Dubrovnik

I'd clearly brought the London weather with me. The 50min ferry over to Dubrovnik was mildly damp but on arrival at this 'pearl of the Adriatic', I got within sight of the town gates and the heavens opened.

Now a large amount of drizzle I can stand, after all, I'm a Londoner. But thunder, sheets of rain and roads becoming rivers is a different story. So I decided a coffee and a conversation with an Irish man was exactly what I needed.

After deciding the rain had slowed from biblical to merely torrential I headed into the walled city. To the nearest covered historical palace of interest. I've never seen so many people dwell on bad c17-18th art, it seems that the rain turns people into butts of culture. The eclectic treasures of the Rector's palace were interesting, highlights being the St Blaise rooms and the collection of pharmacy jars.

I spied blue sky so came out blinking into the bright honey coloured square. The purity of light on the reflected marble pavements is truly beautiful. I popped my head into the relatively new cathedral - successive earthquakes have meant serious rebuilding and it's the third on this spot. It's an airy plain building with a far more decorative rococco exterior.

But right now the needs of the body outweigh that of the soul. I was ravenous. Send pizza!

...

If I was in any doubt of the precious beauty of this place before, I'm now awestruck. The city walls which encompass the Mediaeval centre show what you just don't see at street level. The precipitous drops to the sea, the orange tiled roofs, hidden gardens and the sea vista... 2k of absolute wonder.




Heading back to the last ferry home, I spied the little place that offered shelter before. As I hadn't tried the local beer, though it rude to pass up on an opportunity. So beer in hand, vistas in mind and very step weary feet, I'm contemplating a hot shower and a substantial dinner.