Corfu to Dubrovnik
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Always leave the best to last. We are now in Dubrovnik, Croatia and get the feeling we won't be disappointed. Arriving after a night sail from Brindisi in Italy, the sight from the water is fantastic. Surrounded by pine trees and rocky waterfront, the mix of the old walled town and new but uniformed stone houses with orange roofs is magical. This place was at war only10 years ago and was badly damaged, but now with International aid they have restored it to its original glory.
A week ago we returned to Corfu with Ian and Karina after a few days of going troppo around Paxos and Antipaxos. This place will always be a favourite and I can still taste the orange honey marmalade and olive oil too good to be true, at $10 a bottle.
Corfu has great nautical shops, the cheapest yet, and a very good place to winter your boat. The local market was also very cheap and convenient to the boat.
Ian has a train to catch in Brindisi, Italy so we are on the move and motor all the way in glass like seas. A night stop on the island of Erikousa 30 miles to the north of Corfu and an early start, in fact its pitch black ,but we have 80 miles to go in no wind. Calling into Brindisi on the way to Croatia is only 30 miles out of our way, so makes a good stopping Port.
Although mainly a transit ferry town for the Adriatic we are pleasantlysurprised and enjoy being back in Italy. Brindisi is on the east coast on the heel of the boot. The Pilot book says to lock everything to the deck which we do, but have no problems. In fact we enjoy our free stay on the wall very much.
We have a Sunday to explore the Province of Puglia which is flat, very fertile and famous for its produce, wine and cooking. Hiring a car, clearly Ian has missed driving, its 130 kms an hour down the highway to Lecce, known as the Florence of the south. The numerous Churches and Cathedrals are elaborate, looking like wedding cakes but its Sunday and deserted. I would very much like to spend more time here and explore the narrow marble streets, eat at the local restaurants offering local cuisine and shop at all
the designer shops that are now closed, well planned by Ian. What is open is the famous café Alvino and its granita di caffe, mushy frozen espresso coffee with lashings of cream on top, it's simply delightful.
Ian is keen to get behind the wheel again and off we go through country lanes surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Our next destination Oria with its elaborate painted dome Cathedral and Castle is a very old pretty town. Lunch is a highlight of our day here at Fuori Porta at the stone arched entrance to the town. It's very local and our order of antipasto comes on 10 plates, all very fresh, delicious and very Italian. Thinking that was it, along came the mussels, scampi and cherry tomato fresh pasta, with a local rose wine which they are famous for, it's a gastronomical experience.
Driving onto Ostuni, locally called the bright white town, sitting on a hill over looking the flat green fields to the blue Adriatic Sea. 
A very picturesque old town with a steep climb to the top. Around this area are the unique Trulli buildings best described as an up side down ice cream cone. Constructed of stones and painted white it's a mystery as to when they were built and for what purpose. They are now used for houses, every room has a cone.
The one thing that impressed me from the tourist brochures was the caves in the area that contain the religious paintings. I have never seen anything like this before, and they are 1000 years old (secXI ) so we go in search of them, literally. Even though the brochures tell us they are here, it is a navigational nightmare trying to find them? On a back road in the middle of no where we finally find Cripta di Biagio. In the side of a small hill is a cave and it is truly amazing. 
Small communities lived here in the caves and only the church was painted elabratory telling the story of the Bible.
An exhausting day, but well worth it and of course the car is full of wine. Finishing off with a pizza in the Windsurf Pizza Bar opposite the boat, they sure do know how to make a pizza here. Translation into English creates a few laughs, Gorgonzola Pizza became Gynecologist Pizza.
The southern part of Italy is always known as the poor part and we did find this on the west coast but here on the east coast it certainly isn't and we will be back, where only local tourists visit.
Ian and Karina get the train to Venice and we sail out to Croatia in head winds, a 130 mile crossing. Formalities are strict but we have no problems and are soon tied to the main port marina. A permit costs E 235 for twelve months with no restrictions on leaving Croatia and returning. The main port has limited berths but is much handier to the town than the ACI Marina. It still continues to amaze us but the super yachts seem to get bigger, in fact one beside us even had the local pilot on board to dock her, (100 metres long).
The old port is now closed to Yachts.
Today we walked the medieval fortress wall which totally encloses Dubrovnik; looking down on this living historic old town, with no traffic other than pedestrians.
Liz and Heinz from France join us today for 10 days and we plan to sail our way to Split passing through the islands.