Day 3: Chilling in Dubrovnik

We were supposed to go sea kayaking out to Kolocep Island today. Being that it is off season we were told by the company they wouldn't know until 3 days out what trips they were offering that day. I emailed them before we left but didn't hear anything. Once we were in Croatia we watched the weather and kept seeing possibility of rain for Tuesday. On Monday they emailed and said they were doing a paddle and bike trip that day. It was to a different island and I really didn't want to get on a bike. We were already exhausted. Instead, we decided to sleep in until 10 and just putter around Dubrovnik exploring.

We heard that the market a couple squares over from our place was good so we decided to check it out hoping to get some of those great fruit and vegetable shots or at least some good figs. (Zoran gave me one the day before and I was hooked). By the time we had gotten there most of the locals must have already shopped and it was more touristy than authentic. We kept on moving.

By 11 the hoards of tourists from the cruises were coming through the Old Town gates. We decided to exit the Pile (Main) Gate on the other side of town from us and explore more. We got lost a bit winding through the streets. I would consider staying in an apartment over there if I were to come back. It seemed like a quiet more residential area and still super close to the Old Town. We found out that hardly any locals live inside the walls anymore, which would explain why everyone was so loud. I can't imagine how loud the streets would be during peak season.


We wandered back into Old Town deciding to find a sandwich for lunch. I had read about a good place and had noted the address before we left the apartment that morning. I found the address. Even found the name on the sign at the end of the alley. Josh and walked up and down the alley three times before he asked a girl, at where we thought the shop should be, and she said "No. No more. No food. Only jewelry." Hmmmpppfffh. So I knew there was another sandwich shop recommended. Where was it?

As we walked aimlessly around Old Town looking for the now infamous sandwich shop, avoiding tourists not walking where they were going and strange men trying to scale the side of buildings, we stumbled across a few sites. First we found the oldest constantly running pharmacy in the world. Over 700 years I think. They are known not just as a pharmacy but for their local remedies, lotions, etc. We watching in amusement as some ladies learned about cellulite creams and who knows what else. It was a gorgeous space. We had read that during the war dozens of shells went off in the courtyard outside and they kept open. Who else would help these people?

Next we found the Ronchi Hat store. I remembered this from one of my guidebooks. A famous hat designer. Family from Italy. Designer in Dubrovnik. You must remember that the Royal Wedding was only a few weeks before we went on vacation and I already had an obsession with hats. Fifteen minutes later we were leaving with a one of a kind straw hat in tow for me. No clue where I can wear this little gem. Josh was disappointed when the designer told him she doesn't make anything big enough to fit a head his size.

We were now very hungry and I felt defeated with the sandwich search. Old Town food is typically not very good and very expensive. I was  not up for a $40 lunch. We went back to the apartment and checked our book. Strange it says its next to our apartment. Sure enough. We found the "Sandwich Club" sign and got two for us. This was the beginning of our prosciutto, cheese and bread obsession. It was takeout only so we grabbed our sandwiches and started walking to the water. I had read (yes, I know I research everything) that the best place to picnic was at the Porporela out behind the walls and past the Old Port. Josh said he had seen it when walking the walls so we started towards the tip of the walls. We kept wandering around the marina and found ourselves on the other side. It was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous. We ate by the water and then explored further. We came to a bunch of rocks where there was a group of older local men swimming in their speedos.

I thought the man asked me if he could "help me in" as in I thought he was going to push me in the water. Josh thought he said "help me out" as in get me to undress and take a swim. Either way I shrugged it off as a dirty old man and kept going. As usual we took some pictures and went back to our place for a break. We now weren't sure what to do next. We had a few options. Our first plan for the day had been to take a boat out to Kolocep island in the afternoon and explore. We were worried about the timing of the boats and weren't wanting to commit to 5 hours on the island. Instead we decided to take the cable car ride up to the top of the mountain. It was pricey $35 for two, but it supposedly had the best views. We were originally just going to drive once we had our car, but the cable car sounded fun and we had time.

There are no signs to the cable car. You simply look overhead for the cars and line and walk towards where it appears to start. We then found some stairs that looked like they were private and eventually found ourselves on the next road up in a very new and modern base building for the cars. We saw a car about to leave and I thought the next one would be an hour later. We threw our money at the ticket lady and quickly slid in to jump on the car. And it pulled away. What! We turned around and she said next one. I was furious. Then I found out it was a 15 minute wait and was a little less furious.

The ride up was quick but pretty. The cable car has only been back up and running since last fall I think. It must have gotten destroyed in the fires previously? It's brand new. We got up the mountain and there was the obligatory gift shop and restaurant. We bypassed that and went out onto the viewing deck. Shot pictures and then saw that everyone was headed to the big cross location for more picture ops. Once over there we sat shot more photos and then sat down once some others left. The guy next to me must have been eavesdropping and asked where we were from. He was from London. He was vacationing alone. Needed to get "the shot" but the lighting was on the City yet. He asked if we could get it for him when the sun was in the right spot. Sure we said. He then proceeded to show Josh his camera and the shot he was trying to duplicate but with the right lighting. Josh said he would take it. The guy then explained how not to cut off his feet. He hates that. The sun came back and the man scurried over to the rock. He told Josh to make sure he counted to three. One.... The guy turned a 180 so he was facing the city. Two... I could see him put his smile on. Three.... he spun around cheesing. Okay, again he said. After FIFTEEN rounds of this - I am not exaggerating at all. He came over to have a look. No, no! He told Josh. The horizon is wrong. Josh had to repeat the process again.


Okay, now your turn he says. I felt like I was on America's Next Top Model. He was jumping all over the place getting different angles. I think we got some good ones though. Once he was done we started talking and he asked where we were going for dinner. He said we had to try this place he had gone. It was amazing. Sesame. Of course it was the place I had already picked out for us that night. Then he tells me about the driver he had used that day to go to Montenegro. He was great. 1/2 the price of anyone in town. The details started sounding very familiar. Yep, you guessed it. He had Zoran for his trip the day after we had him for ours. This was getting weird. Josh and I both had the same thought. Where in the world is Jered?

Excited that someone other than myself could vouch for Sesame (Josh really needs to stop second guessing me) we made our way back down the mountain and headed home to get ready for dinner. Sesame was just outside the Pile Gate outside of town. We had almost found it earlier in the day if we had just walked one more block. The inside was cozy but I really wanted to sit on the terrace upstairs. We were the second ones there so we got our choice of tables. We picked the solo table out on the side terrace and they let out the awning so we couldn't get wet when it sprinkled later. The setting was really nice. Candlelight. Flowers around us. The food was by far the best we had the entire trip. The salad was arugula, prosciutto and fig. So yummy. The dessert was a thick chocolate mousse, local olive oil and sea salt. (Does it get better) I don't really remember the middle of dinner but it was really yummy too. We got the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu Krk. The waitress gave us a strange look but when she said white and slightly sweet I knew Josh would like it. They only had two bottles left. Well, now none. Bottle one she managed to break the cork in the bottle. Bottle two was mysteriously opened downstairs by I'm sure someone else. Near the end of dinner a large group came and made our romantic dinner a bit louder. We finished up and headed back in to town.

There was an orchestra concert that night in one of the halls but Josh said it looked too stuffy. Instead we headed over to the outside Jazz Club we had heard the last couple of nights. We grabbed a table, two drinks and listened to a Croatian trio murder American music. It was pretty entertaining. We called it a night and headed to bed.