I had to write one more edition on Old Town Dubrovnik before we head out to the country to grandma’s house. That will be in the next post! I’m starting in that park just outside the city’s fortress walls, where there are places to park. It is a beautiful spot and very busy with the comings and goings of venders, dropping off goods to be taken into the town walls. So let’s go in one last time………

Here, you can also get a glimpse of the many venders, who drop off their goods to the men, who put the supplies on a cart and then go up and down a bazillian steps to get inside the walls and then once inside, have a lot more carrying up and down stairs to deliver them to the various restaurants and shops.

Another view of the walls………….and the gardens surrounding it.

The saint above the doorway is Saint Blaise. To read more about him and why there are over thirty statues of Saint Blaise in Dubrovnik look HERE.

This is one of my favorite views of the city and the surrounding hills.

The architecture is to be noted too. There is the old and new. Many of the buildings were destroyed during the war in 1991, but have been rebuilt.  You can also see how narrow the streets are off the main Stradun.

These are what the side streets look like where the deliveries are made. No wonder the men are all in good shape!

Along the passageways were many interesting floral designs and flowers.

More architecture up close and personal………..

Who is this man and why is his nose so shiny? Marin Drzic, was born in 1508 into a large, wealthy Dubrovnik family. He is considered to be the greatest Croatian Renaissance playwright and prose writer of all time. At the age of sixteen he began his studies to become a priest and was ordained even though he was a poor student and did not want to become a priest. But, he was very congenial and everyone liked him. After his studies in Siena, Italy, to become a priest, he went back to Dubrovnik and wasn’t happy with the ruling establishment there. He began hanging out with gangs, thugs and adventurers and made his way to Constantinople and Venice before returning again to Dubrovnik. He decided to write the ruling Medici family in hopes of getting rid of twenty of the ruling class in Dubrovnik, who he considered to be tyrants.  He never heard from the Medicis, but four of the five letters, he wrote to them, have been preserved. What he did do well was write. He had very good writing skills and a wild imagination. He wrote pamphlets, political letters and comedies, that were full of the virtues of life: love, vitality, liberty and sincerity, while he poked fun and mocked egotism, pettiness and the ruling elite. His statue sits in front of the Dubrovnik Theatre and for whatever reason, it is considered good luck and a sure return to the city, if you rub his nose. Is it good luck because he always came back to Dubrovnik and we want to also? Or, by rubbing his nose are we also showing distain for the elite?  Maybe it is both. His best known comedy, Dundo Maroje is played in both local and international theaters to this day.

The Romans were the first to wear knotted kerchiefs around their neck. It was thought to protect their necks in battle and some reports say it was used almost like a napkin to protect their clothing from getting soiled when eating.  However, the modern necktie (in french: la cravate) originated in the 1660’s. During the reign of Louis XIV of France, Croatian mercenaries were enlisted and wore a uniform which included  a necktie called the tour de cou. The regular soldier wore a tie of common lace or muslin and the officers had ties made of silk. The ends of the tie were arranged in a rosette or ornamented with a button and they were wore loosely around the throat. The french loved them and soon the wealthy were adding them to their wardrobes. The tie was termed  a croat, which became the cravat or tie. So, I had to photograph the shop of croats!

There were so many outdoor places to eat……..or drink……….and just take in the vibes………….

There also was a market……here I met the elderly aunt of our tour guide, who offered us her homemade orange peel candy.

and I had to check out everything else at the market.

Then there were the fancy restaurants that had beautiful sea views and castle views.

The Hilton has a good spot with a view too.

This little cafe was along the delivery pier at the back of the castle walls.

where boats were loaded or unloaded of goods or taken out for pleasure…………..

It’s time to say goodbye to the Old Town of Dubrovnik……we hate to, it was so interesting, beautiful, historic and unspoiled! What will we see next? We are going to grandma’s house in the country that’s what.  See you there!