Dubrovnik, Croatia

September 19, 2009 - We arrived at Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik began originally as a Roman settlement. From the middle ages on, Venice, Hungary, Turkey and others have sought to win the city as a prize. The citizens' thirst for liberty has repeatedly won out over the would-be conquerors. In 1667, Dubrovnik was leveled by a catastrophic earthquake, destroying most everything in Old Town. After rebuilding in the new baroque style, the city was shattered again in the 1991 seige by the Serbians. The Croatians' war with Serbia destroyed the country's tourism in addition to the damage done by the aerial bombings.