Dusk in Dubrovnik

Describing Dubrovnik (Ragusa), Rebecca West wrote of the Corso, the heart of social life in towns and villages in the Balkans. For an hour or so a stream of humanity flows through the main street to see and to be seen, and to enjoy the sunset hour. And so it was for us when we visited today's Dubrovnik walking, talking, seeing.

At dusk the Alpine Swifts return to the city to roost. They darted around above us in great numbers, their white breasts reflecting the bright light from lamp posts as if illumined from within. They showered us with their unmistakable silvery trill. Swifts are the essence of birdness. They spend their day in flight, they love in flight, and they can sleep in flight.

We enjoyed our dusk promenade through history in Dubrovnik.

Lumbarda, Korcula, Croatia

We spent a few days at the Bon Repos, a European vacation destination about 10 minutes walk to walled, old Korcula town. The families there were primarily German and Croatian, with a sprinkling of English, Italian and other Eastern Europeans. For so many people, children and teenagers, the ambience was very pleasant and the noise that of people chatting and having a good time--not at all rowdy. Our apartment was very pleasant and we enjoyed seeing the families.

There was a violin camp at Bon Repos with students from all over Europe practicing, performing and attending master classes. Bars of classical violin music floated through the air through the day and evening.

We moved yesterday to Apartments Lina in Lumbarda, at the end of one of Korcula's roads. Our apartment is even nicer, some 50 yards from the Adriatic. We have a terrace with a veiw of a tiny marina and the sea. To our great disappointment the sail boards and boats we planned to sail out over the next few dazs are not for rent unless one has a package vacation with Nielsen's out of England. :-(. I have their website address, but not with me at the moment. We need to regroup for our activities over the next few days.

http://www.korculainfo.com/lumbarda.html

Dubrovnik to Korcula

Yesterday Glen and I traveled back to the island of Korcula (Kor-choo-la) where we will spend a week in an apartment at the Bon Repos. We came by large ferry, which even had a duty free shop for those going to Italy, a 200 km trip from the Dalmatian coast. We rode the boat taxi to town last night for dinner, about a five minute trip across the inlet and around a point. We can also travel by ferry to other islands for day trips. Korcula, one of Croatia's more than 1,000 islands along the Dalmatian coast, is one of the greenest islands in the Adriatic sea and has wonderful sea views. It is 279 km2 in size. This island also has numerous little beaches and bays. The town of Korcula is a medieval walled Dalmatian city, with round defensive towers and picturesque red-roofed houses. Marco Polo (1254 - 1324), the intrepid traveller and Venetian merchant, is reputed to have been born here. Every other ferry and boat seems to be named Marko Polo or Marco Polo.

This is August, the month when Europe shuts down and the whole population must be on vacation. The people are demented about sun and beaches. Any tiny level spot on the sea, even covered in rocks or pebbles qualifies as a 'beach' and people in every imaginable state of undress tightly pack in bodies of myriad sizes and shapes, haunch to haunch, to toast and fry in very hot weather and bright sun. People watching in towns and on beaches is as interesting as bird watching--almost. And yesterday we certainly saw some bronzed god and goddess physiques displaying as they ambled through town.

I may have now have the opportunity to post more than just itinerary information, and perhaps include some interesting photographs.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is set on a rocky peninsula jutting into the Adriatic Sea. We toured the Old Medieval City and attended a folkloric performance at the Sponza Palace. All commerce between infidels and the Ottoman Empire had to be conducted through Dubrovnik for centuries so it became a rich and important center of commerce.

Bar to Skadarsko Lake National Park

We will drive from the port of Bar, Montenegro, to Skadarsko Lake National Park, where the largest lake in the Balkans is the greatest bird refuge in Europe. We will explore open marshes, reed beds and willow forests. We will look for the rare Dalmatian Pelican, and may also see such birds as the Pygmy Cormorant; Bitterns; Gray, Purple and Squacco Herons; the Ferruginous Pochard and the Eurasian Hobby. We will sail to Sveti Stefan for an afternoon swim stop, and arrive in Dubrovnik late in the evening.

Kotor, Montenegro - Cruising to Herceg-Novi & Bar

We walked through medieval Kotor, car-free UNESCO World Heritage Site that is situated in an inlet cradled by soaring mountains, like fjords. Then we will view art works in the Savina Monastery in the town of Herceg-Novi. We will arrive in Bar this evening.

Korcula City & Mljet National Park

We will walk the medieval walled city of Korcula, which was controlled by the Venetians for 800 years. Then we will explore Mljet National Park where untouched Mediterranean forests and placid saltwater lakes surround two quiet villages. We can expect a fine array of waterbirds.