Dubrovnik-Beauty on the Adriatic Sea

Our entry into Croatia at the Croatian-Montenegrin border; in a somewhat non-descript spot in the road was like coming in the front door to a magnificent sprawling mansion set in an English garden. Just as the Montenegrin Coastline had taken our breath away, Southern Croatia was about to romance us with a coastal highway that is carved into the mountainsides; with scenes of small jewels of towns on the Adriatic, like Cavtat (Saav-tat).
Cavtat is the home of an ancient Greek-Roman settlement that was severely damaged by an earthquake causing the inhabitants to migrate north up the Croatian coast where they founded Dubrovnik. It is a beautiful beach town, easy to walk, great food and where we met fellow Oregonians who were visiting from McMinnville. A husband and wife who were English instructors in a small town in Hungary...small world!

As we drive north, we first see the "old city" of Dubrovnik with massive walls facing the Adriatic on the south and west sides of the city.We are fortunate as the weather will continue to favor us with temperatures in the high 60's to low 70s during our time in Dubrovnik. This will certainly allow for some exploring into the night. The inner walls facing the mountains to the east are just as imposing and tower over a moat that was engineered by the people of Dubrovnik to defend their city.
Dubrovnik grew in time under Byzantine Rule; increasing trade routes and pacts with Pisa and Venice; in time becoming a dominant trading power in the Mediterranean; traders under the flag of the Republic of Dubrovnik sailed to ports like Genoa and Istanbul.
The walls do not hide the beauty of Dubrovnik; the sun bouncing off the walls and the clay tiled roofs reflect a well designed city with obvious North-South streets crossed by East-West roads.
The old city is still under repair from the 1991 Balkan War bombardment and as you walk through this historic town, you will notice the Croatians have posted signs on walls and even inside the Franciscan Monastery pointing out the damage inflicted by the Serbs.

We entered the old city for the first time through the South Gate located adjacent to the small heavily protected harbor, where the great Dubrovnik trading fleet docked in the past. Today this harbor is full of small fishing boats; private yachts and tourist vessels that cruise between Dubrovnik and Cavtat, and around the island of Lokrum just to the South of Dubrovnik.This a great walking town, it is more compact then it appears at first glance and easy to negotiate. It also helped that we were visiting before the real tourist season begins; no crowds to deal with as we stroll through the town. We pass posters for a concert Wednesday night by the Symphony Orchestra to be performed(sadly we missed the concert) in the old city.

We reach the center of the old city via St.Dominic and the Placa, the widest and most famous of streets inside the old city;built over the inlet that once separated Dubrovnik from the mainland.
We are trying to find a place to eat and wander through the streets that branch off of the Placa passing street cafe after street cafe. The menus are similar and the pitch the same, "the best that Dubrovnik has to offer", as far as I recall no one mislead us as every dining experience was a unique local dish accompanied by great Croatian wine and even entertainment. One night our waiter was named Matthew, who had just returned home to Croatia from Glendale, California. Matthew introduced us to a really delightful, full-bodied Croatian red wine that complimented our meal perfectly...definite thumbs up here!
In our three days in Croatia we spent the majority of our time in the old city and around the old city. The North Gate opened up to a large plaza that afforded a view of the Lovrjenac Fortress that was built to protect the small inlet/harbor close to the North Gate.
We of course had to climb to the top of the fort.The climb revealed to us the strategic location of the fort and the most impressive view of the old city. Oh, did I mention the color of the Adriatic sea? It has the bluest of blue shades that blend in with crystal clear greens to deep dark blues as you look westward. I couldn't quite catch what Madlyn said about these objects, however, she was laughing...moving on!
The fort was constructed with extremely thick walls facing the sea and possible enemy ships and relatively thin walls (sounds like somebody had a good planner on staff and a strict building code) facing the old city to prevent the garrison from revolting.
Back to the North Gate and through a plaza with a beautiful fountain and a spectacular view of the Adriatic. It also housed a Gelatto shop that I was not allowed to visit. You can see that the trees are just starting to show their leaves over the plaza.
The North Gate opens directly to the square housing the Onofrio(Neapolitan Sculpturer/Engineer) Fountain that was constructed in 1438 and heavily damaged in 1667.
The Franciscan Monastery is across the square and houses the third oldest(established in 1317) continuous functioning pharmacy in the world...and yep, it was open for business.
No pictures allowed inside the Monastery; all I can relate is that the Monastery has a very large relics collection and some unique paintings more common to the Balkans. The Monastery was undergoing extensive renovations with major focus on restoring frescoes throughout the cloister; this picture (yeah, I know) shows some of the damage time has inflicted on the frescoes(we saw several that had been restored and they are composed of vivid colors, excellent detail, and protected).
Time to do some serious walking around the interior of the old city, which has a great "mixed-use" design of business on ground level and residential above in most areas. There is laundry hanging above us as we stroll through the neighborhoods, past ancient churches, a mosque and a synagogue we fail to locate in the innermost part of the old city.
Now you may ask, "what's with the window shot"? Well just up from the window is an entry to a stairway that leads you down very steep metal stairs to a bar that is located outside the West wall overlooking the Adriatic. Madlyn and I stopped for a drink and enjoyed an unobstructed view of the Sea...how does it go, "priceless"!!! Not just a thumbs up, both thumbs up, just in case anyone is interested!
.
Many churches(picture of St. Blaise's Church)are undergoing restoration in Dubrovnik; exterior and interior work to maintain the aging structures. Although the Adriatic is beautiful, I have to believe the sea air is bad for the frescoes and the exterior stone work, especially the joint compound. Imagine having a home on the Adriatic that a had a view of Dubrovnik at sunset...here is said home.

And here is the view from that cliff side home at sunset of Dubrovnik. Yeah, why would/could you leave a place like this?
We found Dubrovnik to be all that you could imagine. The Croatians have done a wonderful job preserving(my cousins should be proud) their past for future generations to visit this unique former City-State Republic; and the last standing major Adriatic Sea fortress.
Now, just over the hill from the old city is modern Dubrovnik with a wide harbor and cruise ships.

The coastal highway crosses over an ultra-modern bridge which is very similar in design to the famous Olympic Bridge in Seville, Spain...the road heads North to Split; that is another road trip yet to be made by us.

Montenegro-Coastal Towns and National Park

We are on our way to Croatia on the back roads of Albania, heading towards the Albania-Montenegro border crossing on the coast. At the border we have a quick passage and emerge into Montenegro on narrow roads that lead through a small rural area of farms and old homes.The further north we travel into Montenegro, the better the roads as they continue to widen and improve in design and maintenance. We are joined on the road by cows grazing and a large flock of sheep that brings us to a standstill. The shepard uses his "crook" to guide the sheep to the far side of the road allowing us to pass sailing on the way again;and just around the corner donkeys eating by the road.

The road opens to views of the Adriatic Sea and towns spilling towards the water. The orange-red roof lines are similar to any Mediterranean Coastal community, white washed houses and olive trees everywhere. The road is high above the first town as it will remain during our trip through Montenegro.



We pass through Bar, Montenegro, a very active vacation community on our way to lunch in Petrovac. Now, this is one beautiful ocean city between Bar and Budva.


Turning down the hill we head for the center of Petrovac and end up parking right next to the entry to the beach/boardwalk. It is not the "season" yet, so much of the town is still shuttered and repairs are taking place all around us.People are painting shutters, stringing wire and putting up awnings on the sides of the buildings.Petrovac is home to an old light house station, which now houses a modern "torch" for a harbor light.

Madlyn and I discuss the thought of staying here on our next trip up the Balkan Coast.The waves are crashing against the seawall and the sun is out; it is still cool in the shade and we leave the long sleeves on for heat. We are in the mood for food, so we camp out on the boardwalk at a fairly active pizzeria. We make a good choice; the restrooms are clean(a must) and the beer is "Nik-Gold", (arguably the best beer in the Balkans!!). The pizza is a Margarita and it is delicious; oh, have we mentioned in our travels around the Balkans that the coffee is outstanding? Well, it is, all of my friends have commented on the quality and taste. Another thumbs up!

We cruise the highway in our new rental Chevrolet, bypassing "old" Budva to the town of Lepetane to catch the ferry to Kamenari. By taking this route we save the trip around the Bay of Kotor, the only fjord in the Adriatic Sea. We will drive completely around the Bay of Kotor on our return trip from Croatia.
The five-seven minute ferry ride stops at Kamenari and we disembark and head for Dubrovnik, Croatia just a short 35 minutes away. We pass through the borders without incident and will return three days later; taking the long drive around the Bay of Kotor.

We are not prepared for what awaits in the Bay of Kotor, the adjacent Bay of Risan and the towns that line the shore. Near to the town of Perast in the Bay of Kotor is located the Lady of the Rock Island(a church) and St. Georges'(a monastery) Island.


The island for the church was created by sinking boats full of rocks, setting a foundation in the Bay for the church.

We stop in Perast(named after the Illyrian Pirusta tribe) on the Eastern side of the Bay of Kotor. A strategically located city that at one time was an ally of Venice and then a vassal of Venice; a maritime power that at one point dominated this part of the Balkans.It is now an empty city of 22 churches; where the docent told us of the 200 residents in Perast, 60 were her cousins.
I am ready for lunch, except Madlyn tells me that I must wait until we get to Dobrota where we must find a restaurant called Ellas. Off I march to visit the remnants of Perast.It is a quiet little fishing/ tourist town that is working towards restoring the past.
We stop at the cathedral to see the unfinished dome, a victim of the sinking fortunes of Perast.It is now a museum that houses a large collection of vestments and an imported altar.
The water is calm and we hit the road after a picture of Madlyn and the Bay.


We are headed to Dobrota and a second floor veranda seat for lunch. Driving through Dobrota from the East, Madlyn reads the guide book and directs me through town...and just like in the book; there it is!! With a great view of the Bay, we settle in for an outstanding lunch that includes a birthday party for a three-year old. Madlyn orders chicken kabob and I have my usual pasta plate and of course a cold one. The service is great and the food is all the book said it would be; excellent. On the way out, Madlyn meets the owner and tells him about the guide book; without blinking an eye he says, "I paid a lot for that paragraph" and just smiles. He asks for the name of the author and thanks us for our business; this is definitely a thumbs up stop!
Back on our way to Kotor, the gem of the fjord. The city is packed with tour buses and due to time, we do not linger.We will return and spend a good day in Kotor. The ancient city of Kotor was surrounded by a massive fortified wall that snaked up the side of the mountains, not unlike Mordor in Lord of the Rings.

Exiting Kotor we are headed South for Budva, Montenegro. We will spend one night here at the Splendid Hotel, which is quite a resort. Budva is a smaller version of Dubrovnik with a walled city.
We walk through old Budva, although not as spectacular as Dubrovnik, Budva is charming and filled with shops geared towards tourists. The old city has many churches, administrative/citadel buildings and has narrow winding streets with small plazas.
The churches are mainly Orthodox, small and set up for visitors. The churches are amazingly cool inside and dimly lit, with many icons on the walls. We walk back through the boulevard passing many children and families walking and eating gelatto(Which I found to be excellent. Montenegrin ice cream is the best I have had in the Balkans.).

The next morning, back on the road to return to Albania via the road from Petrovac to Podgorica and then to Albania. We pass through Skadar Lake National Park past major forests and small villages clustered on the terraced hillsides.Crossing over the bridge on Skadar Lake we spot an 18th century fort that is strategically located to control traffic on the Lake.
A short time later we take the turn to Tuzi and head South towards the border crossing leading into Skodra, Albania. A quick pass through the border station; next stop Tirana.

Montenegro turned out to be a tremendous surprise for us. We did not know what not to expect as we drove through this country, what we found was a beautiful coastline with hidden gems around each corner and a National Park that was as peaceful as it was breathtaking. Montenegro was not expensive and I would consider it a good bargain for what we received...we plan to go back to visit Montenegro once more.

Carpets and the Topkapi Palace

We are back on the tour bus headed to a large multi-leveled store to get a short lesson in Turkish rugs. The proprietor of the store explains origins of rug styles throughout Turkey and keys to identifying a "quality" rug.

He spends a a significant amount of time extolling the virtues of true Turkish rugs and has us served "apple tea" as his staff unfolds carpet after carpet. The rugs range in size from 2'x3'(prayer rugs) to well over 12'x20'area carpets. The final rug is made from silk and is a "bird of paradise" design. It is absolutely beautiful, and I contemplate my lifespan if I purchase it(which I do not) without the permission of my wife.

Once back to my senses, I venture outside to rejoin the tour. The guide is ready as are the majority of the group...the majority minus the Moroccan couple, who once more are "missing". About 10-15 minutes later they can be seen running towards the bus from a long way away. A short,but terse conversation with the guide and we are on our way to the treasure of the afternoon; the Topkapi Palace and grounds.
This is the Topkapi Palace Imperial Gate festooned with banners for upcoming art exhibitions in the museum located on the palace grounds.

The Topkapi Palace was constructed between the years 1460-1478 during the reign of Sultan Mehmed II, and was used as the government/management center of the Ottoman Empire and the primary residence of the Ottoman Sultans. The gardens are lush and the lawns are green; the trees are ancient; the pathway crosses over a 5th Century Byzantine cistern; the views of the city spectacular and one can see from the Sea of Marma to the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Straits.
As we walk towards the main buildings we pass the kitchens and bakeries of the Topkapi Palace; which at one time fed 5,000 people a day.The workmanship is even evident on the facilities that house the food preparation for the palace.
Once more we are dazzled by the architecture of the Ottoman buildings; the palace grounds are adorned by many beautiful and intricate structures that have been tiled with some of the most beautiful colors in the spectrum.I will spend the majority of my limited time at the Topkapi Palace photographing the tiles and patterns created by the artists of the Ottoman Empire. Yes, we have made a critical error in our scheduling of the tour. The Topkapi Palace(important safety tip) is a day long visit with morning touring, with lunch on the plaza overlooking the Sea of Marma and then back to the touring in the afternoon and perhaps a gelatto or coffee afterwards at the same cafe (really great view from the cafe).

I come to a building that is home to a room called the "room of pain"(after the circumcism practiced there on all of the Sultan's male children)!The tile patterns are stunning inside and outside of the building...the art of the Ottoman Empire displays the best of tiles from that time period and hides the sinister (read male) nature of the building.
Here is a look at some of the tiles from inside the room.
When you exit the room you come face to face with a large pool that is fed from the side and from the fountain in the middle; it is all marble and I can see the gravity fed pipes dropping below the marble in the direction of the fountain. A nice piece of engineering, with great detail put into the design of the fountain.
I head to the building which eventually became the Sultan's library. It is strategically located with a view overlooking Istanbul. It is ornate on the outside and opulent on the inside; tiles adorn the walls; colored glass windows filter the light; inlaid mother of pearl doors and a large silver chandelier over the center of the building.
The following are some of the tiles inside this building and the colored glass windows.



We are on a limited time schedule and it is time to quickly find the exit; through the store of course! I find Hector and Meghann and we browse the store and then I lose them in the crowd. Oh, Hector has yet to score a pashmena for Martha and time is quickly running out!


I take more shots of tiles; the gardens; and suddenly realize that I have only seen about 25% of the palace grounds!



I will definitely need to put Istanbul on my "bucket list" this has only been a minimal taste of this exciting city.I have never experienced the atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar...the collective mindset of the market is more than the sale; it is the exchange that takes place in the haggling for the "bargain" price that leaves both parties believing they made the deal. (Normally I have to wait outside while my wife makes the deal for our car!)


Back to the bus, I meet up with Hector and Meghann; Hector has found the pashmena for Martha (yep, black and grey, not all silk). A great recovery and I know Martha will love it. We all agree this city wants us back to explore all of it!

A short trip up the coast to Montenegro and Croatia is on the agenda for the visit with my wife Madlyn...oh, it is a road trip through Albania, Montenegro and then Croatia; and no AAA!