This morning we had another lazy start to the day - the coach didn't leave until 10.15am and after getting our cases ready by the required 9am we sat out on the hotels lovely balcony overlooking the pool and the islands.
Our ferry back to the mainland left from the tiny village of Sučuraj which is on the very southern tip of the island about 70 kms from Hvar, and it took nearly 2 hours on some tiny narrow roads to get there! The road was sealed but had no shoulder on the sides and in some places the straight drop off the tarmac was several metres! Definitely no place to drop a wheel off the edge and several cars were forced to reverse back a way to avoid the coach, which took up a lane and a half!
The scenery was much the same as our previous days, small basic villages and farms, with lots of scrub and not much else!
We had about 45 minutes before the small ferry left and we had a coffee and a walk about the tiny town before we boarded with bus squeezing in alongside numerous cars and another coach!
The trip to Drvenik was only 50 minutes and I had an interesting chat to an American couple who were on a driving holiday around the Adriatic - according them the driving and traveling was quite easy! At least here in Slovenia and Croatia they have an English translation on all road signs!
The little ferry port was set right at the base of the mountains and the views of the houses etc in the town, the blue ocean and the rocky mountains behind was beautiful.
Micho had us on the Adriatic Highway towards Dubrovnik in no time at all and we settled back to enjoy the fantastic views along the narrow coastal strip between the mountains and the ocean.
We passed through dozens of small towns, mostly a bit rough looking - Gasper explaining that there is very little industry in the region, only fishing and the ever growing tourism. It's quite hard to describe the way these people live - a basic subsistence existence is the about the only words I can use. Most of us were quite amazed that a standard of living such as this could be possible so close to the major nations of Europe, but we have to remember that 20 years ago these former Yugoslavian States were at each other's throats and war has set their development back by decades! The people have totally different mannerism to us and to hear them talk to each other in one of the many dialects you would say they were arguing, but it is simply their way of speaking. They are a bit surly and apparently quite volatile and so as a result they will all need some diplomacy lessons if they want to cash in on tourism! One advantage they do have is that they all learn English at primary school and most are quite fluent which makes shopping etc so much easier.
Some major Western investment is sorely needed and although there is some money trickling in from Europe and Russia much more is needed, remembering of course that Croatia while being in the EU is not part of the EU monetary community and still uses Kuna as their currency, not the Euro - by 2020 they will be using the Euro. ( 1 Kuna = about €5 or $7).
At Ploce we crossed the Neretva River which flows down from Bosnia Herzegovina and flows into the Adriatic Sea - it is a big river with clear blue water and in the huge flood plain at the coast we saw our first glimpses of agriculture. Many small plots, all irrigated from the river, were growing vegetables, fruits and nuts and some fodder, and there were road side stalls everywhere selling the produce!
Bosnia Herzegovina occupies a very short section of the Adriatic coastline and soon we stopped at the border and gained a clearance to pass through, then a few kilometres further on stopped for a break at a shop perched high overlooking the ocean!
Another 10 minutes down the road we gain crossed back into Croatia and followed the scenic coast all the way to the outskirts of Dubrovnik - the views of the blue water, dotted with islands and seeing miles of mussel and oyster farms taking advantage of the pristine water.
Into Dubrovnik we crossed the large Franjo Tudman Bridge and then we passed the big natural harbour (with a couple of cruise ships) before we headed to our hotel, The Ariston, which is right on the ocean.
A dinner cruise awaited us and so it was to our very comfy rooms for a quick shower and change of clothes, before taking the coach back down to the harbour to board a good sized boat which took us out into the ocean, around the point and across to St Jacobs beach where we alighted and walked a few metres to a delightful little cabana like restaurant where we were greeted by a glass of champagne and a view out over the water you only dream of! We enjoyed an amazing dinner with included wines and beers, with Mumsie falling head over heels in love/lust with the hunky local waiter! I don't think she had any idea what she ate - but she loved a very minute of it especially when the waiter brought her favourite Prosecco for her to drink instead of the local ordinary white wine that was provided! Sadly for us and Mumsie, the meal was over way too soon and a lovely polished wooden motor boat picked us up and took us back to the old town harbour where we strolled up the main ancient street called the Stradun to our coach! There were very few people about and all the ancient buildings were lit up and looking fantastic!
So it was back to the hotel after a long and wonderful day! Dubrovnik is home for 3 nights and I am sure we are going to enjoy it greatly!