Another day in the Middle Ages, March 31 in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Entering the harbor in Dubrovnik, Croatia, this morning was a beautiful view of a modern cross-harbor bridge, reminding me of the bridges we saw in The Netherlands. One end is supported by a fan of cables that look like a wing. The weather from the beginning has been absolutely stunning and this day was right in the pattern.
Another day, another medieval city. Our off-ship excursion was a brief one today, a bus ride to the old town, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with spectacular walls and lots of opportunities for pictures and a thousand years of history that make for incredible stories. The cruise ship port is new, and a bit removed from the old port and old walled city. Apparently real estate prices have soared in the past five years. Croatia has joined the EU, but still hasn’t officially adopted the euro as its currency. The ship cruise director told us to expect to have to pay in kuna, but we found otherwise. Most of the merchants were accepting euros.
I’ve been staring at the maps of the area, and now have a much better sense of the geography involved, the religious history and the ethnic differences between the six new countries. Croatia is more than 90% Roman Catholic, unlike its neighbors. The Dominicans and the Jesuits both have monasteries and long history here. Dubrovnik also has a cathedral.

A brief bus ride to a hillside vantage point allowed us to take pictures from above the old walled city--more Venetian walls--before we entered the city through the old main gate. Patron saint Blaise images adorn the main entry. He is recognizeable because he holds an image of the walled city in his hands. Inside the walled city we strolled the widest avenue, past gargoyles and lovely shops.
I’m glad that our tour guide again today was not afraid to tell us about the recent history of war stemming from the breakup of Yugoslavia. I’ve wanted to know more about that, rather than have that be just a fog of troubling ideas about the Balkans. Our guide told us that she was a little girl during the war. She and her mother and sister fled to the countryside. Men were asked to stay and defend the city against the Serbs, which they did successfully. Holes in the walls from gunshots are being left unrepaired so that people can see the destruction. Now our guide is a young woman who also teaches dance to children at her own school, after guiding in the morning. She was clearly entrepreneurial person.
Aside from the buildings from the middle ages, the new tour attractions are the sites associated with Game of Thrones. We strolled past the large staircase where some of the characters lost their heads and we bought souvenirs at a shop along the "walk of shame" something that seems to be known by everyone. The tour companies are cashing in on that connection, some giving lessons in swordplay.
Despite the age of the buildings, the city has a modern feel and is very lively, with shops and cafes everywhere. This is the beginning of the summer season, and we could tell that the tourist attractions are gearing up for the trade. Everywhere we have been impressed by the friendliness of the people toward Americans and the cleanliness of the shoreline.