Dubrovnik: Day 2

so, day 2 in dubrovnik.

yesterday afternoon was pretty fun. i mostly wandered around in circles outside of the "old city" of dubrovnik, before i realized that the map i had (that i couldn't find my place on) was actually this whole old city that i kept walking around the outside of, not even realizing that there was a city inside of the walls (does that sentence even make sense?) either way, i finally found my way INTO the old city of dubrovnik and wandered around where all the tourists wander.

i found an english bookstore, which is pretty awesome (though books are expensive, and i should really just hold out until i get to a hostel that has a free book trade), but i spent some time browsing through there and finally picked up eat pray love. honestly, this is normally the kind of book that i laugh at. i am not super far into it yet, but i was kindof going into it thinking, "this is going to be a self-help, silly, girl book that isn't that well written, etc." and while i don't think the writing itself is going to win any prizes (i will feel a little stupid if it actaully did), i am actually enjoying it. it probably helps that it is about a woman who loses it and runs out on her life to faraway lands in order to find a better sense of self. sound familiar? hmmm... so far, i have done this every few years of my grownup life. so maybe i will learn from her book and not have to do it again in a few years.

so far, i am in part 1, in which she goes to italy to learn the pleasure of doing nothing. i actually am figuring out that that is a very hard thing to learn. i have been here 2 days, and i am already thinking about what i need to be "doing!" but i keep reminding myself that the whole point of this trip is to just chill and not "do" anything. i want to be working or conversing with someone or SOMETHING, but instead i am just spending a lot of time reading, staring out at the sea, and walking in circles to places that i can't find.
the only person that i have talked to in the last 2 days is my host "mother" (i have to call her that now). she literally does not speak a lick of english, but that doesn't stop her from talking non-stop to me. it's a little bit overwhelming. she keeps saying the same things over and over in croatian, like if she says them enough times, i will figure out what she means. she is really wonderful though. yesterday afternoon, right before i took my afternoon nap, i was trying to ask where i could do laundry. she marched up to my room with a plastic bag, made me gather up all of my dirty clothes, and took them off.

this morning, when i woke up from my afternoon nap (that turned into 16 hours of overnight sleep), i went in search of my clothes, and she pointed outside and said, "tonight. finite!" so i THINK they are hanging on the line outside drying, and i THINK she handwashed them all for me. it's pretty sweet. but today i am wearing my bathing suit bottoms because it literally was ALL of my laundry.

this morning, i woke up feeling like i could sleep for hours more (which is incredible if you think about it, and says a lot about how my body is still trying to adjust to staying in the same time zone and still trying to make up for Paganello). but i opened the doors that lead outside to my deck, and the sun was shining down on the adriatic, and i can see little villas for miles around that all have red roofs, and there were cute little croatian grandmas and grandpas walking down the street. i am feeling pretty lucky right now.

i went to the grocery store. just fyi - if ever in croatia, when you go to the grocery store and get things like fruit and nuts that need to be weighed, they actually have a weighing machine IN the produce department. you are supposed to weigh your things there and stick a price on it. that way, when you get to checkout, they just scan the price ticket. they do NOT love you when you don't do this. then, the cashier, who doesn't speak english, has to get up from her desk, go bck to the back and weigh your one pear for you. she then clucks her tongue at you disapprovingly as she comes back from the back. when she sees that you ALSO have almonds in your basket, and she has to go back AGAIN, she really smiles big and loves you and your stupid american ignorance. the 6 people (this is one of those times when i am not exaggerating) who have now lined up behind you, though there were none when you initially went up to check out, also love you at this moment.

ok - i have been online for something like forever now. i kept waiting, hoping that jen smith was going to get online and tell me how much she loves me. but it seems like i will continue to keep barely missing her.

today is when loneliness has actually set in, so emails are extra nice.

much love,

kate