CROATIA - June 2001
I returned to the northern part of Croatia in June 2001, staying on the Island of Krk, at Malinska.
The island lies between the Istrian peninsula and the mainland, to which it is linked by the Krk bridge, a double bridge, one of the longest arch bridges in the world. Krk is one of the larger islands of the many hundreds of islands stretching down the Croatian coastline. Rijeka airport, which is situated on the island, has about two or three flights a day. One of these is a weekly Croatian Airlines flight from Heathrow to Zagreb, which now touches down at Rijeka airport.
The main purpose of my visit was to see the Plitvice National Park, on the mainland. The Park was too far away for a day trip when I was last in Croatia, staying much further down the coast towards Dubrovnik.
In the Park there are 15 or 16 lakes which flow into one another with waterfalls, cascades and races. Some are quite large with ferryboat crossings ( 100 passenger capacity). The waters are clear and full of trout and the area is laced with paths and wooden walk ways, which thread their way around the lakes and falls. No bears or wolves were seen, but many butterflies, dragonflies, lizards and birds.
Pine forests surround the area, which is listed in the UNESCO register of sites of World significance.
