Fabulous dinner!

We had a fabulous night out with friends yesterday.  First meeting in the best wine bar in Dubrovnik, D'Vino. We sampled a new Plavac red wine which was very good.  Owner Sasha, who is Croatian-Australian has a great hideaway in Palmoticeva Street, brimming with wines from all over the world. 

 

A great start to the evening!

 

Then onto dinner at Lucin Kantun, in a little side street. 

Opened in 2010 I was surprised I had not been to this restaurant before, but my friends (French and Croatian) were regulars and eager for me to be delighted!  Sitting next to the open kitchen it was great to see the chef prepare the food.  Main course was duck, then I just had to have the cheesecake with sugar spun angels hair.   The owner (another Australian-Croatian!) offers impeccable service and a truly imaginative menu.  Highly recommended both the wine bar and restaurant.                  Photos - thanks to Tripadvisor

Getting ready for the celebrations

This morning was gorgeous so I took a stroll to the Old Town and took the above photo indicating our blue skies.  The flags and trimmings are up on the Stradun ready for tomorrow's celebrations for St. Blaise Day.  St. Blaise is the patron Saint of Dubrovnik and his day is celebrated with enthusiasm every February 3rd.  There are parades and parties throughout the day and the relics of the Saint are paraded through the town.  1,000s gather to watch the annual spectacle.

These are some photos I took during past years of the special day.  Unfortunately tomorrow I won't be able to attend - the office beckons.   Fabulous weather in Croatia at the moment!

New Year

As Britain shivers with yet more snow, I am back in Dubrovnik, now into a New Year.  10 degrees is not too bad for January and the sun goes down a little later every day which is great to think that Spring is just around the corner .....

Multi-coloured Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik had an outdoor showing of the film Invictus this summer, with a visit by Morgan Freeman who brushed past me after making a speech. To watch the film in the open air with the Old Town as the backdrop was amazing. This year's spotlights on the ancient stones was very colourful and ingenious.

Memories of Dubrovnik in the summer

Good to see these photos with the swarms of tourists around the Old Town ... before the autumn truly sets in and less people are around. The cruise ships are still arriving, though less in numbers. I believe MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.) will be having a ship visiting the town every week on its way from Venice over the winter, which will be good for tourism.

Before & after, stone house restoration II

This shows a marvellous renovation of a house I sold 3 years ago, located on The Stradun (main promenade) of the Old Town, Dubrovnik, indicating what can be done with a centuries old property. The whole house of just 77m2 was totally gutted including ceilings/floors which were re-aligned as previously the 1st floor was barely 6ft high and the second floor was very high. Now it's an impressive 3 bedroom house for rental, right in the heart of the historical medieaval city.
Before - second floor bedroom

After - converted to the open-plan living room/kitchen

After - another view of the high ceilings in the open-plan living room

Before - first floor bedroom, with low ceilings

After - first floor bedroom with en suite bathroom, with higher ceilings

Before - attic

After - bedroom with twin beds, great for the kids

Before - 3rd floor kitchen

After - 3rd floor bedroom with en suite bathroom

Before - first floor bedroom, with low ceilings

After - first floor bedroom with en suite bathroom

Before - second floor bedroom, with high ceilings

After - second floor, now living room

Before - bathroom

After - bathroom

Before - a stairway

After - stairway remodelled!

After - stairway remodelled, showing other side of living area

The Stradun, the same now as it was centuries ago ..... unchanged! The marble slabs were laid in 1468!

Dubrovnik treasures

Petra, Aqaba, Jordan

Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Dubrovnik

I was in the Old Town this morning, and to reach my destination I had to pass this magnificent church, the Jesuit Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Not being religious myself I would normally walk on by, but the weather, lack of tourists and peacefulness made me notice the baroque church more than usual. Looking back and seeing the church through a side street reminded me of my time in Petra, Jordan seeing the marvellous sight there of the Al Khazneh, "The Treasury".

Cunard's Queen Victoria

I was so excited to see the Queen Victoria in Dubrovnik today. She was at anchor and a long way off from the Old Town by Lokrum Island, but I drove to see her anchorage. Although I didn't work on this ship I know many of the management onboard, but anchorage is difficult to gain passes. She returns to Dubrovnik in November again, so hopefully will be moored alongside. To see a magnificent Cunard ship does send tingles up your spine and proud to think I worked on one of her ancestors. (yikes I feel old!)

... Not for all the gold in the world

"Non bene pro toto libertas venditur auro" translates from latin as "Freedom is not to be sold, not for all the gold of the world", this inscription is above the gates of the Fort Lawrence (Lovrijenac). The fortress is built 37m high on sheer rock (see bottom of photo). It's incredible to think the walls surrounding Dubrovnik Old Town run an uninter-rupted 1,940 metres with building starting in the early Middle Ages ... all on my doorstep.

What a beautiful day

Gorgeous day today without humidity. A strong north wind though meaning the air has cleared but a bit chilly on the north side!! Fortunately the south-west balcony is warm and a safe haven from the winds. My drive to the supermarket (yes even on a Sunday) has this spectacular view of the Old Town so had to take a photo as the distant islands were in clear view, even the National Park island of Mljet.