Kevin Runs Europe: Day 16

Distance: 13.7 miles (22.0 km)

Today I explored the near-deserted streets of a medieval Croatian town, ran to the top of a mountain, went sea kayaking, visited a sea cave, and snorkeled a little. You could say it was a pretty good day.

I got an early start at 6am. This whole trip I've been trying to wake up early for my runs because a) it's usually nicer weather in the morning, b) I'm not wore out yet from the day's activities, and c) places are WAY less crowded in the early hours. Unfortunately, due to unavoidable circumstances that prevent me from going to bed early (such as all the booking and research we have to do the night before we go somewhere, the need to update this blog from time to time, and obligatory nighttime excursions to establishments at which alcoholic beverages are bought and sold) I believe today was the first day I had woken up to run before 8am.

It was amazing. I started by running down the hill to the Old Town. I was overcome with joy when I saw how empty it was. Unlike the bustling Disney World-like atmosphere of khaki-shorted, Hawaiian shirted, gigantic camera carrying cruise ship tourists that had plagued the town during the previous day's afternoon, I was among the exclusive company of a few trash collectors and street sweepers, a handful of shopkeepers setting up for the coming deluge, and about 500 cats. Yes, there are a lot of stray cats here.

I must admit, the Old Town of Dubrovnik is actually a terrible place to run. For one, it's so picturesque (especially without all the tourists) that I was constantly stopping to take pictures, and two, the network of narrow alleyways and endless stairs (The Old Town is arranged with a central street in the middle with side streets sloping up... way up... on both sides) necessitates stopping, starting, turning, walking, and generally anything else that kills your momentum. However, of all the terrible places to run that I can think of, the Old Town of Dubrovnik is probably the best terrible place to run.

View when I step out the door of the place we're staying - never gets old

Sunrise over the Old Town

The Stradun - The Old Town's main street - this place is normally packed with tourists (and was a few hours after this photo)

The Cathedral

So many stairs!

The city walls

After exiting the Old Town, I ran up more stairs... lots more. I ran to the base of a trail that would take me to the top of the mountain (by Nebraska standards) or large hill (by Colorado standards) overlooking the Old Town. It was a steep, rocky, winding path - again terrible for running, but again one of the greatest running experiences I've had. The path is lined with bronze reliefs depicting the stations of the cross - one at each switchback until you reach the fortress at the top of the mountain. The view from the top was truly breathtaking. The gold light of the morning sun lit up the city walls and buildings and illuminated the turquoise blue water of the sea surrounding them. On the walls of the fortress, I was reminded of the miracle of Dubrovnik's current position as a worldwide tourist mecca given the situation it was in just 20-some years ago. Large posters depicting the Siege of Dubrovnik from Oct 1991-May 1992 during the Croatian War of Independence (part of the Yugoslav Wars of the early 1990s) decorated the wall on the back of the fortress. It's absolutely impossible for me to imagine such a pristine, beautiful, and... touristy location was ever in a war-torn condition, let alone during my lifetime (just barely) but there were the pictures to prove it.

While I was on the top of the mountain, I ran around a bit looking for another way down, but mostly just found a bunch of goats... and more beautiful scenery. I could literally see all the way to Bosnia (not that far away, really) with its endless rows of mountains. I ran up there quite a while and did find some more trails but wasn't quite sure if they would take me back down to where I wanted to go, so I just ran back down the way I came and then back to my hostel.

View looking back as I start my way up the big hill/little mountain

The trail surface isn't exactly ideal for running, but the views are ideal for anything

They have a cable car for the wusses

Looking toward Bosnia & Herzegovina

Poster with pictures from the Siege of Dubrovnik

Goats

Fortress on the mountain

View from the top

Goats again

Wow this post is getting long.

So anyway, we went sea kayaking in the afternoon, which was fun. It was with a guide and about 12 other kayakers. We started out on a beach by the Old Town, circled around nearby Lokrum Island, waving at all the naked old men on the nude beach that occupies the far corner of the island as we paddled by, and made a quick stop in a sea cave (not a very deep one, but impressive nonetheless). We then paddled to a beach that is only accessible by kayak or private boat. There, we had the sandwiches they prepared for us and tried out the snorkeling stuff they had. The water was quite cold so I only snorkeled for a couple minutes. It wasn't over a coral reef or anything so it was basically just rocks and tons of silver fish. Still pretty neat though.

We then jumped back in our kayaks for the short jaunt back to the beach by the Old Town. Or at least it should have been a short jaunt. The wind picked up tremendously, so we were paddling as hard as we could but it seemed like we were standing still as the waves crashed under and over us. We finally made it. Thus, my legs AND my arms were more than ready to relax the rest of the day.