Dalmation Coast

It has been a while since time has permitted an update to our travels, but here goes.
We left an ever cooling Britain last Wednesday and following a pleasant two and a half hour flight arrived in Dubrovnik around lunch time. It has been some time since I have been taken from aircraft to terminal by coach but that is the way they do things in Dubrovnik. The transfer to the Hotel Splendid took but half an hour and after checking in The serious business of sightseeing began with a tour of the old town, followed by free time to wander around. Dubrovnik old town is a fascinating place and deserves its billing as a top tourist destination appealing to both the eye and ones sense of history.
Interestingly we were sitting on the steps of a church eating an ice cream when  we were joined by a French couple, also eating an ice cream. M. Frenchman asked where we came from and on explaining N.Z. and then north of Wellington he said "Oh I have been to Wellington" . Somehow it seemed logical to ask
Me  "What were you doing there?"
M. "Playing rugby"
Me "Who for?"
M.  "France"
Me  "Oh when was this "
 M. " 52 year's ago"
Now I remember this tour very well as the first game was against the mighty Nelson Bays and the first training session at Waimea College where I was attending and watched with interest this touring side training and subsequently the game at Trafalgar Park. Now I was sitting next to one of the players from that game.

Dubrovnik old town from viewing point by roadside.

Dubrovnik old town.

The old boat harbour

Mrs. Currin enjoying the view

Incredibly calm seas.

We spent a day cruising the islands of Dubrovnik, they are part of the city, some of which are inhabited. This seemed to be met by universal approval.

The island ferry unloading supplies at one of the places we had stopped.

Dubrovnik islands are very nice.

Mrs Currin with some fellow travellers with whom we have become friendly

The skipper proved to be a most acceptable cook, providing a wonderful barbecue lunch of fish or kebabs for all 25 of us, no complaints heard from any of them.

We have now been in the Adriatic since last Wednesday and it is now Sunday and in that time not a cloud has sullied the sky and daytime temperature highs have been in the mid to high twenties so very happy campers.

Now if I may I shall jump forward a couple of days and relate an account of an excursion we made into neighbouring Albania. This is an interesting  country and one that few people find necessary to visit. Since the beginning of the second world war  and the times of King Zog it has been closed off to the world until the collapse of communism in 1990, no one was allowed in  or out for 50 years the borders were closed . This was relaxed in the 80s when some academics were permitted to visit some of the world's better universities so that they could then return and teach the young the ways of the world. They were not allowed to engage in any other activities when doing so and certainly not reveal conditions on the outside . One in every five people eventually became secret service agents, spying on their neighbours and some 70,000 bunkers were built as gun emplacements in case of invasion or uprising, the first seeming most unlikely the later less so.

These gun bunkers were built in all sorts of places, just in case.

All religious buildings were destroyed ( this Mosque escaped,   almost)

All private land and property was confiscated and the state built apartment blocks, all five stories high and painted black and grey, there as one state run TV station which broadcast propaganda. All in all a most miserable place to live in. Our guide told us how much better things were now but the evidence is not compelling and away from the main streets things did not look very appealing.

Paint it black and grey and this was where you lived.

In the centre of town we were left to wander around and soon found a nice lunch spot. Drinks and lunch for four set us back the princely sum of 11 euros, an ice cream tub for Mrs Currin's pudding a further 25 cents. Although Albania is still awaiting the invite to arrive in the post to join the EU they have adopted the euro as currency, wise move. 

Our lunch street was quite attractive and done out in the art deco style, all cafes very nice. The country is now predominately Muslim and the evidence can be seen all around with minarets dotting the countryside.

Our guide was telling us of finding a coke bottle as a young boy, it became his most prized possession, taking pride of place in his bedroom.

We are now in Montenegro and I would have to say it is the best of the four countries so far visited and we are staying in a genuine four star hotel, The Queen of Montenegro, very nice and great food with its own beach area on what has been voted the best beach in Europe. Arriving here by bus we went around an enormous bay, I  would  just love a boat here. We stopped at a walled town on the coast around this bay called Kotar and it was particularly attractive.

The Pillory in Kotar.

I think we could do with one of these in the square in Palmerston North. This one, dating from the 17th c. had the offender stand in front with a sign dangling from around his neck proclaiming his crime to all who passed...Shame shame.

The town in which our hotel is located also has a walled medina type old town and again it is very attractive.

 Before we travelled down to Montenegro we did a day trip to Mostar in Bosnia Hertzigovina, a pleasant day out and well worth the effort.

The most photographed site in Bosnia. (The fellow had just jumped from  the bridge not standing on a rock)

Fellow travellers, missing what is going on behind them. (Above)

This fellow doing a spot of advertising, motor did not sound good at all.

The river is quite beautiful. (Our restaurant can be seen just to the right of the Mosque)

Souvineers Bosnian style.

The Adriaric sea and most waterways are very clear and you can see the bottom to quite remarkable depths. We learned that this is caused by the hills being predominately limestone and when it rains the rain soaks straight into it and only reappears as crystal clear spring water years later.

Our tour of the Balkins ends tomorrow and we are undecided whether we would recommend it as a destination, I think that there are better places to go but this still has many sites that are well worth spending you time seeing.

An island near the Queen of Montenegro which was a village but has been brought by a hotel and converted to luxury accommodation.

Marshall Tito's Holiday Home Montenegro

6

2500 year old castle Albania  

We are back in Britain for two nights before being whisked away to Athens and another tour, it seems odd as only yesterday we were in the adjoining  country, Albania, but it seems difficult to go directly from one to the other. Albanians can still only travel for up to three months at a time and although they now enjoy what would have been unimaginable freedoms, the socialist government cannot still quite let go completely. Even from Dubrovnik there are no direct links.

Clear Adriaric waters.

Kotar Cathedral, built 802.

Minarets abound.

We have not gone on the optional tour today where one can view many different  birds in the wetlands around a large lake nearby. We felt we would have been a little out of place with no binoculars or bird watching parifinallia, and so I have had the time to do a bit of catching up o. a few things.

Just to end, we were very saddened to hear by Email this morning of the passing of Jill's mother Mary, we are so sorry Jill.

Thanks and all the best

David