Not looking like a swimming day...

It was a big day.
Up at 6am ... only because the alarm went off!

Breakfast in the hotel at 6.45am and then on the bus to the National Park.
There is on one way out of Trogir and that is across 2 bridges.
It was peak hour but we were over the first bridge, onto the island of old Trogir ... then over the next bridge, off the island of old Trogir and on our way in half an hour.
Arrived at Krka National Park about 45 minutes later after driving through just lots of rocky barren land or land absolutely covered in pine trees.

Sibila was saying that the pine trees are a curse here.
They have bushfires that raze everything but the pine seeds spread amazingly after the fire and grow so quickly.
And take over from the natural vegetation and olive trees.
I'd believe her.
They were everywhere.
She also said that Napoleon introduced the pine tree to Croatia.
He was planning a long battle ( years and years )
to conquer the area so he had pine trees planted because they grow so quickly, to provide shade for his soldiers.
She also said that ....
They don't like burning the wood, too sticky.
They don't like using it in construction, too soft.
So, basically, they hate pine and are struggling to find a use for it.

Warm but overcast.
No rain yet.
We walked to various vantage points in this park and the views were AMAZING.
We walked across the Kyka Gorge.
You could not believe the volume of water racing down the rocks!
And the colour of the water was a real aqua.
I could only imagine what it would look like in a sunny day.
And there were magnificent stone walls and buildings everywhere.
Emily, the photo of the stone wheels was taken just before we entered the millhouse.
These were used in there.
The walkways were amazing.
Brilliantly built so you wandered past racing water or ( seemingly ) still ponds.
Such a contrast.
The water was absolutely crystal clear.
There were fish, frogs, ducks, birds ... everywhere.

Apparently, there are also wolves and bobcats.
Rather relieved that we didn't see any of those!

Sibila was also telling us about the bird life in this area.
But with her accent, 'birds' sounded like 'Bears'
I really wasn't too keen to venture into the woods until that was cleared up!!!!

Ended up down at the area looking up at the huge waterfall of cascading water, in front of which was the swimming area.
There were also 'No Swimming' signs.
Sicilian says that no one takes any notice of those.
This was the place I had seen so many photographs of on the Internet.
It is simply stunning.

However, it was raining quite heavily, and so, I decided not to swim.
Didn't really fancy trying to get back into my clothes, wet.
I was already wet.
So, basically, I took my bathers for a very long walk today!

And had an ice cream instead.

See the photo with the long wooden bridge?
I walked over that.
Took photos.
Dodged umbrellas.
Waited while people took photos...
All in the heavy rain.

Photo bombed a South Korean lady's photo ...
She got so excited, she hugged me and insisted on a photo with both of us.
( I'll be on a wall in South Korea ... I do get about.)

Then we headed for a boat trip downstream to Skradin for a wander and lunch.
The rain had stopped.
Lovely little town.
Safe bay, just before entry into the sea.
Bill Gates keeps a boat here.
I bet he loves it.
So tiny.
We wandered the waterfront.
Sat in a magnificent outdoor restaurant, just for a coke really, having grabbed a roll from the bakery as soon as I arrived.
I was joined by Anne and we just sat and enjoyed the water view.

Then back on the bus to Sibenik, the oldest native town in Croatia.
Really didn't seem that much until we went on a tour with a local guide.
He was brilliant.
Took us through all the old sections and told us many a tale.
Showed us the house ( Palace ) that Napoleon had stayed 2 nights in.

Napoleon!!!!

But my favourite story was about an old convent.
There are 7 nuns who live here.
They never leave the convent.
And had been inside for years and years and years.
Someone would bring any supplies that they needed and they never, ever ventured outside the walls.
There are 3 secret gardens there that no outsider has seen in hundreds of years.

Then, another elderly nun decided to join their order, bringing the total to 8 nuns at the convent.
This news was greeted with huge excitement in Sibenik.
So much so, that, in celebration, every church bell in the city was rung continually, all day.
And this was just recently.
How lovely is that?!

After a tour of the 'old' town, we ended up at the UNESCO World Heritage listed Cathedral of St James.
This was lovely.
Parts of the stonework had been cleaned.
And there was scaffolding above the main alter so cleaning work can be done there.
They clean the stone with laser technology.
I've included a photo.
A few of us in the group decided that they had finally found a use for pine!

An hours free time.
I bought a handbag.
Pretty colourful, huh?
Girls in my group said it was me to a 'T'

I'll go with that.
And it's fun.

Back to the hotel.
I had dinner in the restaurant.

I cannot believe I have written up the day, and added photos, and it's only 8pm.

Early night.
I'm a bit tired.

And yes!!!
I quietly enjoyed 2 glasses of your wine, Andrew.
Sitting on my balcony, watching the changing colours of sunset at Trogir.
It was very, very nice.
Thank you.
I like travel.