Second Stop: Dubrovnik , Croatia

Our second port of call was Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Croatia is such an amazing place; it's very picturesque!

This very large bridge is the first thing that we saw as we got off of the cruise ship. We were told that this bridge was made by Americans, but I don't know if that is true or not. (I should probably Google that to find out.)



All of the orange roofs that you see have a meaning. Our tour guide (who sounds like Count Dracula when he talks) told us that every place you see with an orange roof, is a place that was rebuilt after the war. I don't know anything about the war other than what he told us....."It was a stupid, stupid war; started in 1991 by stupid people for stupid reasons." (He used the word "stupid" multiple times.) I'm sorry that I don't have any more information than that, but that is all I know. He went on to say though that after the war, people started to move back in to Dubrovnik, and they began to rebuild. All of the orange roofs are a constant reminder of all of the people and places that were lost in the stupid war.

And I must tell you all that the bright orange roofs surrounded by the beautiful blue water of the Adriatic Sea is quite stunning!



Croatia is covered by these beautiful yellow wildflowers. Our tour guide told us the name of them, but I cannot remember it. If you know the name, please let me know. I had a difficult time understanding him. Don't get me wrong, he spoke English amazingly well, but that Count Dracula accent was so thick, that I didn't always understand what he was saying.



After letting us stop to take a few pictures of the countryside, we were taken to the home of the Sapro family. This family has lived here for over 700 years. They make olive oil and wine for a living.



The first thing we saw as we got off of the tour bus was this little old lady watering her garden. She must have felt like a zoo animal the way we stared at her and took her picture. (But she was a good sport about it.)



Everything about this place was beautiful and charming.....Just ask Melissa!



This Croatian Cutie gave us a tour of the place. He spoke English very well. He welcomed all of us into his family's workplace where the olive oil is made.



We were told something very interesting (we thought) by the Croatian Cutie.....He said there is no such thing as Extra Virgin Olive Oil....He said that "extra" was just a word meaning "more expensive!" He gave this as an example, "If you have a woman, she is either a virgin, or she is not...There is no such thing as an extra-virgin woman." So he said the same is true of olive oil.....Melissa and I did not know that....did you?



The entire place was made out of this stone. Outside that day it was very warm, but once you went inside it was so cool. They don't have air conditioning of course, but with all of this stone, they don't need any.



This is the area where they stored their wine. After telling us everything about their family business, they served us all sandwiches and wine. Melissa and I neither one drink alcohol, but the sandwiches were delicious.



This is a little courtyard type area outside. Over to the left are some stairs that lead up to the family's living quarters. They live right above where they work.



As we drove all through the countryside from the ship to the Sapro family home, we saw so many roses. They came in every color and size that you could imagine. They were so beautiful! I took this picture of the roses growing beside the Sapro's home. They had many other types of flowers as well, but I wanted to show you just an example of some of the roses that we saw that day.



This is the view from the Sapro family home. They are surrounded by the beauty of God's creation.



I'll continue with more of our day in Croatia next time.........

P.S. I wanted to let you all know that I go to have my MRI at 8:30 in the morning on Friday; then I see the neurologist that same afternoon at 1:00. Thank you all again for your kind words of encouragement and especially for your prayers.
God Bless,
Amy:)