Dubrovnik

We anchored in Dubrovnik, Lord Byron's “Pearl of the Adriatic” this morning and hopped (some of us more literally than others) a local tender to the Old Harbor. We entered Stari Grad (the old town) through Ploce Gate leading onto the square in front of the cathedral of St. Vlaho (Blaise), patron saint and protector of this magnificent city. The clock tower struck 9 o'clock (once at 9 am and then 5 minutes after) as we gazed on the statue of Orlando (or Roland as he is more commonly known), the town's mascot. From a pleasantly shaded position in front of the old customs hall we were introduced to the history of Dubrovnik (Ragusa), a rocky promontory which was a resettlement of a Roman outpost Epidarium (at Cavtat) around the 7th century after an earthquake. Earthquakes are common in this area and in 1667 another devastated Dubrovnik. The city was reconstructed only to face reconstruction again after the 1991 seige by the Yugoslav Army from nearby Mt. Srdj, but the resilient inhabitants of this UNESCO site have restored it to its medieval glory. An icon of the independent Croatian spirit, Dubrovnik was for the most part an independent city state that functioned as a republic. Every month a rector was elected from the ruling class and had to reside in the Rector's Palace, now a museum, across from St. Vlaho's.
We strolled leisurely along the main promenade Stradun (originally a channel separating the lower level of the original settlement from the upper level which was later settled by Slavs). To our right leading to the uppermost borders of the old city were charming alleys decorated with flowers and vines, as well as colorful flags of freshly laundered clothing stretched across overhead. We stopped for a closer look at the Franciscan monastery which boasts the oldest continually operating pharmacy in Europe and also houses a number of relics and jewelry typical of Dubrovnik.

Our next destination was the top of the city walls to walk along the seaward side. The panoramic views out to the island of Lokrum were magnificent and gave us also a glimpse into how the locals live next to the city walls. The new clay tile roofs stood in striking contrast to the few remaining medieval ones. Late morning was the perfect time to walk the walls as more visitors began to pour into the old town. Many thanks to our guides, Jack and Dennis, who provided many insights into this lovely and historically important region.

The remainder of the day was spent at leisure. Some returned to the ship for lunch and swimming, others preferred to explore the farmers market and other small shops or to take in a few more museums. In the late afternoon we gathered at the Dominican monastery for a magnificent concert by the award-winning klapa group Ostro Konavli. Truly a magical day!