In September 2019 we left Turkey by air, to continue our trip north along the Adriatic, in the Balkans, to Austria, with a brief side trip to Bratislava in Slovakia.
'The Balkans' is a geo-political construct named after the Balkan Peninsula between the Adriatic and the Black Sea.
According to most geographers the 'Balkans' encompasses the modern countries of Albania; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Greece; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia; and Slovenia. Some also include Romania.
The Balkan Peninsula - from Google Earth
The Balkan Peninsula was among the first regions on Earth to be civilised. The ancient Vinča culture of the area developed Old European Script, the oldest form of writing known, and clay tablets have been found in the area dating back to around 5,300 BCE.
Consequently, it is a much contested geopolitical area, prized by conquerors and by those who want to capture the hearts and minds of their followers.
In modern times it was such a struggle that led to the First World War and more recently to the ethnic and religious wars that took place in Bosnia, Herzegovina and Kosovo between 1992 and 1999.
While it has from time to time been unified under a single strong emperor; king; or 'democratic' leader, it is more often best described as the brittle shards of a once whole vessel, shattered by internal disunity and differences, hence the dictionary term 'balkanisation': 'to divide into small states hostile to one another'.
The fellow to the side in the regal outfit is Peter the First of Yugoslavia, the King under whom Yugoslavia was created in October 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire were dismembered, as a result of batting for the wrong side in the First World War. In his early years Peter had fought against the Ottomans as a guerrilla.
I apologise to all those who treasure their newfound independence but I struggled to find a figure common to most. An alternative might have been Tito - too soon?
After the Second World War, and the Germans were defeated again, Tito took his place as President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that comprised: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia and Slovenia.
Bulgaria and Albania were also 'liberated' by the Soviet Union in 1945 and in 1946 the 'People's Republic of Albania' and the People's Republic of Bulgaria became independent Communist States and members of the Warsaw Pact. Bulgaria overthrew the Communists in 1990 establishing democratic elections and a market economy but it has struggled and is at the bottom of the European Union development table.
Skopje
We began in Skopje North Macedonia where we were to pick up a car for this leg off our travels.
Skopje is the capital, the largest city and the principal centre of culture and commerce in this small landlocked country to the north of Greece.
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Downtown Skopje - Soviet Modern
Skopje's appearance today stems from an earthquake that, in 1963, destroyed 80 percent of the city; killing over 1,070 people; injuring between 3,000 and 4,000; and leaving more than 200,000 people homeless. At that time North Macedonia was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia a non-aligned state. So, both the United States and the Soviet Union rushed to lend a hand. Like Tashkent, that would be destroyed similarly three years later (Read more...), the city was rebuilt, along Soviet modern lines.
The country's name has long been a source of contention with Greece due to its association with King Philip II of Macedon (359 BCE - 336 BCE) - the father of Alexander the Great (356 BCE - 323 BCE). Alexander was the conqueror of much of the known world and founder of the enormous Hellenic (Greek) Empire that extended all the way to Tajikistan. Read more...
Alexander was born in his father's capital of Pella, the ruins of which are in Greece, a whole 25 kilometres south of the North Macedonia border. Thus, his kingdom obviously encompassed both countries. But let's fight about it.
But this land is no longer a prize to be fought over. The economy has not recovered after the collapse of Yugoslavia and the unemployment rate is exceeded only by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. This is not helped by its big neighbour Greece that's next on the list.
A few things survived the 1963 earthquake, among these are: the Stone Bridge across the Vardar River, also known as the Dušan Bridge after Stephen Dušan, Emperor of Serbia, who united much of the Balkans in the 14th century; and the Old Bazaar area, a market place and surrounds, known for its Muslim cultural and historical values, now, bizarrely, home to a number of pubs and drinking holes beloved by tourists.
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Stone Bridge (Dušan Bridge) across the Vardar River; Skopje Fortress; and a bar - but not in the Bazaar
Another tourist attraction is Skopje Fortress, built on a hill fortified since the Neolithic period. In 6th century CE the Romans built a fort here that survived several earthquakes and continued to impress visitors throughout the Byzantine period, until the mid-15th century, but then fell into disrepair under the Ottomans. The present faux walls were very recently rebuilt to surround the ancient ruins, now mainly rubble. While still under construction in 2011 these apparently innocuous walls were a source of local sectarian protest. I'm sure there was a good reason.
The Archaeological Museum of Macedonia traces the region's very long history of civilisation and technological advance, from the Neolithic through the bronze and iron ages to the common era. The multitude of prevailing religions is reflected in the many artefacts on display from: Roman and Greek polytheism together with Zoroastrian monotheism; to later Jewish, Christian and Muslim beliefs.
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The Archaeological Museum of Macedonia and Mother Teresa - now Saint Teresa of Calcutta
For many, their greatest awareness of Skopje is that it was the birthplace of Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born: Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu) an Albanian Christian who became the nun known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta. After a very long beatification (Read more...) she is now a Saint: Saint Teresa of Calcutta, thanks to Pope Francis.
At the time of her birth Northern Macedonia was part of the Kosovo Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. Roman Christianity was a minority religion among Eastern Orthodox Christians and Muslims. Elsewhere in the Ottoman Empire, particularly in Turkey, Christians were being hunted down and killed and/or forcibly expelled. So, the Bojaxhiu family were politically active.
At the age of 18 Anjezë was 'called' and left for Ireland to join the Sisters of Loreto, at Loreto Abbey near Dublin. After initial training she began her novitiate in Darjeeling India where she taught in a school. By 1937 she was a teacher in Calcutta advancing to headmistress in 1944. Then came the Partition of British India.
In 1946 Calcutta descended into ruin, from which it has not recovered (read more at the above link) and Mother Teresa abandoned the school to set up her mission. The rest is history.
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Possibly Matka Canyon - nice anyway
Our hotelier told us that on the way out of Skopje we should take a look at Matka Canyon. TomTom didn't seem to know where to go and so led us on an 'interesting' drive through rural landscapes and forest lanes, giving me an opportunity to get used to the new car's idiosyncrasies. Eventually we reached this pleasant spot. But is it the famed canyon?
Kosovo
It's 333 km by road from Skopje in North Macedonia to Shkodër in Albania, passing through Kosovo. Thus, we were in three countries in a day. Yet, as we were soon to discover, this is not unusual in the Balkans.
Unfortunately, the Fiat Tipo we had hired is a bit gutless (1.4 litres). Its 6 speed box doesn't help a lot in the mountains - much of the time my foot was pressed to the metal to stay anything near the 130 speed limit and acceleration was painful.
I greatly preferred our previous car in Turkey: a diesel Ford Focus for which burning rubber was no challenge.
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A 333 km drive but the roads were good and often clear like this
Yet driving did present some challenges in the Fiat when it was not a divided carriageway
Mainly other drivers: hesitant snails and daring hares
Overtaking - as I was obviously doing in the image above - could be problematic in some places
We didn't know what to expect in Kosovo, given the reported ongoing ethnic tensions after the 1998-99 Kosovo War. I looked it up...
This has been one of the most fought over locations in the world and at one time Prizren, where we stopped for lunch, was the capital of Serbia.
Wikipedia tells us that: "During the late 19th century the city became a focal point for Albanian nationalism and saw the creation in 1878 of the League of Prizren, a movement formed to seek the national unification and liberation of Albanians within the Ottoman Empire."
In 1912 the Balkan States overthrew Ottoman rule in an appalling bloody war with outrageous atrocities committed against Muslims. A reported 30,000 people fled Prizren for Bosnia. The following year the previous allies fell out and a second war, between Bulgaria and the rest, particularly Serbia. Bulgaria captured Prizren but lost the war.
Ethnic tensions continued during the First World War due in part to rivalry between the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which seem to have been even more bitter than those with the Muslims.
During the Second World War the Germans and Italians invaded and imposed an iron fist, suppressing ethnic rivalry. This caused the suppressed factions to unite as Partisans (guerrilla fighters). When the Axis was defeated, the old Kingdom was abolished. Josip Broz Tito, the leader of the Partisans, then took control under the patronage of the Russian 'liberators'.
In due course Tito became President of the newly reunited Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Under his authoritarian rule, sectarian scheming was not tolerated and a number of 'show trials' including the 'Prizren trial', were conducted to demonstrate this.
Nevertheless, Yugoslavia prospered during the Cold War as a member of the non-aligned group of countries and Australians were free to travel there, returning with tales of wonderful times and places enjoyed.
But by 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Tito was dead and Yugoslavia, now disunited once more, began to fall apart in ethnic and cultural rivalry - see the shelling of Dubrovnik in 1991 below.
In Kosovo the Serbs and Albanians were at each other's throats. The Albanians had begun attacking police and other government targets under the banner of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
Slobodan Milošević was the Serbian President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (now just Serbia and Montenegro) and took a dim view.
With foreign encouragement the KLA began to obtain modern weapons (from the usual sources?). In February 1998, when the KLA was equipped and ready, a full-scale civil war broke out, with ground support from the Albanian army. Yet despite foreign support, in 1999 it was not going well. Serb forces responded by driving some 1.5 million Kosovo Albanians from their homes, many of which were burned.
The Clinton Administration in the US became concerned that the KLA might lose and after unsuccessfully trying to get UN Security Council support or negotiate a ceasefire, NATO airstrikes were used to end what had descended into an ethnically charged bloodbath.
When the war was over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was dismantled and Slobodan Milošević was arrested and charged with war crimes. Yet he remained a beacon for Serbian discontent until he died in gaol in 2006 - so I suppose that's all good now?
Anyway, we encountered no partisans or other dangers and the roads were mostly excellent - unlike some in Albania - and in Prizren the locals were very friendly and helpful and there was no sign of its bloody history. We had no local currency and few places accept cards so a man from a cafe personally directed us to a competing place in a food hall. It was adjacent to a supermarket that did accept credit cards, and it turned out to have excellent food. But some people are doing it tough. When we returned a vagrant tried the old car parking scam on us. As you can see my camera stayed in the boot.
Shkodër
We arrived in Shkodër in Albania to find that at the Alis Hotel, in the old town, parking is at a premium. Fortunately,, one of the hotel staff - the manager (?) had a vehicle parked across the street and gave up his space to our aforementioned Fiat - the white car in the picture.
We then set out to find a currency exchange - a mission that turned out to be like a treasure hunt. Anyway, we walked about 10km and found two large mosques; a couple of parks; and lots of restaurants. Albania too has high unemployment, comparable to Greece.
Once part of the Ottoman Empire and not a part of Yugoslavia, many Albanians are Muslim but Christians of various hews make up a significant minority. See Saint Teresa of Calcutta above.
This was evident away from the town centre but in town the place was buzzing after dusk and we had to fight for a table in one of the many quite up-market restaurants. Many of the cars in the street were up-market too.
Back at the hotel the Wi-Fi had a (temporary?) fault. Despite a change of room, it was only available in the public areas. It spoiled our experience of what was otherwise a very nice hotel.
Our travel guide told us that Shkodër is one of the most ancient cities in the Balkans and the fourth most populous city in Albania. It's said to exert strong influences in the culture, religion, arts and entertainment of northern Albania.
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Part of the old town of Shkodër - from the Alis Hotel - ours is the white Fiat
On the positive side the car had space for our two big and two small bags
Due to its strategic position with access to the Adriatic Sea and the Italian port cities there has been a fortified settlement here since Illyrian times with coins found here in Rozafa Castle, which stands above the city, from the time of Queen Teuta 231-227 BCE.
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Rozafa Castle - There have been fortifications here since the 3rd century BCE
Budva
After another 'interesting' drive, mostly along the Montenegro (Adriatic) coast, we made it to Budva.
The Old Town of Budva sits on a rocky peninsula that's been settled since Illyrian times (4th century BCE), before Greek colonisation of the Adriatic. The Greeks were followed by the Romans. Fortification was expanded during the Middle Ages and most of city walls and buildings we see today had their foundations during a period of Venetian rule.
Later changes occurred during Montenegro's membership of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The Citadel contains the ruins of the historic church of Santa Maria de Castello, after which the entire fortification was originally named.
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The warren of Budva retains a certain stone-built charm - now re-built after the 1979 earthquake
Budva retains a certain stone-built charm and may once have been a warren of merchants and thieves. Today, its narrow re-cobbled, pedestrian-only, streets are lined with restaurants, cafes, pubs and shops. Thus, merchants and thieves have returned - now in up-market shops - with heavy mark-ups.
While Wendy was roaming the old town reliving her misspent youth (she had fun here - way back when) I found a pub that sells Guinness and waited. But I could only afford a half as they didn't accept cards and it was so expensive that it consumed all the Euros I had.
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I found a pub that sells Guinness and waited
On her return Wendy seemed a bit disappointed not to have identified the haunts of her younger days. In 1979 the Old Town was almost destroyed by an earthquake. Repair and reconstruction took eight years, effectively erasing her past footsteps and the ancient crumbling walls and alleys of yesteryear. It was not her memory that had failed - it's a different place.
Later I discovered the local history museum and was happy - contemplating the knowledge, ingenuity, beliefs and misconceptions of our ancestors - for we are all related to those ancient Europeans.
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In the little museum of Budva
In the museum we are invited to imagine the demise of the man wearing this helmet, as it was obviously inadequate protection against whatever it was that punched a hole in it. Several candidates are displayed in the same case. Yet, I think it's more likely that oxygen was the culprit.
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Montenegro is firmly Christian, historically a bulwark against the neighbouring Ottoman Muslims,
and Budva has several historic churches
Leaving the old town for our good hotel in the modern part we strolled along the harbour front. Again, although our hotel was of international standard the economy of Montenegro is still struggling with very high unemployment.
Kotor
On our way to Dubrovnik in Croatia we tried to get to the walled town of Kotor, Montenegro, of which Wendy's friend Von had spoken fondly. So, we thought it might be worth a diversion.
The town is approached by a very long tunnel and traffic was backed up all the way into the tunnel moving at far less than walking speed.
After some time, we noticed a back way on TomTom but after initial success it too was backed up.
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The walled town of Kotor Montenegro - seen from around the bay - as close as we could park
At least we got to pull off to the water-side and get some distant views.
Getting to Dubrovnik from Kotor required crossing the neck of the Bay of Kotor - there is no bridge but a regular ferry service with two vessels - one each way crossing in the middle.
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The car-ferry across the bay of Kotor
Dubrovnik
To get into Old Dubrovnik one negotiates the steep winding streets of the extended city to the city gate.
As it's pedestrians only, one parks outside, in the pay by the minute car-park, and then wheels one's bags (two large and two small) over the road; across the drawbridge; and down the ramp to the gate, along with about five thousand other tourists.
OK I exaggerate. But there were a lot. Then (in our case) one drags one's bags along the main street to an ally and starts to climb: a long flight of relatively gently rising steps; until one reaches the first terrace; a gloriously level path, past the tables and chairs of several restaurants, to our street.
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Here we are at the corner - lower right. Now the real athletic challenge begins - our apartment is halfway to the top
Although small, our accommodation was very central with a little kitchenette and there was a small supermarket a hundred meters down the hill, enabling us to have several meals for less than the price of one at restaurant with the smiling waitress above. But then, one does need to eat out at lunchtime and a restaurant is nice at night, so we made a more substantial contribution to the local economy than we might have done.
But our car was a problem. The car park adjacent to the gate charged 20 Euros an hour. Our host, an informative woman who spoke several languages and had experienced the shelling, had the solution. We drove to a distant parking place, near the hospital, and got a local bus back, providing an opportunity to stop at a shopping mall for wine and to have an inexpensive scenic tour of the prosperous suburbs.
The pristine streets and buildings of Dubrovnik show the benefit of its complete refurbishment after being shelled in 1991. As in Budva, Wendy had been here before the reconstruction and, as in Budva, much of her past experience was erased in the process.
Today Dubrovnik vies with Florence, in Italy, both in beauty and in the crush of tourists. While Florence has the Renaissance and the Medici and consequently much bigger churches, Dubrovnik's location and the harbour knock the River Arno into a cocked hat.
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Dubrovnik vies with Florence both in beauty and in the crush of tourists
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There are lots of shades of religion: Orthodox; Roman; Jesuit; Muslim; Pub
There were several more Christian churches
The mosque was well hidden and I never found the Synagogue
Christianity has various shades here: Eastern, Roman and early Jesuit. But in the shops and cafes Mammon appears to be the principal deity.
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Dubrovnik provides plenty of opportunities to spend money
One way to part with some money is to walk around the walls. Wendy was resistant to this as the last time she was here it was public space and free. But there are alternatives. Nearby there is a fortified promontory that overlooks the city. There is also a mountain lookout restaurant reached by a cable car but that is anything but free.
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But it's possible to do a bit of climbing instead
The harbour here has been fortified since around the 8th century CE. There was an ancient Greek city nearby but the Dubrovnik is Byzantine in its origins. The harbour is too small for modern shipping and cruise ships moor out in the deeper water and use their tenders to shuttle tourists back and forth. The lack of large ships allows for other uses including: kayaking, snorkelling and water polo.
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Teams were playing water polo - others just having a swim
meanwhile, tourists came and went to the cruise ship off the point
One evening at twilight we sat out on the end of the bar at Dubrovnik with a nice rosé and enjoyed the moment.
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It brought to mind the lines from Omar Khayyám:
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread - and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness -
O, Wilderness were Paradise enow!
You can hear/read the entire poem here:
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Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám is the title that Edward FitzGerald gave to his 1859 translation from Persian to English of a selection of quatrains (rubāʿiyāt) attributed to Omar Khayyam (1048–1131), dubbed "the Astronomer-Poet of Persia". According to Wikipedia: "FitzGerald emphasized the religious scepticism he found in Omar Khayyam. In his preface to the Rubáiyát, he describes Omar's philosophy as Epicurean..." If you watch to the end I congratulate you. In sentiment, concerning the 'works of man', the Rubáiyát reminds me of Shelley's much more succinct: Ozymandias The sentiment is echoed by Shelly's friend, Byron, in his epic poem: Don Juan (even longer than the Rubáiyát - but more fun) Canto 1, Stanzas 218-219 218
What is the end of Fame? 'tis but to fill
A certain portion of uncertain paper:
Some liken it to climbing up a hill,
Whose summit, like all hills', is lost in vapour;
For this men write, speak, preach, and heroes kill,
And bards burn what they call their 'midnight taper,'
To have, when the original is dust,
A name, a wretched picture, and worse bust.
219
What are the hopes of man? old Egypt's King
Cheops erected the first pyramid
And largest, thinking it was just the thing
To keep his memory whole, and mummy hid;
But somebody or other rummaging,
Burglariously broke his coffin's lid:
Let not a monument give you or me hopes,
Since not a pinch of dust remains of Cheops.
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Bosnia
More driving today. Leaving Dubrovnik, we headed North to Split - also in Croatia. Yet, on the way we encountered a border post - Bosnia. I suppose one country inside another is obvious to those familiar with the Balkans. After all it's the very definition of the term: 'balkanisation'.
This brief gap in the map of Croatia is a corridor to provide Bosnia with direct access to the Adriatic.
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Some of the way was on an excellent expressway
A scenic drive even if the Fiat had trouble keeping up on the hills
Bosnia lasted for all of 20 minutes. We waited at the two border stations for longer. The people on either side look as different as those on either side of the Murray. It seems a ridiculous duplication of economic resources but then Croatia is doing much better than Bosnia economically. Bosnia has been a bit of a basket case since the demise of Yugoslavia - and not just economically.
Anyway, some of the way was on an excellent expressway, even if the Fiat had trouble keeping up with the 130 km/h speed limit when we got into the hills.
Split
So we eventually arrived in Split. We'd booked an apartment near the old town on line, that advertised free parking. This turned out to be a communal lot across the street where, fortunately, someone had just left.
The apartment was on the top floor of a four-storey block (no lift). We rang the bell. A wizened woman arrived:
"Go away," she said rudely. "Is this Apartment Bulic," we enquired? "Go away," she repeated and slammed the door.
Had we been scammed? Where could we go? We checked the details. Wendy rang our contact. An apologetic man appeared. The woman was the cleaner and she hadn't finished - she angrily removed her bucket.
Inside the apartment was modern and spacious and even had views.
We walked to the old town.
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Gregory, bishop of Nin they're lining up the steps to rub his foot.
Greeting us more politely was the statue is of Gregory, bishop of Nin, who, in the 10th century under the protection of King Tomislav, broke with Rome and introduced the mass (and services) in Croatian thus strengthening both Christianity and Croatian independence and culture.
Rubbing his foot is said to bring good luck.
There was an air of expectancy among the hordes of tourists gathering in the square then heralds trumpeted the arrival of the Emperor Diocletian who appeared to welcome us; and our money.
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The Emperor Diocletian soon appeared to welcome us
Not only had he somehow survived over 1700 years but he'd knocked a few years off his age to boot
At the turn of the 4th century a massive fortress was built on what is now Split harbour near the tip of the Split peninsular to serve as the Roman emperor Diocletian's retirement home. About half of it was for Diocletian's personal use, and the rest housed a military garrison. This 'palace' now forms the major part of the historic core of Split, which in 1979 was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Obviously, Diocletian's mother was a pagan, so he grew up believing in and relying on those silly gods. After Christianisation, the older pagan gods were replaced by the Trinity and the Saints (much more sensible) although, perhaps not as efficacious?
The Temple of Jupiter was rededicated to the Virgin Mary and became a baptistery.
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The Temple of Jupiter - a silly god
The Temple was rededicated to the Virgin Mary and became a baptistery
I have to dodge Wendy - she has a bottle of water
Throughout the Middle Ages Croatia remained aligned with Christian neighbours, first with the Byzantine Empire and then with the Austro-Hungarians, acting as a bulwark against the Muslim Ottoman Empire. So, it was these religious tensions that flared, yet again, between 1992 and 1999.
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Churches have replaced temples - much more sensible
We needed to eat and Restoran Babilon was recommended by our apologetic host, a five-minute walk from our apartment. It's a nice (large) family place with kids welcome - toys provided - and good food.
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At Restoran Babilon. September 7, 2019 · Split, Croatia: Wendy: I’ll have the mussels please. Tuna salad duly provided and eaten. Bill called for. Wendy: Excuse me, I ordered mussels and you said you didn’t have any. Notwithstanding, we were charmed by the local atmosphere and went again the following night. Waiter (smiling): Hello again! Tonight, we've got mussels. A long wait ensues - during which Richard is served... Waiter (to Wendy - still waiting): Sorry we don’t have mussels.
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There is, of course, a museum too - with an eclectic collection.
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An eclectic collection
In common with the other old cities we visited, Split too has undergone recent restoration. During World War 2 it was bombed and shelled, by both sides, and again when Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Around the same time Dubrovnik was being shelled, the Yugoslav Navy shelled recently-repaired Split as well - presumably so they wouldn't feel left out.
One of Split's attractions is its harbour and the surrounding waters. The marina had some impressive yachts moored. We took a cruise - wine included.
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Lots of private yachts and several cruise ships
There are some grand houses and very expensive real estate along the shore, including a large house once owned by President Tito, now a marine institute, and another used in the TV series 'Game of Thrones'.
The Split peninsular is Adjacent to a pass through the Dinarides mountains that form a physical barrier between the Adriatic Sea and the continental heartland of the Balkan Peninsula. So, the anchorages in this region have been of trading and strategic importance since civilisation began.
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Some expensive real estate
The ruins of the Roman city of Salona are in the distance
The nearby Illyrian settlement of Salon is written of as early as the 7th century BCE. In due course this became an important Greek outpost and then the Roman city of Salona, where Diocletian was born. Like Pope Benedict Diocletian declined to die in office and planned to end his reign by abdicating in 305 CE. Hence his building the Palace of Split in one of the haunts of his youth - he'd always loved that harbour!
It's said that he took to growing flowers and vegetables - a bit like Prince Charles - with whom he had quite a bit in common - at least in the way of palaces; guards so on.
Zagreb
It's 400 km from Split to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, about a five-hour drive, fortunately all within Croatia - no border posts today.
We were here for a couple of nights and the apartment we had booked had secure parking and was a short walk to the tram or a 40-minute walk into town. The apartment itself, in an old soviet style complex, was very nice - quite pristine with very large bed-sitting area; a modern bathroom and a kitchenette.
Much of Zagreb away from the centre is now a little seedy. At the apartment block the regular residents were unusually security conscious compared to other places we'd been on this trip.
Like many countries we've visited from the 'Stans' to the Caucuses, for a period Croatia's economy suffered from the disintegration of Yugoslavia, compounded by the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yet recovery is underway and long-term unemployment has more than halved; and is now less than that in France.
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Zagreb has a higher city and a lower city - The markets are near the tram station - lower
The administrative buildings are on the higher level
The conurbation of greater Zagreb has a population of just over a million, about a quarter of the entire population of the country. So Zagreb is about the size of Adelaide and the population of entire country of Croatia is smaller than that of Sydney.
Of course, Zagreb is a lot more mature than Adelaide, with remnants dating from the 12th century, and some centuries old architectural gems. Although it's famously on two levels, requiring some exertion, the old city is small enough to walk to the main sights.
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Zagreb
At different times in history there have been attempts to unite the Balkans but in general these have been short lived as different languages, religions and cultures held sway.
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There have been numerous attempts to create a larger commonwealth
But on each occasion 'ethnicity' has been its undoing
By 'ethnicity' people often mean a particular genotype. Yet we accept wide variations of that kind
Much more difficult to overcome is our affinity to a group sharing a common language; religion and experience
Now crossing the region there can be three currencies, and customs regions, in a single day, with border posts; customs officials and security forces to match. I suppose it appears as GDP in the national accounts but it's economic waste on a massive scale, when the cost could be going to something like improved health or education that would make lives better and people happier.
And it's not conducive to happiness to fear or hate one's neighbours.
Imagine people in New South Wales fearing those mendacious Victorians or those manipulative Banana Benders on our borders. At one time, before Australian Federation, that was a real possibility - we still have different rail gauges.
In 1861 war between States became a reality in the Disunited States of America. That taught us a lesson in Australia - it's better to unite than fight.
Yet it was still a real possibility in Quebec in Canada in the 1990s; now in Catalonia in Spain; and, of course, BREXIT.
If one would like to see a better life for all - a common-wealth - and/or would like to see a reduction in international conflict, then regionalism needs to be opposed. Unfortunately, the world now seems to be headed in the opposite direction.
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Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary - Zagreb
Where the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac lies in a glass coffin awaiting Canonisation
Like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White the Blessed Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac lies in a glass coffin, waiting to be taken up (?) at the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary.
Thirty one years ago, he was beatified by John Paul II and since then regular prayers have been offered to speed his elevation to full Sainthood. More were ardently added for him or to him for intersession, this day, by numerous faithful gathering around the casket.
Wikipedia tells us: "Continuing the canonization process, Cardinal Angelo Amato announced that the congregation 's (the Roman Inquisition's) medical committee for 'the cause of the saints' had identified a new case of miraculous healing following Stepinac's intercession, thus creating the conditions for declaring Stepinac holy."
Not too long now! Come on Francis what are you waiting for? I wonder if Cardinal Pell can still hope for something similar? Patron saint of...?
Vignette
Leaving Zagreb we passed through the Slovenian border on the expressway, waiting to see a toll booth. Most countries have a toll system where you take a ticket when you pass through the toll booth on the expressway, and when you leave the expressway, you pay at another toll booth for the distance you’ve travelled.
A couple of kms into Slovenia, we were pulled over for what we thought must be breath testing.
No. We were not displaying a ‘vignette’.
A what?
"There are signs everywhere, you must have seen them," the policeman said. He gave us a brochure explaining a vignette. And indeed, there were signs on the approaches depicting different vehicle types and the key-words 'toll' and 'sales' in English.
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We'd had no issue with paying the tolls at a booth but stopping to buy one of these stickers in a shop was new to us
A $250 lesson learnt
We really can't complain. How many Australian highway signs are in other languages? And what the hell is a TAG?
But I do think the car hire company might have told us when they were busily adding the road tax for each country travelled through to our bill.
The system requires that you pull into a service station before or at the border and pre pay a road toll and display the receipt (vignette) on the windscreen. The fine for not doing this is anything from €300-€600.
We were obviously tourists and first offenders so he discounted the fine to €150 (AUD $250). The same system applies Slovakia, Austria and Switzerland.
If you are planning to drive in any of these countries beware!
Lake Bled
On the way to Ljubljana the capital, since the breakup of Yugoslavia, and largest city of Slovenia, we decided to visit picturesque Lake Bled, 55 km away up in Julian Alps.
At 475 m above sea level, at the end of the Zaka Valley, Bled owes its alpine beauty to its flora and landforms (due to ancient glaciation and tectonics) and to more recent manmade improvements.
These include medieval Bled Castle that stands above the lake on the north shore and the church on Bled Island; the whole lending a 'picture postcard' atmosphere.
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Picturesque Lake Bled - sympathetically landscaped and the water height is regulated by a weir
There's a walk that circumnavigates the lake and half way around are the gondoliers who take tourists to the Island.
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Gondolas to the Island
There are also rowboats for hire for the energetic, who can also ski in winter
Lake Bled was once a place of religious pilgrimage, to the Church of the Assumption of Mary on Bled Island, where there is a 17th century church replacing the older one. Couples who get married there will have good luck if the groom carries his (sic) new bride up the 100 steps of the church. These last gems are from the web, as we decided not to join a geriatric throng from tourist coaches who had whaled into the boats. We had a coffee and then continued our walk instead.
Thus, Bled Island is now a place of pilgrimage again - touristic pilgrimage. Indeed, tourism is as important in Bled as at Disneyland, supported by occasional international rowing races and even a small ski slope. I'm informed (the web again) that there's also an annual festival dedicated to the local pastry: 'Cremeschnitte' (a snotty sneeze?). I found out about that too late!
While we didn't venture onto the water, we did pay a visit to Bled Castle - as we'd had a bit of a castle drought since Budva. We were just in time for the re-enactment of a medieval romance and wedding, performed by local mummers.
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Bled Castle
The castle, one of the most visited tourist attractions in Slovenia, was first mentioned in writing in 1011, during the rule of King Henry II of Germany (at the time the Holy Roman Emperor). It passed from the Empire to the Austrian House of Habsburg in 1278.
It's much restored or is it renovated (?) and also contains a museum or two and even a printing press with metal letters in a frame and real ink.
Ljubljana
Since 1992, when the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia fell apart, Ljubljana has been the capital of the independent State of Slovenia. Prior to the creation of Yugoslavia, in 1918, Slovenia was part of the Austro-Hungarian (Habsburg) Empire that met its demise with its defeat in World War 1. This heritage is still evident in the architecture.
Economically, Slovenia is now one of the best performing remnants of the former Yugoslavia. It's been part of the Euro Zone since 2007 and has an unemployment rate close to the European Union average.
As we had the car, we booked in at a B&B that's really a motel, with breakfast included, and a convenient adjacent supermarket. Although there was public transport, it turned out to be more convenient to drive in to a park on the edge of the city, with a free car-park, and to walk in. This gave us an opportunity both to: get lost in the one-way system, while driving; and to see quite a bit of the city that's not on the usual tourist agenda, while walking.
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Ljubljana pedestrian zone and the Ljubljana River
Another day another castle - Ljubljana Castle that stands above the city is reached by a funicular railway - you know 'feniculi-funicular' - about the seductive potential of these newfangled inclinators:
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Ljubljana Castle
It has a great double-helix stair system to the tower - one helix up and the other down. But no sitting on the walls even though it's a shorter fall than at Bled.
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In the Castle there's a museum that actually harks back to Yugoslavia
In most other museums this period is a blank
This is a bust of Tito and an example - there were several including small arms - of a manufactured item
Josip Broz Tito - otherwise known as President Tito of Yugoslavia - led the Yugoslav (Communist) Partisans during WW2 against the Axis Powers and then post-war Yugoslavia. This is the only image of him we've seen on this trip.
In his time Yugoslavia apparently manufactured cool motorbikes and smallarms, among other things on display here. Once he died it all began to fall apart. By 1992 the Balkans were balkanised once more. Did anyone say BREXIT?
Of course, Tito never knew. He died confident that Yugoslavia would continue as a united commonwealth into the distant future.
The National Gallery of Slovenia (Narodna Galerija) was also worth a visit.
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The National Gallery of Slovenia (Narodna Galerija)
At the bottom is a 'Crystal Reliquary of St John the Baptist's Blood'
Among the Gallery's collection is a 'Crystal Reliquary of St John the Baptist's Blood' from the early 13th century. Presumably Salome saved a pint or two for posterity.
The wide scale practice of manufacturing reliquaries, to attract pilgrims, was one of the things that so incensed the Protestants in the 16th century. After the Reformation, the Roman Church largely abandoned the practice but there are many we've seen that are still actively revered. Many are beautifully crafted in precious metals and jewels and often contain body parts. The gallery has some particularly beautiful examples. They now attract tourists.
Maribor
Maribor is a picturesque town in Slovenia on the way to Austria, which we would need to pass through on the way to Bratislava in Slovakia.
We're about to venture beyond the Balkans. We'll return to Austria after Slovakia and end this road trip in Vienna.
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Maribor - there was also a shopping mall
Bratislava
I apologise for the appearance of Peter I of Yugoslavia over this chapter. It's an inflexible feature of my template design.
Peter had little to do with the first Czechoslovak Republic except that like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia also came into being after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in October 1918.
Slovakia is not a Balkan state but as we had previously spent time in the Czech Republic and were passing, we decided to take a look at Bratislava.
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Bratislava - some less iconic views
Yet Slovakia was, like those states that once formed Yugoslavia, at that time part of a larger entity - Czechoslovakia.
From 1948 to 1990, Czechoslovakia was part of the Eastern Bloc and the Warsaw Pact. In 1989 in what came to be called the Velvet Revolution state price controls were removed and in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed. Two years later Czechoslovakia split into two - the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
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The old town of Bratislava where the locals like dressing up
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New Bratislava.
The building site is the view from our rented apartment on 25th floor.
The runners are participating in a fun run and the street sculptures are reminiscent of those in Melbourne
The Holocaust Memorial
Above is a memorial to the Holocaust when during the time of Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, Jews and Roma were rounded up and sent to extermination camps with the assistance of much of the non-Jewish population. An estimated 136,000 Jews lost their lives in Czechoslovakia alone, with some communities in the Czech Republic all but obliterated.
In the centre of the city stands Bratislava Castle on a rocky hill that has been fortified since the time of the ancient Celts, iron age warriors, who held this region from the 4th century BCE.
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Bratislava Castle
The Celts were replaced by the Romans early in the Common Era and then the Slaves in the 10th century CE. By the 12th century it was the seat of the Kingdom of Hungary from which Crusades were launched and a century later it withstood Mongol attacks and acquired its four corner towers. It continued to be an important defensive fortification and seat of government until the abolition of the Kingdom of Hungary in 1781 after which it fell into disrepair and in 1809 Napoleon's guns bombarded it. After the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the First World War Czechoslovakia declared its independence and the ruined Castle risked demolition to make way for new administrative buildings.
The panorama from the main south-wester tower
But then came the Second World War at the end of which Czechoslovakia was liberated from the Nazis by the Russians and thus became a Communist country and a member of the Warsaw Pact. In a grand socialist gesture, in 1954 it was decided to restore Bratislava Castle to its former glory.
All went well, until the First Secretary of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia - Alexander Dubček - we remember him well - decided to instigate the reforms known as the 'Prague Spring'. This caused (in August 1968) the other Warsaw Pact countries, led by Russia, to invade, confirming to the world all the terrible things we'd heard about Communism.
The almost completed castle was invaded too and became a museum and government offices. Yet during the 1980's there was more trouble in the workers' paradise and in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed, throwing all the socialist republics into economic and social turmoil, many, like Czechoslovakia, sizing their independence. Then on 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
After the Bush-Putin 'Bratislava Summit', that took place in the Castle in February 2005, it was decided to complete the restoration; and work began in 2008. Among the first steps was painting the, previously-brown-building, white, inside-and-out. In some galleries, mouldings, gold detailing and chandeliers now add to the palatial oeuvre. It's not finished but an initial public airing was given on television in 2010.
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The Assumption of the Virgin Mary, de Anton Schmidt in Bratislava Castle - harking back to Turkey
The crucifix was the less usual four nail style - more typically three - see those in Split (above)
This is also a region famed for the quality of its glass manufacturing and furniture design so naturally these had pride of place in the Castle Museum.
The vast castle also houses an art gallery, many of the pictures depicting heroic workers, as appropriate to the People's Republic, that prevailed when they were made.
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Pictures from the gallery in Bratislava Castle
About 15 km out of town are the ruins of Devin Castle, that once dominated the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers and as we were now on a castle 'high' - how could we miss it?
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Devin Castle
How the castle came to be ruined is not a secret. Napoleon's engineers blew it up with their petards. Perhaps one or two were 'hoist' upon them?
Why, is more of a mystery? They were retreating at the time, so maybe they wanted to deny it to a potential competitor - kicking away the proverbial ladder? Yet, the very interesting on-site museum suggests that this was unlikely to be the reason. Possibly it was for entertainment, like shooting the nose of the Sphinx? Maybe they had some explosives that they wanted to get rid of? Anyway, they made a big mess.
There has been some modern reconstruction and tidying up; but it remains a ruin.
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The ruins of Devin Castle
I particularly liked the large and very deep well. There was a bucket of water provided and a good splosh into the well made a very nice noise as it hit the water at the bottom - nearly three seconds later. A lovely science experiment and maths problem - time it exactly and deduct a bit for the speed of sound to find the depth.
The fall of the Iron Curtain
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Cutting the Iron Curtain - December 1989
In December 1989 as part of the Velvet Revolution, around 100,000 Bratislavans assembled here; cut through the barbed wire that formed the border to Austria; and marched into Western Europe. It was the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union.
More photos and Travel
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