Krk

Krk is a Croatian island and is also the seccond largest island in the Adriatic Sea, 405 km2 (38 km length, width to 20 km). 16,402 residents live in 68 of the villages on the island. It has been inhabited since before 10th century BC. The Romans called it Curicta and it was the scene of sea combat between the fleets of Caesar and Pompeius during the Roman Civil War. Krk has historically been a center of Croatian culture.  It is also known as the “golden island”, as the island of Krk has been called since ancient times.

Unlike most other islands it is fairly forested (almost a third of the island). The northwestern part is lower, more fertile, and relatively densely populated. Southeastern part of the island is higher and mostly bare. The highest peak of the Island Obzova also lies here, reaching 569 m in hight. Northeast coast is steep, a little broken and exposed to  strong wind.
How to get to Krk?

You can reach Krk by land, sea and by air because there is also an airport (Rijeka airport) which can handle large and small planes. The island doesn’t have a railway. The nearest railway station is in Rijeka, only 30 km from Krk. There are daily trains to and from Italy, Austria, Germany and Hungary. Rijeka also has daily coach lines which connects all European points such as Munich, Zurich, Trieste, etc. If you like boat rides you can also reach Rijeka by ferry and one of the safe harbours of the island in your own boat. You can leave your boat during the winter in Marina Punat or in other marinas offering dry storage. For the sake of orientation, here are some rough distances for those who prefer coming by car:
München:600 km, Wien:500 km, Budapest:600 km, Praha:800 km, Bratislava:600 km, Trieste: 100 km, Milano:550 km, Ljubljana:150 km, Zagreb:200 km

Baška

Baška is one of the most attractive destinations on the Croatian Adriatic coast, mostly because of its 2km-long  natural pebbly beach which has been proclaimed one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Baška is situated at the far south-east end of the island of Krk, which is Croatia’s biggest island and also its closest one to the  mainland, 43 km from the Krk Bridge. Being only a few hours distant from major European cities makes it an interesting destination not only for summer vacations, but also for weekend breaks and other holidays throughout the year.

Baška is like a masterpiece water-colour painting, anchored in a bay against a green background, spilling its white rocks along the shore, the colours  merging with Baška’s bright facades, red roofs, old stone steps, wooden shutters and little white boats caressing the shores.

The town is an interesting architectural unit, as it was built on a terrain which gradually rises above sea level.

Baška’s stunning  natural semi-circular beach  overlooks the Velebit mountain range and the islet Prvić.

Visiting Morocco is a destination which requires a bit more of everything;
time, money, will, condition and on the top, knowing a little French will make easier communication, especially if you are planning to go deeper into center of morocco and in to the south part, as few people there speaks English.

You probably ask yourself right now, why anyone would even want to go there.

The last place in Spain, before you enter Morocco is Algeciras.

You could also taka a different route, via France – there’s a ferry going from Sete in France, to Tangier (but it’s pretty expensive route).

I must not forget, that there is another way to get to Tangier, it is from Tarifa, the most southern place in Spain, and it’s also called paradise for surfers.

It’s amazing place, with lot of nice little surfing places.

It’s not so crowded, and that’s way it makes it so nice.

But who know how long is going to stay this way.

Nevertheless, today I will write a bit about my traveling around Morocco.

I will leave traveling around Spain and Portugal for some other time.

And let’s my trip begins.  So, there is still question why? Perhaps, the answer is hidden in this post.

Morocco is Africa, and on the other hand, it isn’t. It’s Arab country, and again, it isn’t.

As inhabitants are so different; you can find different people, such as Arabs, Berber, Bedouins, Tuareg people and more.

Morocco really feels a bit eccentric, and at the same time feels unimaginable beautiful.

In my today’s post, I will write about all about surfing, inhabitants, the highest mountain in North Africa, places like Essaouira, Marrakesh and Casablanca and of course much more.

It has been a unforgettable trip through Africa.  Firstly, let me tell you a bit about general information of Morocco.

The official country name is Kingdom of Morocco, and with a help of Prime Minister Country is under the reign of King.

Due to such national organization, Morocco should be extremely safe country, as King Mohamed VI. should provide a protection any safety to Kingdom.

Morocco is one of the Maghreb countries in northern Africa, and Gibraltar is the southern country which is the closest to Africa, Morocco and at the same times it separates it from Europe.

The capital city of Morocco is Rabat, the official language is Arabic, the official religion is Islam and currency is the Moroccan dirham.

A picturesque and diverse Kingdom of Morocco offers a diverse mosaic of each visitor and with its coastline, high snow mountains and green oasis in the desert remind us of the mysterious land of the Thousand and One Nights.

In fact, it is so varied in many great ways, so its features, conflicts, habits of people it’s hard to get to know in a short time.

All the varieties and conflicts are due of mixing different cultures, as well as the interplay of modern and traditional, which is also visible at every step.
It’s also very interesting the meaning of the word of »Morocco«; in Moroccan language means the place where the sun sets in.

The sun sets in and around us is only desert, which glows in glowing red. This is something I’ve seen only in the film.

And sunset for a change is not shoddy. Sunset is therefore not shoddy, but people living in Morocco are all of different kind, sorts, with different qualities.

This is also a due to turbulent history of this country, which has been for some time a European colony.

Berber people living here, are original inhabitant of this area, then are also Arabs, Jews, black Africans, and also some are Europeans, particularly French, as a result of colonial times.

It was not until 1956 when Morocco attainment its independence from under the colonial power France.

We can also find few Spanish people, living in Marocco.

Crispy bread, honey and miracle argan oil; it’s the best breakfast to stay young for a long time.

For century the indigenous Berber tribes of Morocco are more and more convinced about this.

Berber people called themselves “free people” and there, in the picturesque villages of Ksar, between untamed proud Atlas proud valleys and soft winds desert dunes, nature imagination has no boundaries.

Against the rural simplicity, there are standing anthills of human imagination, bright royal Moroccan towns with great and a lot of times amazing palaces and mosques.

The old Moroccan tradition says that perhaps one of the best places to look for a wife is in Fes.

Also you’ll certainly fall in love in the bustling Moroccan city! In the old Medina (Medina in the name of old city center) and its colorful heart, for it seems that is there and beats there from always – together with all the professional storytellers, snake tamer, street artists, markets sellers, and all stalls with delicious tajin and numerous spices.

Morocco is the oldest kingdom in the Muslim world. Despite the proximity of Europe, the coast of Morocco is only 14 km away from the Gibraltar.

The kingdom of Morocco seems to us as wrapped in mystery which makes us curious and at the same time inspired us.

It’s a strange, how Morocco was always very attractive to European people. Maybe because is so close, and at the same time so very different.

In a split second it seems as we travel couple of hundred years back in history.

Many famous people he has created a second home in Morocco.

Such as: Yves Saint Laurent, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton, the Rolling Stones, Jean Paul Gautier, and Richard Branson.

Winston Churchill explained the phenomenon of Morocco with the words: Ah, Morocco, the country where the days are perfect and nights are cold.

Its true; the moment we step on Moroccan soil, feel that we have come in strange land.

Not quite African, not quite Arab, not entirely European, but just the right combination of everything.

Morocco is strained between two seas, two and three continental cultures, always unpredictable and always dramatic.

In which other country you could find Atlas mountains covered with snow, Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline, Sahara Desert, the king-sized town …

Crand Canyon, Arizona

However, that Grand Canyon, in Arizona, USA is a very deep, more than half a kilometer, is not the deepest in the world.
But certainly it is among the richest in their strangeness.

The ancient homeland of Indian tribes, who are still living in the surrounding reserves, comes here close to our idea of the home of youthful Winettu.

Indians are also quite aware of modern world desire and exploit them to great advantage. Quite interesting is one of the things that Indian tribes Hopi have done.

With a financial help from Chinese businessman, they have on their own territory on western edge of Grand Canyon, built a glass terrace for tourists, from which it could been seen a breathtaking vertical depth.

Of course not for free. In million years time, this amazing strong depth, also of one of the ten natural wonders of the world, have been gnaw trough river Colorado with its rapids.

The river looks seemingly soft and tenacious. Moon landscape looks amazing and it was shape by wind, snow, rain and relentless sun.

Even if we feel the Grand Canyon is dead in his eternity, in reality these processes will continue to live, every second, every minute.

Lighter and darker brown and reddish layers are laid down horizontally and are seen as a natural timeline.

Looks as nature would have forgotten to watered deep recession, from more than 400 kilometers long passage, dialect about it is known from ancient Earth period up to the Precambrian.

Is it surprising, if the visitors stay breathtaking looking at this timelessness nature, when compares it with their own impermanence?

Best View over the Grand Canyon is from the southern edge, and for those, who love solitude and despise the crowds of tourists can choose to visit the most beautiful northern edge.

Only that it is not available through all year round and is not always open, it is higher than the South and unfortunately have more severe weather conditions.

Edges are looking at each other with distance of three kilometers on one side, and on the other it could also be separating distance from twenty-nine kilometers.

Often from down there, it’s impossible to see Colorado River, but that doesn’t mean, that there are no rafters on it.

If we count out the original tribes, and later the Spanish, which have travel their way through from Mexico, to find gold towns.

Unfortunate all they could find was burning rocks. Centuries later, it was shown that in these stones lies a numerous Mineral Resources.

After that world has begun to talk about the Grand Canyon, but thanks to Major Wesley Powell, who in the second half of the 19th first century, has wrote about his great expirience and his enthusiasm at the pioneering three-month descent on Colorado River.

Wesley Powel is also a »father« of name Grand Canyon. Since 1919, the area was declared as a national park, which now measure about 5000 square kilometers.

Five million visitors per year In the morning sunrise there is also going up a dark shadow of wild California condor.

In sharp turn under the southern edge he chase away flock of crows, which are not letting him rest.

Squirrels without mop of hair on the ears with thick and rigid tails carcasses, seems to be more like marmots and their cousin hake from the trees.

They live predominantly on the ground, and are not embarrassed when are looking into the overcrowded garbage baskets and through discarded empty bottles and sandwiches wrapper.

Crowd of tourists is really big, statistics shown for about five millions of visitors each year, from which four fifths comes from the United States; in particular the rest is split between British, Japanese and Germans.

Anyone who would like to spend the overnight in Grand Canyon, in the tent, must obtain prior approval on the prescribed form, despite the numerous camps that are there.

For the log cabin with green and pink window frames, it’s necessary to wait more than a year.

Even the oldest rooms in the hotel El Tovar, built in 1905 and restored exactly 100 years later, are not always available, even a simple double room costs 175 dollars, and apartments costs twice as room.

On the web pages you could find numerous offers, some with a fairly aggressive number and variety of accommodation options, payable options, which some adrenaline lovers could afford.

Gibraltar is an overseas territory, which is as a crown colony belongs to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It is located in southwestern Europe on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and has a great strategic importance, as strait of Gibraltar is linking the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and furthermore also Europe and Africa.

Gibraltar is located on the north side of the strait of Gibraltar; this is also the place where Europe is closest to Africa, the most southern point of Europe.

It’s quite amazing standing there and looks over to Africa.

It’s amazing for two things; firstly because of the two totally different cultures and secondly it’s quote unbelievable, that Africa from this point is so close.

It takes only a bit more than half a house with ferry, to take you over to Tangier.

And believe me, this is something totally different that you are use to, while visiting places in Europe.

But don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean in a bad way, no, definitely not.

It’s something like, when people visit India for the first time, and they say, it’s a Big culture shock.

Anyway, it was like that for me. Maybe some other travelers will have different experiences.

Gibraltar history In year 711 Gibraltar was conquer by the Muslims Arabs and the Berber people.

The name Gibraltar comes from Dschebel al-Tariq – Tariq’s mountain.

It is named after Tariq ibn Sijadu, the Moors general who knew and was familiar with the strategic importance of Gibraltar, and has commanded to place the fortress there, around Gibraltar.

Muslims have reign over Gibraltar until Reconquist in year 1462.

From 1309 to 1333 Gibraltar was the first time in hands of Castilians. At 4th of August 1704 British have conquer Gibraltar.

This was during the Spanish succession war.

This attack was a total surprise for Spaniards, because they weren’t attacked at dawn, the morning as usually, but they were attacked during the afternoon siesta.

From year 1730 onwards, Gibraltar was confirmed with a peace agreement in Utrecht, as a British colony.

From 1730 Gibraltar is a formally confirmed as a crown colony. In colony live 28.800 inhabitants.

There is a still tension, which goes long back, between Great Britain and Spain, as Spain wants to acquire Gibraltar back.

The border was closed from 1969 to 1985 between Gibraltar and Spain.

City Gibraltar is located on a narrow band on the east side, where the rock is less steep.

On the southern cape (Europa Point) stands a lighthouse which was built in 1841.

Gibraltar and the famous monkeys Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where monkeys live in liberty.

These are the barbers, also named Magoti monkeys (scientific Latin name is Macaca silvanus). Also for this reason Gibraltar rock is also called Rock monkey.

The origin of these monkeys is not entirely clear.

I guess they have been transported by people from Morocco. In the past, barbarian monkeys lived also in the southern and central Europe, and so far, Gibraltar monkeys could be their descendants.

Gibraltar’s strait which is connecting the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea is of great strategic importance for the armed forces, therefore the United Kingdom has a fleet of Royal navy base in Gibraltar.

From the east side we could see from far away a steep cliff, named Upper Rock, which is located above the bay of Algeciras.

I also shouldn’t forget to tell you, that Gibraltar is a free tax zone, therefore a lot of tourists decided to visit it (while there are in south part of Spain).

While you are there is also worth visiting museums, where you will find out a lot of interesting things about Gibraltar’s history.

ANDALUSIA present a south-westerly part of Spain

Andalusia is easy to describe as a great and exciting, sunny, temperamental and passionate, it is also the home of flamenco, bullfights and beautiful places.

Andalusia is a region which also looks at the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and this is a reason why it has such a wonderful climate.

Moors have strongly marked this province by its cultural heritage, which you can admire in the larger cities: Cordoba, Seville, Granada…

It is a land of beautiful places with wild spreading landscapes, full of shiny green olive groves.

Moreover you will be attracted to bright sea and snow-covered mountain peaks.

If you decided to visit Andalusia, you will be charmed with villages in white, which are something special.

Furthermore you will not be indifferent at the sight of a beautiful city.

But, on the other hand, Andalusia in many ways represents the diversity of Spain as it is based on the Mediterranean and Atlantic at the same time.

It is a nice quite atmosphere on one side, and cold winter and hot summer on the other side. Nevertheless, I should forget about wide selection of food, from both sides of the sea.

There are numerous vineyards, pastures, orchards, fields and olive groves.

Spanish south side is the link between the Christian and Islamic world. Over the Al-Andalus medieval Europe has be acquaint with Greek philosophy.

Many museums were originally mosques and are as churches today.

Arab forts and towns are still standing today and invite us to visit them. Have you heard about Alhambra in Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Malaga?

Although, we shouldn’t forget, that a very strong historian period in Andalusia was effected by Moors for eight centuries.

You could still see some of their culture in building structure and flamenco dancing, as dough, not a lot people will admit the last.

The most famous building is a beautiful Alhambra Palace in Granada which absolutely worth visiting.

Alhambra was built by the Moors in the 14th century. Situated on a hill above the town, goes out of sight on one side of town and on the other you could see the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada (3398 m).

No words could describe that. Walking through this palace you could feel how Arab sheikh knew to enjoy life.

Alhambra is Arab place with its mystery and love story, as for example, love between a daughter of the sultan and serf in Generalife.

It is true, that is better being there early in the morning to book your ticket for the day, but believe me and it’s worth waiting.

We bought ticket early morning, for go into the gardens at 12 a.m., and we were lucky.

As most of palaces, which were built by Arabic people, were ruin, Alhambra is the one that lived though in one peace.

Imagine mosaics, shady walkways under arches, palm trees, the smell of myrtle, open gardens with mosaics and numerous fountains.

But I must also admit that most famous are and will remain Granada tapas!

This is an old Andalusia tradition that every drink is served with free delicious little things.

This kindheartedness is possible to experience only in Granada and its surroundings. This should try it out!

In my next few posts I will write more about Seville, Gibraltar and some other nice and places that I would recommend its worth visiting.