Well here we are back in one of my favourite countries --- Croatia , with its beautiful coastline on the blue Adriatic. Clear skies and sunshine with temps between 27 C & 30 C.
Lovely trees stretch down to the sea - palms, pines, pomegranites and figs. And islands everywhere. Croatia has over a thousand islands just off its coast & you can hire a motor boat for the day for £65 and just cruise from island to island.
Ken.
Lovely trees stretch down to the sea - palms, pines, pomegranites and figs. And islands everywhere. Croatia has over a thousand islands just off its coast & you can hire a motor boat for the day for £65 and just cruise from island to island.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 14 Sep 2010 05:07 pmPerhaps the most fascinating group of islands with a very interesting history is the Brijunis. You can get a boat there from Pula & also this pretty little town of Fazana :-
Its hard to believe that this country was at war relatively recently.
Ken.
Its hard to believe that this country was at war relatively recently.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 16 Sep 2010 10:47 amYes. Colourful but tasteful with it. Out in the countryside many of these pretty little cottages are still riddled with bullet holes from the recent Serbia/Bosnia/Croatia wars :-
Ken.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 17 Sep 2010 09:48 amBack to Brujini Islands.
The main island has a fascinating history. Prior to the years 1900 -1902 , most people who lived or moved there died of Malaria. However the islands were so beautiful & with an ideal climate that a rich Austrian bought them & was determined to make them his home. He brought in the well known physician , Robert Koch , who identified the cause to be a cetrtain type of mosquito.
The islands were very swampy :-
---- and Koch identified the swamps as the source. He brought in supplies of quinine to treat the population and more importantly imported a breed of fish which was impatial to the mosquitos and which eventually wiped them out.
Ken.
The main island has a fascinating history. Prior to the years 1900 -1902 , most people who lived or moved there died of Malaria. However the islands were so beautiful & with an ideal climate that a rich Austrian bought them & was determined to make them his home. He brought in the well known physician , Robert Koch , who identified the cause to be a cetrtain type of mosquito.
The islands were very swampy :-
---- and Koch identified the swamps as the source. He brought in supplies of quinine to treat the population and more importantly imported a breed of fish which was impatial to the mosquitos and which eventually wiped them out.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 17 Sep 2010 10:06 amMore recentlly during the communist regime , President Tito took over the islands as his home. He had a fascination with rare wild animals and whenever he went on state visits he was presented with animals from that country. He released them on his islands and eventually had an incredible collection ranging from a pair of elephants given by Indira Ghandi to Zebra from Guinea to lynx , tigers & a wide variety of deers , antelope etc.,etc..
The islands are still owned & administered by the military & hence access is restricted & controlled. We had to visit by appointment & were accompanied at all times.
Ken.
The islands are still owned & administered by the military & hence access is restricted & controlled. We had to visit by appointment & were accompanied at all times.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 17 Sep 2010 06:53 pmThe remaining two elephants from India Sony & Lanka , lived contentedly on the islad for many years but sadly Lanka died a few months ago. Sony was distraught & a special compound has had to be built to prevent him causing damage :-
Ken.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 20 Sep 2010 06:06 pmAnd now back to base in Porec :-
Porec has something for everyone , a lovely compact old town centre and a long (about 5 miles) coastline with some lovely walks :-
Ken.
Porec has something for everyone , a lovely compact old town centre and a long (about 5 miles) coastline with some lovely walks :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 21 Sep 2010 09:46 amThere`s also lots to do in Porec. I travelled for miles on a Segway -- just two wheels at either side of a small platform with a column stick attached :-
It was my first experience of one & it was fantastic. They have no controls-- no accelerator nor steering (the "handlebars" are fixed ).After a bit of practice your body becomes part of the machine & it feels as if you`re floating along a foot above ground. To accelerate you lean forward slightly and to turn you simply lean left for left and right for right. It could reach 20mph -- which is really fast when you experience it --particularly when you`re weaving in & out crowds on the promenade.
Ken.
It was my first experience of one & it was fantastic. They have no controls-- no accelerator nor steering (the "handlebars" are fixed ).After a bit of practice your body becomes part of the machine & it feels as if you`re floating along a foot above ground. To accelerate you lean forward slightly and to turn you simply lean left for left and right for right. It could reach 20mph -- which is really fast when you experience it --particularly when you`re weaving in & out crowds on the promenade.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 21 Sep 2010 10:25 amThere`s also countless water taxi`s to take you to other parts of the coast or out to the many islands. Just hop into the nearest one & you`re off within a few minutes. This one took us over to the the island of St.Nikola. :-
The fare was 10 Kuna -- just over a pound !
Ken.
The fare was 10 Kuna -- just over a pound !
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Wiccan woman » 22 Sep 2010 08:29 amIt looks a lovely place with lots to see and do I especially like the Segway thingy....bet it was fun xx
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 22 Sep 2010 05:22 pmYes, the Segway is fantastic fun --well worth a go for anyone who hasn`t tried it. And also --yes , WW , a really lovely place . Not only lots of things to do but also lots of lovely places to visit.
Just up the coast , a fifteen minute bus ride away , is the beautiful little town of Novigrad where we stayed 3 years ago & which is the home of our Croatian member , Luana. :-
I popped in to see Luana with a complimentary copy of the film "Atonement". She had seen all our entries on the forum under "Photographs" some 3 years ago but couldn`t go to see the movie as they have no cinemas.
Ken.
P.S. If you want to know more about visiting Croatia or what tours are available go to the Epoca tourist agency at :- http://www.epocatourism.com/
Just up the coast , a fifteen minute bus ride away , is the beautiful little town of Novigrad where we stayed 3 years ago & which is the home of our Croatian member , Luana. :-
I popped in to see Luana with a complimentary copy of the film "Atonement". She had seen all our entries on the forum under "Photographs" some 3 years ago but couldn`t go to see the movie as they have no cinemas.
Ken.
P.S. If you want to know more about visiting Croatia or what tours are available go to the Epoca tourist agency at :- http://www.epocatourism.com/
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Michelle » 24 Sep 2010 10:11 amBeautiful pics again Ken. Looks like a lovely place to visit.
Michelle.
Michelle.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Kristof » 24 Sep 2010 06:19 pmHaven't been on for a while and just catching up.
Cracking photos as usual Ken. Better watch out on your Segway though as the police also use them.
Cracking photos as usual Ken. Better watch out on your Segway though as the police also use them.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 26 Sep 2010 11:48 amYes. I guess they`re ideal for patrolling & chasing suspects in crowded areas.
Ken.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 26 Sep 2010 06:33 pmThere are so many places to visit in Croatia. One that shouldn`t be missed , if you`re staying in the northern part of the country (go to the Krkka one if you`re more towards the south) is Plitvice.
Here there are 13 different lakes , each one worth seeing in its own right. However the remarkable thing is that they are all at different heights and are close to each other. Its hard to imagine that just above the point I took this pic is another lake overflowing in the form of waterfalls :-
Ken.
Here there are 13 different lakes , each one worth seeing in its own right. However the remarkable thing is that they are all at different heights and are close to each other. Its hard to imagine that just above the point I took this pic is another lake overflowing in the form of waterfalls :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 27 Sep 2010 10:09 amAnd this pic I took from a ridge above :-
It shows one lake spilling into another-- this time there`s not much difference in height between the two.
However , this one shows how great the diffence in height between the lakes can be :-
That`s a huge lake at the top right hand side of the pic , overflowing into smaller lakes way down below.
Ken.
It shows one lake spilling into another-- this time there`s not much difference in height between the two.
However , this one shows how great the diffence in height between the lakes can be :-
That`s a huge lake at the top right hand side of the pic , overflowing into smaller lakes way down below.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 27 Sep 2010 05:53 pmA 20 minute bus ride down the coast from Porec is another beautiful little coastal town , Vsar :-
--- another perfect place to hire a boat for the day for £60 , as there are about half a dozen isalands within a few miles :-
Ken.
--- another perfect place to hire a boat for the day for £60 , as there are about half a dozen isalands within a few miles :-
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by WillyLad » 27 Sep 2010 07:26 pmKen wrote:There`s also lots to do in Porec. I travelled for miles on a Segway -- just two wheels at either side of a small platform with a column stick attached :-
It was my first experience of one & it was fantastic. They have no controls-- no accelerator nor steering (the "handlebars" are fixed ).After a bit of practice your body becomes part of the machine & it feels as if you`re floating along a foot above ground. To accelerate you lean forward slightly and to turn you simply lean left for left and right for right. It could reach 20mph -- which is really fast when you experience it --particularly when you`re weaving in & out crowds on the promenade.
Ken.
The guy who invented these and who owned the company that makes them , was killed on one yesterday !
Bill
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 30 Sep 2010 10:52 amAnd now back to base at Porec. This is part of the old town centre :-
Ken.
Ken.
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Re: Ken`s September postcard.
by Ken » 30 Sep 2010 04:00 pmThe walk back to most hotels round the bay is beautiful but if you`re tired you can take the little train which runs regularly along the coast or just hop into one of the many water taxis which zip you there in no time :-
And sadly its now goodnight & goodbye to Croatia once more :-
Ken.
And sadly its now goodnight & goodbye to Croatia once more :-
Ken.
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Re: CROATIA (2)
by Graham » 05 Oct 2010 12:52 amGreat pics and a great insight into the place Ken. Thanks :^)
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Re: CROATIA (2)
by Ken » 06 Oct 2010 02:51 pmCheers Graham. I always hope that these reviews prove useful to anyone thinking of visiting there.
Ken.
Ken.
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