TOWN HALL

While in Dubrovnik, I had an incredibly difficult time connecting with the city. I was overwhelmed by the crowds and tourists in a way that I had trouble seeing past. Banje Beach, just outside the walls of the old city, became my haven. Despite the fact that it, too, was plenty crowded, it seemed to represent a total escape into pure joy in contrast to the aggressive crowd within the city walls.

Looking at photographs of the city, there is a disconnected and performative way the tourists experience it. Directly outside the walls of the Old City is Banje Beach, a popular spot for tourists and residents alike. The beach is populated from early in the morning to late in the evening. Much of the time it is more crowded than the city, with barely an inch to spare. And yet, within the chaos of the crowds on the beach, I find a celebration of life and ease which is lacking on the city streets. Surprisingly for such an urban beach, the water is impeccably clean and crystal clear. The people are literally at their most exposed, but their least self-conscious.