Why I fell in love with Dubrovnik, Croatia

 A few years ago I had traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  It wasn't the first time I had been there, nor the last time.  I live in the heart of Silicon Valley, California where housing is quite expensive.  If you want to get any kind of short term living arrangement on your own in a decent location, you are looking at $200+ a night.  So, imagine my amazement where I was able to get a gorgeous spot overlooking the Adriatic Sea for $120 a night.  And yes, the pictures of the actual apartment I stayed in are below.

I arrived from California to Dubrovnik Croatia, tired, the airline had also lost my bag on the way over.  But I was greeted by a local who owned their own apartment and this one that they had recently purchased and fixed up for a rental.  Boško the owner was a welcoming sight, met with me to greet me, and show me the ins and outs of the apartments.  That makes all of the difference when going to a new place as it gets you settled in much quicker than having to figure and sort everything out on your own.  I told him that they lost my baggage upon arrival he offered up his phone number as a way to coordinate receiving the bag, and also met the baggage carrier when they finally did deliver it and so kindly placed it in the apartment as well.

When he was showing me apartment I noticed that there was freshly cut flowers in the apartment, apparently his wife, Nada is a florist and wanted to add the nice touch for visitors.  And then he opened up the fridge- it was practically fully stocked.  There was fresh milk, water, cheese, milk and eggs.  There was also fresh fruit provided on the counter.

I was in shock- the posting of the apartment did not mention such amenities.  It was an extra that would have obviously cost them both money and time to provide.  

"But...why?" I inquired.

And he simply replied, "Because we feel it is something that we would like done for us, so we have done it for others."

And with that small example of humanity I fell in love with that mindset that the culture must be cultivating.  If you walk around Dubrovnik you feel safe walking around, and there is no litter on the streets, water, practically anywhere.  They are taught to respect their land and community.

It was also obvious that they themselves had stayed in the apartment and optimized the small things like having a place to put your stuff when in the shower, having a washer and dryer in the apartment, a place to put a damp towel.  If I could tell one thing to people who rent out rooms, I would request that they stay there themselves and make the place actually livable, and not just rentable.

Story 2:

In the old city when I was journeying around the old city I was navigating all around.  At some point I reached an old building, and heard the most amazing classical orchestra.  I came across an elderly woman who explained that I was in a music school- a high school in Dubrovnik.  It was music to my ear- literally.   I asked her if she enjoyed living in Dubrovnik.

And she explained to me- "I love it.  I do not have a big apartment, but why would I need one, when this is my backyard."  As she motioned towards the whole of the city.

What a mindset to treat everyone and everyplace like it is one.  Everyone is better for it when that idealistic attitude is reality.  You need less, everyone is looking out for one another, everyone wins.  The world becomes human centric and not money centric.