Plitvice Lakes (And Waterfalls), 1

The Plitvice Lakes [and waterfalls] National Park is another of the region's many World Heritage Sites. Someday I hope to count up all the Unesco sites we have visited in these ten years...must be a couple hundred. Anyhow, the Plitvice Lakes, in Croatia, are sixteen lakes in the mountainous karst country, arranged in a sort of miles-long cascade, the falls often stunning, the colors of the waters, because of the limestone and the travertine--which forms dams and makes the waterfalls--breathtaking. The Croatian national park system has constructed a trail whereby you can walk some 9 km of the lakes and waterfalls (including a boat ride along the longest lake). We've seen some of the world's great waterfalls. Nothing could surpass Iguazu Falls in Argentina. But Plitvice is a solid second, affording a continuously impressive day hike, with comforts and amenities never too far apart.

We spent the preceding night still in Bosnia-Hertzegovina, at a campground by the
Hotel Ada, itself on a beautiful river setting

Sadly, there was much fighting in this area, the original hotel destroyed, the
new one making a struggle to come back; a beautiful setting

Now in Croatia, approaching Plitvice, a first glimpse of one of the falls

Helpful map, showing the lakes, the falls, the trail...

Alas, over much of the wetlands areas, the trail consisted of these rough planks;
not as bad as it looks, but not good for people with balance and knee issues

A calcifying tree...contributing to the travertine build-up

We found the trails well marked and easy to follow; you can
do the main trail either up or down...top to bottom is best,
saving the most dramatic sets of falls until last

In the upland areas, more conventional trails

Everything labeled...

More falls, another lake

Slippery when wet

A pretty incredible place...here at a midway point

Cilipi Folk Dancing

Vicki is the folk dancing fan among us, but I have learned, after 25 years or so (starting with Ballet Folklorico in Mexico City), that it's always a good bet, for edification and entertainment, even if you're as inept a dancer as I am. After our time in Dubrovnik, we set forth for Kotor, in Montenegro, stopping along the way for the Sunday morning folk music and dancing at the village of Cilipi.

Not sure what this is about, but it is really old

The church and tower; inside they were having communion

Including first communion for all these kids

Anyhow, in the big square in front of the church, the music begins, after a
welcome by the mistress (Ms?) of ceremonies

I think this may have been the hankie dance

After the adults dance a bit, the kids come on for a few sets

The audience--six tour buses of mostly Germans ("ja, ja, ja") and Nederlanders
("nay, nay nay"), plus a variety of Indies and lots of Croatians--are loving it

Waiting in the wings

For her role, escorting the wedding couple in their promenade, throwing
candies to the throng; alas, they were hard candies, and this one hit Vicki's
phone just as she was video-ing the proceeding; but no harm done

Drinking the wedding toast

He later becomes the caller in what I swear was square-dancing

To the tune of this guy playing the lijerica, I think

Open dancing ends the show

Before leaving we take in the local museum; also the "welcome drink," a jigger
of a local sweet fortified wine

Large paintings upstairs

A museum of mostly textiles and Croatian embroidery

Mostly because the local embroidery teacher and collector donated her large
collection to the museum

Munch, munch, munch....couldn't believe how noisy these critters are...

Dubrovnik: Cultural Attractions

So on the wall walk and also after it, wandering the little alleys, we visited a number of cultural sites...

In the marine museum

A Mediterranean galley...note submerged ramming prow; these were in use for
centuries

Marine archaeology

Traditional folk street music

Marzipan

Interesting squares, buildings, what have you...

At length, we hiked up to a wonderful air conditioned restaurant named Kopan
(a fattened castrati rooster) and enjoyed a great, light, cool meal; my marinated fish

Mediterranean salad we shared

Her chicken salad

From there we did the ethnographic museum, which is housed in the old granary

And then (see, it really is a Crown of Thorns)

Then I did part of the Walk of Shame (clothed) (high point of the visit)

As Vicki shouted "Shame! Shame!"

"You know nothing, Jon Snow!" (One of the recent Star Wars was filmed here
too)

We did a bit more walking in the alleys, including an interesting antik shoppe

But then our visit to Dubrovnik was over

And we returned to the campground, where, that evening, in the company of
many Croats and others, I watched the Croatian team smother Argentina, led
by the incomparable Lionel Messi, 3-0; a rout, in futbol terms, with highly
regarded Argentina very nearly eliminated from the World Cup

We spent two more days at the campground planning future travels and making
arrangements and also blogging and such; beautiful area; Dubrovnik not so
impressive, I thought; Vicki loved it, however