Slovenian and Croatian 9/13/2007-10/7/2007

Steamboat SpringsàDenverà BostonàMilan, ItàZabreb, CroatiaàSamabor, CroatiaàLjubljana, SloveniaàBled, SloveniaàBohjni, SlàJulian Alps, SLàBohjni, SlàIzola, SlàOpitja, CroatiaàPlitvice, CràStarigrad-Paklenica, CràZadar, CràZagreb/Samabor, CràMilanàBostonàDenveràSteamboat Springs

Journal Part X:

9/30/2007: Zadar, Croatia: After another night and another great meal at the Rajna we hiked up new trail in to National Park Paklenica. This trail was much less used and more technically challenging. Mo also made the mistake of asking the park ranger whether the signs about poison snakes was for real. He said people do get bit every year, but as long as you keep your eyes in the trees watching for dropping snakes you will be fine. Can’t understand why, but that made Mo uneasy.

Still had a very nice hike, but at the terrain became rougher and rockier, Mo decided that the snake thing was making her uneasy.

Last supper at the Rajna. Real calamari, almost too good looking to eat, but not quite.

This 100 foot high lime stone cave marked our turn around point on our last hike in to Paklenica. If anything like this existed in the US it would be a national climbing mecca.

10/2/2007: Zadar, Croatia: The walled city of Zadar is one of the larger cities in Croatia, but the ancient walled portion of the city has become hub of business. You still enter the old city through the gates, but once inside you are treated to pedestrian only traffic and a ample variety of shops, restaurants and galleries. We spent three days there after deciding that a drive to Split was too much driving.

Zadar Coat of Arms

One of the old gates to the city

We were ready to relax and enjoy the sites, the coast and the food.

The city was built on a short peninsula and at the end of the peninsula and city some modern designers build something called a sea organ.

Near the end of the walled city you pass Saint Donatus Church. This church was build around 900 BC on top of old Roman Columns from a previous occupation. After the church you come to promenade along the sea and build in to this promenade are steps and reeds that create an eerie beautiful sound as the sea rises and falls. Boats passing increase the amplitude of the waves and in turn the musical composition. The 35 tubes of the seas organ are build in to series of white stone steps that extend for about 150 ft along the shore line. Very mystical experience.

St. Donatus Church in Zada. The church is 1,100 years old, but I’m not sure how old the lady in the foreground is.

Spend a good deal of time walking around the city. First class people and place watching. The food, like all of Croatia, was fantastic. I think we ate nothing but fish, and the occasional pastry, for about two weeks. We got a little touristy one day and hopped on a day cruise to Kornati Island, one of the countries national parks. It included an all you can eat and drink fish and steak dinner and a visit to the island. There were some NATO defensive maneuvers going on that even our captain was not aware of. This shortened the sea going portion of our trip, but gave us more time on land. The food was more than adequate in proportion, but a little lacking in quality. The wine was jug wine, but no complaints were heard and we had our one tourist day.

The coast of the Kornati Island National Park

This small restaurant just outside the old city wall was one of the best fish dinners we have ever had. Not a bad location.

In the AM will be heading back to Zagreb for out flight out to the US. Rather than taking our winding inland route back we will hop on the freeway and go directly to Zagreb. The roads are so good that it should only be a few hour drive back north.

Go to Croatia Slovenia Journal XI

Return to Journal Index