Monday, July 25, 2011

Welcome to Croatia

Croatia 1
We crossed into Croatia in the early afternoon and drove down to Pula which is located on the tip of the Istrian Peninsula.  Pula is an industrial port town but home to an intact Roman amphitheater. 
The Amphitheater was by far the highlight of the city and we were able to walk around inside and sit in the seats.  As is our luck, there was a crew setting up a stage for a concert while we were there.  However it did not take away from the sense of awe you experience when you walk around.  It is hard to believe that this structure has been here since it’s completion in 68 AD.  (I promise the sky was that blue and I did not Photoshop it.  I usually only run a sharpen action on my photos.)
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There is an old Roman Theater just a couple of blocks away from the Amphitheater.  Unfortunately the area around the theater was covered in graffiti and there was a lot of broken glass on the ground.  It is sad to me that people don’t appreciate the history in their own town.
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We walked up behind the theater to Fort Kastel and noticed many little lizards along the way.  They are speedy little things but this one wasn’t camera shy.
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That is not a great photo of the girls but a good view of the fort.  I want to add that it was HOT in Croatia!  The girls were all red and flushed from the heat but we had plenty of water on hand and they were happy until I wanted to take a photo.  Sunscreen and hats are a must if you travel here, especially in the summer.
After we left Pula we drove about 15 minutes to a small town where our apartment was located.  JG picked a great place for sure and we were 400 meters from the beach!  The first night we just walked down and enjoyed the beautiful view.  The first thing you will notice is all the rocks!  Croatia does not have sandy beaches but there are still plenty of places to spread out your beach towel and relax.
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There were plenty of little crabs to be found and we even saw a small jelly fish floating in the water.  Since it is all rocky the water stays perfectly clear as you walk in and you can easily see anything that may be swimming in the water with you.  On our second night there Aubrey noticed a jelly fish floating into the cove we claimed and we safely avoided him. 
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Thanks for joining me again as I share our photos with you.  If you have any questions please leave a comment and I will answer them promptly. 

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