Rakija!!!!

Most times I have come to Dubrovnik I either go swimming because the water is fantastic or, I go kayaking AND swimming because the water is fantastic.  I wanted to do something else and Tom recommended walking the city walls of this epic fortress. And by the way, they shoot Game of Thrones here. Everyone was crazed taking tours of filming areas and sitting on silly thrones.

Walking the wall is one of the main tourist attractions, but it is an expensive entry fee so I passed it over many times.  Finally, I decided to check it off the list, but was forewarned it was like the surface of the sun up there.  Joey, John and I trekked it from start to finish- and I tell you, it is hot as hell up there and much longer than I expected.  But!…the views are killer.  

Double click to open this panoramic picture because you need to see the detail.  The wall actually wraps all the way around and ends back on the left part of the picture by the large island called Lokrum.

The walk around was really cool and I got some beautiful shots.  Now after all that, we met up with Nick and went swimming because after all- the water is fantastic.  

These are a few more shots from strolling around town. There are the nooks and crannies in the cliff sides, where you might find a hobbit dwelling.  A couple of these cliffs have nestled in cafes and you can usually find people jumping off and swimming.  I patiently waited to catch this guy mid-air. 

And of course there’s the famous Lady Pi Pi restaurant with a detailed fountain located at the entrance.  She was clearly dehydrated.  I on the other hand made sure to hydrate from the hot sun in one of the many beautiful, potable drinking fountains like the classy gal that I am.

My final overnight of the contract was in Dubrovnik. Being the end of the summer season, there were no nighttime music venues or concerts to be found.  There really wasn’t much at all going on in the evening, so we decided to really immerse ourselves in the local Croatian cuisine by going to the Irish pub.  But they did have Rakija, which is an amazing, (usually fruit flavored) liquor popular in the Balkins.  One of the friends I made on the ship Dusan, from Serbia, introduced me to the apricot, pear and apple flavors.  His uncle makes it and the ABV varies among the different flavors.  So at the Irish pub, I ordered a few shots of the honey Rakija and warmed up my dancing muscles for the one and only nightclub in town!  Loud as hell and packed on the dance floor there are only so many hours I can take of Balkin techno.  And I’m out!