A quick trip to Kings Landing

Croatia has always been high up in my list of places to travel to, however I always envisaged doing a bit of a tour up the coast with multiple destinations.
However, on this occasion, time has decreed we have 3 nights only, so we decided on a trip to Dubrovnik to soak up as much Dalmatian culture as we can

Yet another ridiculously early start at Gatwick, this time drinking champagne in the airport lounge at 5.30am. You have to. It’s the rules. A surprisingly quick flight and there we were.

As our hotel was not in the old town where the airport buses go, we decided to buck a trend and get a taxi. The taxi journey had some pleasant scenery, in tandem with some slightly alarming driving courtesy of ‘Antonio’ who seemed more intent on texting (occasionally with both hands) and carefully studying scantily clad lady pedestrians. Still, we arrived in one piece.
On arrival at the hotel on the Babin Kuk peninsula, we got free fizz and advised our room would not be ready until official check in time at 2. So what else to do but go to the bar - overlooking the Adriatic - whilst we waited. Drinks do not seem ridiculously priced here - especially considering this a hotel bar, but nonetheless we were sure cheaper drinks could be found. Once we’d got in our room, and got over the excitement of the nice fragrance (most of the hotel has a nice smell running through it) and the sea view from the rather nice balcony, we decided to make the most of the rest of the afternoon.

A rather handy bus stop is located right outside the hotel and goes straight to Pile Gate in the old town. So off we went.

Old town was just mental with tourists. Insane. And it’s bloody hot. We decided to avoid as many people as possible and zigzagged a contorted route through the back streets, checking out restaurants and little shops as we went. Nipped in a few churches. Had a look in the cathedral. Sorry Dubrovnik, but pretty as you are, there is nothing anywhere near ornate enough to be allowed into my top ten ceilings of the world.

Its nice and shady and cool within the walls, and the further in you go, the less claustrophobic it is. Although it was 4.30 by this point, we decided to have dinner as we had skipped lunch in order to drink beer.
We decided on a place called Gradska Kavana - right by the old town port - and we’re given a lovely table looking over the boats. Having been advised by various people to not miss the fish here, we both went for it with Rich foraying into new territory with monkfish wrapped in bacon and me playing it safe with salmon. Neither of us were disappointed. It was presented well and tasted beautiful. Later I found it was #11 of restaurants in Dubrovnik on Tripadvisor, so not a bad spontaneous find.
We had another look around the old town afterwards, but the slightly slippery surfaces were not giving me confidence in my own feet, being in flip flops, so we decided to head back to the hotel.
Back on the bus, we were also happy to find a little shopping centre nearby with some nice little restaurants and bars that will inevitably be cheaper than drinking at this hotel bar, smancy as it is.

On returning to the room, we have just spent a good while watching an incredible sunset from our balcony. It really looked like the sky was aflame at some points. Got camera happy and took many shots so today’s blip could have been one of many. The only brief interlude was where we had a brief scary movie moment when we did not hear the maid enter the room for turndown service as we had the balcony door shut. When she appeared ghosts like at the door, I’m not sure who screamed loudest. I think it was her.
Anyway. She was so embarrassed, that when we asked if we could have more teabags she returned with handfuls.
We shall sleep well tonight after a very long day. Tomorrow we have lots planned - including a Game of Thrones tour and a trip to Lokrum island. Exciting times!