detail from: KRK Art dizajn

MY WORLD

Simo Jelača, Ph.D.

PLITVICE LAKES

Man is a witness to himself that nature creates itself more beautiful than him. What nature has created in the forests in the Plitvice region represents an almost unreal beauty that the human mind is unable to create even in dreams. Such beauties are rarely found on earth. The Plitvice lakes are sandwiched between the mountain masses of Mala Kapela and Plješevica. There are sixteen jewels strung one under the other, the most attractive place for tourists seeking peace and quiet, freshness and beauty, relaxation and enjoyment.

The Plitvice Lakes have been protected by the state since 1949, as the most beautiful National Park in Europe. The blue-green lakes are located in valleys between high mountains on a length of 7.2 km, surrounded by ancient forests, in which all the beauty of nature is reflected. The shoals are a true phenomenon of nature. They are divided into upper and lower lakes, created in the Pleistocene period by the creation of travertine barriers that separated the natural valley. Two rivers, Bela and Crna rivers, join near Plitvički Leskovac and flow from there as the river Matica, which breaks over travertine boulders and spills over the surrounding expanses, creating unique, beautiful jewels in the forests.

The upper lakes include: Prošćansko, Labudovac, Ciganovac, Okrugljak, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Batinovac, Glogovac, Milino jezero, Gradinsko jezero and Kozjak. The lower ones include: Milanovac, Gavranovac, Kaluđerovac, Novakovića Brod and Sastavci. Among the upper lakes there are waterfalls: Labudovac, Batinovački slap, Galovački slap and Kozjački slap. And among the lower ones are: Milanovački waterfall, Milka Trnina waterfalls, Velika Kaskade, Plitvice waterfall and Sastavci.

Sixteen phenomenally beautiful larger and many smaller lakes of crystal clear water, in untouched nature, are terraced one below the other, separated from each other by travertine dams. The water overflows over these natural thresholds, from one lake to another and pours down the slopes or falls down great heights, and in the valleys it spills into small streams and cascades in the form of curtains similar to handmade lace. Falling from great heights, it disperses into billions of droplets, through which the sun's rays are refracted, in the form of a rainbow, giving the environment an unreal appearance.

The height difference between the first upper and the last lower lake is 133 m, and their total area is 1.92 km². The largest lake is Kozjak, 0.82 km², and the last waterfall is 20 m high, from where the water flows like the Korana river. The highest waterfall of the Plitvice Lakes is a waterfall that tumbles into Lake Sastavci, 78m high.

Plitvice Lakes are the most beautiful in Lika. The surrounding forests are rich in wild game, among which bears stand out, and there are plenty of trout fish in the waters. The surrounding steep cliffs are reflected in the calm waters of the lake, giving them a special appearance, and the small streams are crossed by wooden bridges, which in some places die under the feet of the tourist column. In the deeper waters, fallen trees can be seen from who knows when, which resemble sarcophagi. Microorganisms deposited at the bottom of deep lakes for millions of years give the water different shades of color, which change depending on where you look at it.

Several hotels have been built on the Plitvice Lakes, the largest is the Jezero A category hotel with 250 comfortable rooms, open all 12 months of the year. There are also hotels: Plitvice, Belvie, Izletište and autocamp Medveđak.

Newlyweds from all over the world come to Plitvice Lakes every year to get married under the waterfall and it remains in their lifelong memories as the most beautiful gift of nature. Author has visited Plitvice lakes more times.

DUBROVNIK - PARADISE ON EARTH

When tourists first set foot in Dubrovnik, they usually expect a similarity with many other cities in the world. And when they pass through its narrow streets, paved with local stones and get to know Dubrovnik's museums, old buildings and history, they will understand where they came to. When leaving it, they will want to take at least a small stone with them, which will remind them of the walls of the Lovrijenac fortress, where the Dubrovnik Summer Games, theater performances of Othello and the like are held every summer. Along with Alexandria, Dubrovnik has the most sunny days in the year in the Mediterranean, over 255.

Not far from Dubrovnik is Epidaurus, today's Cavtat, up to which the backwater between the island and the mainland was built, creating today's Stradun, the promenade of the people of Dubrovnik. The name Dubrovnik comes from the Slavic word dubrava. The history of the city of Dubrovnik was very turbulent. It was conquered by many invaders, but it always managed to maintain itself as a free republic, thanks to skillful diplomacy, starting in 1358. A devastating earthquake hit it in 1667, leaving indelible consequences on the city, but what remains is a priceless treasure of Dubrovnik.

Only Napoleon abolished the Republic of Dubrovnik in 1808, and from 1815 to 1918 it was under the rule of Austria. Dubrovnik experienced its greatest prosperity in the 15th and 16th centuries, thanks to the naval fleet and trade with all Mediterranean countries. In 1272, Dubrovnik received the Statute and urban plan, and in 1301, the city's medical service, in 1317, the first pharmacy, in 1347, an old people's home, in 1432, an orphanage, and in 1436, a water supply system from the source of the Dubrovnik River, 12 km long, which is in operation today. Science and art developed strongly in Dubrovnik. Marin Držić, Ivan Gundulić and Ruđer Bošković were born in Dubrovnik. Defense ramparts were built around Dubrovnik from the 7th to the second half of the 17th century. They are 22 m high and 4-6 m wide, with a total length of 1940 m. They include the fortresses of Minčeta, Revelin and Bokar. Dubrovnik is a rich museum city, and there is a Biological Institute on the island of Lokrum.

In the Baroque Cathedral there is a painting of Titzium from 1715, and in the Duke's Palace is the cultural and historical part of the City Museum. And in the treasury of the Dominican Monastery, the silver cross of the Serbian king Stefan Uroš II Milutin from the 14th century is kept. Today, the main industry of the city of Dubrovnik is high-class tourism. During his stay in Dubrovnik, the American writer James Jones, enchanted by its beauty, wrote: "Those who dream of paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik". Most foreign visitors consider Dubrovnik an earthly paradise. The author spent his honeymoon in Dubrovnik.

MLJET

James Jones also stayed in Mljet, and wrote about it that it is a kind of heaven on earth. You can travel from Dubrovnik to Mljet by boat. In the port of Goveđari, the local tourist agency's carrier is waiting for you, and the host with whom you booked your stay is waiting for you in the place itself. Climbing towards the host's house, you listen to the deafening chirping of crickets on the old pine trees, and the host is waiting for you in the house with vines from his own vineyard and slices of prosciutto as a welcome. The accommodation is ready for a pleasant stay.

Going to the beaches, you first reach the Great Lake (locals here call it Grande Lago in Italian). That lake is connected to the sea by a narrow strait, and in the middle of the lake is a small island on which a monastery was built, which can only be reached by boat. Grande Lago curves between hills, overgrown with all kinds of bushes and trees. According to the hosts, around 700 types of trees and flowers grow there, and the island has the most pleasant climate in the entire Mediterranean. An asphalt road winds along the lake to the Small Lake (Piccolo Lago). Those two lakes are connected to each other by a channel only about 4 m wide and above it is a small bridge. For six hours, water flows through the channel from Grande Lago to Piccolo Lago (Tide), and for the next six hours from Piccolo to Grande Lago (Ebb). It is a natural phenomenon of the island of Mljet. Next to the Small Lake there is a natural healing mud in which many tourists are treated, who like the mud and warm water. The water in the Great Lake is transparent to a depth of 18 meters, it is as clear as a tear. And it was not for nothing that Tito intended to build a summer house on the island of Mljet, but when they found out that there were many snakes on the island, they gave up.

There is a legend in Mljet that Odysseus stayed there while wandering the Adriatic, and even the gods did not bypass him, and neither did James Jones, so neither did we, the author and his wife.

BLED – A PEARL IN THE ALPS

On the way from Ljubljana to Jesenice, in Slovenia, just four kilometers from the highway, immersed in the natural beauty of the Alps, the town of Bled clings to the shores of Lake Bled, a magnet that irresistibly attracts tourists. Lake Bled offers tourists lovely, dignified natural beauty and charm with beautiful surroundings, just below the high mountains, where the terrains are suitable for skiing sports. There are also many excursion spots in the immediate vicinity, with good hotel accommodation, swimming pools and thermal water.

Bled is one of the few places with a top-class tourist offer, where people live for tourism and from tourism. The luxurious nature offers conditions that are rarely found anywhere else. It is only 40 km from the Italian and 50 km from the Austrian border, so it is easily accessible to foreign guests.

The lake itself is of glacial origin, as far as the Bohinj Glacier reached during the Ice Age. Not far from Lake Bled are the rivers Sava Bohinjka and Sava Dolinjka, which together form the river Sava, the Yugoslav river. Lake Bled is 1.45 km² in size, and its greatest depth is 30 m. The color of the water is dark blue, similar to the colors of the sea. In summer, it is pleasant for swimming, 20-25°S, and in winter it freezes over and people skate on it en masse. Several smaller streams flow into Lake Bled, and only one river, Jezerčica, flows out of it.

In the middle of the lake is an island on which a small church is built, which can be reached by boat in the summer, and by sleds in the winter. Around the church there is a dense vegetation of coniferous and coniferous trees. In the church there is a small museum of church art. And on the opposite side of the settlement is the old town, built on a high rock, from where there is a phenomenal view of the entire surroundings. From there you can take the most beautiful photos of the Julian Alps and Karavanke, magnificent panoramas. That peak is reflected in the blue water of the magically beautiful lake, with an island and a small church. In summer, countless boats sail on the surface of the lake, along the shores of which many naked tourists swim. And around the lake, a lot of older people, mostly with their grandchildren, are walking along the paths. There you can always see a few rickshaw pullers, who drive those tourists who are not able to walk for a long time and enjoy seeing the surroundings, while having a pleasant chat. The parks around the lake and around the city are full of colorful flowers, on which millions of bees are buzzing. Anyone who hasn't made it to Bled should do it at least once in their lifetime, a gem like this should not be missed. The author stayed in Bled in the winter with his family. His daughter fell under the ice, but fortunately her uncle Dr Predrag happened to be by her and pulled her out.

BOVEC - ALPINE BEAUTY

Tourists who enjoy mountain tourism are recommended to go to the River Soča valley, an unusual natural beauty. The river has a greenish color, it is clear, a real mountain river, unpolluted. It springs from below the peak of Jelovec, one of the highest in the Alps, from where it breaks and curves through the valley of the Trent, the eternally white snowy peaks of Vogel (2431m) and Grintovec (2558m). These peaks in autumn and spring are white with snow, and in summer with washed stone. During the Pleistocene period, the ice age, there were glaciers Bohinjski 50 km and Šoški 60 km. The climate here is still harsh, alpine, summers have a lot of rain, 2000-3000 mm, and temperatures are quite low, pleasantly fresh. The Mediterranean climate reaches the valley of the Soča river in the summer, so it is much warmer there.

On its right side, where Bovec is located, the Soča receives its tributary Koritnica, and through its gorge passes the road through Predel, to the town of Tarvisio in Italy. The other branch of that road leads through Vršič and near Kranjska Gora it joins the "Bratstvo-jedinstvo" highway.

In the lower regions, the Alps are predominantly covered with deciduous trees, from where the eternal valley narrows and is lost in the high mountains. And where the valley is widened lies the small town of Bovec, very attractive for tourists. There are two high category hotels in Bovec, Alp and Kanin, with alpine roofs. Between Soča and Koritnica, the mountainous white peaks of Grintovec, Jalovec, and Mangart can be seen, from where life seems to end.

The cliffs of Kanina above Bovec look harsh, and on its top there are ideal ski areas, which can be reached by cable car, up to a height of 2300m, which takes about half an hour to travel. In winter, the snow on Kanin is up to 4 m. In front of the restaurant at the top of Kanin, there is a magnificent view of the town of Bovec and the distant Julian Alps, which are blue with white peaks. Several tunnels were built through Knin, through which some Slovenians go to work in Italy every day.

On Soča, from its source to Bovec, the grounds are suitable for kayaking on rough, wild waters. The Boka waterfalls, downstream from Bovec, are attractive, where the water tumbles down the rocky cliffs, turning into pearly white drops, which refresh the surroundings and on whose banks the grass is always green. The author and his family were in Bovec in the winter, and returning from Kanin, the cable car stopped above the precipice, where they hung for half an hour. It was terrible.

BOKA KOTOR BAY - THE PEARL OF MONTENEGRO

CITY OF KOTOR

The town of Kotor is the central center of Boka Kotorska, its cultural, sports, economic, health, scientific and tourist center. And Herceg Novi is a city at the very entrance to the Bay of Kotor, a city that has long been considered a kind of crossroads between Christianity and Islam. There, different religions and cultures were intertwined, which led to the synthesis of different styles, which left deep traces on today's Herceg Novi.

IGALO

Igalo is known for the spa resort "Simo Milošević''. It is the first place at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor, in front of Herceg Novi, and is one of the most attractive destinations on the Montenegrin coast. The town of Igala itself is an integral part of Herceg Novi and together they have over 200 sunny days a year. In front of Igal, there is a view of the bay, next to Prevlaka, where the Bay of Kotor begins, which they say is the most beautiful in the world. It got its name from the Italian word "bocca" - mouth. The coast of the bay is 106 km long, along which the surrounding mountains are reflected in the beautiful blue water.

The Savina monastery complex is an illustrative example of human imagination and primeval natural beauty. The city of Herceg Novi, with its surroundings, abounds in architectural, sculptural and painterly works related to bygone times. The church of St. is beautiful. Peter in Bijela, and the local museum in Topla dominates the city. The archive of Herceg Novi from 1885 was destroyed in the 1979 earthquake, but was soon restored. In Njegoševa Street, Herceg Novi, there is a memorial house for the Serbian Nobel laureate writer Ivo Andrić. The city of Herceg Novi is known for the Mimosa Festival, which has been held every year since 1969.

In the Bay of Kotor, special ship navigation regulations apply, a ban on anchoring in sea passages and all vessels must reduce their speed to below 12 knots, and even below 8 knots through the Kumbor Strait. Herceg Novi is considered the prince of the Bay of Kotor and Montenegro. Herceg Novi is a city of sun, artists, flowers and an oasis of peace. In Herceg Novi they say: "If you put your finger in the sea, you are tied to the whole world".

Along the shores of the Bay of Kotor there are about fifty smaller and larger settlements, located mainly by the sea, while some are in the mountainous hinterland. The city of Kotor itself is wedged under the rocky slopes of Lovcen, whose rocks almost overhang it, and the city itself is surrounded by the bay, which means life to it.

The climate in the Bay of Kotor is truly Mediterranean, with typical warm summers and mild winters. Average annual temperatures are around 15°C. The bathing season is long, from May to October, which is favorable for tourism, the main economic branch of the region. Boka Kotorska is a natural fjord of the Mediterranean, where all the wealth of nature and human life is truly found.

The history of Kotor is long and rich. Remains of ancient cultures and civilizations are preserved in Kotor. The conquerors of Kotor changed over the centuries and they all treated it as an important strategic position, especially in the Middle Ages. The old town of Kotor is the best-preserved medieval urban environment, which is why Kotor is included in the UNESCO list of world natural and cultural heritage. The Kotor-Risan bay is also included in that list, and Boka itself is considered the most beautiful bay in the world. The fortification wall in Kotor is 4.5 km long, 20 m high, and sometimes up to 15 m wide. It has three doors from the 9th to the 16th century. Camellia Days are held every year in Kotor, a flower show in honor of the camellia that thrives here. On those days, the Camellia Lady is chosen and other attractive events are held.

The crowning beauty of Kotor is the cathedral of St. Triphuna, from 1166, a rich treasury of frescoes from the 14th century. There are also churches of St. Luke (1195) and St. Not. In the city, the Grgurina Palace (XVIII century) is well preserved, which houses the Maritime Museum and the Clock Tower (XVI century), as well as the medieval Pillar of Shame. Near Kotor is the oldest settlement in the Bay of Kotor (III century), the capital of Queen Teuta.

The town of Perast is the best-preserved whole on the Adriatic, with palaces and churches from the 17th and 18th centuries, built thanks to the development of shipping and trade. In the Bunjević Palace is the museum of the city of Perast. On the island of Our Lady of Škrpjela is the church of St. The Virgin from 1630.

In the bay is the town of Prčanj, a medieval settlement, and today an attractive tourist settlement. In Prčnje is the palace of the Three Sisters, with an unusual legend.

Budva, Bečići, Rafailovići, Pržno and Sv. Stefan with Miločer, a unique destination of the highest world tourist class on the globe.

The author traveled to all these regions and stayed in some places during the summer with his family. He got the impression that there is no more beautiful sea in the world than the Adriatic.

It will be continued...

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