Arriving back to the apartment yesterday afternoon somewhat tired after our hike across only part of the Ston Wall (I expect you won’t be surprised to hear in normal times they hold marathons across them) we were delighted to wake up this morning without aching limbs. 

As we got ourselves together for today’s trip to Dubrovnik, we reflected on yet another wonderful shared day, how Daniel’s Croatian Crustacean hosting was so generous and I corrected the typos I could find from yesterday’s post, tweaking a word here and there.  We’re certainly enjoy putting the posts together and thinking ahead of what photos we should take that might enhance each diary note.  We appreciate that you take time out to read them and especially appreciate each comment that is left for us.  You spur us on.

Around 9:30 we set off for our hour or so drive to Dubrovnik.  The weather looked promising and we packed what we thought we needed for us and Stella as we had the convenience of plenty of space in the Poacher.  I always prefer to over pack on a trip taking what we might need with the option of not using them, than travelling light and wishing we’d brought specific items with.

On the way out of Mali (Small) Ston, turning left towards Dubrovnik and not right towards Ston, the route followed the coast line, sometimes taking us quite high fooling us into thinking we were climbing the mountains and other times almost water level.  There were still quite a few beware of wild boar signs, but the signs for wineries reduced as dwellings, bars, restaurants and commercial outlets disappeared along a road that simply takes you from one place to another.  With Steve driving right hand side, and me in the passenger seat, with the coast line to our right, it was very difficult to take photos of even more beautiful bays, yachting marinas and coves that seem impossible to access by road.  At home we are used to getting in our car and driving to a beauty spot.  We haven’t got used yet, that every turn we take gives us the gift of yet another beautiful view of Croatia.  I wish my photography equalled my enthusiasm.

Speaking to Fani, our landlord and friendly tourist office expert, she informed us that all Croatian tour guides had been vaccinated for Covid, the drive would take about an hour and where to park.. We aimed for the Old Town, missed the first car park and managed to get into the second one which was as close as we could get to the Pile Gate Entrance.  First on our itinerary was to visit the famous cable car.  Climbing many steps (too many from ground level of the Old Town) up to the main road, following the cable lines above as route direction, we found the ticket office.  Unfortunately the cable car service was closed, but we were greeted by Petar – who incidentally has an uncle who works in one of the ticket offices of the Dubrovnik Walls – who told us the cable car would not be operating for at least a month.  Damn! Having his uncle in one of the offices he made a call to check we could do the Walk with Stella which was OK. We were a bit disappointed not being able to do the cable car ride, but thought hey ho.  As we turned around to leave we were greeted by bubbly Vera who happens to be a taxi driver who happened to have her black Mercedes parked opposite, who offered us a return trip to the top of the cable car station for almost half the price of the cable car journey.  We were overjoyed and got in with Stella.  Vera fortunately loves dogs.

We turned left to go up the mountain, in what seemed to be a single track road, she laughed and confirmed to us that there was room – just – to pass a car coming the other way, and there would be several, and to imagine what it was like through the Season. Along the way she told us how she had learnt her English from watching Midsummer Murders on TV (all Croatian TV seems to be English); at school the second language choice at the time was either German or Russian. She pointed out a ‘village’ in the distance and told us that Roman Abramovich and Bill Gates stay there under very heavy security.  If you could see a helicopter, one of them was there and their visits provide much income for the locals!

Just before we got to the top, she parked and said we should get out of the car for a photo opportunity.  She pointed to Bosnia, saying she gets her shopping there as it is the half price compared to Croatia, and told us the Bosnians travel to Croatia for work.  She pointed to some stones right at the edge of the cliff and said, pointing to a particular one, if we sat down on it she’d take pictures of us with Dubrovnik as a backdrop.  The stone seemed small, very shallow in height and depth and very near the edge. Looking at our faces she said she hadn’t lost a paying passenger yet, so not wanting to miss a “we’re here now opportunity” we walked over to where she had pointed with trepidation and slowly sat down, not to lose any balance for fear one of us have to make a premature life insurance claim, with total trust and all our fingers crossed.  Here are the results.  Didn’t she do well!

We got back into the car, legs slightly wobbly, and we continued our journey to the top. At the top Vera pointed out the Napoleon Fort and The Emperors Port Museum.  I decided to do a speedy tour of the museum as it was open and to give the attendant some business. I managed to buy the only book which had English translation Dubrovnik During the Homeland War 1991/1995 (ISBN 978-953-7037-42-0). Steve says it’s very interesting. There were six rooms with exhibits on the ground floor and another two levels and the roof offered safe views of Dubrovnik. It seemed much safer to me to take photos of Dubrovnik from there than leaning over the edge, which is what Steve was doing.  My results were well focussed, his were a little shaky hand blurry! Wonder why?

On the way back down she told us that out of the 300 – 400 hotels in Dubrovnik, currently there are only about 7 which are open. She also pointed out Lokrum Island and told us how she and her friends in their youth used to swim there from the mainland, but doesn’t anymore as its too dangerous with all the jet skis about. 

We were there, inside the Old City of DubrovniK. We took many photos walking around the tourist streets and attractions, but are only posting a few to show how empty we found it. We decided to have a snack and drink before attempting the walls.  No pictures, of food, but we forgot how large the portions are and considering we were in the middle of the Old Town, the prices were reasonable.

At the Walls Ticket Office we explained that Vera told us there was a special promotion of 50 kunars instead of 200 kunars per person, but they refused to know anything about that.  We walked up the steps to the walk the wall.  We thought once up on the parapet, it would be even all the way around.  We were wrong!  After yesterday’s walk of the Ston Steps, we covered another 1,200 steps today, some of the wall reaching a maximum height of 25 metres.

Going around (there is an anticlockwise one way system), I remembered how I held on to the hand rail for every step taken yesterday and wished there were more hand rails today. I’m just a little over 5′ and found some of the walls incredibly low, taking it very easy all the way around not to slip. Steve is over 6′ so the walls were even lower for him, especially with his fear of heights. We noticed private dwellings with gardens adjacent to the wall and thought they couldn’t possibly have any privacy with tourists constantly snapping their lives.

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We finished the walk, descended the steps back to the ticket office, told them what a lovely time we had and wished them well through Covid.   They told us at this time of the year there are usually 5,000 – 6,000 daily visitors on the wall and in the height of the season around 10,000 a day. Through our two hour very slow stroll we only came across five other people.  We can’t imagine what it’s like crowded or how cruise ships have the time to allow their passengers to fully enjoy Dubrovnik and what it has to offer.  We decided we would come back another time, possibly out of season when permitted, to enjoy a few of the museums.

It was only a short walk back to the car as we’d managed to park outside of the Gate. We were happy tired, including Stella who also enjoyed the walk around the Wall, and made our way back to Ston.

After a short rest it was time to keep our reservation at the other restaurant in Mali Ston, the Kapitanova Kuco, who serve wonderful fresh fish and shell fish and vegetables picked from their own gardens. The chef, Lydia Kraji is one of Croatia’s celebrity chefs with her own TV programme. We’d certainly built up an appetite and couldn’t wait – so we didn’t!

Ordering pre dinner drinks and a white wine to accompany our meal, the waiter brought a basket of home baked bread and a complimentary starter which was tiny prawns in a sauce with tiny asparagus together with fresh white fish pate, heavy with butter.

Obviously we had to have some fresh oysters.

Steve had sea bass served with boiled potatoes and vegetables of the day.

I had grilled squid, also served with boiled potatoes and vegetables of the day.

And to finish, we couldn’t resist their home made Stonska Torta (pasta and chocolate) with two forks.

We wobbled back having celebrated an amazing holiday within a holiday.