Just aside from the holiday blog if anyone is interested
Yesterday, whilst in the city, we visited the Exhibition Srebrenica which is a memorial gallery preserving the memory of the people who lost their lives during the genocide. It also includes a missing persons wall and an electronic folio of people interviewed on their experiences before, during and after the war. The gallery has amazing images that are explained in more detail with an English speaking guide. Well worth the visit to become more informed of this tragic event.
Another early start at 5am for the drive to Dubrovnik, Croatia. On the way we stopped at Moster in Bosnia. There is a strari grad (old town), a UNESCO World Heritage area which we visited. I hadn't realized the amount of damage this area had sustained and many damaged buildings remain. We parked in a car park with several Roma who immediately approached us for money. I was concerned leaving the car as our luggage was in it but there was a fellow who collects the car park fees nearby.
A lot of the old town has been rebuilt or repaired but nonetheless is a beautiful place with markets and other interesting little old shops. We were pushed for time as we had arranged to meet both the owner of the apartment we are staying in, in Dubrovnik and the person picking up the rental car at midday so we only stayed a short time.
Getting to Dubrovnik from Bosnia requires five border crossings. The first is the Bosnian border then the Croatian border that is a few meters away, then there is a small area of about 20 kilometers that returned us back into Bosnia. Shortly after, there is the exiting of Bosnia and returning again back to Croatia - each requiring a passport check but luckily customs just waved us through.
Finally we reached Dubrovnik at 12.30 where parking was impossible. We are staying in the walled city. I left K in charge of the car to try to locate our apartment. After asking about five locals who had never heard of the street I went to Tourist Information. They also had not heard of the street but finally after a few more questions to locals I found it. I spoke to the owner who told me the rental car fellow had rung. I asked him to tell him to meet me at the carpark at 1.30. All this took about an hour by the time I returned to the family who still couldn't find parking. By 2.30 we were hungry, hot, thirsty and busting for the loo and no show by you know who.
We carried our bags to the apartment where the owner told me the rental car fellow was waiting. We returned to the car and waited again for you know who. No show after half an hour so we took the remaining luggage and started back for the apartment but I thought maybe I should wait a little longer despite my patients at breaking point as we had been up at 5, it was now 3.15 and we had not eaten.
I returned to the car and about ten minutes later he showed. By the time hand over was complete, I had returned to the unit, we were finally sitting down to our first meal of the day at 4pm!
But what a place. We were here three years ago and given this is one of Tilly's favorite places and we were not that far from it we added it to our holiday plan. I sit writing this with once again a veno in one hand, the other typing whilst I look at the view in the picture I have posted. The building in front is a music school so I have a wonderful orchestra playing that are only out done when the church bells ring occasionally.
I tell you though accessing the wine was no mean feat. There is no corkscrew. K has taken the kids to the beach and given that she controls all the cash I couldn't purchase one. I knocked on the neighbour's door but no one was home. I went searching for them but with no luck. So with the sound of the 1412th overture, I used a knife to scourge away the cork until I hit wine. I have to tell you - I was building up quite a sweat. But the results worth it. Now this may sound like the desperate makings of a wino but you have to experience the atmosphere here to understand my desperation. It's very beautiful and very different from where we had come.
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