Thanks Mustafa - transfer to Dubrovnik

Early day departing Sarajevo. Mustafa is giving me a transfer/tour to Dubrovnik. We are leaving at 830am and I hope to be in the new digs by 500pm. He is a lovely guy but I do wonder what we will talk about for 8 hours.

Our first stop, a couple hours away, is not far from Mostar and it is called Blagaj which is the site of a Muslim monastery built into the rock wall next to an underground river. Yeah!

It’s pretty remarkable looking although there isn’t much else to say about it. The Dervish monks still use the space for spiritual meditation but it isn’t occupied full time.

Before a planned lunch stop, we stop at an orthodox Christian monastery where the monks produce some delicious wine - we drank it at the cooking class. The grounds and the buildings are amazing. While inside of the church, I half expect a knight stopping me to protect the grail. In the basement there is a tasting room and I sample a very nice rose. I’m still carrying the bottle from Slovenia so I won’t be adding. Mustafa on the other hand will be buying multi liter containers to stock up for cooking classes.

Our final stop is a little town close to the border called Trebinje. We are only there for lunch. And their claim to fame is farm-raised trout. It is fantastic and we each are served two who trout each. A glass of red and I might need to nap.

Mustafa, among most of the comments, I read on Facebook is concerned about the border. He does mention that it is just easier to say we are friends and he is giving me a ride to Dubrovnik and not a paid transfer.

We fly through the crossing and are soon approaching Dubrovnik. From the car I can see the city walls and the Adriatic below. And I have been warned about the stairs - everywhere. After a quick goodbye to Mustafa - I am off to find the new apartment. Thankfully it is pretty easy except that it is the third floor.

It’s a cool modern loft with great views. However I immediately turn the a/c to full and stretch out on the sofa for an hour.

I walk about 5 minutes down a set of stairs and then up another set to the lower walls and the Buza Bar. It is advertised as Mediterraneo style from Rovinj but it doesn’t compare. Hoards have gathered for sunset and it is mostly self-service.

I’m not sure about dinner. Two trout at 3pm has me satisfied. I might just need to stop by the market for some breakfast goodies.

Tomorrow might be lazy.

And as I have been told, I am ‘easy to talk with’, so there was barely a lull in conversation during the entire trip.