As usual, we're up before the rooster crow...........not that I can hear a rooster here, but millions of pigeons that cooing and seagulls laughing. It's ok because it's too hot to sleep anyway.

Last night Mom decided it is time to head North to a cooler climate because it is getting way too hot to go sightseeing here now

It's a midsummer (solstice day) celebration in Sweden now and I wish all my Swedish friends a happy weekend.

Yesterday we took an early bus into the old town of Dubrovnik and I had to sit in a bag because no dogs on buses here.

I know how to keep quiet and hide so I'm ok with it, but Mom is surprised at how many places do not allow dogs here. 

In some places, like in this Game of Thrones shop everybody loved me and put me in their best seat 

they did have a scary dragon in there too

Dubrovnik is a fascinating city the narrow streets and small squares nestled within the city walls are alive with shops selling local goods, bars with live music entertainment, historical churches, and monasteries.

As soon as we entered through the  Pile Gate there was a large rounded polygonal shape structure with a cupola and 16 water taps. This is the well-known Onofrio Fountain designed in 1438 by the prominent Italian architect Onofrio di Giordano della Cava. He was an Italian architect from Napoli who got a job in the town to design the Towns waterworks and fountains. In the period from 1435 to 1442, he also designed and constructed a 12 km long water supply system that brought water from the Knežica spring, Šumet River in Rijeka Dubrovacka to the Old Town. The waterworks were in use by the end of the 19th century.

The fountain is embellished by 16 stone carved masks and a statue of a dog that adorns the top walls of the fountain. Locally called “kuchak” aka fountain dog,  the replica of the dog statue was reinstalled in 2016 as it was badly damaged. The whole fountain was badly damaged by the earthquake in 1667 and rebuild since.

In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Dubrovnik was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army for seven months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After undergoing repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, it re-emerged as one of the Mediterranean's top tourist destinations, as well as a popular filming location. According to Statista, Dubrovnik is the most 'over-touristed' destination in Europe, with 36 tourists on one local resident

There's a discussion about limiting visitors to 8000 a day and charging people who don't stay inside the walls a fee, and 

forbid pulling your luggage since the wheels make a lot of noise on the streets.

We walked through to the big gate before 8 am so there wasn't a crowd yet, but by the time we left, you could hardly move on these streets. I got to wear my service vest but that didn't seem to make much of a difference here.

Under communism, Dubrovnik became part of SR Croatia within SFR Yugoslavia. After World War II, the city started to attract crowds of tourists–even more after 1979, when the city joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The growth of tourism also led to the decision to demilitarise the Dubrovnik Old Town. The income from tourism was pivotal in the post-war development of the city, including its airport. The Dubrovnik Summer Festival was founded in 1950. The Adriatic Highway was opened in 1965 after a decade of work, connecting Dubrovnik with Rijeka along the whole coastline, and giving a boost to the tourist development of the Croatian Riviera. 

It is a beautiful road with many many turns and steep cliffs

this is before the selling of boat tickets starts, and nope, I'm not allowed on a boat either?

Following the end of the war, damage caused by the shelling of the Old Town was repaired. Adhering to UNESCO guidelines, repairs were performed in the original style. Most of the reconstruction work was done between 1995 and 1999. The inflicted damage can be seen on a chart near the city gate, showing all artillery hits during the siege, and is clearly visible from high points around the city in the form of the more brightly colored new roofs.

We met Ivan who had an electric "Rolls Royce" who took us up to the top of the mountain. (I wasn't allowed on the gondola to get up there either)

Ivan was born here and was in kindergarten during the war and told me it was scary but as a child, he didn't know any other way of life. He drove us back to our campsite which we both were very grateful for. 

Ivan asked Mom if she wanted to go bungy jumping from the bridge, he knew the guys who arranged that. I could tell Mom thought about it for a moment, but this is where I put my paw down to a firm NO

You see that little spider thing hanging from a thread? and Mom had to THINK about it?

This is Orlando, and he is a well-known monument situated in the very heart of the old town right in front of St. Blaise's church. The column, erected in 1418, and according to the legend, helped the people of old Dubrovnik (Ragusa) to defeat invaders in the middle ages and therefore helped Dubrovnik to remain a free trade city-state.

 Orlando’s forearm, 51.25 centimeters long was also at the time the standard Dubrovnik measurement for fabric where local merchants were measuring, cutting, and selling fabric. Looks like he's getting a makeover now

The steep stairs are all around this fort so we think only the strongest of young athletes can live here but this little man seems to be doing ok living here.

I think this guy must have had a cold since he rubbed his nose raw 

Games of Thrones has been recorded here and I suppose Mom will have to watch that when we get back home

So many cats everywhere and they aren't super friendly but still they didn't hiss at me. I miss Lilly

Amazing how beautiful flowers can grow everywhere 

and orange trees

This man was feeding pigeons from his window on the top floor. I bet a lot of people would be upset about it, because there was a lot of pigeon poop on the steps

Is this lady strangeling a sheep or what?

This fountain was located in the shade where we sat and rested for a while away from most of the hustle and bustle,

and where I could find a green patch to relieve myself.

Well, Dubrovnik is the most interesting place we've seen so far and I'm sure there's plenty more but the heat is getting to both of us, So soon we'll start our journey north.

Happy Solstice from us 

and many wet kisses from me

Henry