Thursday 17th October 2024

Around Dubrovnik and off to

Bari.

Once the crowds went home it was a pretty quiet night in Dubrovnik and other than leg cramps it was a pretty restful night.

Down the road for a  nice breakfast and hot cup of coffee before heading back to home and organising to leave luggage. 

Hercules was pleased we had moved our bags downstairs and he held them in his shoe store, which had been closed for 2 years, whilst we toured the city.

He gave us a rundown on what we could do till our trip to the airport and also gave a sad recollection  of how his Dad had been killed at 36 in the war when he was 3 months old.

After taking in the waterside, where it was alive with tenders moving people in and out off liners and day tour boats , we spent an hour at the Rememberance Museum.

It was a very solemn time reflecting on yet another futile loss of life and wanton destruction of Dubrovnik. Nearly 200 locals aged from 16-59, mainly service volunteers,  were killed along with a similar number of residents killed or injured. Secondary School kids who volunteered were in this number.

The bombardment of a UNESCO  site by Yugoslav forces was a crime not an act of war. Thankfully the brave Croatians with limited forces turned the battle around and lived a much more certain life now.

Dulled the senses a bit with a pre lunch Irish Coffee before battling the crowds to organise printing of boarding  passes and a cab to the airport.

We passed a pub with a moniker my mates at BLRGC called me which made me feel at home

That last walk to the taxi left me thinking that whilst tourism sustains the city financially it has stolen its soul.

The cab driver we had to the airport was by far the  best  guide on tour, filling our head with facts about anything and everything from history to sport to politics and the economy. The 25 km trip through the hills flew by and we were soon at the flattest bit of land in Croatia with a fabulous international airport. 

Dropped off at Kiss and Park, but best we got was a handshake.

All the usual process was organised and quick and we were soon on the plane, me in 10e with a mum and son and Jane  between two guys needing extender belts in 25b. One of us had a comfortable flight.

The surprise with Ryanair ,who is often criticised, was the flight left early and was 10 minutes early landing.

Same quick processing at the Bari end and we were soon at train station. Don’t be busting for a leak if you go there. One stall and 8 clients – all fidgety after a long flight and somebody who must have been reading the newspaper in there. Despite a lot of shouting by others, I departed after 5 minutes and relied on all of those pelvic floor exercises learned after chemotherapy.

Pretty short trip and we were off into the dark and dinghy streets to find the garden apartment. For second time in Italy no host and thankfully local shopkeeper roused him.

A garden apartment it was with 8 ‘units’ in a courtyard. Loved the sign on inside of front door that you must wear clothes in the backyard- perhaps they were expecting some nude bathing in and around the fountain.

Unpacked and found a local restaurant that opened at 730- we were usually fed and watered by that time in Slovenia and Croatia. We enjoyed a great home made pasta, local wine and a Peroni Grande- all 600mls  of it. Jane was in heaven back in Italy.

Shared some chat with an IT guy there on a conference who was selling algorithms used by the likes of Facebook and Google. With all of the ‘tracked’  FB stuff I get he was working on a winner.

Wandered home to sleep and perhaps ponder in the waking hours what tomorrows national transport strike will bring.