik on the Dalmation Coast of Croatia.

Croatia is a country with an unusual shape. Although it borders Slovenia, Dubrovnik is on the southern tip of the country and a train trip would take all day. We therefore decided to travel by Croatia Air from Zagreb, Croatia (2 hours from Ljubljana by train).

Our flight on Croatia Airlines lasted just under 45 minutes. For refreshments we were offered sparkling or still water and a gingerbread cookie. At the airport we were met by Pero Carvevic, owner of the Villa Ragusa. Our room in his sobe is just inside the entrance to the Old Town. He gave us a welcome to Debrovnik drink and an orientation of the town in his office.

No sooner had we put our suitcases down, we were out the door and ready to explore. To get a good overview of the town, we paid to take the wall walk. It surrounds the Old Town and the views at every turn are spectacular. During the 1991 conflict in Croatia, Dubrovnik surprisingly did suffer some damage. The proud residents rebuilt it in the same style, but many places have new red tile roofs.

Looking over the wall we saw boats of all kinds: yachts, sailboats, glass bottom boats, and ferries. Sunbathers lounged down and on the rocks and many daring ones climbed onto the rocks to leap into the sea to the cheers of others. We enjoyed the view for so long, they had to signal us several times the wall walk was closed.

Dinner was at Mia Culpa, an outdoor cafe serving pizza and salads. The town is full of energy. We saw street entertainers on stilts, with macaws, and musicians. People lined up to run and jump on a ledge and cling to a wall, but we're not sure what it's about.

Thinking back at the end of the day of the photo I had once seen in a glossy travel magazine of Dubrovnik, I can still picture the perfect view it showed of it. Tomorrow we'll see if we can find it!
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Old Aug 10th, 2010, 01:20 PM
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August 10-Delightful Dubrovnik

No matter how beautiful every corner of Dubrovnik seems to be, you can't beat the location where we had our breakfast today-right on the main pedestrian zone in town, the Stradum. I love eating breakfast at an outdoor cafe where you can see the city waking up.

Walking back up the steep steps to our sobe, we ran into Pero, the owner, who offered to drive us up to an old fort high above Dubrovnik dating back to Napoleon, but most recently used during the Homeland War 1991-1995. As we passed donkeys by the side of the road in this now peaceful setting, Pero told us about the siege. He said that the people at the fort felt it was always important for the people of Dubrovnik to see the cross on the hill (the original was destroyed) and the Croatian flag. If the flag was destroyed, another was promptly put back up. During the siege, 180 people in Dubrovnik were killed and 600 injured.

In the fort museum we saw photographs and moving video footage with no narration necessary of missiles destroying parts of the historic old town. This was a solemn moment for many. When one missile hit the historic old town and started a fire, people shook their heads in disbelief. A child standing with his father pointed to a display of mortars, shells, and grenades. "Awesome," he said using the English word although this was not his native language. His father promptly shook his head no.

We took a gondola back down to the old town and toured a monastery which has one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe. Today in the museum you can see porcelain canisters, cast iron pots, and tiny weights all dating back to the 18th century. We also toured Dubrovnik Cathedral and the Dominican Monastery. Both were a cool refuge from the heat.

Feeling the need to rest, we sat on the seawall under the old walls of the city and dangled our feet in the water. We weren't alone. Others did the same or swam, parasailed, or played water polo. All sorts of interesting boats sailed by including glass bottom, ferries, catamarans, and even an old sailing ship. Fancy yachts are anchored off the islands.

At sunset we stopped at Buza. It's set in several levels on cliffs rising up from the sea. Buza in Croatian means hole in the wall. It was nothing fancy, but the views were spectacular views of the Adriadic Sea.

Dinner was at Oliva, an outdoor cafe. I love how alleys are tucked into alleys here. After eating, we strolled around just enjoying the sights and sounds of thiis amazing place.
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Old Aug 11th, 2010, 02:17 PM
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August 11 - Picture Perfect Dubrovnik

The sun was shining brightly this morning as we ate breakfast on the Stradum. Without a rain cloud in sight, I knew that today would be the perfect day to find that picture perfect view of Dubrovnik I have been thinking about all these years.

Before we started sightseeing, we dropped off our laundry just outside the old city walls, but finding the place was a sightseeing trip in itself. We were directed by a number of people to just go "right, left, right" but it never seemed to get us there. No problem, though. It took us through pretty alleys with old stone houses surrounded by flowering bushes all with magnificent views of the Adriatic.

Back in town we toured the Granary and Ethnographic Museum. It featured a display of posters from the 1940s. Many of them had art work depicting America as a rich country taking over the world. One such poster showed a map of the world and even the penguins in Antarctica had something to say about it. The rest of the museum featured a textile display from the 19th century, traditional costumes, and old harvesting tools for olive oil, grain, and bees. Beautiful batik eggs were displayed in handmade baskets.

In the afternoon we took the ferry to Lokrum Island ( Love Island) just off the coast. It's a beautiful nature reserve with paths through the forest, swimming beaches, a small lake, and palm trees. It's the perfect place for a picnic and we had ours on an overlook of the water. As we ate, there was a symphony of cicadas. It was all so pleasant, but they were so loud we could even hear them off shore from the ferry.

Feeling the need for a cool dip we waded into the ocean, but it was very rocky. Instead we swam in the tiny lake surrounded by cliffs and palm trees. It looked like paradise with peacocks strutting about.

Heading back into town, Dubrovnik looked full of energy. People walking the walls were silhouetted against the sky and the red tile roofs and church steeples looked picture perfect. Everyone had their cameras out.

Right before dinner as I was sitting on the stone steps leading down to the old town working on the netbook, the lights in half of Dubrovnik went out. I could see the cafes below in the old town and they looked very magical in the dark with candles on every table. We ate at Nishta, a vegetarian restaurant. We tried the lentil cakes and veggie burgers which were served between two rice cakes-delicious. They have a very unusual, but sweet tradition. Even though it's a restaurant with outdoor tables with tablecloths, they distinguish themselves from the other cafes by placing a cute animal bath toy on every table.

After dinner we walked down to the harbor. Dubrovnik has a lot of cats and we met a mother and her two daughters from London who were cuddling the kittens and feeding them a box of cat food. The girl's mother explained that the daughters had taken pity on the cat family and this was their daily tradition. They will be in Croatia for a month.

At the end of the day you may wonder if I ever found the view of Dubrovnik I have been searching for that I mentioned several days ago. I haven't, but I have come to the conclusion it does not matter. Dubrovnik is picture perfect from every angle.
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Old Aug 12th, 2010, 03:13 PM
  #19  
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August 12 - Korcula

Today I feel as if I am on an island in paradise. We're in Korcula, an island just off the coast of mainland Croatia.

The sun was beating down this morning in Dubrovnik as all of the tourists arrived. Even though there wasn't much shade on the streets in the morning, everyone looked happy. As a group of men with drums wearing traditional medieval folk costumes paraded through the streets, people ran out for photos. We found refuge from the heat down on the waterfront with an iced cold fresh squeezed lemonade. I checked to see if the mother cat and her kittens were still there and they were. Later in the day, the children from London will be back to feed them. I have heard that many of these cats in Dubrovnik hang out by the seafood restaurant for handouts.

After checking out of our sobe, a van carrying only 6 people took us on the two hour journey to Korcula. We drove high up in the hills with sweeping views of the Adriatic. Vineyards and olive groves were everywhere and I was amazed by the number of wineries. The best part of the trip was a ferry ride to the island. It only took about 15 minutes, but we had a great view of all of the stone houses with their red tiled roofs and wooden shutters. Pineapple palm trees line all of the streets and people everywhere are relaxing in the water.

Our accommodation is the Royal Apartments. We have a small dining area with kitchenette. With the market just down the street and the ocean right out our front door, it's the perfect place to stay. Right now in the small harbor in front of us are a few fancy yachts, sailboats, a ferry, and a small ship from France.

Before coming to Croatia, a Croatian father of one of my students told me to be sure to see the Moreska dances. We are so lucky because they are only performed on Thursday nights in an outdoor small theater lit by torch lights. The performance itself has a history dating back 400 years. It tells the story of a bad king who took a good king's bride. The dancers represent the forces of good and evil and the happy ending is when the bride is returned to the good king. The dancers, all men, are dressed in medieval folk costumes and perform an elaborate dance battling with real iron weapons. They are highly skilled. Arranged into two concentric circles, each circle of dancers moves in the opposite direction of the other and the dancers clang their iron swords in perfect timing.. Everyone sat mesmerized.

Dinner was at Knoba Marinero. We had delicious shrimp and dined outside in the stone alley. Even though it was close to 11:00, stores were still opened and in the main square, a man was making fresh crepes and another was popping popcorn. On the steps leading to the main part of the old town, young children sat with displays of seashells they had collected and were selling.

It's past midnight and people are outside dining and walking down by the water's edge. Tomorrow we will spend the day on this island paradise, learning about its history and perhaps going for a swim in its crystal clear waters too.
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Old Aug 12th, 2010, 10:42 PM
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ExplorerB,

Many thanks for your ongoing trip report. I'm learning much from reading it and I enjoy your descriptive, colorful writing style.

A couple questions come to mind: Given Dubrovnik's remarkable popularity of late, is it becoming too popular, too crowded to really enjoy? Also, a colleague of mine will be visiting the city in the fall; is there a preferred time to walk Dubrovnik's famous walls.

Looking forward to your next entry.
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