(24). I went into Dubrovnik's Old Town to check out the sights.  It truly is a special, unique place and I can see why it is becoming more popular even still for tourism.  The walls are so grand and completely encompass the Old Town!  You have to cross a wooden drawbridge to enter.  The streets are polished, white marble.  I walked down Stradun (the main street) admiring the amazing attention to detail in everything and the orange rooftops.  There are medieval ruins in the city as well as tell-tale areas of the attack of 1991 (Croatia had just gained its independence) by Serbian-Montenegrin remaining Yugoslav People's Army.  They never got past the city walls though!  Civilians held them back with everything they had - from clubs to guns.  I just kind of wandered (it's not overly huge!), filled up my bottle at Onofrio's fountain (they have fountains everywhere!) and stumbled upon a rock terrace with "Cold drinks and the most beautiful view".  Here,  there was a drink bar built into the rocks on the outskirts of the walls, looking out across the vast, strikingly blue Adriatic Sea.  Everyone was jumping off the cliffs into the water.  I guess it comes down to that saying from grade 1, "If Suzie jumped off a bridge, does that mean you would too?".  Yes it does.  In this case, cliffs.  Way more badass (b.a. for future reference).  Okay so they weren't that big.  After going to the edge and back a few times I jumped off one that was probably 30 ft!  Then everyone lays on the rock/boulders and bathes like I would imagine mermaids to do.  Here, I met some guys from Montreal but got bad vibes from them so I didn't join them for supper.  The Colorado boys told me via Facebook they were going up Mt. Srd but I didn't know when exactly they would be there.  Before sunset I went to the gondola which transports you to the top of Mount Srd to Fort Imperial and while I was waiting to go up, they showed up!  I saw the prettiest sunset ever.  Arguably the most gorgeous thing I have seen.  Ever!  Picture this: a panoramic view of vivid oranges, pinks, reds over sparkling blue waters speckled with small islands.  Wow.  We went on a trail away from where all the tourists were to a secluded area and found a grave with a cross in remembrance of the war.  This is where I took my favorite picture so far of my entire trip.   It's always worth beating off the trodden path.  Afterward, Jeremy and I went for a bite and watched some Eurocup futbol.
(25).  In the morning I bought my student priced ticket (30 kuna, as opposed to 70!) to walk the walls of Dubrovnik.  It was so freaking hot at 37 degrees!  I loved overlooking the orange rooftops and beautiful white cobblestone streets of the Old Town on the inside and the Adriatic on the outside on the south, Mount Srd on the north.  The city is also sprinkled with small ruins.   I took my time and walked around the entire town on the walls.  Magnificent.  I found a painter up there and bought two paintings from him for €5 apiece and he even painted one I requested!
Afterwards I took the round-trip ferry to Lokrum island for 15 kuna.  There is an old monastery there and peacocks galore!  I didn't realize they could fly!  They were all in the highest trees and made really loud calling sounds, kind of like Kevin from the movie 'Up'!  There is also a nude beach there ;).  I hung out on the beach for a bit and jumped in the water with my cheap leaky goggles for my last swim in the Adriatic.  I ferried back to Dubrovnik, where I ate at a restaurant overlooking the Adriatic and ordered my first ever seafood plate: Seafood Risotto!  Mussels, shrimp, squid, etc!  I loved it!  Mom, Dad - there is still hope for me yet!  I am even beginning to eat tomatoes.  A huge feat indeed.
I walked the three km back to my terrace hostel, showered (even though you aren't really allowed because checkout is at 10am!), grabbed my pack and walked another three km to the bus station to catch my night bus from Dubrovnik to Zagreb.  Transportation in Croatia is all done by bus - don't buy a rail pass for here!  And it cheeses me off in Croatia- they charge you 7 kuna for each bag you bring.  I walked on the bus and all the seats were full.  I'm thinking, 'oh crap.  Gotta sleep in the aisle'.   I walked all the way to the back and the back row of 5 seats was empty so I got to stretch out and sleep the entire time.  Haha, maybe there was something wrong with those seats but they suited me just fine!  I cozied up in my little cotton mummy sheet, blew up my pillow and was good to go!  We stopped every couple of hours for a break, so that was a little rough!