See the hot spots around The Balkans In 60 Days – Stop 14 Dubrovnik, Croatia

24-25/8/2018. You can’t come to Croatia and not visit Dubrovnik. So from Hvar, I took a ferry, arriving at Dubrovnik about three hours later. The first impression was: How crowded this place was! China and Korea also sent many representatives here to add to the buzz.

What hit the eyeballs next were the imposing walls around the shore and on elevated ground. The walls were still pretty well protected after years of protecting the city. Within these old walls snuggled the old city, the old cathedrals, the old houses, and the old streets. The old wind still blew, as though not much had changed. At times, it felt like these old city walls were bursting at the seams. Everyone wanted to have a piece of Dubrovnik, to catch that air of bygone years. Any crevices that could be found, the alleys, the steps, the square edges, were quickly filled up and filled in with dining tables and people, people feasting with their eyeballs and their palates. On the streets, people surged around.

On the waterfront, the boats and ferries stirred the water, but the water would not be stirred. It remained cool, calm, and crystal clear. This old city pulsated.

I bumped into a French guy at the hotel in the old town at about 8 p.m. He said he was going to the beach to swim before his flight out at 4 a.m. At 9 p.m., he returned to the hotel, mission accomplished and totally satisfied. He must have felt like he had been baptized. You come to this country; you have to be in it.

Just around the corner at the old city waterfront, young ones cliff dived from the rocks, concrete walkways, and scaffolding. This was a place between a rock and a hard place, but they were unintimidated. Head and toes they plunged into the water, as if they lived there. So I have been right – the Croatians are amphibious.

I came across two French youngsters on the beach, loaded with their heavy backpacks. They told me they just slept overnight on the beach, that they were on a tour around, getting by just on food and stuff from strangers. I offered them some change to show that I was also a philanthropist. They refused, saying taking money was against their principles, but pizza would be okay. They had money and credit cards on them but traveled in style, their own style. What was the matter with these French? They were discovering places while also discovering themselves. I get it.

24-25/8/2018 到克罗地亚不到杜布罗夫尼克就有枉此行了。乘渡轮离开哈瓦尔 (Hvar) 岛三小时多后抵达。第一眼就是人多，大家都汇集到老城区，中国韩国都不干落后派代表参与。接着举目一看就是高高的旧城墙沿岸明显在设法保护面海的这城市。几百年保护这城市，今天这城墙反受后人保护甚欣慰。城墙内保留了不少大砖砌成的古楼房，老教堂，老鹅卵石路，到处可闻到一股强劲的古风。到处摆满餐桌，只要有缝的，台阶上，狭巷里，广场边，都給餐桌和人头占据了。整个老城区基本就让给到这里的游客 – 从高点看，街上人头攒动，水上人在游动，滩上人有动与不动的，勃勃生机，像是冬眠后第一天。这水上旅游船无数，忙得不亦乐乎，不论如何搅拌，那水还是无动于衷，清澈见底。

在杜布罗夫尼克 (Dubrovnik) 沿市内海岸线漫步。到此市一游的无不到水里一游。近八点晚上酒店一位刚抵达的法国人告诉我他必须抓紧到海滩一游，因为明天凌晨四点就要回巴黎。九点后好像刚给圣水泡过了，心满意足回到酒店。

在老城前湾处青少年在玩高空跳水。年纪小小的小孩也玩得不亦乐乎，高处跃入水后像小狗般拼命扒，少年在正装修的建筑外墙高支架上寻找最高点，想做拼命一郎。这里到处都是岩石，在水底更是岩石。小小年记在玩水也在玩命，不是玩笑。他们水性很好, 在水包围环境里长大，如鱼得水，肯定是两栖动物。

在一个海滩碰到两位法国青年，背着大包，刚在滩上过了一夜，是穷游策略，吃的都是路上碰到人士施予的。我问那你总得有钱搭车或应急的。他们手中是有信用卡，可是非到不得以不会动用。我掏出一些硬币想解囊相助，他们不接受，如我有比萨他们就可接受，现钱就有反他们原则。这些法人真拿他没法，活得不耐烦，遍寻刺激。路上碰到不少法国人，有钱没钱的都出来跑，是要一路发现这世界，更要发现自己。我懂的。我的确懂的。

I counted Croatia as one of the most enjoyable. The rocky beaches, the calm and clear waters, the history, the celebrated summer, the freedom to wander. Dubrovnik was my last stop in Croatia. This was not a low-price city to visit, especially this time of the year. And I would not count the folks here the most welcoming. I just hoped that even if they did not welcome me, at least they might pretend to, or welcome my money. But it was a fit culmination of my journey in Croatia.

The next time I visit, I will drive on a beach crawl, to stop wherever and whenever, as I jolly please. There is so much to fall in love with, especially the curvaceous coastline and the irresistibly inviting beaches.

This was like summer camps all over the place for the young ones, beach parties everywhere for those still trying to remain young. Come and go as you like—no invitation required, no permission needed.

这是克罗地亚最后一站了。周游多国，这是我其中最爱的。杜布罗尼克虽排在最后，是完美收官之地，最后高潮。

虽然克罗地亚吃喝住宿都相对较贵，且欢迎程度在萨格勒往南的都有欠理想，但想到这里历史的气息，夏天热闹，清澈平静海水，曲线优美海岸线，就回味无穷，非常依依不舍。希望有朝一日会重游，清静一人驾驶辆小迷你，开着天窗，沿岸自由自在慢游漫游；进出自如，不需要邀请，不用允许；无视眼光，我行我素。