The Richards Family Fairytale: Dubrovnik

View down to the beach we like there are 260 steps down to it

We are sitting in our apartment waiting for fireworks…as we looked out the window Todd remarked that it looks like a post card. Our life the post card. We have a week left and while we are anxious and ready to go home we really could not think of a better place to be “stuck” while we wait. Dubrovnik is absolutely amazing. Someone asked me why we chose to come to Croatia and it was really an idea I had looking at Cruises. A lot of cruises come here, and I see why. It kind of puts to shame every other city we have been to in Croatia. Splits Diocletian’s Palace has nothing on the Old town here and Hvars Mediterranean charm is outdone here as well. It is a spectacular city. We really lucked out (again) with the place we chose to stay. It is in a 100+ year old house that sits on the hill overlooking the water and looking back at Old Town. It is really the view on every post card you see of Dubrovnik. It’s also a 10-minute walk to a wonderful beach. Yesterday Todd went for a run. It was like 100 degrees so I was wondering if he would return. He did, about as sweaty as I have ever seen him. We spent part of the day hunkered down in the AC and then decided to walk with everyone to Old Town and because I knew by then they would be super hot we would go from there to a beach. Old town is really a huge walled city that is in perfect condition. It has enormous walls, the biggest I have seen anywhere in Europe and the city is hidden behind them. On one side the walls back to the crystal clear blue waters and on the other the streets are carved into the rocky hillside. It’s one of those places where everything is beautiful. It’s also not overdone. Unlike Venice and other places every shop front is not a tourist trap selling magnets and T-shirts. People really live there, laundry is hanging up in the streets drying. So it makes it a fun place to explore…when it’s not 100 degrees out.

So earlier in the day Sierra had stepped on what we thought was a small piece of glass from a glass we broke. I iced it up and dug around a bit in it and Todd tried when she was napping but we never found anything. She however was adamant that it hurt when she walked on it. Really I should say she screamed like there was no tomorrow when she stepped on it so she would not walk on it. So I carried her the 1km or so to the entrance of the City. When we got there I told her she was going to have to walk. She screamed and carried on. We told her she had to walk and that we would not carry her. So about 20 minutes of crying, sitting, drinking, bribing. Todd took her home and the other kids and I pushed on. The boys, Hannah, and I walked around the city a bit, got ice cream, it really is the best here of anywhere, and then went to the beach. The beach was packed, we got a small piece of pebbles(no sand here) and dove in. The water here is surprisingly warm. It is perfect for me as I hate to be cold so we swam for about an hour and then headed back. Sierra had miraculously recovered (after being carried home) and was bouncing around on her hurt foot…go figure.

Ice cream and water fountains to stay cool

Sierra beach tired...she's hot but covered in SPF 50

Yet another place to play baseball

nap time

Today was a similar day. I went for a run. It was like 90 degrees at 10am when I left so I chugged a ton of water and headed out. It did not feel that hot when I was running but eventually I felt really tired. I had to walk back through the Old City as it had filled up with tourists while I was on the other side running and I noticed I was soaking wet…like dunk me in a river wet. I had sweat dripping off my arms. That would not even been notable but I was smashed in a crowd of what I think was a cruise ship crowd. They were all shower fresh smelling of baby powder in their matching sun dresses and hats. The best part was the looks I was getting. I know sweat is disgusting when it’s not yours so I can appreciate the need to distance yourself but I just found it funny. I got home sad down and dripped onto the floor, seriously I don’t think I ever sweat that much.

Dubrovnik was part of the Yugoslavian Wars in the early 90’s. The city was under siege for 4 months and there are reminders and scars from the war if you look closely. One of the biggest signs is a huge hotel complex just down from us. It was only 8 years old in 94’ I think it was, and was a place many refugees from the north had come to seek refuge. The hotel is a shell but it’s strange because it’s like it just stopped in time. There are huge holes that have been blown in it from shelling, and it just sits abandoned. No one thought that Dubrovnik would be attacked, I think it’s like the idea of attacking Paris, who in their right mind would do that? So it took everyone here by surprise when it started to get shelled. The residence here were not really prepared and actually many sought refuge in the Old City walls that for the first time in their history were used to defend against an attack. It lasted 4 months during which time the residence themselves defended the city which had no electricity and basic needs had to be brought in from the sea. It also was thought to be the turning point in the war as it got international attention and the other worlds powers decided to finally step in the help end it. There a brief history lesson.

Anyhow we took it easy most of the day then headed back to the beach. Sierra took a nose dive onto the street and had a tiny scratch on her knee so that ruined her day, again. But everyone else dove in. Austin made his way to the buoys, it’s pretty cool he’s not afraid at all of swimming. Plus there are not sharks here so we’ve been told so he approves of the beaches.

And then there were unexpected fireworks right outside our house. Happy July 10th. Official start of the summer festival here.