stolen colours

Kenny and I endured a painful overnight 13-hour coach ride (184 kunas) from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, a coastal town in Croatia. I couldn’t recline my seat as either the lever was broken or I was just plain stupid; people were yakking away; and the driver had the radio on quite loud, so he wouldn’t fall asleep, I presume. At the end of it, both of us had aching backs and buttocks. I slept around 2 hours.

A sign that we saw upon waking up when the bus made a stop. It scared us out of our wits.

Milo, the owner of Villa Klaic, picked us up at the bus station. I think people in Croatia drive like madmen: the bus drivers, the car drivers, and our host who seemed even more aggressive than the other aggressive drivers on the road. It was cold and rainy, which is unusual for this time of year, as Milo said. I seem to bring rain and chill wherever I go. Anyway, a hot shower, tea and biscuits and some sleep did wonders.

Villa Klaic was more like an apartment than a hostel. It was situated 15 minutes from the Old Town, down many steps on the way there and up as many steps on the way back. Milo was extremely friendly and helpful. As his place is so out of the way, he drives his guests everywhere! To the ferry terminal, the bus station, or back from those locations. Internet access there means going to his living quarters and using his own personal computer *eep* which he readily relinquishes. He invited Kenny into his living room to watch the Croatian water polo team crush the Serbs in the world finals. It seems that Dubrovnik produces a high proportion of the national players despite its small population of 40,000. Actually, Croatia’s population is only 4 million, but their land area is mindnumbing; we passed by such large expanses of land sitting unused on the way here.

Kenny and I ventured into the Old Town in the afternoon, though it was still drizzling intermittently. Some of the photos of the Old Town here are not from this day itself, but from the last day there where it was sunny. We went about seeing some of the sights on the map, but the most interesting bit was finding this little sea cove off a non-descript alley.

The entrance to the Old Town.

Placa Stradum, the main street of the Old Town that greets you after you enter.

Sponza Palace, along Placa Stradum, that houses the historical archives.

Each alley has a black signboard at its entrance that lists the shops within.

The Church of St Blaise. Under renovation ><

The Dominican Monastery.

Its courtyard offers shaded respite from the heat and bustle of the Old Town.

The well in the centre of the courtyard.

Kenny got adventurous and starting going down little alleys.
We couldn’t resist entering this one.

And it brought us to this charming little sea cove, which we later realised is a naked sunbathing spot in summer.

Kenny vs Rock.

We returned to Gundulic Square.

Lunch was at a rather popular pizzeria at Gundulic Square.

We shared a 25kuna salami pizza, which was very moist and savoury.

Thought this might strike a chord back home. Kenny was very tickled.

The first vending machine I saw in Croatia, in the empty hallways of the Jesuit College.

A video store in one of the alleys.

Jolin arrived in the evening. It was drizzling when we were in Old Town, and to our chagrin, so many of the eating places were closed! Or at least those within budget. Ended up buying milk, bread, biscuits, pasta and other groceries from the convenience store and begging Milo to let us use the stove in our room. (a previous guest had apparently set the room on fire.)