Day 6. Monday 6 April

Anniversary of a major earthquake that destroyed Dubrovnik in 16…something!

Our apartment is above the Old Town, within very easy walking distance – albeit, inevitably, with some steps and is recently renovated. Although we weren’t aware at first, it sits under another apartment – we can see this from street level, but have heard little apart from furniture scraping; all around us are old residences now turned into short-term rentals (a fact of mass tourism). There seems to be a constant background sound of washing machines on their spin cycle.

However, there were no provisions in the apartment, not even a black tea bag or milk to make a cup of tea, essential to start the day. That meant a quick trip to a supermarket to get the necessaries. One problem: Easter Monday and pretty much everything was closed for the day. Fortunately, we found a small bakery to get a ham and salad baguette (gold-plated) for breakfast, and then another to get milk and yoghurt.

A quiet day was planned after the busyness of Istanbul. Maybe our travel weariness is catching up with age. The morning was splendid so we wandered down through the Old Town to the waterfront, joining the crowds bussed in from a cruise ship.

Although the streets and alleyways were busy, the contrast with Istanbul was significant: much, much quieter, slower, less bustle. And Dubrovnik itself – the Old Town – was just so relatively tiny. But…. STEPS! We had been warned, but after long walking days in Istanbul, the feet & knees are protesting mightily.

We were passing the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and noticed a family group hovering around a baby dressed in white, adoring parents & grandparents & the priest beaming & giggling. Obviously a christening about to happen, so we gatecrashed. It was quite a long procedure, delayed a bit by the baby needing a bottle – worked a treat & she promptly fell asleep.

In the afternoon did the steps again down to  Pile Gate  to get a ‘Dubrovnik Pass’ which gives access to the wall walk plus entry to many other attractions, museums etc – calculating that this was an economical way to go. That sorted, continued our wandering through parts of the Old Town where there were late afternoon reduced tourist numbers. Ice creams seemed the ‘catch of the day’.

As you do, we dropped into St Ignatius Loyola, sitting quietly while a few locals at the front chanted the rosary.

As we had no dinner supplies, there would have to be a restaurant stop.  At this one, although the name was appropriate, the menu didn’t suit.

And of course we were ‘invited’ into several restaurants the moment we stopped to look at menus. The prices shrieked until we figured that they are comparable to home (just shows we don’t dine out much). Arrived at a restaurant named Wanda, which offered the black risotto T was hoping for, at a good price, so that was it!

We were seated and then greeted by Stella – a force of nature with a strong American accent, who continued to give and receive cheek through the whole meal.

The restaurant has been owned by Stella’s father for twenty years. It was named Wanda by the previous owner, who we think was some sort of family member – they saw no reason to rename it. Stella had been born in Croatia but moved to the USA as a child when her family sought the American dream in LA.  She has been back in Croatia for just over a year, after ten years living in Sweden with her half-Swedish mother.

Stella commented about the cost of living in Croatia – she claimed average income is one thousand Euro per month, rent about eight hundred. Home ownership is impossible for ordinary single workers: she, her brother and father live in a family-owned apartment. Tourism, which she supports (obviously) is both good – brings in money and jobs – but also bad because living costs are so high and housing is simply not available for locals, as it becomes dedicated to tourist rentals during the season. She claimed that once the tourist season starts young families are thrown out to make way for higher paying visitors. She proposed that perhaps life was better in the former Yugoslavia, when everyone had an apartment?

T had her black risotto, D had a grilled Banzino (European sea bass) fillet cooked by her brother, the head chef. Both were delicious.

At the next table a pair of young girls with American accents arrived; both students (of finance!) on a study exchange in Ireland and now enjoying the Easter break in Croatia & Montenegro (poor things!) We chatted about Irish weather & very briefly about things Trump. It was noted that one had the seafood platter, with a glass of wine…(a bit different from student lentil soup, thought T).