Dubrovnik, Croatia
Trip Start
Jun 16, 2008
1
6
8
Trip End
Aug 14, 2008
Dubrovnik,
Croatia
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sleeping on a boat is cool. Yesterday at one point David and I (bunk buddies) awoke to a rollercoaster like sensation as we were dipped up and down and side to side fairly substantially. We thought for sure that Ania would wake up and have a panic attack as she is deathly afraid of ferries and the first thing she does when she gets on is to check for life jackets (none in the room on Jadrolinja). I had to finish transferring the pics off the camera, and since it was interrupted last time I had to search for what was new and what had already transferred, I did so very meticulously because I would hate to lose any pics, it's a rotten feeling! I joined the gang a little later for breakfast but admired the hazy mountains outside illuminated by the brilliant morning sun. David and I concluded that it was the best breakfast to date. The typical bread, meet, cheese slices affair, but with those cool triangle cheeses and muslix and decent OJ and the best tea ever! We hurried back to the room as we were docking at any moment. While finishing packing a lady prompted us that the ferry would be leaving in 10 mins! So despite leaving the room later than the other three I made a quick exit through the car deck and waited for the others so we could clear customs. Ania was just overtaken with joy at the sight of another stamp in her passport book. It's getting rarer as the EU grows and borderfree travel ensues. I asked the rent a car lady for directions because her english was so great. It took her a while to think where Padre Perice was but she finally got her finger on it. We walked past the police station on the main street almost 2 km from the port with all our gear in tow (despite the Nikolina rooms reservation advertising 200 m from port for which Ania had prepared in her mind an angry entrance speech). Once we got to the Hospital I knew we were too far so David and I walked a street around and gave up since no one knew where this place was. We asked at the police station only to discover that the clerk was actually the neighbour of the lady we were staying with. Wow, talk about coincidence in a city of 55, 000 plus many more tourists when cruise ships bring in tens of thousands of them! So we made the walk back which was luckily downhill now, past the all to familiar yachts and farmer's market. We finally found the street which was a narrow walkway splitting into another, up many steps in the corner of the farmer's market. Quite a challenging find! Jele Kulas was our host here, and the place was spectacular. A beautiful garden welcomed us and the only thing more cheerful was the owner Jele. She quickly welcomed us in with rather good English and promptly sat us down and gave us some really cold and refreshing water and Biscotti type snacks. She offered us tea and coffee as well, but that's the last thing you want when its 30 C + outside. We told her the story of bad directions from the port and she wouldn't stop apologizing. She showed us the balcony and said see, look you can see the port from here. And every other landmark we told her apart she would say, you can also see that from here, everything is within 200 m! "Oh, I'm sorry", I'm so sorry." The place had a lot of character with a big display of wines, ornamental paintings, and the white embroidered table cloths and low coffee tables so characteristic of Poland and of Europe in general. The other Americans staying there hadn't vacated the apartment yet so we decided to visit the Konzume supermarket and find food to cook in our apartment kitchen. Jele was right that the food was expensive here. Some things costing much more than in Canada and at best on par with a Canadian convenience store. We split the cooking over two nights. Girls the first night and boys the other. So we planned for spaghetti the first night, and thosy tube noodles with a bit different sauce for the next. David and I also picked out 6 Croatian beers, bananas, cereal, milk, and hygiene products which are more expensive here (now we know why so many men stunk on the Greek Metro). I finally picked up some hair and body wash, and david needed some deodorant and menthols for his recent cough and congestion he had developed. Ok wow, way too much detail here. I probably am spending more time writing this than it took for it happen!
Ok so we got back and unloaded our groceries and finally got to our apartment. It was pretty sweet. Two single beds on either side of the room, and a queen for the two queens of our party : P
We had a nice lunch of pasztet (meat spread) which was actually Bologne! And some melba toast and extra fibre rich wasa bread ( I think 24 G fibre per serving! Amazing! It will keep our colons healthy for the trip!). We sliced up some tomatoe with it and enjoyed our first Croation beer actually spelled Fresssh! It was a bit too bitter but not too bad! Ok so it was around 2ish by the time we were ready to leave. We walked down to the currency exchange place but after overshooting it we finally found it and found the best exchange of 4.49 kuna per 1 CAD, with no commission. Then we walked to what was the bus terminal at the end of the port when I realized my charger for the Casio camera wasn't in my sling bag! I went back to the apartment and unloaded everything from the bag for fear it would fall out and ensured I didn't lose anything ( I didn't for once!). I also left behind the compact camera here in the process. Rejoined Team EAT aka NEEAT and learned we had to walk back the total opposite way to the bus terminal. We bought our tickets to split which were 115 Kuna discounted from 143 since it was a 7 AM departure (so early...sighs, but price first function second, right?).
Ok so we hopped on the 8 Kuna bus and hit up the Old town. The bus was so hot and sweaty and packed. Croatians were yelling at the bus driver to turn on the "Climata" aka the AC. Polish helps a little in understanding! The old town was even more beautiful than new Dubrovnik), clean, flowers everywhere! Super nice! There are bushes of flowers lining the main street of Dubronvnik too for the record. Mama, You'd like it here! We saw an ancient fountain from the 1400s I think that drew water from a well 11 km away and was a giant circle with faucets all around to drink or cool down from. We also saw the "Oldest pharmacy" which is misnombre as it is JUST Europe's third oldest. We walked amongst the narrow winding streets for a couple of hours. It was cool seeing the side of the town facing the water. That's where all the permanent residents live. There was a tiny park in the middle of this and some small soccer nets in the alley ways which would make for a sweet FIFA street type game. Everyone pretty exhausted and really really sweaty. I couldn't remember feeling hotter even in Greece and Italy. The walking in the morning exposed to the sun was brutal at least there was a fair bit of shade in old town. We were pitched some boat excursions to the three nearby islands and even were offered one with unlimited drinks and juices, etc and a lunch for 200 kuna or less about 45 bucks CAD. We grabbed some gelati to try to beat the heat. I got Pina Colada and Melon but David's Sour Apple, Liz's pisstachio, and Ania's Mango were all delicious. Reminds me of getting Gelati at Leo's in Winnipeg. Good times! ; )
We were able to climb the towers and walls around the city for 20 Kuna, making use of ISIC student discount from the regular 50 Kuna rate! Sweet! The views were magnificent! The old city is quite tiny but amazingly unique, there is nothing like it! At one point in the day it reminded me of Aladdin as a street rat because of the varying heights of buildings, the small alleyways, and even those umbrella or shades that he would slide down. It wasn't dirty or anything, so don't get that idea!
Ania was super thirsty so we tried hurrying to get some water. I took tons and tons of pics so I really hope they turn out. After descending to the walls Ania finally learned that David and I had some water left and gulped it hurriedly and we decided to call it a day around 7 PM or so. We hopped aboard the 1A back to our place, only a couple of km away. But with aching feet and legs, and beads of sweat dripping down every body surface the 8 Kuna was well spent. The girls quickly prepared some nice spaghetti with mediterreanean frozen veggies mixed in while the dudes drank Croation beer and watched Poland lose to the Dominican in volleyball and some 90210 in which a schoolbus travelled through a garbage truck with a drunk driver behind the wheel because of a higher "power." The rest of the evening was very laidback. I fell asleep before I could even type any words into my journal. The meal was really satisfying and the beds cozy.
This apartment is kind of cool! I can definitely see myself living like this... in the future! Don't celebrate yet Mama and Tata. I like it at home and can see a few more years there before I spring for total independence. It's comforting to know that I am capable of doing it - with women cooking for me! Just jokes! David and I will give it a go tonight (june 28th and the Iron chef challenge will be ON!). It was pretty funny tho. Because as I sat there drinking Croation beer and watching the volleyball game, I said Ah, this is the life. Zrob mi obiad kobieta! (Make me dinner woman!). Disclaimer: I am not sexist in anyway and was merely joking! We all shared a good laugh tho!
