Croatia 2

The coastal highway on the Dalmation coast of Croatia is very much like the Pacific Coast Highway in California. It is a windy, two-lane road sitting on cliffs high above the water below and provides the driver incredible views of the aquamarine, azure and cobalt colored water below. It also provides the driver the ephemeral thrill of flying if his or her attention lingers a bit too long on the scene below.
Our destination this day was Split, a city on the coast that is the gateway to many of Croatia's most famous islands. Unfortunately, as we got closer, what we saw from the highway were numerous high-rise buildings from the soviet area school of design. It was awful - bone chillingly sterile of any human touch. They looked like huge, angular breadsticks jammed into the ground. Lots of them. Now I know why socialism in Croatia never caught on. We kept going to  Dubrovnic, a walled city of unspeakable singularity. It is a simply marvelous to view from the highway overlooking it. So marvelous in fact, that we drove past it  south to a town called Plat, where we checked into the Hotel Plat. From the highway we saw the Siren's call of the swimming pool at the Hotel Plat and decided it was home for the night. Apparently, the hotel property is owned by the government, and, at one time, included 600+ rooms.  The war with Serbia checked into the hotel and what is left is a beautiful harbor on the Adriatic Sea, two restaurants, a bar, and three residential buildings. At least four other buildings were damaged so badly in the war that they are unusable. They stand as skeletons of a more peaceful time and a jarring reminder that war is real and present for many people in the world.
The next day we hired a boat to take us to Dubrovnik and a guide to interpret the city. Once again, we were astounded by the level of damage sustained by the city, an absolutely beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site. Our guide spent 45 days in the city without electricity and water during the siege of the city. How lucky we are to have nothing to complain about. And yet, we still do.