Old City Dubrovnik Overrun

Tourists run amuk - taking a picture of a lovely alley way of stairs. Could they look anymore touristy?

Yup.  The cruise ships arrive and this splendid old city suddenly swarms with khaki shorts, whitesocks and leather sandals, baseball caps, and big cameras around the neck  (words lifted from “No-No”).  I feel embarrassed for them and hope I don’t look like one.  Blending in is always my aim but then again I am a traveller not a tourist. See earlier post for explanation.

Said alleyway and stairs

What can I say.  The old city is remarkable.  No two ways about that.  Expensive and overrun but still a site to behold.

Could look it up, not sure what it's called but it is beautiful

Did you know that about 2,000 shells hit this remarkable world heritage site during the onslaught from the Yugoslavian army, the Serbs and Montenegrins in 1991-1992.

Map showing the shell hits on the old city from 1991 - 1992.

Given its lack of modern military significance it is thought that this might have been done just to crush the spirit of the Croatian people by destroying their “pearl of the adriatic” as it is known. This kind of thing really pisses me off.  The wanton destruction of man’s heritage.  Sure it might be in Croatia but it is all of man’s heritage this kind of history.   The stupid destruction for territory, belief systems and egos just is stupid.  I know the same happened in return, but all I can say, in future wars should just focus on the ugly modern crap not human heritage that has no military significance.

Crazy Aussie jumps off the cliffs just outside of the old city walls into the blue blue water

Speaking of pearls I haver never seen such a colour of blue in ocean waters.  It is exceptional.  And clear too.  The blue is like a crystal clear lapis lazuli or almost blueberry in colour but completely translucent.  The camera just cannot capture it.

You can see through to the bottom, shades of translucent blueberry

As I walked along the narrow streets I was convinced by a man to eat at his restaurant.  I must have been hungry because normally I do not succumb to such tactics.

A gargoyle or spout of sorts on the side of the cathedral

But I sat down and ordered food.  After a bit he asked me “Why are you alone?” “Thats a loaded question”,  I respond.  “Do you like to be alone?”  he asks.  “Sometimes,”  I say. “Well we could get together,” he offers, “You look like you are in good shape for a woman your age.”  I laugh as if that is suppose to be an ironic compliment – meanwhile he has a belly.  “So can we get together,” he persists.  “Where,” I ask.  “At your hotel,” he says.  “I am not at a hotel,” I respond.  “Then I will have to find a place,” he says.

Walkways and tunnels in the old city

“Are you married,” I ask.  He hesitates.  “Ah,” I say, “I do not do that.”  “Wait ask me again,” he says.  So I do and this time he says no.  “But I already know you are,” I say.

Dubrovnik and stairs - my winning city

Well a debate ensues where he tries to tell me he doesn’t want to insult my intelligence by lying but he could have and I would have responded differently. “I would have figured it out,” I say.  He gets all indignant and asks me why it should matter.  I tell him I am not into that.  And suddenly he stands up, huffs and walks away.

Ahhh, such a cutie

But seriously folks.  I told him if I was his wife I would not be happy if I kew this conversation was going on.  And he is incredulous why it hould matter.  Men…

A guillotine????

It is amazing the different yet predictable types of men I am meeting on this journey. Thank goodness for my strong sense of self and value because if I were to base my value on the consistency of the most common two particular responses I would just hang up my dancing shoes now and stop believing in love.  But I won’t and I won’t be overcome.  It is the lovely unique individuals that I have met that stand out from the mass majority of men that help me maintain my faith that good guys are till out there.

Sunset in Dubrovnik