Rhodes

Monday 20th
Yasou - Hello
The island of Rhodes is at the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, and Africa which has given the city and the island many different identities, cultures, architectures, and languages over its long history. Rhodes is the largest of the remote Dodeconese Islands in the southeastern Aegean. Another in the group is Kos which has featured often in the news lately as a step in the escape route for Syrian refugees moving from Turkey through to Europe. Another in the group is Kalymnos which is the original home of most of the Greek community in Darwin. In fact we are much closer to the Turkish border than we are to the Greek mainland. Rhodes was home to the Colossus, one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World. It was a massive 33m tall bronze statue of Helios, the God of the sun, said to have been big enough for high masted ships to sail between its legs as they entered the harbour. Built in 292 BC, it fell in an earthquake about 70 yrs later. It lay in ruins for about 1000 yrs until the invading Arabs sold it off to a Syrian Jew who transported it away on the backs of camels. The fortified old town of Rhodes still has the remains of Byzantine archways but has also been occupied by the Ottomans, Italians and medieval Knights over the centuries. The islands were formally returned to Greece in 1947 after WWII. Like all the other islands we have seen in the Aegean, Rhodes is very rocky terrain but has lots of beaches and wooded valleys. The airport is quite close to the old town of Rhodes on the northern tip but our villa is at Pefkos, near Lindos, midway down the east coast, where most of the sandy beaches are. 

As Eric drove the VW Caddy, packed to the limit with 5 passengers and all the luggage and supplies we'd picked up in the township of Rhodes, we passed by villages hugging the coast with houses looking like sugar cubes fitted snugly together as they spill down to the turquoise waters. Its rather ironic is it not, that they asked Eric to drive; the one who has not owned a car and rarely driven for nearly 5 years. We were all looking forward to a swim. We found our Exclusive Blue Dream Villa with little trouble and everyone agreed it looks like we will be quite comfortable here for the next week overlooking the Mediterranean. So nice to unpack and stay put for a week. After sorting out the groceries into fridge and cupboards it was straight into the pool for a dip and a welcome drink. Then Eric got to work in the kitchen, happily wearing the Chef's hat the travel buddies had bought for him. Unfortunately I started feeling very off-colour, like I was carsick but I wasn't, so just crashed into bed. Apparently dinner was lovely considering he was unfamiliar with the oven and cooktop. The full moon looked spectacular as it crested the rise to the east. 

Tuesday 21st June
Ephkaristo - Thank You

A sleep-in for some, we caught up on washing, reading and connecting up with friends and family on the other side of the world. We also had lots of reconnecting to do here with old friends and a few new ones. Sandy we first met when we were still in Katherine, her friend Trish was a mum on School of the Air when Sandy was the teacher for Baines cluster well before our days there. We first met Trish through Sandy and her station connections. Helen Taylor we've known of through NTSchool Sport as she has managed it for many years and Annie is a new friend of ours now, who was living in Broken Hill when Sandy taught there many years ago. She is now living in Port Macquarie. It was a busy day, not to mention planning the days ahead on Rhodes. We did not venture much further than the pool - well why would you? The temperature only dips to 24 at night and reaches about 36 during the day. The sky is dazzlingly blue and the sun blazes off the concrete surfaces. It is either the pool or inside with the air-con on and shutters closed. 

And then in the evening we went to Georges Restaurant in town. We took the car with Annie behind the wheel but really we could have walked. Our waiter was Lucas and he was very good, so was the food. Sandy was beaten by the meat platter, both Eric and I had lamb seasoned with herbs.

Wednesday 22nd
Parakalo - Please/You are welcome

Without rushing unduly in the morning, 

we took a drive down the east coast. Eric

was at the wheel again with plenty of advisors in the back seat. We fuelled up at Lardos then continued on to Prasonisi, only taking one wrong turn along the way but that brought us to the quaint little township of Apolakia on the west coast where we stopped for coffee and a relaxed chat with some locals and others on their way south. Last Saturday morning a large wild-fire began near here and the village had to be evacuated as firefighters battled to tame the blaze in the scorching heat and strong winds. You could still smell smoldering stumps of the cyprus. 

At the bottom of the island the Mediterranean to our right, meets the Aegean on the left, separated only by a sand spit across which the winds whip as it reaches to the most southern tip. 

We were stunned to see how many people were gathered here as the roads had been relatively quiet. On both sides of this sandbar there were people enjoying either wind surfing of kite surfing in the stiff breeze, their colourful gear creating a very festive feel to the place. Prasonisi hosts championships in these sports at different times of the year. We enjoyed lunch in the Lighthouse Restaurant there, overlooking all the activity. Then we headed home, adding a site seeing circuit through Kattavia. 

We also paid a visit to Mohitos Beach Bar as their sign on the roadside was so quirky. What we found was a really interesting bar that stretched down to the water's edge with a very bohemian feel created by colourful paintwork, use of driftwood and palm fronds for shade structures and funky music.  We dipped our toes in the water at the pebbled shore but decided to head home to our pool after a quick supermarket shop at Lardos. We'll eat that watermelon we bought at the roadside store over the next few days and fit in a beach swim tomorrow.

After that swim back at home we were all searching for a cool spot in the shade of umbrellas or in the air conditioning. Eric cooked up a bbq at home for dinner which was delicious but we were soon attacked by a swarm of wasps after the meat so we had to escape indoors. 

Then we awaited the arrival of the last of the Australian contingent. We filled in some of the time with a game of 5 sec rule. Much to Sandy's chagrin and with a lot of laughter, the game was won by Annie. Tina and jenny arrived around about midnight; Tina and I both worked for Sandy at one point, although at the time she was in Alice Springs. She is with her friend Jenny who still works there although Tina has now been in Darwin for some time. 

Thursday 23rd

Signomi - sorry

After breakfast Eric and I took a walk into town. We bumped into Annie, Helen and Trish who had left earlier and were already at Harmony Bar enjoying a coffee and bruschetta while waiting for the shops to open. We were soon talked into joining them as it was already so hot. We moved off down the main street and separated when they went shopping and we headed to the pebble-strewn, umbrella aligned Lee Beach. I had a quick swim but was rather alarmed to see an orange single engine plane approaching as if it was about to land in the water, but without skids. No need to worry, there was a tiny landing strip just beyond the beach. 

Then it was time to walk back uphill and home to Blue Dream Villas and a more relaxing swim in our pool. We had discussed getting to Lindos in the afternoon but it was just too hot so we swam and went online, updating blogs or investigating ferry trips to Turkey. That ferry trips just turned out to be too difficult so we gave it a miss this time. In the evening we went across the road to Corelli's Restaurant for dinner, a family run business that make everyone very welcome.The food was excellent and the portions ample. I ate too much but just couldn't stop as it was delicious and immediately took myself off to bed afterwards. Not only did they give us a discount as we were staying in the Blue Dream Villas, but they also gave us some very valuable advice when they recommended we visit Lindos in the morning to avoid the heat and crowds. 

Friday 24th

Ton logariasmo parakalo - The bill please?

Today is the last day of the school term in the NT so we left Sandy at home, to finish off work online, while we took a drive to Lindos. The town itself, full of cubic homes lining a labyrinth of walkways, is nestled on a bay. Above it, at the peak of the cliff, is the medieval Acropolis with some ancient buildings and monuments inside of the Byzantine period and the period of the Knights. Wending our way through the town in the early morning all the shops were closed and we had the place almost to ourselves except for the donkey owners who were bringing their trusty steeds into the stall where they await customers to take them to the top and back for 5 Euro. I had been stealing myself for the climb, hoping my knee would cope. And it did, though I had to be very careful on the uneven rocky sections where the stones were slippery from the thousands of people who have traipsed up and down the climb. 

Through an ancient old gate you enter the magnificent acropolis where you can see more recent buildings like the Castle of the Knights of St John and the Greek Orthodox Church of St John. On the second level are the remains of the 300 BC Temple of Athena Lindia, which was built on the site of an earlier temple. 

From up there we enjoyed sweeping views out to sea and bird's eye views of the township sprawling down the hillside below. Crowds were beginning to arrive so we made our way back down into town where I immediately got lost in the maze of alleyways, all bustling with shop keepers and tourists. I wondered if this was a deliberate ploy by the original inhabitants so even marauding pirates would be bamboozled. The whitewashed streets we had wandered through earlier had been transformed into a blaze of colour, especially Grecian blue.

Some of us did some window shopping while Eric went back to collect Sandy and then we all had lunch together at a taverna. We then drove down to the sandy beach we had seen from above to swim. The water was shallow for a long way out so we just wallowed in it, but it was much too hot to stay long. The reflection off the surface burnt our faces despite hats and the sand burnt our feet. We had cool drinks and a snack in the cafe who had provided us with free parking then came home for a more refreshing swim in our pool. 

In the evening we caught taxis back to Lindos and, after a spot more window shopping, ate on the rooftop terrace at Byzantino. It was a lovely setting with the acropolis as a backdrop. At night they use footlights so you can sit back and enjoy the view.

Saturday 25th June

Yammas - Cheers 

We drove back to Apalonika for lunch at the Amalia Tavern again, the same place we had coffee when we were lost on Saturday. Then we drove inland to the wine growing region. While the vines are still planted in rows like in Australia, here they are not trained onto trellises but just grow freely on the hillsides. They are developing fruit at the moment, harvest here is in August. 

Eric navigated the car along the winding roads through the very quaint township of Siana and then stopped at Epona where we found an outlet for local wines. He also had local olive oil, honey and skin care products. 

After a little wine tasting and some purchases we drove the short distance on to Emery Wines, the oldest vineyard on Rhodes for further tasting and purchasing. We welcomed the coolness of the underground cellar, especially as I was feeling a little motion sick and I don't think I was the only one either. On the homeward leg we stopped off for the last of the groceries then made a beeline for our pool. A very hot afternoon again. 

No one felt like going out for dinner or cooking so. We decided on takeaways from Corelli's, across the road. Annie and I went down early and placed the order, we were all pretty familiar now with what you find on a traditional Greek menu. Eric and Jenny joined us later to help carry it all home. We had enough money in the collected kitty to purchase a slab of cheesecake to surprise Sandy with a birthday treat to share and a new bat tennis game to play. Meanwhile, Helen had gone to a lot of trouble to set the table beautifully with cloth and flower arrangements. We all enjoyed a lovely dinner then a game or two of Mahjong.

Sunday 26th June

Kali nita - goodnight

We awoke to another beautiful clear sky, as they always seem to be but for the first time Eric discovered a cloud in the sky just before midday. A light breeze was blowing onshore so it wasn't as hot as it had been but still good to have water options at hand. Some enjoyed a trip down to Lee Beach while others made the most of our pool. We ate last night's left overs for lunch then one car load went to Rhodes Old Town. We had been advised to miss the midday heat  and visit very early or in the late afternoon.

Eric parked near an entrance to the famous Medieval City of Rhodes, recognised by UNESCO as a monument of world cultural heritage. We made a plan to meet at a designated time then walked along what was once the moat, surrounded by gigantic walls then through a tunnel and onto the paved alleyways of the central court. 

Like the fortifications at Lindos, this city has been ruled by many different cultures, each building on the ruins of the one before or transforming what remained. The last was WWII when British bombs fell on German occupied Rhodes. 

With no particular plan we meandered under gateways and arched colonnades, by an impressive mosque, through squares with fountains and concealed courtyards, through the street of the Knights of St. John to the impressive Palace of the Grand Master. There were too many steps there for my knee, so instead we browsed around the small shops selling everything from handmade jewellery, leather and ceramics to wooden toys, and casual clothing. 

We found an exit near Mandraki Harbour with some very impressive buildings built by the Italians and three windmills by the marina. Then we found the taverna where we had planned to meet up and had a drink. 

We were keen to see the site of the Colossus but the waitress explained that the true location is in dispute as the harbour entrance, where it stood, has changed over the centuries. Annie suggested that we drive a short distance south to Kallithea for dinner. It was apparent that this is one of the places the locals tie up their tiny fishing boats or come for a swim. It has some little coves with umbrellas and sun beds for hire. We ate fresh seafood at the restaurant where the owner seemed to know all of the other customers and we were quite the oddity. The we headed for home, following the coast road until rejoining the main road to Pefkos. Along that coast we found ourselves on the Vegas Strip, surrounded by casinos, American burger outlets, strip clubs and even a carnival. So removed from the medieval town we had walked earlier. 

Monday 27th June
Antio - goodbye
Our last day in Rhodes. A number of us drove in to Lardos for a Fish Spa in the morning, dropping Tina and Jenny at the travel agent for their boat trip to Rhodes and onward journey at Ialysos where Jenny has a relative staying. The girl operating the spa business only had the 4 of us as customers and was very interesting to talk to. The fish are imported from Thailand where they live in the hot springs. She mentioned how the weather has been out of kilter; no rain last winter and the temperatures never plummeting to the usual lows. Then we collected Eric and drove down to Lee Beach Bar and Bistro for lunch where we shared a bunch of delicious tapas.

On returning home the two of us had a swim then began to pack. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and are so thankful to Sandy for postponing her birthday celebrations so that we could be included. She is certainly a special person to us. We've also enjoyed the company of everyone else who was able to join her this week. My knee could have been in better shape mind you. Sandy and Trish then drove us to Rhodes where we sat and enjoyed a drink at a cafe while they had a quick look around the old town.

We were driven to the airport where we bid them an emotional farewell and made our way to the departure gate.It was just a 40 min flight to Athens and we were in plenty of time to check in for the next leg. The staff at Qatar were very concerned about my limp and asked if they could help. I jokingly asked for a wheelchair and they agreed immediately. Why didn't I think quicker and ask for an upgrade? As it was I declined their offer but they did put us in seats with extra leg room and when we landed in Doha I was escorted off the plane to the left, not following the other passengers to the right. I found myself on a hydraulic lift that meant I avoided the steps down to the tarmac. I was then seated in a wheelchair and taken by private bus to the terminal where I joined Eric. We were then transferred to a buggy and whisked through to the next departure lounge. Fortunately our last leg to Singapore was not full so we were able to sit with 3 seats between us and even both managed to lie down across three seats for a sleep for some of it.
So we have arrived home in pretty good shape all things considered: unexpected owners of a car and I have a job in Darwin on our return home. I might have omitted to tell you about that in all the excitement. Sandy has offered me the position of manager at the Alawa School Farm. I will be helping the students raise poddy calves, collect eggs, feed the goats and maintain the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden. It is a casual job, 3 days a week for 5 hrs each. Perfect, I can't wait! When she first mentioned it I thought she was kidding, but it is for real. You can read more about it here. She has a job for Eric too as the coordinator of the kitchen project but he is not interested in being tied down as much as that would require. Maybe there can be some negotiation over the next few months.
Right now though we are looking forward to the arrival of James, Nichola and their children. James is my nephew, eldest son of my brother Colin and they live in Redhill, a suburb of Brisbane so we haven't seen a lot of them in recent years. It will be a bit of a tight squeeze here but I am sure we can all manage for a few days. I have been asking my students what we should do together and they have given us lots of ideas.

Croatia

We had a very relaxing day on the Monday 13th, tying up loose ends and writing emails. Eric had to go to Kovan to drop off some documents at the branch and he changed some money into Euros for Greece but found he was unable to get Croatian Kuna. June came over in the afternoon and he shared many Ebooks with her as she has followed his lead and bought herself a Kindle to read on the train as she travels through China on the Silk Road. 
The plane left on time but it was a 2:30am departure so a long day. Qatar Airlines provided very good service though and I watched The Race about Jessie Owens and the controversy of the 36 Olympics. Then a documentary about Tim Minchin who wrote the score and lyrics for Matilda.  As we taxied towards the Doha airport they mentioned that you are forbidden to eat or drink during daylight hours, this being the holy month of Ramadan. Fortunately we discovered this didn't apply to non-Muslims as we both felt like a good coffee while on the ground. 
Luke had arranged terrific transfer times between each flight for us and it wasn't long before we were heading to Zagreb. On route I watched "The Lady in the Van" which I really enjoyed with Maggie Smith,, then another doco about the success of Freddie Mercury and Queen then Hail Caesar, a Cohen Bros movie that left me cold. Flying over Croatia the landscape looked green and fertile with lots of forest interspersed with agriculture and terracotta tiled rooves. On arrival we could see another big new terminal under construction but we moved through immigration very quickly. One final leg to go. It is about 1pm local time but that is 6 hrs earlier than Sg so truly for us it is about 7pm. I somehow ate 2 breakfasts today but haven't had a lunch so I am sure to enjoy an early dinner somewhere on the foreshore of the Dalmatian Coast overlooking the Adriatic Ocean in Zadar this evening. 

Croatia has an interesting history. If I have got this right, its history dates back the Greeks in the 3rd and 4th centuries, then the Romans to about the end of the 7th. It was autonomous until the Venetians ruled in the 15th century. After the fall of Venetian rule in the 18th century areas were ruled by the Austrians, and briefly by the French, before becoming part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes that was formed in 1918. 
During WWII it was occupied first by the Italians and then by Germany. After World War II, it was part of Yugoslavia and finally in 1944 it was liberated again when the first people’s government of Croatia was formed. In 1991 if faced further conflict in The Croatian War of Independence which was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the government of Croatia which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) — a conglomeration of eight federated entities, roughly divided along ethnic lines, including six republics—Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia—and two autonomous provinces within Serbia, Vojvodina and Kosovo.

When we got to Zadar there was a collective sigh of relief but it was only short lived. My luggage didn't turn up. At times like this you just have to be thankful for all the times that it has turned up as expected previously. So we went through the reporting procedure, dealing with people who gave us the impression that this happens all too often as they were rather non-plussed about the whole thing. Nothing more we could do there, but then we had to catch a taxi into town as the shuttle bus left while I was figuring out the best way to contact me in the next 5 days. Things were going downhill as they usually do when you get overtired. Never mind, it could be worse, and we found our hostel located right beside the old Roman Forum in the centre of the old town, a positive counter balance. 

We had to walk to the hostel from the Sea Gate because cars are not permitted in the narrow lanes of the old town, just delivery vans. There's a good thing, I don't have to drag my bag over cobblestones pavement. Of all times to book a hostel though.  It is a great location, very clean and modern but no chance of finding a complimentary toothbrush or shampoo here.  There are also no department stores in the old area; just many bars, restaurants and tourist trinket stores. No chance to buy fresh underwear or proper walking shoes for the walk around Plitvice Lakes tomorrow. Rubber thongs, no knee brace and 2-day used clothes will have to suffice if my bag doesn't turn up overnight. We have to walk the lake tomorrow, it is the main reason for coming here to Zadar, but we only have the one day to schedule it. 

We went for a wander in the afternoon, first stop a bar next door, it's tables edging the forum for a beer and a wine to put a brighter spin on things. Most of the bars have huge flat screen TVs in place broadcasting the UEFA Cup. Croatia beat Turkey on Monday and face the Czech Republic on Fri. Huge gulls swooped through the skies overhead and called in their distinctive voices. It is not something unfamiliar to us, but having not heard them at all in Singapore, it is distinctive today. The sky is overcast but it is bright and pleasantly warm with a light, salty breeze off the Adriatic which we can see through the trees. Groups of tourists arrive and depart on guided tours of the old Roman ruins like armies of ants, all on pretty much the same trails. Feeling refreshed we also took a wanderP around.  Most of the ruins that remain intact tend to be the churches but there are many other monuments, facades and pillars. Apparently the Roman landmarks were a lot more intact before WWII but some British planes had to offload their bombs before returning to base, so they dropped them on occupied Zadar and destroyed quite a significant section. Not sure if that if factual or not. We made our way through to the waterfront and wandered along it, the offshore islands appear to be only a stone's throw away, then back through the quirky laneways to a restaurant near home we had noticed earlier where we could sit within a walled garden. The stones radiated the heat they had absorbed from the sun during the day and protected us from the breeze that was by then becoming chilly. Our shared platter of freshly caught grilled fish and vegetables was fabulous and Eric has found the local beers very good and I could say the same about the wines. They are also very reasonably priced too. 

Luke sent through an email to ask if we would be interested in buying a car from one of his English church friends who is returning home and has a Mazda 3 for sale. We decided to make an offer before turning in. It was to be an early night as we were both weary and headed for bed even though it is still daylight. 

Wednesday 15th
Hello - Zdravo 
We were awake  at 5:20am, it is already broad daylight though quiet. We are taking some time to adjust to the European summer hours. I'm beginning to feel like Maggie Smith's character in these clothes. No good news at reception so after a big breakfast buffet we wandered out of the old town and across the foot bridge to meet the bus taking us to Plitvice Lakes. Luckily a chemist was open early so I was able to buy a knee brace and anti inflammatories. We found ourselves in a minivan with 8 other travellers, a driver and our guide Irina. On the way we crossed what appeared to be a mountain range but Irina explained it was all one mountain, 148 kms long. It separates the Dalmatian Coast from the inland zone where temperatures are cooler and rain more frequent. In fact many of the park trails have been closed until yesterday when they opened for the first time for the season. She warned us though that we should be prepared for inclement weather. Hmm, I'm sure thongs and cotton shirt will be fine. We travelled through a number of tunnels as we crossed the mountain, one of them 5 kms long. We stopped for breakfast (yes two breakfasts again) after about an hour. Along the road through the countryside, and at this particular restaurant, we have been seeing huge wood-fired ovens where they cook whole sheep (or pig out in this region) on a spit ‘Janjetina s raznja’ is – a whole lamb, heavily salted before cooking.  Everybody’s favourite, it is traditionally a special festive food, not eaten everyday which is obvious, given the scale of the roasting project! This dish is not cheap but it’s worth it, we're told. It looks fabulous and is a local specialty but not on our breakfast menu today, it will be ready to serve at lunch.

 
Half and hour later we arrived at the park and were blessed with glorious sunshine all day but with trees providing shade at regular intervals. The Plitvice Lakes National Park was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1979. The beauty of the National Park lies in its sixteen crystalline lakes, inter-connected by a series of waterfalls and cascades that cover a distance of eight kilometres. The waters flowing over the limestone and chalk have, over thousands of years, deposited calcium carbonate dams, even as they're eroded by the flow of water. In turn this has created the series of beautiful lakes, caves and waterfalls. These geological processes continue today and they are ever-changing. 18 kms of wooden footbridges and pathways snake around the edges and under and across the rumbling water. We walked through the forest to the shore of Kozjak, the park's largest lake (about 4km in length). A small boat ride took us across to the opposite shore and from there we explored a number of the lakes in the upper system. Then we returned to the boat ramp and  enjoyed a rest as we traversed the 4kms down Koziak from where we explored the lower lakes. The circuit finished at the bottom of Veliki Slap , the tallest waterfall in Croatia at 78m. The path then climbed steeply to an exit, where our minivan was waiting. The water was amazingly clear, I was reminded of Blue Lake in Mt Gambier in SA. But this lake system goes on and on. In the sunshine the colour reflected off the water varies from blue to aquamarine and in its depths you often see schools of trout swimming through the remains of fallen trees. It was startling to discover that this peaceful location was where, in 1991, the first shots of Croatia's war with Yugoslavia were fired. The Serbs occupied Plitvice and the surrounding region until 1995 and most of the locals were evacuated and lived near the coastline. Our tour was great, about 8 kms of walking in 3.5 hrs and there was nothing we would change, small group, everyone fit enough and mindful not to lag behind. We met and chatted with a few others, one chap Jamie from Melbourne and another Steve from New York. The others were all much younger but good company. We also saw Mallard, Eurasian Robin, black-headed gulls, Sand Martin and a black and white bird yet to be identified.

 
 

On the way home we stopped off at the same spot as breakfast for lunch at 3:30pm then made it home by 5:30. Once again we weren't offered the lamb on our tour group budget. There was no news of my bag on return but a phone call confirmed its imminent delivery. We didn't wait around for it though, we bought a car today so time for a beer to celebrate. One for the beautiful day we were lucky to have, one for the return of my lost luggage and one for the Mazda. While we downed those we watched a girl arrive at the forum and transform herself into a human statue of an angel. We went back to our digs and there was my suitcase. Yippee. Eric dragged it upstairs and we went back out to look for dinner. The recommendation was Bruschetta and we loved it. Right on the waterfront, fabulous truffle bruschetta followed by seafood marinara. Couldn't pass up the chance to have indulgent dessert as well so add a cheesecake and pannacotta. To top it off we were served a complimentary red wine and sherry mix. Hmm, very nice. Then we strolled along the foreshore to the world's first sea organ which was playing haunting music. Much of Zadar was destroyed in WWII and quickly rebuilt with functionality being the only design requirement of the day. In 1995 architect Nikola Basic was engaged to bring some life and beauty back to the foreshore.  His first installment was inspired by the hydraulis, a pipe organ instrument made by the Greeks, where the air is pushed by a natural water source like a waterfall. In the Zadar Sea Organ moving water surges in and out through a submerged plastic pipe in the sea, it moves air through further pipes tuned to play 7 chords of 5 tones generating incredible sounds through the openings. The pipes are built into seven steps, each one with its own tubing and chord, so as you move along the sea front the orchestra of sea-generated sounds and harmonies you hear change relative to your position.
 
Quite beautiful and it only added to the charm of the second installation nearby. The Sun Salutation is a 22 metre diameter solar panel formed from 300 multi-layered glass panels. Underneath these glass conduction plates, there are a series of solar cells which absorb the sun’s energy from sunrise to sunset, and convert this energy into electricity. The electricity produced is then used to light the entire waterfront at night – a great example of an efficient and renewable energy source. At sunset, the installation switches on and displays a series of bright colourful lights, their motion dependent on the solar energy collected throughout the day as well as the power of the waves, and is supposed to also represent the motion of the solar system. All eight planets are represented by proportionally sized solar lights placed at their proportional distances from the sun. What an amazing day we have just had.

Thursday 16th
Thank you - hvala ti 
Awake so early again, ridiculous. Had breakfast at 7 am and went out walking. Knee felt good initially but it didn't last. Very nice to have washed my hair, brushed my teeth and be dressed in clean clothes. We walked in the opposite direction to last night and found the gardens of the old fortress and Land Gate. 

Skies were threatening rain so we hurried home then checked out and took a taxi to the bus terminal where we caught a bus to Split. It was advertised as a 3 hr journey down the coast but it took longer due to unscheduled stops and roadworks. All the way we had free wifi, in fact you seem to be able to access free wifi everywhere in this country, even in the wilds of the forest yesterday. I guess when 70% of the nation's economy is generated by tourism you need to make it continually attractive and being connected helps. We got a good look at the coast and offshore islands but what struck me most was the trouble the farmers have to go to to plant anything as the landscape is strewn with rocks. You see olive trees or vines each growing in separate plots, much like terraces but just for the convenience of building up walls around the plants with the excess rocks. A wind warning is in place for the entire coast and it remained strong the whole way. Finally we arrived in Split around mid afternoon. It didn't strike us as picturesque at all, passing through high rise and industrial areas and arriving at the busy bus, train and ferry terminal. We found House Sandra conveniently close by. Split is the second largest city in Croatia but before going off to explore we had a late lunch at Restaurant Diane just around the corner. I ordered an omelette but the waiter talked us into a local specialty of baked beef, Pasticada sa Nokia or marinated roast beef in Dalmatian gravy with gnocchi. And it was lovely but very filling. Then we walked downtown towards the seafront and discovered the Diocletian’s Palace. 

This is another UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world’s most impressive Roman monuments populated now by dozens of bars, restaurants and shops thriving amid the atmospheric old walls where life has been going on for thousands of years. From the blustery seafront you can look up at the dramatic coastal mountains standing tall as if protecting Split which clings to the coast. Arriving by ferry, which most people seem to do, would be a much more attractive approach to this city. The history of Split involves a Greek settlement founded in the area between the 3rd and 4th centuries. Its most famous historical development, however, came in 295 AD when the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered a residence to be built there for his retirement, as it was close to the nearby large Roman settlement of Salona (present-day Solin, about 5km from Split). It took ten years to build this magnificent palace and Diocletian lived there until he died in 313 AD. After his death, many Roman rulers continued to use it as a retreat although by the later part of the 6th century it had fallen into disrepair. We found the whole area charming and for the most part the old walls protected us from the gusty wind. 
 
The palace’s crumbling courtyards have kind of been engulfed by the city and sections of ancient masonry merge into modern shop fronts and cafes. Just before locating the nearby statue of Nim, we bumped into Steve, the chap from NY on yesterday's trip. This statue honours Gregory of Nin, the 10th-century bishop who raged against the Catholic tide by ditching Latin mass in favour of the people’s language, Croatian. Sculpted by Ivan Meštrović in 1929, Nim stands 8 m tall in flowing robes, with furrowed brow and finger raised in rebuke. We returned to one of the popular squares inside the palace walls to people-watch for awhile then bought some rolls and a bottle of red and took them home for dinner where we watched Northern Ireland defeat Ukraine. I'm certainly glad I hadn't booked a ferry trip down the coast in this wild, windy weather. It hasn't abated yet. 

Friday 17
Good morning - dobro jutro
Well today Croatia play in the UEFA Cup so I expect to see a riot of red and white checked clothing as we travel further down the coast to Dubrovnik. Our first stop though was back to Restaurant Diane for breakfast followed by a walk down in the old town where we discovered even more than we'd found yesterday, including a number of Roman centurions posing for photographs in the Peristyle and the magnificent cathedral. 

Picked up some onyx and limestone eggs for my nest and a couple of beach style dresses on the way home. We packed and had time to relax before heading out again, bags in tow for the bus terminal. The day is looking much more promising, bluer skies and the wind has eased, though still gusty. We spent time waiting for the bus and then on the bus we had a passenger who thought singing all the way was appropriate and another woman who couldn't stop coughing but eventually we made it to Dubrovnik. The route stretches through a portion of Bosnia and Herzegovina (called the Neum corridor), so you have to keep your passport on you. But rather than get off and queue up the  customs officer comes on board and checks them as the bus traverses the 9 kms between checkpoints. We had a quick comfort stop at Neum to stretch our legs and snap a pic to say we had been in Bosnia. The second leg of the journey hugged the coast and was particularly beautiful. 

Every city is unique in its own way, but Dubrovnik is a standout. While Penang Island is considered the 'Pearl of the Orient', this is the 'Pearl of the Adriatic'. It became an important Mediterranean sea power from the 13th century onwards. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains. Heavily damaged again in the 1990s by armed conflict, it has since been the focus of a major restoration program co-ordinated by UNESCO. We have both dreamt of visiting this city since Gary, a friend in Eric's running group at Ringwood, first visited in the early '80s. We took a taxi to our apartment right by the city walls and after settling-in ventured straight out on foot and were happily lost in the charms of the old city in no time. 

In the evening Croatia played Czech Republic so we watched some at home and then joined the excited locals but unfortunately during the first course of our dinner the Croats squandered their 2 goal lead and the game finished in a draw.  Wandering around here I am reminded of our first impressions of Sienna and thinking at the time that nothing could match it. We have just found it. This place is fabulous. We were dining at one of the many food outlets within the walls of the old city. Everywhere we looked the scene was picture perfect, even with a troupe of Centurians marching through to the loud beat of their drum. We returned home in time to watch Spain play Turkey but it was pretty one sided. 

Saturday 18th 
good night - laku noc
Early in the morning the photographer in Eric wouldn't let him rest, so he spent a good hour retracing our steps from last night. 

After breakfast I joined him on a lap of the walls, that run almost 2 kms around the city. The high city walls were built to provide essential protection, these days they offer stunning views over the Adriatic Sea and one of Croatia’s most beautiful old port cities. The walls are up to 6 metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side with a system of turrets and towers installed to protect the vulnerable city. 

The walls of Dubrovnik have also been a popular filming site for the fictional city of King's Landing in the television series, Game of Thrones. We bought some rolls and had them back at the apartment. My knee has had enough of steps for awhile and it was getting pretty hot. We were so fortunate to pick overcast and blustery days to travel but be able to enjoy beautiful clear days when we are exploring. Fortunately the shirt I had hand washed and hung on the line outside the window yesterday afternoon had been retrieved from the neighbour's garden and returned. After lunch and a short rest we took the cable car to the top of Srd Mountain which overlooks Dubrovnik. It was an incredibly steep mountain and from the summit we enjoyed views stretching in both directions along the coast. 

The Dubrovnik Cable Car was built back in 1969 for visitors and on a clear day like today, you can see up to 60 km. For this reason the neighbouring Imperial Fortress was strategically built on this same spot, back in the early 19th century. While we were up there we visited the museum of the Croatian War for Independence which is now housed on the ground floor of the fortress. It had around 500 showpieces from the period 1991 to 1995 and quite a good deal of it interpreted in English. From the materials displayed you get the impression that the Serbs felt that if they couldn't take Dubrovnik, then they would smash it to pieces anyway so the Croats couldn't have it. It was bombarded from sea, air and land, most often at night. And while the walls were able to deflect arrows, they were unable to protect the old town from mortars which significantly damaged most buildings. It is evident from the newer red tiled rooves which buildings have had to be restored. Back home we opened a bottle of wine and cleaned up the olives and cheese; tomorrow we fly to Athens. Later we had dinner on a terrace within the old city, the sun going down warmed the skies through orange and pink like a blush as we enjoyed the octopus terrine served with capers as a delicious starter. Eric followed up with rack of lamb and I had angeljack fish. The presentation was superb and so was the flavour.

Monday 19th
farewell - dovidenja
In the morning we checked out and walked up the road to the airport shuttle bus. The drive was probably the most beautiful we have ever undertaken to an airport. It followed the coast in the same way the Great Ocean Road does in Victoria, hugging the steepest of cliffs and affording us our last views out to the islands of the Dalmatian Coast.
The flight was uneventful and we arrived in Athens with baggage. Took the metro into the city and found the Amalia Hotel right next to Constitution Square (Syntagma Sq). Sandy had sent us a message to say she was waiting for us at a bar nearby. We soon joined her, then Trish, Annie and Helen arrived after their trips around the sites. We stayed in the bar for the evening and I don't remember much more except the bed was the biggest I had ever slept in. From the rooftop we had views across the city to the Acropolis.

Tuesday 20th
Despite the fact that I have always refused to sit in those ridiculous little tourist trains, my knee was too saw to walk, so in the morning Sandy and I took the dinky little Happy Tourist Train for a lap of the cultural sites and Plaka.  Then we shared a taxi to the funicular (teleferik) rail  to the top of Lykavittos Hill for summit views across the city. 

Meanwhile the others all walked/bused the sites. Eric started at the original Olympic stadium then walked over to the Temple of Zeus and Hadrian's Gate. On the way up to the Acropolis he passed amphitheatres and the Temple of Athena. Then it was on down to the Agora, an old Museum and the ancient markets before finally returning to our hotel. 

He had walked for three hours in boiling sun so definitely needed a shower before heading to the airport and our flight to Rhodes. We all met again for checkout at midday then took a minivan to the airport. It was very hot in Athens so I'm glad we went out early. Pity about my fall on the slippery steps coming down from the rail. Didn't do my knee any good, nor my tailbone... ....