Welcome to another entry about our trip! If you missed them, you can go back to read part 1 and part 2. I hope you’re enjoying seeing some of the sights right along with us, and know that I took most of the 5,000 pics we snapped with you guys in mind! Here’s another day from my journal…
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Our ship was running a little behind, so we arrived in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on Monday morning around 10:30 a.m. I woke up feeling oh-so-lucky after our travel escapades, and took in the views as we tendered into port.
Matt and I decided to go out on our own that day, and I’m so glad we did. We took the ambitious walk around The Walls, a mile and a half fortress wall encircling the Old Town. On one side was the old town boasting cobblestone streets and orange-tiled roofs and on the other, the sea stretched as far our eyes could see. It was magical, and every ten feet brought with it an entirely new vantage point and spectacular views.
It took us about an hour and a half to walk the walls, taking our time to snap lots of photos and marvel at the wonder of a century-old town. After we finished our exercise, we wandered around the streets for an hour before we had to go back to the ship. I almost bought a pair of actual coral earrings, but I just couldn’t quite swallow the 500 euro price tag.
Hmm, did I mention it flooded the entire time?? Enter me wearing what’s supposed to be a cute hat–but instead I had it crammed on my frizzy hair and white hoodie pulled on top to stay as dry as possible. By the time we hit the ship, my white linen capris were scandalously see-through and not a bone in my body was dry.
It was all good, though. We were here.
Favorite memory: walking the walls–it was truly magical
Food: find pizza by the slice cafes– completely delicious and affordable
Go back to stay? YES. I felt like I was walking around some kind of mythological fairytale. I could have gotten lost in those wandering streets for days.
Stay tuned for more of our favorite ports next week!
Shaunna – So inspirational! Love the photos also… especially on part 2 (the pizza)! 🙂
Why, thank you, sir. Um, that’s not really pizza. It’s veggie tofu organic flaxseed sprout bread. Just looks like pizza.
🙂
shaunna
LOL!! Yeah… ok. But hey – if you’re going to experience the culture, you have to indulge in the food. I pray God will continue to allow the both of you to explore HIS beautiful creations!
Oh! I am reading this as I am watching Anthony Bourdain eat his way through old Croatia! Hope you ate some of that yummy looking cheese & drank a glass of their wonderful wine for me!
Thank you so much for this.what wonderful pics!
Wow, so beautiful! I had to pin a few of those gorgeous pics. LOL Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous pics!! Love your frizzy-hair-coverin’ hat! 🙂
Looks amazing. What an adventure, and great photos.
We loved Dubrovnik, too! We did the farm/lunch excursion in 2006. We opted not to walk the wall – since it was nearly 200 degrees in late June. But we did walk around the inside of the wall. I’d love to go back!
what an experience! would you do the cruise/trip again?
Hey Kelly! DEFINITELY. Loved every moment of it–it’s just a great (and affordable) way to see so many places!
🙂
shaunna
OMGosh I am so glad I found your blog….We just back from a cruise on Celebrity that started in Rome and did Greece, Turkey and Italy, it was our very first and the most magical time EVER!!!! The next one we want to do is the one you just did so I am eating up all your information…..and your adventures…can’t believe your story on just getting aboard…wow amazing and so glad you made it…even my hubby is enjoying this as he has so many friends tell him that Croatia is the best. The town we live in Gig Harbor was founded by Croatians and there are lots of them still here. Anyway just wanted to say I am throughly enjoying your posts, thank you and I am planning on getting my pictures together to start posting about our trip as well.
Shaunna, I must say I missed you while you were gone, however it did fly by. How did your trip of a lifetime come to be? What camera do you use? Your pictures are beautiful. Your writing is so capturing. I only hope through writing my blog I write like you do some day.
What a beautiful trip. Just in case you weren’t aware, I was on Pinterest and saw this post pinned on there (I had already seen it since I follow you). It was pinned on Nina Garcia’s board (from Project Runway who is the editor of Marie Claire). Apparently she pins from you. How cool.
http://pinterest.com/13lisagrose10/places-id-like-to-go/
I LOVE the info on your trip!!! My husband & I are going on the Holland America MS Noordham for a ten day cruise in August for his birthday. I have never been overseas and am really excited. All of your posts are great fun (even though they may not have at the time) and I love hearing your stories.
I follow you regularly and have just finished painting our 1980’s orange stained kitchen cabinets in the Annie Sloan pure white. I now have a bright, light kitchen and am in awe how easily it was to do. There is a learning curve but your tutorials helped so very much.
Thanks again,
Beverly
Awesome, Beverly! That’s really great–I’m so thrilled the cabinets turned out beautifully! And…so cool about your trip! We LOVED every minute of ours and the ports were amazing. It was actually sort of life changing, seeing so many historical and beautiful places. Have SO much fun on yours!
🙂
shaunna
I can’t wait to see your next stop! Hubs and I did the Royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise in Nov of 2010 for our Honeymoon. We started in Venice as well and your itinerary is looking similar to mine. it’s so great to see your trips through someone else s eyes (and photos) and it brings back wonderful memories! i hope you had a blast! I did.
Did you know that some scenes in the second season of Game of Thrones were filmed there? 😉
My husband and I did the Royal Caribbean version of this same trip 3 years ago. My motto the whole time was from a pop song….”The more I see, the less I know.” Did you feel like your understanding and appreciation of God’s creations just quadrupled??? I know I certainly did! What an awesome experience for you! Can’t wait to see and relive our trip through your pics! I have a travel blog where I post from our travels and you are welcome to take a look at our pics from your same trip. http://werecrewsin.blogspot.com/2009/06/day-onerome.html
hi Shaunna – isn’t Croatia amazing. we were there exactly 10 years ago. We actually spent over a week in Croatia – we were backpacking and got stuck there trying to get past Albania to head to Greece and Turkey. We loved it. but also Split and all down the coast. divine. and the wall walk is beautiful.
cheers Fiona
Thanks so much for sharing your adventurous trip detail with us. Never knew Croatia is so beautiful…must travel there someday. Your photos are amazing & can’t wait for your next installment!
I totally thought of you when I saw this city on the Bachelorette. Ha! It’s gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your adventures and inspirations. :o)
Do they still serve pizza with sliced pickles on it in Dubrovnik? We were there back in 1986 when it was still part of Yugoslavia and there wasn’t a huge variety of food, in fact, every restaurant basically served the same items (communism). Such a beautiful place. Would love to go back.