As usual, I have two days to catch up on, as I didn’t have the
energy last night. Not sure how I’m going to muster up the energy tonight
either, but I will! Then, I’ll have to regurgitate it all in my journal as I haven’t
done either for two days. Oh, the difficulties of travel! J
Day 4 (Tuesday) we started off yet another bright blue sky
day in Dubrovnik with a Game of Thrones walking tour. There are several on offer
from multiple companies, so that tells you how popular a ‘thing’ it is. Claire
came along for the tour, though she hasn’t read or watched, due to the promise
that the guide would talk about Dubrovnik history at the same time.
Most of you know that I’m a fan of book/film/TV pilgrimages,
send Claire and I have done a few together: Lyme Hall (where Colin Firth jumped
in a lake in 1995), Prince Edward Island for Anne of Green Gables, Karen Blixen’s house north of
Copenhagen (independently, we’ve both been to Blixen’s home in Nairobi). So
now, Game of Thrones. I have to say, the tour was fantastic: interesting
stories about filming, engaging guide, photos from the show to coincide, and
lots of Dubrovnik history.
I won’t
bore the non-readers/watchers with a blow by blow / scene by scene account (you
can see photos on Facebook) but a few tidbits. The guide pointed out that last
season (5) they filmed 10 days or so in Dubrovnik, but when they start shooting
next season in Sep/Oct, they have only scheduled 3 days. The guide thinks this
tells us something about the focus for next season… Another interesting fact, when
they shot the ‘shame’ scene for the finale, they had to close down a street for
three days, which meant closing down several restaurants and compensating temp.
This is a busy city, so it mustn’t have been cheap!
One
of my favorite parts of the tour was the fortress where many scenes were
filmed. Its across the way com Old Town and gives an excellent view of the city.
It also has its own interesting history with the Dubrovnik republic’s history
with/against Venice. The usually canons, thick walls, and only 12 men to hold
it (21) if really needed extra manpower.
One of
the funniest bits was when the guide took us up a hill where a certain wedding
took a place. “I know what you’re going to ask me,” he said, walking to a patch
of ground scattered with dog poop. “This is where the little bastard died.” There
were chuckles from the crowd. “And look, there is dog poop send the grass is
actually green here, so nature must have liked that death.” It wasn’t a real
person’ death we were talking about, so only a bit morbid...
The
tour ended as all kitschy ones do: with a photo op. A chance to sit on the iron
throne ad brandish your sword. Neither Claire nor I seem intimidating in our photos,
so we’ll just have to follow someone else on their quest for it.
After
a rewarding tour, we stuffed some salads in our faces, then went off to book
our next day’s adventure to Montero: a new country for both of us. We came home,
relaxed, and went out to the War Photo Museum. This was a provocative set of
exhibits about war, particularly the current crisis in Ukraine (the current exhibit)
and images com Dubrovnik during the war and siege. Powerful images and videos
that bring the bustle of the current city into sharp contrast. You look into the
mountains right above the city and think of the empty Old Town and how the streets
were life-threatening from those above. Having just read Lynsey Addario’s autobiography,
“It’s What I Do: a Photographer’s Life of Love and War” this exhibit really
interested me. It is a type of photography that doesn’t interest me in terms of
my own work, but I am interested in the stories the photographs tell and the photographer’s
bravery in getting them.
Then,
wouldn’t you know it was time to go out and eat again. An interesting thing to
do after seeing images of people lining up for food and fresh water. For
dinner, it was Taj Majal, a misnamed restaurant with Bosnian cuisine. Claire’s
food was definitely more Bosnian than my gazpacho and roasted veggies. Regardless,
my food was excellent. We rambled up and down streets then called it an early
night.
Today/Day
5 (Wednesday), we had to leave at 7am to catch our tour to Montenegro. The
streets were quiet and empty as city works cleared garbage and restaurants
began to put out their tables and chairs. We waited a bit nervously for our
bus, send finally it came. We were a
group of 13: Americans, Brits, French, Canadians, and Russians. The tour was
all in English, which we certainly appreciated. The basic itinerary: cross the
border into Montenegro, coffee break, tour of Kotor, free time, travel to Budva
for lunch and beach time, quick stop at St Stephen’s Island, then a ferry across
the fjord and back on the road home to Dubrovnik. 12 hours door to door.
It
was a beautiful trip all day, the only interference being the 100F (38C) day.
My lord was it hot, hot, hot. We had been contemplating a day trip into Bosnia
and Mostor, but once we heard it was 40C yesterday, we crossed it off our list
after today. Regardless, today proved a great adventure.
After
picking up all the other people, we were on our way. Along the way, the driver and
guide told us about the area, the war, and the buildings that were destroyed
and not rebuilt: the factory that used to make yogurt he loved as a kid, the
hotel overlooking the sea, the many houses along the way. Yet, despite these
losses, there is a lot of building being done, which shows its growth and how
much tourism also helps reinvigorate the city.
The
border crossing we took was a quiet one the locals use, and it is perched on a
cliff overlooking the sea. It must certainly be the most beautiful border
crossings I’ve ever seen. Once we pass through ‘no man’s land’ between the two
borders (the border is not yet ‘fixed’ between the two), we cross into
Montenegro. Claire is not happy that I get a stamp to mark my next country, but
she doesn’t.
We
stop to take photos of two churches in the middle of the lake, then stop for a
quick coffee with a gorgeous view. We pose, we sip, we stretch our legs. It’s a
bit cramped in the mini van, and after two hours it’s a good break. Then, off
we go to Kotor, the town with old town walls that climb up the mountain
side. A guide meats us outside the
gates, and she gives us a great tour around the small walled city. Stories of merchants,
squabbles, and war. It’s a gorgeous walled city with many different churches,
restaurants vying for space, and a stunning photo op every two seconds. We even
arrive just in time for a traditional dance in the main square!
After
the brief tour, we are left to our own devices. Claire and I stroll around the
different churches and narrow streets. The city walls literally climb the
mountainside. Dubrovnik’s Old Town walls are 2km all around, whereas Kotor’s is
5km and steep. With only an hour and a half, we opted for an amble and a café stop.
Claire enjoyed her ice cream, and I enjoyed my real lemonade. Soon, it was time
to meander back up to our pick up point before heading to Budva.
As we
made our way to Budva, the host began to feel more oppressive. The point of this
stop is lunch, beach, and another walled city. With only less than two hours, all
were an impossible feat. Food always comes first, and we dug in. As much as I
wanted to see the walled city, I began to feel like I should just go sit on the
beach for awhile first.
So, I
meandered with Claire to the quieter beach our guide had recommended. It was
quieter, but my lord it was hot. Even in the shade it was too hot. When I
plugged in the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion, I figured out it had been 100f
sell day. I sat on the beach in the shade knowing that a swim would do me good,
but too tired to put in the effort to change into my swim suit and coat my
other uncovered body parts with sunblock. This type of heat is just too
oppressive.
After
only time for a 15 minute swim, Claire emerged and we headed back to the mini bus.
The last stop was to the viewing of St Stephen’s island. In the 50s (I think),
it was bought up by a private company, and now it’s a vacation destination for the
rich who want privacy. For example, Prince Charles and Princess Diana spent
their honeymoon here in 1982. The guide rattled off other names like Elizabeth
Taylor, Bruce Willis, and Pamela Anderson. You can only visit the island if you
are paying for accommodation or have a lunch/dinner reservation. With accommodation
costing 1,000 Euro a night, I cent imagine what a meal costs.
Finally,
it was time to take the brief 10min ferry across the fjord and return to
Dubrovnik. I tree to take as many photos of mountains, sea, and abandoned buildings
as I could. Soon, we were walking like zombies back to our nice little flat and
moaning as we plopped on the couch. We eventually plucked up the effort to shower,
dress for dinner, walk down the three flights of stairs, and find a table at
the restaurant literally right outside our door.
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