crossing borders brings new views

Once in Croatia, to be precise in Dalmatia, everybody runs for the coast, the beaches and the old cities like Split, Trogir and Dubrovnic.

Not even such a bad idea, as the Adriatic is fantastic, the climate superb and very much to do or not to do staying along the coastal area.

But it would be no less than a missed chance, as just behind the coastal mountains lies a completely different world, much more authentic than any regular excursion can show you.
Nevertheless its highly recommended to take a trip, even its to those wellknown places where all excursions go.
Be sure you'll have a great day visiting Solin, Sinj or Knin, but it might be crowded with groups like yours.

Now lets have a look over the border, as that brings you a totally new view, for instance in Bosnia-Herzegovina.








Kravice waterfalls direction Mostar are just an exmaple.

My last trip from Dalmatia into Bosnia Herzegovina took me to Travnik, highly interesting as it is, however you will see memories of the liberationwar.

What realy hit me however was the totally different landscape, almost (or exactly) like Switserland or Austria.
Green valleys, snowtopped mountains, smaller and bigger rivers where man were fishing trout, and sheep alover the country, filling up for rostil (grill).

I was passing through near Blidinje, a stunning landscape with a completely different climate,with a giant lake surrouded by high mountainpeaks, to my delight snowheaded in may (and ski area in winter), and I decided to go back there as its less than a hundred kilometers away from Omis at the coast.

What's more, I started to check the internet in advance, and discovered a real mountain tourguide, perfectly equiped with knowledge and experience, and that will be my man to learn from, cause BIH (bosnia & herzegovina) might not be the type of mountains to go in to without any experience or local knowledge.

So Friket, don't be surprised if I ask you to be my guide in that marvelous country, and I truly hope you show many people like me what a Godgiven beautyfull country your living in as our neighbour.

And in case your like me, do enjoy the Croatian coast, but don't forget to visit the neighbours, as than you'll have two countries in one holiday, and believe me for once: YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

Have a look for yourselve, just click on the title of this item (see above, you dummy)

one step out of paradise

However I love to share my love for the pure and unspoiled nature in Croatia in this weblog, this time a serious message must be shared about how people destroy paradises all over the world.

A great benefit of the twentyfirst century is what you're looking at now, the internet.

It connects people in their dreams, knowledge, fun and life.
Also it makes it possible to think over issues that hopefully are far away from each of our paradises, if we are the lucky ones.
Sad enough, we are not living in paradise, never were and never will.

From ancient history into today (and tomorrow) there were and will be conflicts, trouble and wars, and whatever responsible politicians and military say, there is no such as a clean war or clean weapons.

My own country Nederland only last century was part on worldwar one and two, in which WW2 did not only bring us the freedom I experience today writing this item, but also a load of danger hidden in the ground, silently waiting to kill or wound the innocent.

And sad enough, this goes for so many countries in and after conflicts and wars, also for Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, around and very close to my "hidden treasure".
Luckily the problem of mines and uxo's in Croatia is less enormous and rapidly taken care off, which does not go for Bosnia Herzegovina, less wealthy and far more poluted with "memories" of the freedomwar.

It will take giant amounts of money however for both countries and many years of dangerous labour, and many innocent casualties till the last peace of danger has been taken away.

Being intelligent people living in the twentyfirst century, creators of internet and many lifesaving and scientific inventions, it's about time to say NO to these other creations of human creativity.

Mines, clusterbombs and uxo's are INHUMANE, as they make victims AFTER the war.
Hidden in the ground, between plants and trees, in agricultural land and in God given paradise they wait for the innocent, unvisible, unfindable, unforgiving.

So if you want to live in paradise, or at least spend your happy holidays in it, contact your politicians and TELL them to stop this poluting of your dreams.

DO IT, DO SOMETHING, DO IT NOW, AS EVEN YOUR FUTURE PARADISE WILL BE GONE ONE DAY.

Cause wherever you travel, this DIRT is everywhere in our world, making your happy steps into paradise turn out to be a oneway ticket to hell !!!

Beautifull traditional songs (click here and listen/look)

Don't ask me what the lyrics are about yet, as my Croatian is just enough to shop or order a beer.
But I hope some moment I'll find out how this "impossible" language works.

Till then you'll have to just enjoy the sound of these rough voices, and at the same time enjoy the pictures shown of a land that's full of pure nature.
When you click on the title above "Beautifull traditional songs" you hear and see this song on Youtube.

For those interested in it, here are the lyrics of the song:

Oj medvjede gorska zivotinjo
Koj te ceslja koj li te umiva.
Mene ceslja gora bukovica
A umiva medena rosica oooooj
Oj, oj, oj, k njoj

Vuk ne vije sto je mesa gladan
Vec on vije da drustvo salije
Hojte vamo da ga zarozgamo
Odavno ga zarozgali nismo ooooooj
Oj, oj, oj, k njoj

Oj vuci viju, gavranovi grcu
Srne drce, sve planine jece
Hodi kume da ga zarozgamao
Odavno ga zarozgali nismo oooooj
Oj, oj, oj, k njoj

Oj zalajala kuja vise Slunja
U Primorju opazila vuka
Od stra`a kuja u Dunav skocila
Sve Primorje repom poskropila oooooj
Oj, oj, oj, k njoj

And YES, there are still bears, wolves and lynx here, in the National- and Natureparks and in many other part of the rough inland mountains and forests.
And not only those predators, as Croatian nature is amazing in its diversity.
For those loving true nature like me, its an amazing and inspiring country, where government takes pride and efford in protecting all natural beauty.
Coastal mountains, hot, windy and rocky, large forests, snow covered inland mountains, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, caves and wells, prairies, slopes and valleys, you name it, they've got it.

A rich range of birds, more plants, herbs and flowers than you'll probably know, butterflies, crickets, and a range of reptiles (dangerous ones also, mind you), and even turtles can be found and enjoyed in their natural habitat.

Still, if you prefer to enjoy a beach holiday, want to explore ancient cities like Split and Dubrovnic or like to spend your time doing nothing at all in a guaranteed sunny climate under palmtrees or sail the coastal waters between hundreds of islands, just remember, Croatia has it all !!!

For me however, this marvelous country is the very best because of its natural richness.

why, where and how (take a tour to know)

The reason I create this weblog is in the first place to enjoy this part of Croatia.
For you as a visitor as well as for me, as selecting pictures and adding text is great fun for me to.

Also I like to show a bit of all the beauty of this pure country at the Adriatic, not in the first place for showing all the hundreds of points of interest every tourist is coming for from all over the world.

Sure, Split, Dubrovnic, Trogir and many more cities are absolutely worth the trip, and you will spend many hours if not days visiting them.

And YES, the Adriatic Sea, its coastal beauty, the hundreds of islands, the warm clear blue water, and not to forget the superfresh fish to be enjoyed in so many little restaurants are a delight waiting for you.

But please do take time to discover the land behind the coastal mountains, for instance our little valley just ten minutes behind the coast.

To give you an idea of why, where and how we fell in love with this part of Croatia, take a look at "our private parts" in our webalbum about how we discovered our small place Svinisce to be an absolute paradise to spend our time.

From the very first moment on, it was clear to me that I wanted to get settled there, at least semi permanent, if not permanent, as the quality and ritm of life there are the very best.

Do click on the next line, and enjoy the pictures (subtext in Dutch).
http://picasaweb.google.nl/pimdevos/CroatiaDalmatiaSplitOmisSvinisceEnDanNaarOnsEigenPlekje?authkey=iJN2fvwiVrw

Hope to see you there once.