Dubrovnik, Croatia - 18-26 July 2007

Above left: View of Old Town Dubrovnik; Above right: View of New Town Dubrovnik

Ahh, sunny Dubrovnik was truly special - I had one of my best summer vacations there, if not the best, yet. The locals were warm, friendly, patient, laid-back, strong and hard-working. Although there were the occasional crowds of (sometimes boisterous) tourists from the cruise ships that arrived in the morning and docked out in the afternoon, the town had not sold-out to over-commercialism/tourism and managed to retain her Mediterranean charm.

I based myself in Old Town Dubrovnik for a week at the private residence of Katarina, a Bosnian-born Croatian. She 'picked' me from the bus stop - literally. She was one of a few home owners who waited at the bus station looking for tourists to rent rooms to. It was a win-win for her and me. She showed me her room. I liked it. We talked price and I paid her. It was a fair and easy transaction - no middle person (like the tour agencies or the like) involved.

Above left: Katarina; Above right: Home-made Bosnian pita (by Katarina)

In between sights, I worked as well. Carrying my laptop and research notes with me to cafés or the old harbor, I read and wrote my research paper, occasionally taking breather breaks to people-watch. Although difficult at first, I adjusted to having no internet connection for the entire week. I was detached from the rest of the world but on the flip side, I could focus on the here and now in the splendid Croatian Riviera. I felt like an author working on her next big novel, from an exotic city for inspiration. Life should always be this fine.

Old Town Dubrovnik was beautiful with rich historic architectures that were influenced by Venice and Vienna - both had once besieged and ruled the city; even Hitler himself deemed the city too beautiful to be bombed and destroyed. Today, Old Town Dubrovnik is an epicenter of gastronomic (with a stress on Italian cuisine) and shopping experience.

Above left: @ the Pile Gate (an entry way into Old Town Dubrovnik); Above right: Sweet nectarines were my staple diet there :)

Above right: On the Old Town city wall

Above left: Placa Stradun; Above right: Big Onofrio's Fountain - Croatian water so clear, clean and natural, you could drink it right out of the taps

Above left: Franciscan Monastery entrance; Above right: A Franciscan Monastery cloister

Above left: St. Blaise Church in the foreground; Above right: Orlando's Column

Above left: Gundulic's Square

Above left: A rare sight of a vacant street in the morning (it was usually busy with pedestrians in the day/evening)

Above: Sunset on the Croatian Adriatic