It’s our last day in Dubrovnik, and although we planned to take a boat ride to some nearby islands, it’s supposed to rain today. So instead, we will just do the obligatory walk of the wall and see where else the day takes us. I’m actually kind of excited. I like the possibility today provides.

Oly and I wake up just before 9am. I don’t know what it is about this place that makes us so exhausted! Stefan and Lillian are still snoozing, even as we get ready and leave the house. Oly and I were going to grab some breakfast, but as soon as we’re out the door, he insists on walking up a ridiculous amount of stairs to the playground up the hill. I just can’t say no to such a sweet request. He hauls himself up about 150 steps, singing and telling me what a big boy he is. He’s motivated.

The playground is peaceful with only one other child on it. Oly enjoys the slide, the teeter totter, a strange circle things that spins him around until he’s scared. It’s a great little spot. It feels completely separated from the madness of the city, except the parking garage (the crazy ridiculous expensive one) is within sight. I see that people will be flooding the city today. Ugh.

Big kids start to join us on the playground, and eventually Oly is ready to leave. We walk down the hill a different, slower way toward the city. Stefan and Lillian will meet us there. This walk is much nicer. It’s secluded with high rock walls on each side. We see tourists coming down the hill from different stairways and joining us. All walking to the city like pilgrims to Mecca.

The city is much busier than I’ve ever seen it, which I now realize has always been later in the day. It’s insane. Like Disneyland at Christmastime insane. As soon as we go through the gate, Lillian and Stefan join us. Perfect timing. We want to walk the wall, but I am starving (and need some coffee). We find a little spot on a side road for breakfast. It’s nothing special, but the ham and eggs hit the spot. I’m surprised at how many places here serve breakfast. Oh yeah, everyone here is a tourist. In fact, about 9 out of 10 people in Split and Dubrovnik have been speaking English. It’s super weird compared to the rest of our travels.

After a nice breakfast break, we go to the wall. We have to buy tickets first, then stand in line to go up a very steep stairway to the top of the wall. Yikes!

The wall is impressive. I can understand the major draw it has for tourists, but it’s crazy how low the wall is on at least one side at a time. We discussed with Oly and Lillian ahead of time how important it is to be calm and hold our hands at all times while up there. And if they behave, we’ll go buy a candy from the pirate candy shop in town. That did the trick. It really helped them behave for the next two hours!

We took some amazing photos, but I didn’t have my camera out very much because the priority was holding hands and making sure everyone was safe. I got pretty anxious for the first thirty minutes, and we stopped at a cute cafe for a break. The only take cash, so we had the kids share a fresh orange juice. It’s a great spot, and we may have stayed a bit longer if we’d had more money for coffee.

The next thirty minutes were cool, but the low walls and steep steps started getting to Stefan. The last thirty minutes is spent with some anxiety and wishing we could just be finished and go down again. The kids get a bit bored and start singing songs. It’s wonderful, and a group of women from Holland all join in. I think they must be teachers because of their amazing cheerfulness.

//Stefan note: it was fun but just do the wall by the water, the other side is just steeply pointless

With great relief we set our feet on solid ground again. Phew. Now it’s time for some wine and lunch!

Stefan’s new app, Spot, helps us locate a cool tapas place on a narrow side street, Lucin Kantun. It’s adorable, and we love the open kitchen. Unfortunately it’s just too hot to sit indoors. We sit outside and order a variety of tapas, including hummus (a new LL fave) and stuffed squid (recommended on Spot). It’s all very good. The staff could be more friendly, but I’d still recommend this place.

We go to Pirate’s Booty to reward the kids for their amazing behavior today. They each pick two pieces. It’s ridiculously overpriced, but for us today it’s worth it.

//Stefan Note: terrible candy, they should call it Dubrovnik candy

Only one more essential thing to do before we can call it a day: the Spanish steps, otherwise known as the shame steps from Game of Thrones. As we walk up, Stefan thinks it’s hilarious to call out shame at me. Not cool.

//Stefan notes:: for everyone that likes classics like something, take a look at the video on my Instagram.

On our way home, we stop in and have a cocktail at a fancy place, Portrait. The kids enjoy a surprisingly sour lemonade. Stefan gets his first negroni in weeks, and I have a grapefruit tequila cocktail. The server surprised me with a splash of prosecco and a twig in my glass. Hmmm…actually pretty good. We have our drinks and play a couple rounds of Crazy 8s, which Oly is getting really good at. I grew up playing cards with my family, so it always makes me happy when the 4 of us play cards together.

It’s been threatening to rain all day, and although we’ve felt a drop here and there, it’s been largely held off. This luck can’t last much longer. So we head home, hoping Oly will even have a little nap.

We get home around 4:30pm, and it starts raining almost immediately. Perfect timing! I start some laundry and write a little. The kids play and occasionally stop to watch the storm. I love afternoons/evenings like this.

For dinner, I make pasta with a really good jar sauce and peas and carrots. We open a Barolo that reminds me how good wine can be. We could be anywhere as we eat in from of the tv, watching The Jungle Book.
We feel like we’ve been here a month, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. Dubrovnik is an interesting city, but I don’t necessarily see why it’s as popular as it is. There are more amazing places to explore in the world, and certainly in Croatia. If you must, go, but don’t spend more than a day.

//Stefan Note: I am done with dubrovs.  To0 many people.  To0 small.  Too much on a hill.   You only need a couple days here.  Stay somewhere peaceful and come into here for the day.