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I arrived at the Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport from Chicago. I was at the waiting area to catch my connecting Iberia Airlines flight from Madrid to Dubrovnik. I was delighted to meet seven merchant marines, who took a Qatar Airways flight from Manila. They were waiting for their Iberia Airlines flight to Bilbao, where they would join a Mediterranean Sea oil tanker. Some had previously worked together, whereas others were meeting each other for the first time.

Standing from left to right: Rudyard Dizon, Rolly Villanueva, Rey Rosal, and Cris Serrano. Seated, from left to right: Jesus Moncera, Jose Balasan, Rey E. de la Cruz, and Gerard Reyes. (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz) — Standing from left to right: Rudyard Dizon, Rolly Villanueva, Rey Rosal, and Cris Serrano. Seated, from left to right: Jesus Moncera, Jose Balasan, Rey E. de la Cruz, and Gerard Reyes. (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

The Old Town of Dubrovnik is enclosed by well-preserved city walls and filled with historic buildings, as well as shops and restaurants. It is closed to vehicular traffic.

Many cruise ships come to Dubrovnik, and the Old Town is a popular tourist spot. While touring the Old Town on foot, it did not take long for me to bump into other Filipino tourists. I had to be quick in taking notes and having pictures taken because some of them were in group walking tours. What amazed me was nobody turned me down when I offered to include them in "Pinoyspotting." I guess they were just glad that I spotted them as Pinoys in the first place.

De la Cruz arriving at Drubovnik, Croatia (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

Pete Enriquez (Sydney), Lorna Enriquez (Sydney), Carmelita Kapili (San Francisco), and LJ Rodriguez (Dubai) and Rey E. de la Cruz (Chicago) (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

Rollan and LJ Rodriguez of Dubai (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

Fred and Julie Lingaolingao of San Jose, California (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

I was with a group tour, and our bus stopped in Opatija, Croatia, a popular seaside resort by the Bay of Kvarner.

I was eating my lunch on a bench when I "pinoyspotted" Marilyn Sulima Von Ballmoos, who walked in front of me. Originally from Sorsogon, she now resides in Bern, Switzerland. where she works as a sales clerk at a supermarket. She and her family were vacationing in Opatija.

Marilyn and I posed in front of the artworks of local artist Darko Sarlija. His son Vedran Sarlija took our picture.

Marilyn Sulima Von Ballmoos (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

I arrived at the London Heathrow Airport from Zagreb to make a connecting flight to Chicago. When I came out of the security control, I bumped into Elsa Hona Acot, who just finished her shift. A supervisor at a British Airways lounge, she hails from Calamba, Laguna.

Rey E. de la Cruz and Elsa Hona Acot (Photo courtesy of Rey E. de la Cruz)

Rey E. de la Cruz, Ed.D., writes from Chicagoland when he is not busy traveling and loving the arts.

More articles from Rey E. de la Cruz:

Uncle Mike's Place
June 24, 2014
The best place to go for Filipino breakfast in Chicago is in the Ukrainian Village – at Uncle Mike Grajewski’s Place.

Pinoyspotting: Barcelona
August 11, 2014
Rey E. de la Cruz meets up with kababayans in Barcelona, Spain.

Paella In The Land Of Calatrava
October 8, 2014
Why true paella valenciana can only be had in Valencia, Spain.

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Pinoyspotting: Croatia

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