People II

The second collection of my People series.

Left: I spy, at a Soviet era cafe in Lviv, Ukraine.

Right: Cafe in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Right: I was walking around Istanbul, Turkey, close to the Hagia Sofia when I saw this boy, who I suppose had pulled himself away from friends standing not too far away, fascinated by these pigeons.

Left: This kd was out with her grandfather and couldn't decide if she really wanted to ride her little bicycle. (Mumbai, India)

Right: A couple in contemplation. (Zadar, Croatia)

Left: These kids were part of a school group visiting the Nek Chand Rock Garden in Chandigarh, India. We smiled at each other, I pulled out my camera, and he stuck out his finger in surprise.

People I

We love taking photos of people. I do too. Here's a first collection from my trips.

Left: my fellow passengers on Hong Kong's tram.

Right: a couple steal a corner of the Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary. It took me a while before I managed this shot. Partly because there were people passing, partly because I was trying as hard as possible to be inconspicuous.

Left: Sikh guards having a chat at the Golden Temple, Amritsar, India.



Right: This guy was on the phone for some time while his girlfriend (we assumed she was), waited for him to end the call. He was either oblivious to her growing impatience, or simply ignoring it. Oh yes, this was taken in Istanbul, Turkey.


The shot on the right was taken outside Qutb Minar, Delhi, India. She was probably tired and waiting for the rest of her group.

Below: This is one of my favourite shots of my trip to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Coastal Croatia

To be completely honest, I used to think the old-school tourism commercial for Croatia that I used to chance upon on the BBC was cheesy. The ad claimed Croatia is 'the Mediterranean as it once was'. Really!

In Trogir

Yet there was something that drew me to this country. Maybe it was its name, or that a friend had been there before and raved about it. Or it was simply the fact that a routine scan of airfares on some airlines' websites made it possible to visit this country by the Adriatic Sea.

Whatever the reason, I found myself along the Croatian coast in April 2012 as part of a broader trip to the region. My trip took place during the low season but that did not really dampen the experience. If anything, I was to find out that it made for easier access and navigation. The only downside to it was that I did not get to visit the islands for which the country is famous, and this was because of the lower frequency of boat rides to and from such places like Hvar and Krk (and more importantly, my refusal to zip from one place to the next with what little time I had). Having said that, the cities boast some postcard-pretty sights and winding alleys that should keep you busy for a few hours, if not full day trips.

Zadar

Filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock was on holiday here once and described the sunset he saw in the horizon as the most beautiful in the world. It is a claim that was echoed by some locals I spoke to, and I must say they're not very far off from the truth. Of course it's quite another matter if you consider people who wax lyrical over sunsets pathetic. In which case, you might want to check out one of the following:

Sunset as seen from Zadar

St Donat's Church (above, right): one of the best preserved pre-Roman buildings in the world.
Sea Organ (below, right): This man-made organ works with the motion of the waves and 35 pipes to create a musical soundscape. Sounded like a whale singing to me.

Museum of Ancient Glass: This museum has what's been described as the most outstanding exhibits and the greatest collection of ancient glass in this part of Europe.

Sibenik

Sibenik as seen from
St Michael's Fortress

Cathedral of St James (right)
in Trg Republike Hrvatske

This medieval city is often bypassed for its more famous neighbours, but Sibenik is lovely in its own right. You'll find steep backstreets and ancient chapels compactly packed in this part of northern Dalmatia. There's also the Cathedral of St James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, whose most unusual feature is the frieze of 71 heads on the exterior walls of the apses. They may look like caricatures but are actual depictions of people from the 15th century (left). Apparently the cathedral cost quite a bomb, and it's said that the stingier the donor, the gross their caricature!

Sibenik is also home to the St Michael Fortress, which offers fantastic views over the city, the Krk River and the Adriatic Sea (click! click!). Parts of the structure date back to the 13th century.

North of Sibenik is the Krka National Park, similar to the Plitvička  Lakes National Park. The one in Krka offers you breathtaking scenery of waterfalls and all else nature has to offer. Some historical and archaeological remains can also be found here.

Trogir

a street in Trogir

The showcase of Trogir:
Cathedral of St Lovro

Tiny Trogir is on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. The medieval core is surrounded by walls and comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of homes and palaces. These are from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. The most important sites include the 15th century Fortress Kamerlengo. It hosts concerts during the Trogir Summer festival.

Split

The bell tower in
central Split

Reading at the foot of
St Duje's Cathedral, Split

Split is in Central Dalmatia. It was originally built around the Diocletian palace where locals sought refuse centuries ago. Within this UNESCO World Heritage Site you'll find the Cathedral of St Domnius and its iconic belltower (left), a couple of museums, Roman walls and temples. 

Split harbour

Split is also famous for housing the Galerija Meštrović, which displays the works of the Croatian sculptor. I did not get to see it though because the gallery was closed at the time of my visit. There's another such museum in Zagreb. 

view of the Old Town and Lokrum Island
from the City Walls

Dubrovnik

The Old Town as seen from
my guesthouse

Then there's Dubrovnik, images of which are splashed virtually everywhere that Croatia is advertised. The city is marble streets, baroque buildings, and an endless stream of tourists frantically freezing virtually every inch of the Old Town in their cameras.

A dwelling in one of the
streets in the Old Town

The entire area is closed off to cars and surrounded by thick defence walls. You can walk around the walls for a fee (the main entrance and ticket office is by the Pile Gate, but you can also make the ascend from Ploce Gate in the east). I went at around opening time and had the walls mostly to myself. I finished the walk in about an hour, but I suppose if you go during a busier period, especially in summer, it may well take a much longer time. Stroll, too, along the main street, Placa, or as it's commonly known, Stradun, the Old Town's pedestrian promenade. I was told that in summer it becomes very difficult to walk down this stretch without being elbowed or rubbed against someone else.

Cavtat's promenade

Dubrovnik was the target of bombardment during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, and if you'd like to get a sense of this slice of history, take a peek at War Photo Limited , a photo gallery curated by a photojournalist who worked in the region in the 1990s. Note though that the gallery is closed between November and April.

the harbour at
Cavtat

If the crowds of Dubrovnik get too much for you, hop on a bus and head down to Cavtat, which is a lot less touristy. This little town oozes charm and grace. In terms of sights, there are the baroque St Nicholas Church and the birth house of Vlaho Bukovac, Cavtat's most famous son, at the northern end of Obala Ante Starcevica.

Getting around

The coast is well-connected by buses (and ferries) which leave for each destination mentioned here almost hourly. You can also get buses from these cities to other parts of Croatia (including the capital Zagreb) and neighbouring destinations like Mostar in Bosnia-Hercegovina (from Split and Dubrovnik). There are airports in Split, Dubrovnik and Zadar. The cities are also served by trains though buses are a better bet.

The cities are also good jump off points for some of Croatia's famed islands. These include:

Between us

Pag and Kornati from Zadar
Hvar, Brać and Vis from Split
Mljet, Korćula and Lokrum from Dubrovnik

Best time to visit

Summer is where all the action is! But if you prefer it to be less crowded, visit during the shoulder months (April, Oct, Nov).

How many days

Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar can keep you occupied for a day. I'd suggest spending at least a night as well. I'd set aside 2-3 days each in Split and Dubrovnik which was a bit too much, which is why I made trips to Sibenik, Trogir and Cavtat. I spent on average half a day in each place but it ultimately depends on your individual preference.

Plitvička National Park

The oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest in Croatia. I would go as far to say that no trip to the country would be complete without a stop to this UNESCO World Heritage listed site. I present to you Plitvička National Park in pictures.

 

Getting In

The best way to get to the Park is from Zadar or Zagreb. In the high season, buses are more regular throughout the day. I went in late April, which is the low season. Connections from Zadar were not very favourable (first bus out was 1430hrs). Considering the ride takes about 2.5 hours, i would only have gotten to see the entrance to the park and make a mental note for another day's visit.

  

Which means i made the trip to the park from Zagreb (i had to go to the capital anyway). My bus out was at 0730hrs from the main bus station. It was a comfortable 2 and a half hours before the bus stopped us along the main road outside the entrance to the park.

There are several routes one can take in the park. These range from the 2-hour to an eight to 10 hour trek around the area. Don't worry about walking around in circles though. The paths are marked clearly with the different routes one can take so you won't get lost. I took route that's supposed to take you 5-6 hours (i think it was route C) and finished it in a cool 4 hours at a leisurely pace.

Getting Out

Buses for Zadar and Zagreb pass the main road from 1630hrs onwards. There are several connections to each city. Alternatively, minibuses ply the routes to get you to your destination in almost half the time. I was waiting for my bus to Zagreb when a minibus came along, charged me just about the amount the bus would have cost, and brought me to Zagreb about an hour before the bus would have. It's a pretty good option especially if you're alone.

Oh, one more thing: temperatures might be slightly lower at the park so be sure to check the weather chart before going. :)