Bright and sunny in the morning. I took a walk to the bus station to sort my ticket back to Zagreb (wishing I had not booked a return directly back as I would have rather stopped in Sarajevo on the way back to catch my flight in Zagreb). It was probably about 5 kilometers, or so to the station, and the day after Christmas was simply gorgeous, fairly warm, and relatively quiet as most people were probably still enjoying their holidays at home.
Some light clouds formed around lunchtime, but I stopped back at my apartment and made lunch before bouncing down the slippery staircase to the city walls.
Dubrovnik and some other towns in the region are of a few modernly inhabited walled cities. Seeing the buildings from above puts some history in perspective. Some buildings have not be restored and plants are growing within their ruins.
The most dramatic indication of war here can be found in the various colors of clay red roof tiles. Some are bright and new to cover over holes left by bombs. Others are old and faded from years gone by.
I was quite fascinated by this fortified town. The streets are made for walkers and the draw bridges are still in place. Canons are preserved around the city walls to fend off enemies coming in by sea.
Behind this city, is a large hill. Up the sides of it are crosses commemorating people who ran upward to escape the barrage of fire on Dubrovnik. There is a great deal of recent history to be learned in the former Yugoslavic countries, but the stories come out slowly. It is a complicated battle between people who have segregated themselves by borders but generally live in tandem with each other now; 20 years later. Croatia hopes to be admitted into the E.U. by 2012.
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