Cats and dogs? More like Noah’s Ark…..

Thursday 24/Friday 25 September

I left my blog last as I was about to go and meet the boys following their Game of Thrones walking tour. As I strolled into the old town the thunder began to rumble ominously, and a few spots of rain materialised, so on went my terribly English Cath Kidston spotty cagoule (I swear to you it’s the only think by CK I own - it was reduced to clear, doesn't cling and it folds up on itself…) and shortly after arriving at the meeting point the rain lashed down and I took shelter along with about 30 other people in an alleyway. It was every man for himself. The poor pregnant greeter from the nearby restaurant didn’t stand a chance as people squished up against her menus and lectern.

After a few minutes, having avoided the torrent coming down the alleyway by straddling it in ladylike fashion, I went back out to meet Guy and Neil who’d been waiting in a nearby shop. We decided that as the rain had stopped, we’d be safe to walk a section of the old city wall before the next downpour, so we coughed up our 10 euros each (I’m sure it was about a euro when I came last time, and it opened for the evening too - now you have to leave it by 6pm) and hauled ourselves effortlessly up the steps. We walked for a bit and oohed and aahed at the view, and the boys showed me where their Game of Thrones tour had taken them - and then the heavens opened again and we took shelter for about 20 minutes with a bunch of Australians under a conveniently large alcove.

We played that game of counting the seconds between lightning flashes and thunder rumbles - “one elephant, two elephant” - and to be frank I think it’s bollocks because here in Dubrovnik once one storm had passed overhead there was another one right along.

We set off again, only to get caught once more as the rain lashed down. I should point out that Mrs Sensible here had the benefit of her Cath Kidston cagoule, whereas the boys were in saturated T-shirts and jeans. We found a few inches of awning to shelter beneath and then lo! some kind young people who ran a bar about 50 metres away decided that they might as well fleece poor sodden tourists by inviting them to stand inside their kitchen/stockroom and drink beer until the rain stopped, as they certainly weren’t going to do any other business that day since it relied on punters being able to sit outside under umbrellas and enjoy the view.

After that we came down steps off the wall and triple jumped our way to a dry alley, where we found a little place for lunch and sat steaming gently and gratefully, since many restaurants were packed to the rafters with little hope of a table this side of dinner time. After a very pleasant meal, I persuaded the boys to buy cheap waterproofs, which made them look like a smurf and a giant condom but were a sensible purchase nonetheless.

We decided to make the most of the dry opportunity offered us by the Rector’s Palace musuem, which in all honesty was not that interesting or well done, but it whiled away an hour and I especially liked the exhibitions of all things angelic - some kitsch, some religious, some kooky. Determined to brave the wall again (we’d paid for the sodding tickets after all!), we entered close to the Ploc gate. Here the thunder crackled again and the lightning flashed dramatically out to sea, and I decided to jump ship and head back to the apartment before I got soaked again - after all, I’d only just dried off with the exception of my feet, and I wanted to avoid trenchfoot.

Like the troopers they are, Neil and Guy continued and ran most of the way along it before getting home shortly after me. Converse trainers were set to dry on windowsills, and we had a nice cup of tea and a biscuit.

The sun set and the storms subsided, and we made it out to dinner in the dry at the rather lovely Pucic Palace, followed by the best coconut ice cream I have ever tasted from a little shop on the main promenade (with big chunks of real coconut) and a couple of glasses at the nice little wine bar we’d found the night before, and where we were the only customers but were welcomed with a big smile and cheese and biscuits.

Overnight the storms started up again and between 3 -4am I basically stared out at the amazing sky and illuminated city showcased from my window - quite a spectacle. I finally managed to get back off to sleep, and when I awoke there was a rainbow against another spectacular skyline - and a sunny day in prospect.

First stop was the cable car which for obvious reasons didn’t operate the previous day, and after a bit of a queue and payment of about a tenner each (Dubrovnik isn’t that cheap, except for beer and ice cream), we travelled skywards for 3 and a half minutes to a spectacular view and several photo opportunities, in one of which, a triple selfie,  I appear to have grown a moustache (well it’s a while since I’ve managed a trip to a salon). We went back down (that was fun!) and the next stop was the old port for a jaunt across to the island of Lokrum.

Lokrum is a bit like Brownsea Island (JL people will know what I mean) without the red squirrels, the croquet and afternoon tea. There are even peacocks - well, in our case maninly peahens - who with their little ‘uns badgered us for titbits as we ate lunch. They got lettuce on the basis that we thought bread was probably bad for them.

We had a lovely wander round - yet more Game of Thrones exhibits - taking in the ruined monastery and fort, and botanical gardens - and after a decent yomp we headed back to the jetty for the boat back to the old port, where we had yet more ice cream before a brief trip to the cathedral before heading back to finish packing and await our lift.

Guy came with us to have dinner near the port before we went to the chaos that is the ferry terminal, where there is no information and people are left to sort themselves out. As I write this Neil and I are eking out the last of our small change on cheap wine and coffee before boarding our ferry for Bari which leaves at 10pm. My only slight concern is will our cabin we big enough for both of us and Nellie?

Tomorrow morning we’ll wake up in Italy for a little break in Puglia, where apparently at our destination at Alberobello there’s a little festival going on with lights and rides (?) Much to look forward to, not least the best food and wine you can shake spaghetti at.