Dubrovnik

[croatian travelady]

Fort Lawrence is a totally seperate entity than the walls

it's across a cove from old town, which I believe in ancient times was considered a smaller harbor and they built Ft. St. Lawrence to have as another defense systems for anyone entering the cove/harbor area

If you saw The Amazing Race they did the zip line across from Ft. St. Lawrence of this cove.

We watched the Amazing Race with my Dubrovcan guest, it made him come to tears as he is so proud of his birthplace. Lovrijenace was built outside the city walls, it also was where they stored the city stored their gold. Later it was part of the military defense system so they could protect the town from invaders. July 10 is the opening night for the Dubrovnik Summer Festival and there will be many different programs presented at Lovrijenac as well as other Revelin. The finale will be August 25th and i will watch the fireworks from my cousins home up on the hill. The website for info is

http://www.dubrovnik-festival.hr

Dobra Dosli

[croatian travelady]

Since I am new to this board, please will someone tell me just what is DH?

Hvala

[California Native]

Dear Husband

[twoatsea]

Dobra (what a beautiful name) Dosli, thank you so much for such great info about your wonderful city & country. I have copied & pasted it all onto a Word doc to study later & take with us.

 

DH (you already know!), adult DS (Dear Son), & I will cruise into Dubrovnik on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008. The ship schedule lists "Dock 10am"; "sail at 6pm". I assume we will not suffer the hot weather! In fact, probably more our type of weather - cool :) (we are from Indianapolis, Indiana), but hopefully not rain all day! But we will have raincoats with us, just in case.

 

Where do you think our ship will dock? If you know, is taxi the best way or is it walkable within a reasonable amount of time (15-20 min. stroll). We will be able to disembark with the first folks. At this time we have not reserved a tour. We very definitely want to walk the wall & take a ton of photos!

 

Do you think at that time of year we will still have the crowds?

 

We do not like to spend precious siteseeing time in a restaurant. Are there stands with local foods that we can grab & walk?

 

Besides the hats, are there Dubrovnik or Croatian related items for us to buy & take home for loved ones? About 30 euros & not a lot of bulk or weight since we are lite packers (22" bag). For instance, at Murano we found the most gorgeous, local hand-made glass Christmas tree ornaments for 25 euros each. Wonderful local flavor, inexpensive, & did not take much carryon space. In Brugges, Belgium we got local chocolates for everyone for 20 euros each.

 

I have not yet carefully read all of the info you have shared, so I apologize, but would you repeat please, the best place for us to "scale" the wall! Best = least amount of steps is most important, and if possible to have both, the shortest line.

 

Again, thank you so much for all of the time you have given to us future Dubrovnik visitors.

 

Julie

[twoatsea]

Dobra Dosili, I also have another question, but since it did not relate to this trip, I'm posting it separately.

 

We have no doubt that we will fall in love with Dubrovnik & Croatia. Everything we have read has us eagerly wanting more than 1 port day. So we plan to return & see Croatia in 2009 for a land trip. We like to travel during off season to avoid the crowds, but still have reasonable weather, for instance we travel to Venice & Rome in November.

 

As we are of senior age & my husband had a heart bypass & has a heart stent, we always check for medical care before we travel. His surgery was in 2004 & he is doing fine, but that incident has caused us to better prepare for medical emergencies. We will be properly insured & have medivac insurance.

 

So, I am in no way intending to insult Croatia, but since I am not familiar, do you feel there is very good medical care? Since you are an American, I am sure you understand what I mean by quality; not that we have the best, but at least it is good. Would such care be in all areas, or only in certain areas?

 

What about safety? I realize that Croatia is safe, but are there border areas we should stay away from?

 

I saw some hotel discussion, but which Dubrovnik area/hotel would you recommend? We like to stay in the center of where we will spend our time. However, we like a TV to keep up on US news, heat or AC if the weather needs it, not more than 1 fllight of stairs, & a staff to help us with questions, etc. Traveling in Italy has taught us to check for those amenities before we book! Somewhere in Croatia is there a luxury resort area for a few days to spoil ourselves with some hotel, scenery, & strolling luxury?

 

We are excited about our upcoming trip in November, but we are just as excited about Croatia in 2009!

 

Thanks again, Julie

[California Native]

Two at sea...

Croatia Lady is signing off with Dobra Dosli..

It's late in Croatia, so she might not respond until the morning

As you can see from my posts I was just there on a land vacation.

I have travelled throughout Europe on land vacations and by far Croatia is the safest place I have ever been.

You will see some remnants of war, but you must look for them. If you

were to travel to Mostar, Bosnia or farther inland you will see significant remnants.

As far as any issues regarding Serbia/Kosovo you will not experience any of that while in Croatia. Unless significantly change which is less likely to occur based on where Croatia in politically and aligned with the EU...

I will led CroatiaTravelLady explain further, as I don't claim to be an expert on the intricacies of the blending of cultures.

Medically speaking, I researched this as I have stage 4 endometriosis and ovarian cysts seem to burst at the most inopportune times.

Take a look at iamat.org.

Also, I have discussed this in the health section on my website and the link to the website is there.

Regarding prescriptions take 2x as many as he will need with him. I found that to have my prescriptions filled in the pharmacy even though I had a prescription bottle and a note from my doctor. Dubrovnik laws required me to see a doctor if I wanted to fill my pain meds...I didn't I just wanted to know if I could.

Also, I was stopped in CDG and searched based on the meds i was carrying..even though they were in SEALED prescription bottle with labels intact.

I had to show a further letter from my doctor

indicating my diagnosis and prescriptions.

You can find my website address on earlier posts

I am working on our overall trip report...

but I would be happy to share with you where we stayed throughout Croatia including DBV and why we made the choices we did!

Dobra Dosli

[California Native]

Souvenirs...

There's so many options.

We purchased egg shaped Christams ornaments ...

in a traditional red and white pattern for 21 Kuna

There's wine as you know from earlier posts about the Red Zinfandel grape

There's yummy Croatian cookies, grappa with herbs, lavendar,

Have you heard of the history of the Maraschino Cherry yet?

Listen up all you foodies...here's a link to check out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraschino

and finally the Cravate

[twoatsea]

Thanks very much Where2Next. But I am confused? Is Croatia Travelady the same person as Dobra or are you Dobra? Guess it doesn't really matter - well at least not to anyone but you two!

 

Sorry to hear about your medical problems. Glad you still get to travel! :)

 

We do take lots of extra meds & in the labeled RX bottles - which is a pain since the bottles take up so much more room than just the pills! And we do take written RX in case the pills are lost or stolen. I would bet that you had so much trouble because of pain meds which are controlled substances. We do take some RX pain meds in labeled bottles just in case someone gets a toothache, etc., realizing it may be taken from us since we don't carry a doc statement or written RX. Probably should start doing that since there may be that one time we wish we had them after they were taken away!

 

The souveniers sound great; just what I want. All except the wine. We don't drink alcohol & none of the ones we are buying for do either! Seems strange, because it is not for religious reasons. Most of us have never liked the taste of any & have never; couple did in youthful years & now have no interest; even with wine. Weird, I'm sure! But from the other suggestions we should have plenty of happy shopping time!

 

Thanks again.

[California Native]

Dobra Dosli means Welcome

as in it is our pleasure to assist you.

Dobra Dan means Good Afternoon

Hvala means Thank you

Here's a link for Croatian Words

http://www.about-croatia.com/learn-croatian/general/

[croatian travelady]

Dobra (what a beautiful name) Dosli, thank you so much for such great info about your wonderful city & country. I have copied & pasted it all onto a Word doc to study later & take with us.

 

DH (you already know!), adult DS (Dear Son), & I will cruise into Dubrovnik on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008. The ship schedule lists "Dock 10am"; "sail at 6pm". I assume we will not suffer the hot weather! In fact, probably more our type of weather - cool :) (we are from Indianapolis, Indiana), but hopefully not rain all day! But we will have raincoats with us, just in case.

 

Where do you think our ship will dock? If you know, is taxi the best way or is it walkable within a reasonable amount of time (15-20 min. stroll). We will be able to disembark with the first folks. At this time we have not reserved a tour. We very definitely want to walk the wall & take a ton of photos!

 

Do you think at that time of year we will still have the crowds?

 

We do not like to spend precious siteseeing time in a restaurant. Are there stands with local foods that we can grab & walk?

 

Besides the hats, are there Dubrovnik or Croatian related items for us to buy & take home for loved ones? About 30 euros & not a lot of bulk or weight since we are lite packers (22" bag). For instance, at Murano we found the most gorgeous, local hand-made glass Christmas tree ornaments for 25 euros each. Wonderful local flavor, inexpensive, & did not take much carryon space. In Brugges, Belgium we got local chocolates for everyone for 20 euros each.

 

I have not yet carefully read all of the info you have shared, so I apologize, but would you repeat please, the best place for us to "scale" the wall! Best = least amount of steps is most important, and if possible to have both, the shortest line.

 

Again, thank you so much for all of the time you have given to us future Dubrovnik visitors.

 

Julie

Dobra Jutru: Good question, where will your ship dock? There is no way of answering that question, RCCL docks both in the Gruz and Stari Grad. In any event my guess is that one will be at dock, the rest (3) will be at anchor and most of the passengers will tender in. This country is famous for changing the rules, without any notice, at any time. The weather in November is not hot, there may be some rain and it could be heavy. Bring layers as if the sun is out, it will be nice by Noon. In November there will not be as many tourists here, although the website which Karen so graciously shared does show 4 giant cruisers in port. You will have to decide if you want to walk the wall as per the weather conditions that day. The least amount of steps is on the Ploce side of town and and all entry points are open, times will be different and you must check that day when you arrive in Stari Grad.

There are no American type fast food places here, but there are some pizza and sandwich shops. yes you can grab something and eat on the street, many tourist do just that. However, most locals don't visit these places so i can't advise on the quality of products there. There are also the "Konzum" (small market) stores which you can buy a sandwich, be prepared for bread, small amount of ham and or cheese. Many of the outdoor restaurants will be closed down for the winter in November, so you must decide with what is open.

Once you are in Dubrovnik you will find some lovely shops which sell small items which you may want to keep as an "Uspomene" or give to your family and friends as gifts.

Dobro Dosli

[croatian travelady]

Thanks very much Where2Next. But I am confused? Is Croatia Travelady the same person as Dobra or are you Dobra? Guess it doesn't really matter - well at least not to anyone but you two!

 

Sorry to hear about your medical problems. Glad you still get to travel! :)

 

We do take lots of extra meds & in the labeled RX bottles - which is a pain since the bottles take up so much more room than just the pills! And we do take written RX in case the pills are lost or stolen. I would bet that you had so much trouble because of pain meds which are controlled substances. We do take some RX pain meds in labeled bottles just in case someone gets a toothache, etc., realizing it may be taken from us since we don't carry a doc statement or written RX. Probably should start doing that since there may be that one time we wish we had them after they were taken away!

 

The souveniers sound great; just what I want. All except the wine. We don't drink alcohol & none of the ones we are buying for do either! Seems strange, because it is not for religious reasons. Most of us have never liked the taste of any & have never; couple did in youthful years & now have no interest; even with wine. Weird, I'm sure! But from the other suggestions we should have plenty of happy shopping time!

 

Thanks again.

Dobra Jutra: Karen has given you some great info regarding the simple phrases which I am using on this site. You should learn some very simple words in Croatian, but do not worry 98% of Dubrovnik speaks English. However, locals are pleased to see you try to say thank you or please.

Medically speaking we have a very nice hospital here and they are well equiped for emergencies. If you carry your insurance cards with you, there will be no problems. Most of the problems are tourists falling down, as they do not watch the steps nor the uneven and slippery promenades.

So if you are careful, you shold not have any problems.

Time for me to start preparing our main meal, which we do eat Noon. Supper is a not very important to locals, usually just something very simple.

Dobro Dosli

Carol

[croatian travelady]

Dobra Dosli means Welcome

as in it is our pleasure to assist you.

Dobra Dan means Good Afternoon

Hvala means Thank you

Here's a link for Croatian Words

http://www.about-croatia.com/learn-croatian/general/

Karen I am very impressed on how you have taken the time to learn many Croatian words and phrases. So often a tourists arrives in Croatian without a clue and it is so refreshing to know you really took an interest to learn something about my new home.

Right now I am retired and worked in travel for 30 years in California and Hawaii and I would have loved to have someone on my staff as knowledgable as you! Your research is right on and you are indeed, "Living Aloha".

My 6 years in the islands was the beginning of really seeing the world in a totally different manner. I am so sorry I didn't have the opportunity to meet you while you were here. Please do come back again, there is much more to see...like Plitvice Jezera, Trogir and my mother's birthplace, Orebic.

Hvala, Mahalo and a hui ho

Carol

[sea-explorer]

Yes, wheretonext, hvala from me too. That link is excellent. :)

Although I try, I mess up with languages as I have no idea of pronunciation. I am struggling with a little Italian at the moment & keep having to remind myself that they pronounce the 'e' at the end of words etc, whereas in French, which I am a little more used to, they do not. The link therefore is a godsend.

 

Many thanks too to croatian travelady. As I said before, I have been 'lurking' as we will have a (very short!) stop in Dubrovnik this Summer. Information from you both has been invaluable in my planning.

[croatian travelady]

Yes, wheretonext, hvala from me too. That link is excellent. :)

Although I try, I mess up with languages as I have no idea of pronunciation. I am struggling with a little Italian at the moment & keep having to remind myself that they pronounce the 'e' at the end of words etc, whereas in French, which I am a little more used to, they do not. The link therefore is a godsend.

 

Many thanks too to croatian travelady. As I said before, I have been 'lurking' as we will have a (very short!) stop in Dubrovnik this Summer. Information from you both has been invaluable in my planning.

Sparky: In Croatian you only pronounce what you see, however their alphabet is very soft, as in French. Hvala is usually difficult for Americans to say correctly, so I advise just try saying "Fala" it sounds the same to most Croatians and they do appreciate the effort.

Nice to see you come out of lurking...I did the same before I starting talking about my new home. Enjoy your time here in Dubrovnik, it is a wonderful experience.

Dobra Dosli

Carol

[sea-explorer]

Not exactly a lurker..I do ramble on sometimes. :)

 

Croatian travelady, I need your help.:D

 

Can you tell me what has happened here? There is a video link too.

 

http://www.hrt.hr/index.php?id=48&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=4105&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=38&cHash=d20b2bd331%22

 

The poor Poesia is a new ship, & I'll be on her in a couple of months. ..my cabin is on the starboard side too.:eek:

[LHT28]

Not exactly a lurker..I do ramble on sometimes. :)

 

Croatian travelady, I need your help.:D

 

Can you tell me what has happened here? There is a video link too.

 

 

You can copy and paste the text to translate at

http://translate.google.com/translate_t

 

basically Costa & MSC had a little crash:)

[123traveller123]

Hi,

 

Is there a beach near the wall? We were hoping to walk the wall, have lunch and spend the balance of the afternoon at the beach before we head back to the ship for 5. The Ohran looks beautiful. Is there a famous local dish or a must try?

 

Thanks!

[California Native]

123 Traveller....

There aren't really any beaches in the near vicinity...

and if you drive further out they are rocky beaches

There is soooooo much more to Dubrovnik than just the wall...

Did you take a look at the list I posted a couple of pages back on this thread?

If you go to my website, also posted earlier in the thread

and then go into 2008 Adventure there's a Rick Steves video for you to view.

Also, he has a podcast on itunes that is free to view.

[California Native]

Karen I am very impressed on how you have taken the time to learn many Croatian words and phrases. So often a tourists arrives in Croatian without a clue and it is so refreshing to know you really took an interest to learn something about my new home.

Right now I am retired and worked in travel for 30 years in California and Hawaii and I would have loved to have someone on my staff as knowledgable as you! Your research is right on and you are indeed, "Living Aloha".

My 6 years in the islands was the beginning of really seeing the world in a totally different manner. I am so sorry I didn't have the opportunity to meet you while you were here. Please do come back again, there is much more to see...like Plitvice Jezera, Trogir and my mother's birthplace, Orebic.

Hvala, Mahalo and a hui ho

Carol

 

aaaahhhh! :) :o :)

Hvala!!!!..

we really believe in the philosophy of being a traveler and not a tourist..which can still be done even if you are only in port a couple of hours...though not to the extent that we are able to do when we travel by land! That's one of the reasons I gave everyone those fun Croatian questions earlier, I thought it might be a great way to have them learn more about Dubrovnik!

I smiled when you mentioned Konzum in another post..I said to my DH we should of picked up a frequent shopper card! I fell in love with the Senf mustard..and purchased the BIG jar to bring home!

The Sandwhich Bar was a frequent stop for us, the one by St. Blaise

if you have met him...let him know I am recommending him to everyone on a multitude of message boards!

and there's nothing like Pizza and a Ozujsko..

We used Global Travel Agency working with Iva and Gianni our driver, which I'm sure you noticed on our site...They were fabulous..I highly recommend them!

We plan to return to do more of Istria, Trogir, Plitvice National Park..There was only so much time!

I fell in love with Hvar!

Being in Croatia during off season was THE BEST authentic experience we could have ever hoped for!

Our paths may have crossed at some point..with you being in travel because many years ago ...I worked in Sales for a major Hawaii Tour Company that extended their product internationally and I was in the islands all the time....

The people of Croatia were so wonderful to us and we did have an opportunity to give back when we were in the Ethnographic Museum...very cool..about the grain being stored..great system!

The computer had crashed and the woman asked my DH if he knew anything about computers...I almost burst out laughing because that is his expertise...and had her up and running in no time! and then wrote down what to do if it happens again.

A hui hou

molim, if you are ever in SFO please email me!

[croatian travelady]

You can copy and paste the text to translate at

http://translate.google.com/translate_t

 

basically Costa & MSC had a little crash:)

Dobra Jutra: (Good Morning):

The video was taken by a local from a cell phone, it is of poor quality and I believe it shows the collision of the two ships to be more than what it really was. MSC & Costa were at anchor in Stari Grad (old town) port next to the island of Lokrum. Apparently the damage was not extensive and both ships did leave port, under their own power, on their way to Venice.

My DH works on the city walls and he heard the noise and called me immediately. Although from his position he did not see the collision, he recognized the noise immediately as he had been on the sea for 30 years. I watched from my balcony as the MSC ship cruised around Lokrum and returned to pick up the balance of the passengers and both ships then cruised onward to Venice.

Dobra Dosli

Carol

[sea-explorer]

Dobra Jutra :)

 

Ah..hvala. :)

 

I did of course manage to get a gobbledegook translation via google, but wondered if I was missing anything on the video commentary. :D

[croatian travelady]

Hi,

 

Is there a beach near the wall? We were hoping to walk the wall, have lunch and spend the balance of the afternoon at the beach before we head back to the ship for 5. The Ohran looks beautiful. Is there a famous local dish or a must try?

 

Thanks!

Dobro Dan (Good Day):

There is one beach at the Ploce side of Stari Grad (old town). This beach is NOT a sandy beach, it has small pebbles as do most beaches in Croatia. If you want to spend your day there, then you need to arrive at the beach very early in the morning. Part of the beach is free, the other is not. If you are looking for a beach with sand, then you must travel to Lapad and if you want a spot, you must arrive before dawn.

Dubrovnik is on the Adriatic Sea, yes but the beaches here are very limited. Most locals just dive off the rocks and many spend the day on Lokurm which is a lovely island just beyond the old port. Again, Lokrum does not have any beaches, one just parks on the rocks and either jumps off into the sea. Be aware there are sea urchins in the water, so never put your feet down until you see what is below. The water is not warm and even later in the summer is still way too cold for me. Temperature was only 17c last week and doesn't get much warmer until about late August.

There are so many other things to do, you can spend your days at the pool on board ship to catch the sun. But do not waste one short day at a crowded beach, explore and have fun finding someplace special.

If you really want to sit in the sun, then try to locate Buza 1 and watch as the locals dive into the sea. If you are coming in on one of the Carnival ships, your time in port will be limited.

Remember when you begin up the city walls, you must keep your ticket handy as there are a couple of control stops on the walls. If you are unable to locate your ticket, you may have to buy another or get off the walls completely. So keep the ticket in a handy place at all times, as it is good for the entire day.

Dobra Dosli

Carol

[123traveller123]

Thanks CroatiaLady and where 2 next for your suggestions. I guess we may have skip the beach. I hear Crotia has some of the best beaches in the world so we werelooking forward to spending some time on them.

 

So now my second question is- what would you recommed for a day tri from a carnival cruise-

 

walk the wall and explore the old town on your own? can we hire a walking guide to show us arouns and explain the history? are there those walking headsets you can purchase that will guide you through the city?

or

should we book a tour?

 

Thanks,

 

Caroline

[Pollypops]

Hello

Polly calling from England. Can I join this thread please, as you are all so knowledgeable about Dubrovnik.

My ship calls there on 15th September, I will be travelling with my mum who is 86, she walks with a stick, very slowly, but is a great old girl!

The ship's excursions seem mainly for "fit" people, obviously mum doesn't fall into that category, so I'm wondering what to do to make the best of our day. I would like to go up on the wall, but not for 2 hours as I would have to leave mum in a cafe or sitting in the shade - can you just go up and have a little walk, but not all the way?

I would also quite like to go on a boat trip round the old harbour if possible. The ship's excursion offers one, but it is then followed by a guided tour on foot, and mum wouldn't be able to keep up.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks,

Polly

[croatian travelady]

Hello

Polly calling from England. Can I join this thread please, as you are all so knowledgeable about Dubrovnik.

My ship calls there on 15th September, I will be travelling with my mum who is 86, she walks with a stick, very slowly, but is a great old girl!

The ship's excursions seem mainly for "fit" people, obviously mum doesn't fall into that category, so I'm wondering what to do to make the best of our day. I would like to go up on the wall, but not for 2 hours as I would have to leave mum in a cafe or sitting in the shade - can you just go up and have a little walk, but not all the way?

I would also quite like to go on a boat trip round the old harbour if possible. The ship's excursion offers one, but it is then followed by a guided tour on foot, and mum wouldn't be able to keep up.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks,

Polly

Polly:

You have a couple of boat trips from the old town, one to Cavtat and Mlini which is lovely. Another to the Elafati islands, Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep and they you may do your own thing, slowly. I have not yet tried out the Elafati, but hope the weather will allow me to do so next week. Cavtat is just a short 20 to 30 minute ride and it is a lovely time and your could easily stroll around the seafront there. Also the Vlaho Bukovac gallery is open from Tue - Sun. He is one of our famous painters and you could do all of this with ease.

The city walls total 2 kilometers and there are a TOTAL of 650 steps so I do believe Mum would have difficulty. You can do part of the walls and return to fetch Mum from the Gradska Kavana where she could people watch over a cup of tea, in the shade under the awning.

Mid September is the best time of year to visit our town, the large groups seem to arrive earlier in July & August.

I have some personal experience with my Mum, she also walked with a cane and she did pass last year, 100 plus 5 months. If you want to contact me personally, please do so as I may have some ideas just for you and Mum.

Dobra Dosli

Carol

casosa54@gmail.com