Written by WA
I headed out around 6:30 AM for a run to explore Dubrovnik in the quiet cool of the morning before the city is blanketed in tourists, like me :)
The door to our apartment
One of the many pathways leading out of the city. My goal was to run them all. I started with those that were not straight up, and decided after a few of those that are all steps that I'd have to adjust my goal :)
A highlight was coming across this basketball court at the top of the city. This might contend with the "highest court in the land" at the Supreme Court! Definitely has better views!
Love this flower growing out of the rock. Despite difficulty, beauty prevails.
There was a lovely older woman who I chatted with through a mixture of gestures and broken English. I think she was setting up to sell items as tourists departed the tour of the city walls later in the day. She told me her son and grandchildren were arriving tomorrow and she was happy. Warmed my heart.
Back down I went and exited the city walls.
I followed signs up to a park, what appeared to be under construction, so followed a lady back down the other side who was walking with a cane. So impressed with her fortitude and slow and deliberate path. I had to turn around and run the other direction now and again, but would circle back to her so see where she would lead me.
As made this dance down the side of the hill, I encountered a man with a wheelbarrow attempting to take a heavy load of drink down the steps. I also came across a monastery perched on the water. The sisters were milling about in their habits reciting the rosary with a beautiful backdrop of waves against the rocks. I did not linger long in my sweaty running garb, nor did I take a picture, but the image will certainly stay with me!
When I caught up with my "friend" - who must've thought me a stalker - she had made it to the sea where she began to prepare what I can only imagine to be her daily swim.
Looking back towards the monastery.
My wheelbarrow guy also made it down to deliver drinks to the little bathing shop. I hope he gets paid extra for this delivery!
On my way back to the Old Town, I came across another beach tucked beyond a wall, accessible through an unassuming door.
I did my daily deed and disposed of a water bottle that was discarded on the beach.
The water felt like the perfect temperature. If I wasn't alone, I would have taken a quick swim!
I love this saying engraved on the bench, "Smooth sea never made a skilled pirate". Although I think a sailor rather than a pirate might be a better profession to reference!
More basketball. You work with what you've got! And it must have worked, as Nikola Vucevic hailed from this region, although technically Montenegro, and plays in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls!
Some of the beautiful art I admired in the windows...
This gold was not fabric, but stone!
After showering, I tucked into the little couch for a morning nap before waking up the crew. This was my view.
Once we were all packed and ready to go, we had breakfast, before returning to the airport to pick up our rental to drive to Montenegro.
And we're off!
The drive was about 3:30 and included a short, very short, car ferry drive that according to Google Maps, shaved 2-minutes off our drive time :)
We arrived at our Villa in Bar around 5 PM. Just heavenly! The owners of the house - Zdravko & Tatiana Dabanovic could not be sweeter! They cut up some watermelon for us, had a platter of desserts, and a bottle of white and red wine for us. Not only that, when we asked about an optometrist, Zdravko insisted that he take pictures of my needed contacts and go there on my behalf. Really kind and incredible humans.
Now back to the travels... The villa as a pool house, where Corey and I are staying, and a main house. I had rented everything so long ago I had forgotten! But it really is perfect.
We had stopped for calamari and Greek salads on our way and picked up some charcuterie fixin's and wine, so we put on our suits and stayed in for the night.
Goodnight!
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