Hannibal crossed the Alps on elephants, we used Easy Jet. Same comfort and trunk space with equally dramatic scenery, but no peanuts. The clouds conveniently parted on our flight, and the Alps appeared below, the definition of majestic, and a completely different view and feeling then flying over the Rockies or Sierra Nevada- our frames of reference. We crossed the Alps, turned south above the Adriatic Sea, offering a lovely aerial tour of Dubrovnik's coast with it's sliver of beach, before we floated downward, eased between the mountains into a narrow opening of an airport between the peaks onto a tarmac consisting of two thin airstrips for take offs and landings.
If any place has solved the Scarborough Fair riddle of finding "an acre of land between the salt water and the sea sand” it's Dubrovnik. The cliff hugging city lies against a coastal mountain range. We landed at twilight to a quiet almost deserted terminal. Everything felt muted and ethereal, the lighting at dusk, the stillness and quiet. The outside air was absent of heat or cold, eerily surreal. Our airport bus drove along a ribbon of road overhanging a few hundred feet above the Adriatic Sea, venturing through the carved mountainsides forming narrow stone hallways for the bus to descend into the dream-like old city.
It was as if we fell into Xanadu.
We wandered for about 40 minutes trying to find our AirB&B which was just a few meters away, just past the Pile Gate inside the walls of Old City. Google maps was confused and we were pretty awe-struck, but we were finally able to focus and find our home for 2 weeks which came with a washing machine, so all was good. The Old City's walls and streets are made of limestone and are amazingly clean, with statues, churches, fountains, stairs, nooks, crannies- everywhere you look, there is something to see, every few steps you stop, gasp and admire with jaw dropping. 
The Old City acts like an cranky old man. It's unable to sleep, waking up before 6 am rustling, making inappropriate, odd noises which apparently are carts rolling in loudly over the cobbled limestone (no cars, so goods are delivered via wagons, carts and golf cart-trucks). The narrow walkways between tall buildings amplify the even the quietest of sounds. Since this is the low season, repairs are being done with workers hammering and drilling very early, and of course right next door. Throughout the day and night, we also hear voices- many different languages, from the early morning workers, to children playing soccer in the plaza, singing from the bars, conversations from restaurants and screeching cats (so many cats).
The Old Man-City seems to be forgetful, or may have misplaced the clocks, as the five churches ring their Angelus at the oddest times 11:14 am, 4:42 pm 6:24 pm, 7:45 pm seemingly inconsistent from day to day.
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| Outside our door the first morning |
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| Outside our door the second morning |
This time of year, tourism slows down, giving us room to explore this relatively small city. When the cruise and tour groups come through, it feels very crowded and we can’t imagine what it would feel like during the summer. The Old City is surrounded by terraced houses on one side and the Lapad peninsula on the other. Most Dubrovniks live outside of the Old City, it used to have 5,000 residents now just 500 as almost everyone has turned their homes into rentals. Lapad has the newer port where the cruise ships come in, pebbly beaches, a tiny city forrest, and a fish market. Since the town is set vertically against the mountains, steps, up to 400 in some areas connect you to the next tightrope of a street. From every location the vista are unbelievable. 
farmer's market (okay everywhere has a farmer's market).
There's even a Sunset Beach!
Plus there are Bob's Big Boy themed soccer jerseys.
This week's photo of topless old man looking out window contemplating his life:
"I used to be the most interesting man in the world"
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