Escape from Dubrovnik Walter Mitty Style

The end of Backroads pampering (and very action-packed schedules) came quite abruptly.  We enjoyed a fantastic, sea-front cocktail party and terrace dinner with our new Backroads friends yesterday evening before taking a quick historical tour of the old city of Dubrovnik this morning. If you're a Game of Thrones fan (which I'm not but may have to grab the books and check this out), you already love this city. I still marvel at the feats of construction it must have taken to raise fortresses of the magnitude we saw in the "Old City" and, unfortunately, the callous disregard for life and history that was employed to almost destroy it not so long ago. 

Literally midway around the fortress wall walk -- an ominously storm-laden sky hanging overhead amidst 99% humidity -- our friends we called "guides" several days ago announced it was time to say goodbye. Hugs and just a couple happy tears later, we were back in our "premier" hotel ready to check out but already switching back to survival mode -- "should we take this bar of soap?" "Some body make one more run to the 'exec lounge' and snag a few juices and some fruit" and, of course, "who has room in their suitcase for a roll of T.P.?... who knows what supplies we'll have at the next place."

Time to escape Dubrovnik as the massive (really massive!) cruise ships unloaded. Just an hour before we walked relatively easily through the streets of the old town. Now, noon, thousands of people were ambling along in numbered groups behind tour guides with correspondingly numbered placards. From our tippy toes we kept track of each other now and again as we rolled our 5-weeks' belongings toward the "water taxi."

In and around this city the locals assume full-fledged entrepreneur mode for their three months of tourism ("we are open all the time, every day...").  Multiple souvenir stand owners step in front of you to grab their chance for a sale; restaraunt hosts/waiters likewise pull you toward their tables to showcase their offerings and convince you it's time to eat (again); and on approach to the water taxi dock separate salespeople shout "come on, the boat is leaving now."  Exchange a quick wad of Kuna, hand over our bags, and we board a boat loaded with French, British, and Italian families (no others have luggage) toward Cavtat (pronounce "sowv-tat"). 

Those who have seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, will best appreciate this latest experience with public transit. The only difference between Walter and me was that I didn't know before I boarded that my pilot was drinking and I only learned mid-voyage that his copilot served as his beer holder (large plastic bottles of Ožujsko sold everywhere - good stuff) throughout. Other than that, we shared with Walter the cold splashes of sea water as our craft crashed down after peaking each wave and the occasional realization that this could end poorly. To a degree, it was like a Disney ride on a central line of steroids. Nose up, DOWN, CRASH, spray, the stern seems to pivot under you gliding into position for the next nose UP.... For 40 minutes this continues, the entire time our Captain has his flip flops up as if he's seen that nozzle spray the tourists hour after hour, day after day for months in this humid Orlando heat... Oops Cavtat, Croatia. For the first 10 minutes it was surprising and a bit funny; the next 15 progressed toward uncomfortable, soaking wet for a certain side of the passengers, and a little scary at times; then it transitioned to sickening (palms out, fingers spread, I had signaled "10 minutes more" to Madelyn over 20 minutes ago -- now she looked green). Pulling into our dock the right half of my face was drenched and begining to crust over with the heavy salt that is typical of the Adriatic water. 

Compared to all that our first steps on dry land were like docking at Fantasy Island (moms, dads, old folks: please explain to the youngins'). Our AirBNB host, Ana, met us at the dock, carried our bags to her car and drove us about 100 yards to our apartment, which is small but perfect and air conditioned (sort of). The town is small, friendly and beautiful -- see view from our balcony -- and we don't have anywhere to be for four days.