Dubrovnik, Croatia aka Kings Landing in Game of Thrones

After two months in "Visa Lockdown" (we had to hand in our Passports to get the Visa renewed, which meant we couldn't travel), we finally got our Passports back along with our new Alien Biometrics Cards.  This meant that we were once again able to travel freely throughout Europe. 






Our celebratory destination was Dubrovnik, Croatia.  Originally part of of Yugoslavia, and after a civil war in the 90's which damaged much of Dubrovnik, Croatia has emerged as a vacation destination for many Europeans.









It is a beautiful seaside village that dates back mostly to the 1500's when it was damaged in an Earthquake. 

It feels very similar to many Italian towns that also date back to this period. 

 Dubrovnik's most distinctive feature are its medieval walls which were never beaten until modern times when they were no match for missile warfare.

Today, the one mile of walls makes for a terrific walk.  We were visiting just after the end of the main tourist season, so we did not have to deal with throngs of people all vying to hike Dubrovnik's main tourist attraction. 

We walked the walls late in the day, when everything was a golden hue.

 Just outside of the wall, and clinging to the cliff over the ocean is a small pub called Buza.  We went here after our walk to relax and watch the sun set.

 It was a really nice place to enjoy the warmth of the sun, and have a glass of (sadly not very good) wine.  The location however is unique and wonderful.

Because of its coastal Adriatic Ocean setting, Dubrovnik is known for seafood.  So that evening, we went to have Seafood Risotto.  We ate at a restaurant on the small harbor, and had a relaxing evening enjoying the sultry end of summer vibe.








Like many vacation cities, Dubrovnik is also known for having great gelato.  I think we ended up trying gelato from most of them.  Among the flavors, Apple Strudel proved to be one of the best.








One certainly can't complain that the setting isn't an inspired place to eat gelato.

Tony and I had rented a private apartment right in the center of the Old town, and the morning of the first full day, we went to the market square where people can buy groceries, and tourists can buy their bottles of traditional Croatian Liqueur.  We tried a few, and settled on a bottle of liqueur made from roses.  Amazing.






We walked across town to the old fort, where they've been shooting the popular fantasy TV series "Game of Thrones".  Parts of Dubrovnik have been standing in for the main town that everyone is fighting for called Kings Landing.







They have used the fort extensively for the filming of the battlements, which featured in the latter part of the second season.









It is somewhat removed from the main part of town, so I can see why it would be perfect for this.  The show had wrapped just the day before we had arrived.  Rats!

Saint Blaise is the patron saint of Dubrovnik.  You can see him everywhere in town and is instantly recognizable as he is holding the city in his hand. 

Tony and I also hit the other main attraction in Dubrovnik, which is a ride up on the tram to the old fort overlooking the city. 

 From here you can get a great view of Dubrovnik and its venerable walls. 

You can also see the old fort where the Croatians defended themselves against the Serbians in the recent war.  Though not open due to damage from the war, you can get an image of what modern warfare can do to old stone walls.

 





With its red dirt bleeding through cannon scarred walls, it looks almost as though the very ground of Croatia was injured by man's war.

As sunset approached, Tony and I went down to the water front and poked our feet into the warm Adriatic water.  A perfect moment. 

Dubrovnik is wonderful to walk around at night.  After the cruise ships have left, and the city empties out, it can be exotically picturesque.