I woke up today slow moving. I didn't want to rush around so took my time sipping my coffee on the balcony and writing on my iPad. Mia, one of our hosts came out to wish me a good morning. Mia is a beautiful blonde and speaks with a soft elegant accent. Every morning she greeted me on the balcony to ask how my writing was coming along. She is the sweetest host and was constantly checking in on us, picking up after us and booking our offsite accommodations. You could tell she just truly wanted you to have the best vacation possible and was eager to help. She let me know today I would have to transfer rooms. Matt and I would be leaving my bunk with Michele, Andras and Mike. Mia handed me a key that read "The Blue Room". At home I'm always so OCD, every single thing in my apartment has a place and am extremely organized. When I travel, I'm completely opposite. My clothes lay in a big scattered mess on the floor, I'm sure my roommates were fine with me transferring rooms. I stuffed all my belongings in my pack and moved across the hall to my new room. This room was much smaller and had only four bunks. I tossed my pack on my bed which now overlooked the sea. A few minutes later, my new roommate Andreas introduced herself. She was traveling from Argentina. She pointed to our other roommate who was asleep in her bunk and told me she was from the states but now lives in Belize. A few minutes later, Matt entered the room with his pack. His stay required a room transfer as well.
I got situated in my new room and then slipped on my bathing suit. Today Michele and I were going Kayaking with the boys. Mia booked our excursion and handed us our tickets. We took the bus back into Old Town and walked down old stone steps leading us to a cove lined with kayaks. I couldn't believe that today we would be kayaking out on the Adriatic Sea. We paddled out through the cove and in between the rocks until we reached the open water. The sea was crystal clear blue and revealing the rocks and fish swimming below. Kayaking along the coast and seeing the old stone city walls and red roofs nestled in the hills was an incredible view. Once we were far enough from the city, the guide gathered all of us together and gave us a little history on the war in Croatia. He had a strong Croatian accent but spoke excellent English. I was surprised that most places and people do in Croatia. Before we began paddling again, he gave us a choice. The tour would now separate into two groups. The first group would take the ten minute easy route tour to the cave and relax. The second group would take the more difficult route which was a forty minute kayak tour around the island and then meet the group to snorkel at the cave. We accepted the challenge to the more difficult route. The sun began to beat down on us as we paddled in the direction of a small island across from Old Town. We passed the rocky shore where people were cliff jumping and swimming along the island. Halfway around the island, our guide let us take a break. He told us if we wanted to take a dip into the water, we could jump in and cool off from the heat. I stood up slowly on the kayak and Mike glared at me as he held the balance of our kayak. The other tandems had tipped over when one jumped off and he didn't want to get in the water. I asked him to have a little faith and after a little wobbling back and forth, jumped into the water successfully. The water was cold but felt refreshing once I tread around and adjusted to the cool temperature. The guide clapped his hands together and let us know our break was now over. I was the last one in the water, so he paddled over to me to ask if I needed help. I asked if I could just hold on to the back of his kayak and get a free ride to the cave.He laughed and pointed to the clasp on the back of his kayak where I could hold on. He let me drag through the water for a bit and then told me we had to get going so I swam back to Mike and pulled myself back up into our kayak.
As we paddled along the west side of island, we approached a nude beach. Naked old men shamelessly strut around the rocks, dove in for a swim and provided entertainment. After clearing the nude beach, every so often our guide would pull us together and share a little history about Dubrovnik. He pointed across the water and told us once we reached the cave, he would signal us one by one to paddle in. We would have thirty minutes to eat lunch and snorkel around the cave. After parking and each grabbing snorkel gear, we had trouble getting back in the water. It was cooler by the cave and I screamed through my snorkel until I adjusted to the freezing water. Distracted by all the little fish swimming by me, I quickly forgot just how cold I was. I didn't even realize snorkeling was a part of the tour, so was soaking up every inch of this excursion. I guess that was the theme of this trip. I had no solid plans and was loving that I never knew what my plans would be. Yesterday I was wandering around a beautiful beach and today I was snorkeling in a cave.
The guide signaled us back in and we all began paddling back to trickiest part of the kayak tour. We had to cross the port but there was nonstop boat traffic within our path. I felt like we were playing froggy. He would instruct us to head across the traffic but then a huge boat quickly approach so he would yell for us to stop. We had several attempts to cross, until finally he yelled "Go, Go!" And we paddled for our lives until we crossed past the traffic.
As we paddled back to the cove, I was in awe of the Dubrovnik. It was such a unique city and was so glad that I got to see it from a different angle today. We paddled into shore, gathered our belongings and took the bus back to the hostel. On the bus, we made plans to quickly shower and head back to Old Town to walk the city walls before sunset.
Matt joined us for the tour of the city walls. I wasn't sure what that truly entailed but just followed the group and trusted it was a must see in Dubrovnik. We reached the counter to pay at 7:15pm and the clerk asked if we understood that the city walls will close in forty- five minutes. We nodded our heads and climbed the never ending stone staircase up into the sky. Once we reached the top, I understood what everyone was so jazzed up about. The city walls was a narrow stone path outlining the entire roofline of Old Town Dubrovnik. The man downstairs was right, forty-five minutes wasn't nearly enough time but we quickly made our way through the labyrinth trying to beat sunset. Walking the walls reminded me a lot of walking around the collesium in Rome. Every thought sort of falls to the back of your mind as you get lost in the stunning views of the old stone structures. The city lies right on the water and with every turn you're exposed to a new view of the coast that is more beautiful than the last. Walking up and down the uneven old stairs wrapping around the city, we overlooked the alley ways of stone houses. Large colorful shutters bordered their windows. It always blew my mind to see screen less windows in Europe. They just open their shutters and enjoy the open air. Thick white lines stretched a crossed the alleys lined with laundry hung to dry. Down below people drank on patios and Michele and I spotted a restaurant down below we would attempt to find once the tour was over. It was a patio hidden in between two buildings and surrounded with greenery lining the walls. The wooden tables rest on a floor of tiny pebbles and was lit up with blue candles on every table.
After sunset, the entire city glowed with lights as we wrapped up the remaining portion of the tour. Walking the walls during the day and then at night was a spectacular site. Once we reached the ground floor, it was close to nine o'clock and we were starving for dinner. We walked around in search for the restaurant Aquarius and successfully found it within a short amount of time. The five of us ordered bottles of wine and toasted to our last night in Dubrovnik together. Matt and I would be leaving for Split in the morning. I toasted to the group and told them how on the flight over I had no clue I would end up at an epic feast with new friends in Dubrovnik. The amount of time we spent laughing together, cracking jokes, exploring parts of the world that I never imagined- it was a special moment to end my time in Dubrovnik with the four of them. I told Michele how much I admired her and how sometimes I find it hard to find girls I relate to backpacking. She is adventurous and carefree. She was the first one at the club to walk back with me, was up for any excursion-radiated confidence and had the most contagious laugh. I told her I was so happy I met her and to the boys for letting me tag along for the past two days. Matt and I toasted to our new adventure tomorrow. We sat at that table for a while after dinner talking, finishing up our wine and enjoying our new favorite city.
We walked back through Old Town and I asked the group if they minded a quick stop in the cathedral in the center if the square. We walked through and I showed Michele how to light the candles and make a prayer. I closed my eyes, made mine and then met back up with the boys outside.
We took the bus back to the hostel and talked outside on the balcony one last time. The boys have the best sense of humor and we were all pretty delirious from all our travel so were extra giddy. Tears were strolling down my cheeks from our conversations and our ongoing jokes we made up along the way.
So I leave Dubrovnik inspired. Time after time, I am pleasantly surprised by people who leave an everlasting impression. I don't know how it's possible to travel so far from home, yet feel at home. Sitting at that dinner table tonight with them talking how fate and their idea of it was so interesting to me. The Australians point of view, a Brazilians take on it and the Canadians opinion- it was a unique topic with unique perspectives. I wondered if I had booked at any other hostel in Dubrovnik if I would have gone kayaking. I wondered if I could have possibility laughed as hard, if I would have danced in front of a grocery store window or if I would have made the mistake of pronouncing Dalmatian a little fancier than others. I don't believe so. I don't believe it was just by chance that I met such an unbelievable group. I know that because Mia told me this morning she was sad to see me go. She said it was rare to see a group at the hostel get along as great as our group. I was surprised and she said when we all came home yesterday afternoon played cards in the living room that's why the owner of the hostel came up to say hi. They love to see guests having a great time because thats the atmosphere they hope to create.When we were all in the living room laughing, having cocktails and cabbing it as a group to the castle club- it was rare. She said most guests are to them selves so it's not very common for everyone to get along as great as we all did. It was cool to hear that from someone who sees strangers walk in and out of this house on a daily basis. I will forever remember my time in Dubrovnik. This was the best trip and I know that this is how it was intended to turn out.