I'm on a deserted island. Well almost: there's some cats, a strutting peacock, and a straggler or two like me. Dubrovnik is bustling with cruise ship day-trippers and other assorted travellers. I took the ferry to the nearby island, found myself to be the only passenger, and was rewarded with a marvellous view of the city retreating from my view, their old, and "rehabilitated" roofs protected by strong surrounding walls.
I had awoken in Mostar, wher my lodgings were provided by the family of a charming young woman who sold tickets at the Bus station. Finding German to be a common language (or in my case, smattering), we chatted away merrily- she was a refugee during the war, spending years in Germany. I probably paid over the odds. I didn't care- they lived on the East Bank of the river, and they deserve every break they can get.
I was able to say goodbye to Bosnia-Herzegovina twice: once when we re-entered Croatia our original journey in, and secondly after we passed through the coastal sliver of the republic granted to it by Tito. Neum, the paltry looking resort in this narrow jut of territory was the backdrop to Japanese tourists having their photos taken in another country as they headed down the otherwise Croatian coast. I think I can see Herzegovinan mountains from here on Lokrum, and maybe even a black mountain or two of Montenegro.
Dubrovnik, though, is a marvellous place. A former City-state (as Ragusa) until 1806, when Napoleon didn't offer it the same respect as San Marino, the wealth of its past in its trading history can be felt in the very atmosphere. A walk around the walls offers stuning panoramas as towers and chuches jostle in an ever-changing perspective; illusions out of Escher abound as people climb up, down and around the battlements.
There has been reconstruction here too, as an accusatory notice, pinpointing the fallen shells of the Serbs and Montenegrins makes clear, but the place feels authentic. In Mostar, it felt as though many of the minarets had come
There was a memorial hall dedicated to the fallen defenders of the city. I signed the visitors' book to honour them, but added a general mention of remembrance for the dead of Bosnia & Kosovo. I forgot the Serbs, which was bad of me.
Later....back at my lodgings
Dubrovnik is, if anything, more beautiful at night. The themed, sympathetic lighting throughout the old town creates a contrast between the night sky and the lightness of the stone that I have never seen anywhere else. I feel hugely glad (if rather heartlessly) that all those excursionists from those floating hotels have departed without seeing this nocturmal splendour. One up for cheapskate travelling, I think.
I came back to my lodging for a rest before going out again this evening. Finding this place was great fun- I was the only quarry of several middle-aged ladies holding up "zimmer frei" and "rooms available" signs as the bus opened its doors at the station. I allowed myself to be dragooned into a private room close to the bus station for less than �10 and saluted my landlady sheepishly as I went to fetch some money from an ATM. I'm rediscovering the gentle pleasure of not quite knowing where I'm going to spend each night. Ooh er missus.
In search of some local cuisine ( I had eaten a "Happy Bosnian" in Sarajevo), I ate a ribsteak dalmatian-style. I don't know what was specifically Dalmatian about it but, (cue obvious joke) it was so tasty that my next holiday will be in Korea.
Tomorrow, all being well, I am off to Kotor in Montenegro, and then it's Albania. I dropped in at the British Consulate, as one does and quizzed the monocled old Etonian Consul, who was sipping claret, and listening to Mahler. "I say, old chap," I began "I'm planning a little trip down to Albania and I'm wondering if those bally natives are playing up at all?"
No sorry, I made that all up. A dumpy middle-aged woman told me "No, I haven't had anything new on Albania for over a year- if you checked the website a week ago, you probably know more than me." How reassuring. But who could possibly want to go to Albania?
Serbia & Montenegro