BETRAYAL
The magnificent city of Dubrovnik is at the south eastern extremity of the long narrow country of Croatia, close to the Yugoslavian border. I was accosted within hours of my arrival by an indignant old gentleman, who, on hearing my English voice, decided to make it clear that he thought we had abandoned Croatia in 1991, when more than 2,000 shells rained down on the city from Serbian batteries high above. Whilst this was initially awkward, it worked to my advantage as the same man later decided to show me the charms of his wonderful city with much pride and emotion, and with no cash reward involved. Despite the international throngs, the walk around the top of the thick historic wall is a very different experience. Look carefully at the domestic buildings below you and you will spot the signs of the merciless pummelling the city took which are still there to be seen. The biggest re-roofing project in Europe has been undertaken here, roof tiles are being replaced and matched to regain the pleasing, subdued, uniform redness which makes the city so photogenic. My aged Croatian companion escorted me around the car free city streets, pointing out the meticulous restoration that has been lovingly carried out on the ancient and beautiful buildings. The war damaged stone of the buildings has been so cleverly repaired that you need the knowing eyes of a local to spot them. Tourism is the life blood of the city now and the locals are very welcoming. Even my unofficial guide cheered up as we sat sipping strong coffee in the warming sun outside one of the attractive cafes straddling a cobbled street. We just watched the world bustling by as he explained the charming culture of Croatia. These same streets boast of having the best restaurants in Croatia, a claim that is difficult to disprove, however, the excellent cuisine produced is well complemented by the Southern Dalmation wines, especially the Postup reds and Posip whites. Air travel to the capital Zagreb, plus buses, will quickly get you to Dubrovnik, road travel from the north is fun, and the short unavoidable penetration of Bosnia Herzegovina on the coast road is interesting. Ferries operated by the Jadrolinija company leave from the terminal in Gruz. Amusingly, when I travelled to the islands, I had to talk them into allowing me to conduct a extremely exciting reversing manoeuvre along the length of the very (!) narrow jetty to be the last vehicle to board, in order that the fulton (the sticky up bit at the front where the bed is), of my motorhome could project out onto the open stern of the smallish ferry, as it was too high to fit inside! Can you imagine that happening in Dover! Dubrovnik is an amazing place to visit, the summer festivals are superb from mid July to August, and there are many other activities available to visitors. Sub aqua divers revel in the clean, clear offshore waters, and the enviable chance to dive on Roman wrecks. Another option is just to laze on the beaches with a picnic and admire the magnificent city from outside the walls. Many travel guides state that there is no camping available close to Dubrovnik, but Camping Solitudo is a few hundred metres outside the city and perfect for exploring Dubrovnik. Hotel accommodation is plentiful and varied but a private room in the old town is preferable if you want to ensure you do not miss anything during your visit to this incredible city