Dubrovnik is an unforgettable medieval city. I was in awe of the how beautiful everything looks even though much of the city was destroyed in the dreadful siege and bombings of 1991, but most of the city and the distinctive tile roofs have been completely rebuilt. It's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We started off with an introductory walking tour of the lower town that began at the main square and on up the main street of SDtradun to the Franciscan Monastery. Its cloister ranks among the most inspiring sites of the city, and houses the oldest operating pharmacy in Europe (opened in 1317).
From the Franciscan Monastery we hiked up and around the remarkable city walls. These impressive ramparts date originally from the 13th century and hold seven different fortified towers or castles. The ramparts are intact and encircle the old city with a circumference of more than a mile and a half.
We also explored the shops, and the farmers market which was teeming with fresh flowers, olives, olive oil, handmade soaps, candied orange rinds, lavender, and much more.
One of the best parts of being on a trip like this are the local guides, naturalists, language specialists, and photographers. These folks were ever ready with more facts and knowledge than my pee brain could handle. Grace Fielder gave a talk called "The Language Formerly Known as Serbo-Croatian" on board after lunch and then we all got a very special treat...a musical performance at the Dominican cloister featuring the traditional a capella "klapa" singing that is so famous in the south of Croatia. This was the award-winning group called Ostro Konavle. It was amazing. After dinner we went out for a field workshop on night photography with National Geographic photograher Sharon Grainger.
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