Istria Terra Magica Bike marathon

Dear sports friends, it is our great pleasure to announce the international cycling manifestation Off Road Cup Grand Prix Windtex arriving to Istria in its 5th edition.
Off Road Cup Grand Prix Windtex comprises eight especially chosen and most attractive MTB races in Italy organized between April and the end of September, followed by mid-October manifestation of giving awards of the entire prize fund. One of the races will be organized outside Italy for the first time, on Sunday 24 April, Vrsar will be the host of the second race or the Istria Terra Magica Bike marathon.

Along with the promotion of the entire manifestation, there will be simultaneous presentations of the towns hosting the races, as well as a presentation of cycling as a sport representing principles of healthy life, fair play, balance between the individual and its surroundings and the society. Windtex is a media event followed by several million TV viewers, with a special experience thanks to the attractive broadcast by SKY television whose crew uses the helicopter along with fixed cameras and cameras on motorcycles.
The marathon, well-known tourist destination very close to western Europe, whose romantic atmosphere used to impress even the famous Casanova, is 67 kilometres long.
The race is listed on the calendar of the World Cycling Federation (UCI) in the class E1. Regarding the fact that this is the race earning world points, we expect strong competition and an exciting race.
For all cyclists, the hotel and catering company Riviera holding prepared special arrangements and affordable prices of accommodation. During the race, sponsors will provide refreshments for the competitors.

Date:
24th April 2005
Competition type:
Marathon Istria Terra Magica Bike (UCI E1)
Authorized categories:
Elite, U-23, Women, Sport, Master 1, Master 2, Master 3, Master 4, Hobby-Tourist
Start:
Start in Vrsar at 10.30 am
Registration and start fee till 10th April 2005:
Istria Terra Magica Bike (E1) = 20 €
Additional fee from 11th till 22nd April 2005:
Istria Terra Magica Bike (E1) = 25 €
Number assignment:
● Saturday, 23th April 2005 from 12 am till 7 pm directly in the race office at the Hotel Diamant in Poreč,
● Sunday, 24th April 2005 from 7 till 9 pm at the info point at Vrsar
Prizes:
Overall prize purse: 4.330 € cash. Prize purse will be awarded to riders in the following categories: Elite, U-23, Women, Master and Sport. Practical prizes will be awarded to riders in all categories.
Prize giving ceremonies:
● Sunday, 24th April 2005 at the finish lane in Vrsar
President of the Commissaires Panel: Csilla Tam (Hungary)
General rules:
The event applies the mountain bike technical rules of the Croatian Biking Union, the UCI International Mountain Bike Regulations and the general regulations of the UCI. The organizer will not be held accountable for civil and legal responsibilities of the competitors towards third parties. The event will take place regardless the weather conditions.
Complaints:
According to the book of regulations by placing the deposit of 100 kn
More info : Istria Tourist Board and Tourism Department of the Region Istria, Pionirska 1a, HR-52440 Poreč
T. ..385.(0)52.452 500
F. ..385.(0)52.452 811
Contact:
Denis Ivošević - denis.ivosevic@istra-istria.hr
Bernard Musulin - bernard.musulin@istra-istria.hr

Lovran - Istria

Lovran is located on the eastern coast of Istria, in the Bay of Kvarner. It is quartered at the foot of the greenest and most vegetation-rich mountain in the Adriatic, Mt Učka.
It is some 19 km distant from Croatia’s major port, Rijeka, 14 km from Matulji railway station, and 80 km from Pula Airport. It is ringed by high mountains to the north and west (Učka 1396 m, Snježnik 1605 m, Risnjak 1528 m), and to the south by the islands of Krk and Cres. Its position gives it exceptional protection from the winds. In the winter the most common wind is the bora, which blows from the north east, bringing clear, cold weather. The south wind, the sirocco, brings rain and humidity, while in summer the maestral from off the water brings a freshness that mitigates the humidity and heat.
The climate is classified as Mediterranean, with continental elements. The mean winter air temperature is 7°C, and the summer 22°C. The annual mean is 13.3°C. Sea temperatures range from a low of 9°C in the winter to a high of 26°C in August. Lovran has 2,230 hours of sun a year, and the average precipitation is 1,500 litres per square metre.

These particular microclimatic conditions have provided the conditions for Mediterranean vegetation and plants to flourish. Thus by the very shore there is an abundance of laurels, palms, magnolias, various kinds of evergreen shrubs, pubescent oak, pines and cypresses. Above Lovran, in the terraced gardens, cherries, grape vines and olives are very successful. In the deep, leached and acidic soils, forests of sweet chestnuts grow marvellously, producing the marrons Lovran is famed for. At heights above 800 metres grow beech, pine and holm oak forests. This abundance of vegetation and the high concentration of salt in the air (37.8 ‰) have resulted in the presence of a rich plant and marine aerosol in the air.
All these things make the climate of Lovran highly invigorating, and very favourable for health.

Getting to know Lovran

Lovran is a town with a long and diverse past, with a hundred-year-long tradition of tourism. It took its name from laurel, laurus nobilis, which grows abundantly in the evergreen groves in the town and environs.
Of all the places that have developed on the steep eastern slopes of Učka, Lovran is the oldest, coming into being directly on the coast of Liburnia. Lovran has preserved its historical core and medieval city plan. The old city was girt with defensive walls and bastions, on the foundations and walls of which, during time, houses have been built.The courtyards of the Old Town are a particular charm of Mediterranean cityscapes. Behind the stone portals the façades of the neighbouring houses can be seen, decorated with their steps, porches and vaults. In the centre of the courtyard is the wellhead.
A good climate, luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation and a favorable geographic location contributed to the rapid development of tourism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Since that time, Lovran, together with Opatija, has been the most important locality on the famed Riviera. Several villas designed by the celebrated Viennese architect Carl Seidel dating from that period are part of the world architectural heritage.
On the threshold of the 21st century, Lovran can draw on a rich historical heritage, a hundred-year-old tradition of tourism, a well-preserved nature, a developed infrastructure and everything else that permits a new take-off in the tourist industry combined with sustainable development and respect for all ecological standards.

Historical heritage
Of all the places that have developed on the steep eastern slopes of Učka, Lovran is the oldest, coming into being directly on the coast of Liburnia. Lovran has preserved its historical core and medieval city plan. The old city was girt with defensive walls and bastions, on the foundations and walls of which, during time, houses have been built.
The development of tourism in the second half of the 19th century changed not only the appearance of the city but also the social and economic relations of the population. By the beginning of the 20th century, all the tourist industry infrastructure was in place. In 1873, the first resort building on the Liburnia Riviera was built: the Villa Fernandea, Belvedere Annexe. New styles of architecture had their effect on the appearance of the buildings. Viennese Secession and revivalist styles prevailed in the design of the most important hotels and villas. At the same time the most important feature for the whole of the tourist industry was built: the coastal promenade called either the Strandweg or the Lungomare. Eight kilometres long, this spanned the distance between Lovran and Volosko and completely opened up the shoreline, thus enhancing the value of the natural and panoramic beauties of the coast.

The Parish Church is dedicated to St George (Sv. Juraj), patron saint of Lovran. It was built in the 12th century in Romanesque, and rebuilt in the 15th century, when the chancel was embellished with valuable Gothic frescoes by local painters. The bell tower, initially detached, was linked with the church in the 17th century, when the latter was extended by two Baroque side chapels being built on. The interior of the church is enhanced by carved altars and a font. It also has a valuable treasury of ecclesiastical vessels.
In the 14th century, the Fraternity of St John the Baptist built the little Romanesque church that bears his name in the old town. Frescoes with scenes from the life of the saint have been discovered in it. Underneath the layers of the floor, the foundations of an earlier little church from the 12th century have been found.
Above the little harbour lies the small Church of the Holy Trinity, the only preserved one of three churches that once surrounded the medieval graveyard of the town. It is of simple external appearance, the Gothic details of the door and windows being significant. The interior houses a 1595 tombstone of the parish priest, Gašpar Bekarić, with a carved Glagolitic inscription.
On the approach to St George’s Square rises the imposing and solid City Tower, the remains of the old system of fortifications of the medieval Lovran. It has a square ground plan, and has been preserved in its original form up to a certain height, with its regularly carved stone blocks. The upper part of the tower was hastily built in brick after the destruction in the wars of the 17th century. After recent reconstruction work, the interior of the tower was converted for use for painting and exhibitions.
The medieval walls still have the eastern City gate called Stubica. It leads towards the port of Lovran known as Mandrać.
The courtyards of the Old Town are a particular charm of Mediterranean cityscapes. Behind the stone portals the façades of the neighbouring houses can be seen, decorated with their steps, porches and vaults. In the centre of the courtyard is the wellhead.
Opposite the Church of St George, on the square of the same name, rises the building of the medieval city council chamber. The lunette of the stone portal is ringed by a wooden relief of St George thrusting his sword into the dragon. This is the work of local artists, and was done at the beginning of the 19th century. Heraldic coats of arms of distinguished Lovran families can be seen on the building’s façade.
The lunette on the portal of the building on St George’s Square is surrounded by a wooden relief showing a bearded and moustached figure of terrifying appearance: Mustaćon. He protected the building from all imaginable enemies and troubles.

On the way in to Trg slobode (Freedom Square) there are two stone slabs that commemorate, in Latin and Italian, the visit of the King of Saxony to Lovran, on June 11 1845. The king was an impassioned botanist, and chose Učka for his investigations.
Along the coastal promenade between Lovran and Ika there are the most attractive and best preserved of the Lovran villas. They were built at the turn of the century as residential villas and as summer residences. They are graced by a fine eclecticism of styles. The Villa Astra and the Villa Deneš demonstrated attractive decorative elements of Venetian Gothic. All the villas were surrounded with luxuriant gardens and exotic plants.
We pick out three villas for their particular grandeur, the work of a creative genius, the famed Viennese architect Carl Seidl. The Villa Santa Maria is graced by mosaics and luxuriant gardens. The Villa Frappart is particularly renowned for the harmonious eclecticism of its design and decoration. The Villa San Niccolo, now Villa Magnolia, is known for its luxurious decorations that are combined with the rustic elements of an earlier building.
The rural architecture of the Lovran area shows the typical features of the Istrian littoral style. The stone buildings are solid two storey constructions with cellars, small windows and an entry stairway. A common feature is the semicircular projection around the fireplace.
Lovran District Tourist Office
www.tz-lovran.hr

Agritourism Istria

The internal Istriens has a large number of points, where you can carry out such, nowadays ever more popular, aspect of holidays.


There is a large accommodation rushing choice, where something determines you according to your taste will find: Farms and agrotouristishe family hotels, hotels, rooms and apartments, in the style of traditional istrischen or modern architecture built, and Oeko accommodations.
Do you have more time and do want to run away from the city? Then one of the many agroturistichen households for you is correct. Here the hosts will regale you with house-made native products.
A good type vomit you a good vacation find konnen. Thus the contact on our web page you can use, in order directly, without accepting mediators, with the owner of house, with a hotel, with a camping site, with dipping center or another sport club contact. Histrica.com

Istria

Istria is the largest Croatian peninsula, unique and magnificent, around which the Adriatic Sea has deeply etched itself into the land, sprinkling its jagged coastline with a thousand lagoons and islands, andsurrounded in the northeast by the Ćićarija and Učka mountains, Istria is prepared to reveal its thousand years of history to the chance traveller.

Traces of human life in Istria date back to the prehistoric times. The first know inhabitants of Istria were the Histri, from whom Istria received its name. Numerous peoples and cultures, from Romantimes to today, have left evidence of their cultures in the architecture, wall painting and in the rich church architecture.
Valuable monuments of religious and secular architecture have been preserved from all periods.
Istria is spread over 2,820 square kilometers, with great diversity, from its interior with its gorgeous towns which seem to have sprouted up on the tops of the hills, fertile fields, rocky mountains, to the coast pounded by the clear sea.
The climate is a pleasant mediterranean one with mild winters and warm summers. The sea is good for swimming from May until the end of September.

High quality accommodation is available in a variety of tourist offerings. Lovers of the outdoors have numerous camp grounds at their disposal along the entire coastline.
Each guest will be able to select something for himself or herself from the rich cultural and entertainment offerings available and the many sports and recreational grounds and facilities will satisfy even the choosiest. The good road, sea and air links with continental Croatia and with Europe will enable a speedy and safe arrival to your destination.

Croatian Islands

Croatia is truly a land of islands because it has more than a thousand of them and each one is different. Many of them are inhabited but each and every one is exceptional, with its own story and destiny.

To have a weak spot is human and the connoisseurs of Croatian islands have thousands of them. To be more precise 1185 of them. That's how many islands, islets and cliffs are located in front of 1777 kilometers of the Adriatic coast.

The first trip to the Adriatic coast and its islands is a journey into the unknown. Every other trip will be a journey to the already familiar beauty of this country, always different but equally breathtaking.

We will begin the story about the islands with the Brijuni islands. These fourteen islands are situated along seven kilometers between Pula and Rovinj.With a little help, nature has created a small paradise here, true harmony of flora and fauna, historical monuments and modern hotels. Brijuni offer shade in the rich evergreen vegetation, pheasants, deer and doe that roam freely all over the island and the peace and quiet of the holm oak and hundred- year old olive groves.
The golden or green Krk is and isn't an island. It is one, if we look at the idyllic nature and peaceful oasis far away from the everyday world but as far as traffic connections are concerned, it isn't. Krk, which also has a small airport, is divided from the mainland by the sea but is connected to it by a bridge.
If you are looking for your own special island, you'll find it on Krk because the islands Plavnik, Kormat, Galun, Prvicand Zec are special tourist destinations offering nature untouched by Man. If you are interested in exciting town bustle and great hospitality, then the island towns Baska, Malinska, Omisalj, Njivice, Krk and Punat, which has the largest marina on the Croatian Adriatic, are the places you need to visit.

Cres and Losinj. One island or two? They were once connected by a channel, which was dug up by the Romans, but are now apart. The northern part of Cres is hidden away in the Rijeka bay and is exposed to strong gusts of gale, so that sometimes its peaks are white from the foam of the sea. The southern part is protected from the gale so its climate is extremely Mediterranean. In the town of Cres, is the center of the island. You can enter its nucleus through three doors and history rears its head at every corner. There are many monuments that testify to this. What testifies about the people, their statuses and professions are the family crests on the house portals or the engraved tools: the blacksmith's or carpenter's on the houses of craftsmen and a fish on the houses of fishermen.The climate of Losinj is pleasant, what's more it has lots of woods, so it is both a holiday and health resort.
Of the 1185 islands and cliffs scattered along the Adriatic coast, consisting of hard, sharp rocks and a fist full of soil, Susak is one of the rare islands that nature created from sand. There are 20 million meters of sand, which gives a specific flavor to the wine produced on Susak.
The next island of The Kvarner is Rab. In 1889, the local council proclaimed it a bathing-place and health resort. The British King, Edward VIII especially encouraged tourism on Rab when he stayed there with his great love, the American Wallis Simpson. They say that he was the first to go swimming without any clothes. This is how nudism was founded on Rab.
Rab is one of the islands richest in forests with as many as three hundred springs of water. Pag is an island full of mythical olive groves, rich in sea salt, famous for its lace, cheese a world known delicacy, sheep's milk, live oil andÉ what more do you need? Perhaps this: a part of Pag with its specific relief resembles the surface of the moon.

Moving along to the middle-Adriatic islands like: Olib, Silba, Premuda, Vir, Dugi Otok, Lovrada and Pasman, you notice immediately that you have left the every day problems and bounds of society far behind you. In front of you lies untouched nature. These islands will bewitch you, energize you and enrich you. They will become your dream, the kind you dream of with eyes wide open.

Silba is an island of ship owners and captains and old captain's houses as well as a harbor protected from the gushes of wind. Ist is an island of fishermen and navigators and is well known to navigators as a safe haven from the storm.

The island Ugljan is the 'suburban area' and a garden that lies in front of Zadar and it got its name because of its richness in oil. There are in fact more than 100.000 olive trees on this island.

The nearby Pasman island 'grew into' Ugljan. They are actually twins, only Pasman is a bit more peaceful. They are equally beautiful and covered with silvery green olive groves. These two pearls can be seen from the coastal town of Biograd, the geographical center of the Adriatic.Iz is the island situated between Ugljan and Dugi Otok. It is just as famous for what it does and doesn't have. It has rich Mediterranean vegetation. It doesn't have any cars.

Dugi Otok offers rest in preserved nature of an area of 114 square kilometers. There are fishermen there, farmers, beautiful secluded beaches and tourist objects. The town of Telascica is situated there, which is the biggest natural harbor of all the Adriatic islands, a nature park and a habitat for mouflon. Its rich woodsy northwestern coast is full of wide coves and a beautiful beach with a 41-meter high lighthouse. It's interesting that while the lighthouse was being built in 1949,around 100.000 yolks were added to the plaster, which prevented the sun and the sea from ruining its beauty.
According to the legend, Kornati labyrinth of sea passages and islands were created from the many rock cliffs that God had left over after he had finished making the World. He threw them into the sea, turned around and concluded that no other repairs were necessary.

The infamous George Bernard Shaw said of this group of the most indented islands of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean that consist of 140 islands, islets and reefs: 'The Gods wanted to crown their work, so on the last day, from their tears, the stars and their breath they created Kornati.

There are many fisherman's villages which are periodically inhabited on the islands and because they are rich in fish they are often the destination of sport fishermen.

Kornati are especially interesting for navigators and thatvs why there are two nautical enters there: Zut and Piskera. Among the islands another picturesque one is Murter which has an area of 18 square kilometers. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge only 12 meters long. This is an island of fishermen, olive growers and ship builders with the towns: Tisno, Hramina, Betina and Jezera.

The island Prvicis near the tourist pearl Vodice, it's an oasis of Mediterranean flora and fauna. The island Zlarin is southwest of Sibenik. In the 15 th century it was famous for coral and sponge harvesting and there is a museum that exhibits this.

West of Zlarin is the island of Obonjan, known as Otok Mladosti (The island of Youth). Not far is the island Kaprije, which got its name from the Mediterranean, plant caper (kapar) whose buds serve as spices. Many yachts visit Kaprije because of the many coves and beautiful beaches. Zirje is the farthest away inhabited island of the Sibenik archipelago with great fishing-grounds and many coves for navigators.Krapanj is the smallest and lowest inhabited island of the archipelago of an area of only 0,36 kilometers and only seven meters high but the most inhabited island.

'Across from' Split, a city harmonious in structure with cultural and historical values, with an airport and a harbor lies the island Brac, the highest and by size the third largest island in the Adriatic. It is covered with pine woods, vineyards and olive groves and the world famous stone from Brachas been used in the construction of many important buildings (e.g. The White House in Washington DC).The beautiful beach Zlatni rat is located in Bol, which is the biggest tourist town on the southern part of the island. The beach is located on a cape covered in pebbles which moves, depending on the wind and waves from one side to another.
You'll have to admit that this is the only beach that you've heard of that changes its shape from day to day. There are many bathing-places and resorts on Brac: Postire, Milna, Supetar...
South of Brac is Hvar, the longest island of the Adriatic. This is an island of vineyards, olive groves and lavender. The island is surrounded by crystal cobalt sea, many springs of water and the largest number of sunny hours. The many stone houses along both coasts, which are connected by small bridges, achieve the harmonious unity of Stari Grad on Hvar, the fishermanvs museum is in Vrbovska which is unique on the Adriatic...

Hvar is, no doubt , an exceptional island, a pleasant winter and summer resort, with a mild climate and exuberant subtropical vegetation. Pakleni otoci are an especially interesting group of islands with pebbly, sandyand mostly nudist beaches and a rocky sea bottom, perfect for spearfishing. It is also a well-known place for navigators.

Opposite Split is the island Solta with poor vegetation, a steep and well - indented coast with Maslenica - the main harbor and anchorage for small boats.

Far from the mainland and its worries is the island Vis, rich in palm trees, known for its fishermen, sailors, beautiful nature and diverse tourist offer.

Southwest is the island Bisevo, of an area of 6 square kilometers. There are many caves in 'chiseled' into the steep coasts,among which 'Modra spilja' stands out with an above-sea level and below-sea level entrance. When the sea is calm the light rays that shine in the cave break in such a way against the cave walls that the objects and people inside it are covered in blue and those in the water a silvery color.

The Vis archipelago includes the islands Svetac (Sveti Andrija), Jabuka, Brusnik and the islands of Palagruza. Although it's formally known as a peninsula, Peljesac is indeed like an island, separated from Korcula by a narrow channel.

Ston and Mali Ston are picturesque towns that were after Dubrovnik in the Dubrovnik republic the most important towns. Oysters and wines: Postup and Dingacfrom the Mali Ston bay are famous all over these parts.

They say that Korcula is an island with the most legends and monuments and along with Lokrum and Mljet the Croatian island most covered with forests. Towards the end of the 13 th century near Korcula there was a naval battle between Venice and Genoa. Marco Polo, the famous traveler and travel book writer who was believed to have been born on Korcula was on the side of the Venetians.

This is an island with many known towns: Korcula, Lumbarda and Vela Luka, the knight dance 'moreska' from the end of the 15 th century,famous stone-cutters, sailors and ship builders. Far away out in the open sea is the island Lastovo of an area of 50 square kilometers, with an indented pebble coast with sandy beaches and a few islands on the west and east coast. The houses on Lastovo are built one above the other one: each one is entitled to its own share in the sun, air and the view.

Alongside Peljesac is the woodsy island of Mljet of an area of 100 square kilometers. Because of its thick alpine and stone pine, Karst caves, two picturesque lakes connected by the sea, many sandy and pebble beaches, many fishing-grounds rich in fish and lobsters, the western part of the island has been proclaimed a national park.

Not many people can determine the color of the Adriatic sea. Sometimes it's dark blue, sometimes greenish-blue. The fact is that the sea, depending on the time of day and the angle of the sun's rays overflows into a thousands nuances. However, it is always beautiful and unique.

Out of the 1185 islands and cliffs, one is definitely your cup of tea. Come and choose it.

Tsunami - Missing girl !

This girl is in Phuket Hospital in Thailand. She has lost her parents and she does´nt remember anything. Please forward this e-mail so that someone might se the picture and recognize her!
contact us by e- mail info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th

Dieses Mädchen ist im Krankenhaus Phuket in Thailand. Sie hat ihre Eltern verloren und sie does'nt erinnert sich an alles. Bitte Vorwärts diese E-mail, damit jemand Se die Abbildung und sie zu erkennen konnte! treten Sie mit uns durch
e-Post info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th

Denna Tjej finns i Phuket sjukhuset i Thailand.Hon minns ingenting och hon har förlorat sina föräldrar. Var vänlig skicka detta E-mail vidare sĺ att nĺgon har chans att fĺ det som kan känna igen henne
E-mail till sjukhuset i Phuket info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th

Questa ragazza č nell'ospedale di Phuket in Tailandia. Ha perso i suoi genitori e does'nt si ricorda di qualche cosa. Prego di andata questo E-mail in modo che qualcuno possa Se l'immagine e riconoscerla! seli metta in contatto con dalla posta di e info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th

Cette fille est dans l'hôpital de Phuket en Thaďlande. Elle a perdu ses parents et elle does'nt se rappellent n'importe quoi. Pričre de ce E-mail de sorte que quelqu'un pourrait Se l'image et l'identifier! contactez-nous par courrier de e info@phuket-inter-hospital.co.th
More information About Missing Persons-Tsunami

Croatian cuisine

Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous, and is therefore known as "the cuisine of regions". Its modern roots date back to Proto-Slavic and ancient periods and the differences in the selection of foodstuffs and forms of cooking are most notable between those on the mainland and those in coastal regions. Mainland cuisine is more characterized by the earlier Proto-Slavic and the more recent contacts with the more famous gastronomic orders of today - Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish - while the coastal region bears the influences of the Greek, Roman and Illyrian, as well as of the later Mediterranean cuisine - Italian and French.

A large body of books bears witness to the high level of gastronomic culture in Croatia, which in European terms dealt with food in the distant past, such as the Gazophylacium by Belostenec, a Latin-Kajkavian dictionary dating from 1740 that preceded a similar French dictionary. There is also Beletristic literature by Marulic, Hektorovic, Drzic and other writers, down to the work written by Ivan Bierling in 1813 containing recipes for the preparation of 554 various dishes (translated from the German original), and which is considered to be the first Croatian cookery book.

Food and traditional festivities

Many Croatian traditional festivities are distinctly linked with food
independently of whether they are related to strenuous labour (crop harvesting
or threshing, the grape harvest and Christening of wine, the completion of a
house), religion (mostly Catholic - Christmas, Easter, pilgrimages, local saints
days), or to memorable moments in an individual’s life (baptism, wedding,
birthday, name-day, funeral wakes, etc.) Some festivities are typically of a
public character, such as the Dionysian St. Martin s Day, celebrated in private
farmhouses, wine cellars and restaurants; others are almost exclusively family
reunions (weddings, baptism, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Easter, etc.)

Every holiday has its typical dish. Pork and potato stew is eaten on
pilgrimages and at fairs; cod is prepared for Christmas Eve and Good Friday;
pork is eaten on New Year s Day; doughnuts are an inseparable part of carnival
festivities, and in the south they prepare a similar fried sweet dish known as
hrostule. Ham and boiled eggs with green vegetables are served at Easter, while
desserts comprise traditional cakes (e.g. pinca). Kulen (hot-pepper flavoured
sausage) at harvest time, goose for St. Martin s Day, turkey and other fowl, as
well as sarma (meat-stuffed cabbage leaves), are served on Christmas Day. At
weddings, a variety of dishes with dozens of cakes and biscuits are served,
including breskvice, shortbread bear paws, gingerbread biscuits, fritule - plain
fritters, etc.
The favourite meals of very many people on all occasions
include spit-roasted lamb and suckling pig, grilled fish, calamari cooked in
various ways, barbecue dishes - raznjici, cevapcici and mixed grill - prosciutto
and sheep’s cheese, or smoked ham and cottage cheese with sour cream, fish stew,
venison…

Croatian Wines
Croatia is justifiably proud of its broad palette of high quality wines (up to 700 wines with protected geographic origin) and brandies, fruit juices, beers and mineral water. In the south, people drink bevanda with their food (heavy, richly flavoured red wine mixed with plain water), and in north-western regions, "gemisht" (dry, flavoured wines mixed with mineral water).

Istra i Kvarner Selection of cheeses and cold dishes of Istria. The cuisine of Istria and the Kvarner regions represents a special Croatian style of cooking, a blend of inland and coastal. These regions are rich in excellent fish and seafood, most notable among them being found in the northern Adriatic: scampi (prawns), calamari and shellfish from the Limski Kanal (Fiord). After an excellent prosciutto, and cheese and olives, many traditional wine cellars offer fish soup, fish stew, boiled prawns, black and white frutti di mare risotto, as well as other dishes typical of the central part of the Istrian peninsula - traditional wine soup, ragout (jota) similar to Italian minestrone (manistra, menestra, menestra), and also pasta and risotto dishes cooked with the famous truffles of the region - a self-sown precious mushroom species, unearthed by specially trained dogs and pigs; these fungi have the reputation of containing aphrodisiac properties.
The excellent Istrian wines include Malmsey of Buje, Cabernet of Porec, Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Terrano of Buzet, Zlahtina of Vrbnik, and sparkling wines - Bakarska Vodica, etc.
Fine restaurants abound in Istria, especially on the Opatija, Crikvenica, Rovinj and Porec littorals, both in the interior and on the islands.

Dalmatia The cuisine of Dalmatia and the islands follows the trend of modern nutritional norms. The brief thermal preparation of foodstuffs (mainly boiling or grilling) and plenty of fish, olive oil, vegetables and self-sown herbs found near the sea is why this cuisine is considered to be very healthy.
Dalmatian wines, like olive oil and salted olives, have been highly esteemed since ancient times, which the present names of some of the indigenous grape sorts reveal (Grk : Greek, from the island of Korcula; Prc from the island of Hvar). Famous wines include Dingac and Postup from the Peljesac Peninsula; Babic from Primosten; Vugava and Plancic from the island of Hvar... then there are Posip and Grk from Korcula; Marastina from the island of Lastovo; Malmsey from Dubrovnik, etc., and also Prosecco (a sweet dessert wine), the very strong grape (loza) and herbal brandies (travarica, grapes with medicinal herbs) and liqueurs (Maraschino, Vlahov).
Although even today every area has its own way of preparing certain dishes, the cuisine of the islands represents a separate world, their distinguishing features having been discovered only recently, such as the cuisine of the islands of Hvar, Korcula, Brac (vitalac, a dish made from lamb offal wrapped in lamb gut and spike-roasted), Vis (spike-roasted pilchards, as during the Ancient Greek period; flat cake with pilchards from Komiza and Vis, related to the modern-day pizza). Fresh sea fish (dog's tooth, gilthead, sea-bass, grouper, mackerel, pilchards) grilled, boiled or marinated; then there are molluscs (squid, cuttlefish, octopus), crustaceans (shrimps, lobsters) and shellfish (mussels, oysters, date-shells) boiled in a fish stew or as a risotto. Of the meat dishes, prosciutto is unarguably unrivalled - pork leg smoked and dried in the bora (from Drnis), served with dry, mostly sheep’s cheese (famous sorts of cheese are those from Pag and Dubrovnik) and salted green and black olives, capers and pickled onions. Lamb is also very highly valued, especially boiled or baked on an open fire (Franjevacka begovica from Visovac, or lopiz from the island of Iz); also, dried mutton (kastradina), roast beef, Dalmatian stew (pasticada) with gnocchi, offered by many restaurants.
Lightly boiled vegetables are also favourite dishes (Swiss chard with potatoes, tomato sauce) often a mixture of cultivated and self-sown vegetables, spiced with olive oil and wine vinegar, or served with meat (manestra - pasta with minced meat; arambasici - stuffed vine leaves). Regions with an abundance of fresh water are famous for their frog, eel and river crab dishes (the Neretva valley, Trilj and the Cetina basin). Typical Dalmatian desserts win the heart with their simplicity. The most usual ingredients include Mediterranean fruit, dried figs and raisins, almonds, honey, eggs (rafioli, mandulat, smokvenjak, the gingerbread biscuits from the island of Hvar - rozata).

Gorski Kotar and Lika The cuisine of Gorski Kotar and Lika reflects living conditions in the forested highlands and pastures, where summers are short and winters long, which limits the availability of foodstuffs. It is recognized by its simplicity (open-fire cooking and baking), as is the case with regions closer to the sea (Dalmatinska Zagora and central Istria), but everyday meals include predominantly continental products - pura (or palenta) - boiled maize, boiled potatoes, or potato halves baked in their skin, pickled cabbage, broad-beans and runner beans, cow’s and sheep’s milk and delicious cheeses (fermented cheese known as basa, and dried cheese), meat, fresh and smoked lamb, mutton and pork, as well as venison.
These regions are also rich in mushrooms and self-sown herbs, but there are also delicious, strong plum brandies and brandies made from forest fruits, or mixed with honey. The cuisine of Lika is found in the region of the Plitvice Lakes, and fine homemade cheese can be bought from roadside stalls when driving through Lika.

Northwest Croatia The cuisine of northwest Croatia is characterized by many simple, delicious dishes. Bread is mostly made from maize, barley, or a mixture of the two, and cakes are often similar in texture to bread (kukuruznjaca - made from maize; periaca, zelevanka, buhtli, doughnuts, walnut and poppy-seed loaves). A profusion of pasta dishes, dairy products (made mostly from cow’s) milk, as well as plenty of vegetables (beans, potatoes, cabbage, etc.), often mixed with meat to form a broth (zucchini, cucumbers, runner beans, broad beans, peas in the summer, and beans with pickled cabbage in winter, beans with barley porridge) and salads (fresh cucumbers with sour cream and garlic, lettuce, tomato salad, peppers and onions). This is where food provision for the winter is still made in the traditional manner (pickled cabbage, cucumbers boiled in vinegar, pickled peppers, red beet, as well as sweet dishes - plum jam, rosehip jam, bottled fruit, etc.). In the same way that southern cuisine differs from island to island, so does the cuisine in this part of the country differ from one region to the next.

In the region of Medjimurje one really must sample buckwheat porridge with meat from fat meat or blood-sausages, as well as side dishes of baked beans or potatoes, formed in cones, with rich spices, or smoked or dried cow’s cheese turas, known in the region of Podravina as prge. Turkey with mlinci (a boiled pasta dish), strudels of various kinds, as well as pumpkin cake with poppy seeds, have spread from the region of Zagorje throughout Croatia. It is hard to find more delicious geese and ducks than those from the region of Turopolje, or baked carp (krapec na procep) than those from the regions of Moslavina and Posavina. The region of Banovina became famous for its winter salami (Gavrilovic salami). blood-sausages, garlic-sausages and other special sausages, for baking with pickled cabbage, boiled smoked pork leg with potato or bean salad with onion, are favourite dishes almost everywhere.
Samobor, a small town near Zagreb, is an ideal venue for a gastronomic excursion. Its picturesque restaurants offer Samobor Steak, Samobor custard slices, salami and kotlovina - port and potato stew - hermet (sweet, spicy wine) and mustards which have been prepared here for almost two hundred years.

The cuisine of Varazdin, and in particular of Zagreb, represents urban, metropolitan cuisine, related to the more famous cuisine of Venice. Of course, Zagreb has also its steak (bread-crumbed veal stuffed with cheese), and it also offers a variety of roast dishes (beef, pork and fowl) served with potatoes, vegetables and horseradish, as well as various stews (wine goulash, bacon and tripe, lungs "sour art"), grilled meat, pasta… Delicious sweets continue a tradition hundreds of years old – a tradition of the "baking woman of Gric" and bishops’ pastry-cooks, revealing Croatian dessert cuisine in its entirety (Croatian pancakes, Zagorje strudel, strudel stuffed with cottage cheese, or apple strudel, bucanica, various cakes, ice-creams).
Zagreb’s contemporary cuisine is international, with the finest Italian cuisine widely represented. Restaurants frequently offer better quality fish than those available on the coast, more delicious lamb than in the region of Lika, and better kulen than in Slavonia.

One should savour the following wines from this region: Portugizac from Plesivica and Jastrebarsko, Rhine Riesling, Chardonnay from Strigovan, Muscat Otonel, Turk's sparkling wines, as well as wines from the wine-cellars in Bozjakovina, Pinot Blanc from Sveti Ivan Zelina, Moslovina Skrlet from Voloder, as well as many other wines, but also the traditional drink, gvirc (gvirc, mead) sipped with gingerbread biscuits.

Slavonia and Baranja Slav Rich and fertile Slavonia and Baranja comprise the bread basket of Croatia, and so white bread, flat cakes and many other cakes filled with walnuts, with poppy seeds or plum jam, have been baked here since ancient times, made from the most representative pastry made from green wheat. Pasta, potato, beans, dairy dishes and fat meat dishes (cottage cheese with sour cream, dried cheese) and fattened fowl and pork dishes are also prepared here. Such types of food were once cooked to provide the energy required for heavy work, although these days their preparation is considered too time consuming, and requiring too much effort. In these regions hot goulash (beef, venison), regos (several meats with pasta), fish paprika-flavoured stew (with various fish: carp, pike, sheat-fish, etc.) are typical. Smoked and dried pork ham, sausages, as well as kulen are also firm favourites, especially when served as a delicacy with cottage cheese, peppers, tomatoes and green onions or pickled vegetables (tursija).
The plum brandy made in this region is very smooth, and wines, such as Kutjevacka Grasevina and Kutjevo Chardonnay, the Rhine Riesling of Enjingi, and also the Grasevinas of Krautheker and Zdjelarevic, Ilok Thaminer, Pinot Blanc from Pajzos and Endent Riesling from Belje are greatly appreciated the world over. Wines from the wine cellars of the Djakovo diocese, famous for the production of wines used in liturgical services, are equally well known.

Cultural Heritage

Historical facts Croatia is indeed unique, not only for its crystal clear, clean blue sea, but also for a thousand years of different cultures that have replaced each other and sometimes assimilated in these areas. The Adriatic Sea is not only a deep gulf in the Mediterranean cut into the Continent of Europe thereby creating most economical trade route between Europe and the East, it is also the cradle of ancient civilizations. There is much material evidence about that which is finally beginning to come to light, from the depths of Adriatic caves and from the deep blue sea. The east coast of the Adriatic Sea was inhabited as early as the beginning of the early Stone Age, and there is proof that most of the accessible islands were also inhabited (archaeological findings in caves near the islands of Hvar and Palagruza, etc.).

Thanks to the favourable geographical characteristics of our coast, with its numerous bays, inlets and coves, the coastal belt has ever been a significant mercantile and nautical route.

Archaeological findings prove that in the 6th century BC the ancient Greeks had commerce with the Illyrians by means of the sea, and that they founded their colonies there (Pharos, today’s Starigrad, on the islands of Hvar and Issa – or Vis).

Later on, the Romans arrived, and they not only built palaces and summer residences but they also spent a considerable amount of time on the sea, and there are many underwater findings located between Pula and Cavtat which show this to be true. Such findings are mainly amphorae, which were at the time commonly used for storing everything from wine to wheat, oils and perfumes. Wherever you choose to go diving, you will find the remains of Antique ships and their cargoes. One of the most precious findings from that time are remains of pythos or dolias, large pottery vessels which were built into ships and used to transport bulk cargo (wheat, etc). One such site is near Cavtat, while another is near Murter.

A new era dawned with the arrival of the Slavs, a period characterized by constant struggle for supremacy and by defence against diverse enemies. Dubrovnik, eminent in its position as a republic, played a leading role in culture and trade. A 17th-century shipwreck bears witness to those times - a galley which sailed from Venice carrying muran glass, window glass, and other valuable objects, and was fitted with cannons. But during a storm it sank near the island of Olipe, off the coast of Dubrovnik.

In the 18th century, Napoleon ruled for a short period of time, after which he was replaced by the Austrian monarchy. During the next hundred years, Italy and Austria fought each other for supremacy of the east coast, culminating in the battle of Vis in 1866. The Austrian fleet, led by Admiral Tegetthoff, who commanded the battleship Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, was opposed by Admiral Persano, commander of the Italian fleet. In the battle, Persano, on his flag ship the battleship Re d’Italia, was roundly trounced by Tegetthoff, and the Italian fleet withdrew in defeat.

Testimony to those glorious times can be found not only on the mainland, but also under the sea in the shape of shipwrecks and remains of the detritus of great ships. The period of Austro- Hungarian rule commenced thereafter. Ports were built and fortified, trade and shipbuilding flourished. During the two World Wars, the Adriatic was one of the more important areas of battle, and there are many shipwrecks dating from those periods. Near Pula, for example, which at the time was a strategically vital naval harbour, twenty shipwrecks have been located, including a number of submarines, destroyers, and torpedo-boats The Adriatic Sea has always been an important maritime route between East and West, which can still be seen today because of the numerous relics, which remind us that the past should never be forgotten, but rather used as a lesson for the future.

Croatia

Geographical position: Croatia extends from the foothills of the Julian Alps in the north-west and the Pannonian Plain in the east, over the Dinara mountain range in its central region, to the Adriatic coast in the south.
Area: 56,542 km2, with an additional 31,067 km2 of territorial waters.
Population:4.437.460
Capital: Zagreb (779.145 inhabitants - the administrative, cultural, academic and communication centre of the country).
Length of coast: 5,835 km - including 4,058 km of island, islet and reef coastline.
Number of islands, islets and reefs: 1,185. The largest islands are those of Krk and Cres. There are 67 inhabited islands.
Climate: Northern Croatia has a continental climate; Central Croatia has a semi-highland and highland climate, while the Croatian coast has a Mediterranean climate. Winter temperatures range from -1 to 30°C in the continental region, -5 to 0°C in the mountain region and 5 to 10°C in the coastal region. Summer temperatures range from 22 to 26°C in the continental region, 15 to 20°C in the mountain region and 26 to 30°C in the coastal region.
Population: The majority of the population are Croats. National minorities include Serbs, Moslems, Slovenes, Italians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others.
Official language and alphabet: Croatian language and Latin alphabet.
Religions: The majority of the population are Roman Catholics, and in addition there are a number of those of Orthodox faith, as well as Muslims, and Christians of other denominations.


Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic sea got its name from an ancient port of the same name. The Adriatic spans from the Balkan to the Apennine peninsula.
The part belonging to the Republic of Croatia is the east coast which extends all the way from Prevlaka in the south to cape Savudrija in the west, including all islands, islets and cliffs along the coast, and the archipelago of Palagruza (the number of islands, islets and cliffs is more than 1700). This is a unique area in Europe for cruising with motor boats, speedboats, or sailboats, but also for enjoying the underwater world.
Hydro & Oceanographic Data
Depths The shallowest part of our sea is in Istria, where the depth does not exceed 50 metres. From Pula, the seabed mildly drops, making a long, narrow valley which extends from Zirje towards Italy which is called Jabucka kotlina. The biggest depth there is about 240 metres. From Jabucka kotlina, the bottom rises to Palagruza reef where the biggest depth is 130 metres. Towards the south, the bottom drops steeply towards the Juznojadranska dolina, where the biggest measured depth is about 1,300 metres.
Seabed The appearance of the underwater relief is the consequence of tectonic movements, abrasion or erosion which were active several million years ago, in times when certain parts of the seabed were land or the coastal area. Uneven areas on the bottom are constantly reduced by sedimentation of detritus from the land. That process is slow, but constant.
Tides In the Adriatic, the high and low tides have relatively small amplitudes. In the southern part, the difference is rarely above some forty centimetres, while in the northern part it is somewhat bigger, so that it comes to 1 metre in Istria and the Gulf of Trieste. In some narrow channels and bays, the high tide can grow considerably during a strong sirocco. That phenomenon is characteristic for big and deep bays of the southern Adriatic. The tides are of a mixed type, which means that their rhythm is semidiurnal during the new and full moon, and of a daily type during the first and the last quarter. Their amplitudes are very irregular.
Sea Currents Sea currents occur under the influence of winds, the difference in pressure, temperature, and the differences in salinity. With respect to the direction, they can be horizontal or vertical. There are also bottom currents which appear as the consequence of moving of water from warmer areas to colder ones, during which the surface layer gets cold and descends towards the seabed. Currents are weakly observable in the Adriatic.The speed of currents changes in particular areas, but it also depends on time periods. The average speed of currents is about 0.5 knots, but they can also reach the speed of 4 knots.
Salinity of Sea The total quantity of salt dissolved in one kilogram of sea water is called salinity, which is usually expressed in grams and as the permillage. The salinity of the Adriatic Sea is 38.30 per mill averagely, i.e. there is 38.30 g of salt dissolved in 1 kg of water. In the northern part, the salinity is somewhat lower than in the middle and southern part because of the influence of the Po River.
Sea Temperature The Adriatic Sea has a very marked annual change of the surface temperature. The average annual temperature is 11°C. During the winter, the sea is the coldest and the surface temperature is about 7°C; very seldom, it can drop below that too. In the spring, the sea becomes warmer, and the surface temperature rises to 18°C. In the summer the surface of the sea reaches a very high temperature, of up to 22 to 25°C, and in the southern Adriatic and Istria up to 27°C. In the Adriatic, thermoclines, i.e. parts of the water column of the same temperature, are very well distinguished. The thermocline is most evident during the summer, and, in the winter, the isothermal process arises, i.e. equaling of the temperature throughout the water column. In the summer, we can notice the first thermocline at the depth of 3 to 5 metres, the next one is at about 12 metres, and yet another one at 18 metres, while below 30 metres the temperature is mostly constant throughout the year.
Waves in the Adriatic Waves occur primarily as the consequence of the blowing of winds. The bigger the reach, i.e. the surface across which the wind blows, the higher the waves will be. Their strength depends on the configuration and the exposure of the coast. In that way, mixing of the surface layer with water from the deep is enabled, and the interaction between the atmosphere and the sea. We distinguish the crest and the trough of a wave. The length of the wave is the distance between two troughs. Most often, heights of waves in the Adriatic are between 0.5 and 1.5 metres, and they very rarely exceed 5 metres.

Meteorological Data
Climate The climate at the Adriatic is typically a Mediterranean one, with mild rainy winters, and hot and dry summers. The air temperature changes depending on the area. Thus, summer temperatures in July will be about 34°C in the northern part, while in the southern part they will rise even to 38°C. In the winter, the coldest temperatures are noticed in the northern Adriatic (up to -16°C), while they will not have exceeded 6°C in the southern part.
Winds At the Adriatic Sea, the bora, sirocco and north-western wind blow most often.
Bora Bora (Cro.: bura) is a dry, cold downward wind blowing in bursts from the north-northeast to the east-northeast direction. The direction in which the wind blows is mostly influenced by the configuration of the shore. The strength of bora is explained by the existence of warm air over the surface of the sea, and a cold layer of air above mountain ranges in the littoral, which cause a strong streaming due to equating of the pressure. Cold air tends to fill the void which occurs due to the rising of the warm (lighter) air from the sea surface. Bora blows mostly in the winter. In the summer, it usually lasts for a day or several hours, while, in the winter, it can blow as long as 14 days.

Sirocco Sirocco (Cro.: jugo, siroko or silok) is a warm and moist wind which blows from the direction east-southeast to south-southwest. Its consequences are high waves and rain. Sirocco is a characteristic wind for the southern Adriatic, where it blows longer and stronger than in the northern part. In the summer, it usually blows as long as 3 days, and in the winter even as long as 3 weeks. The signs of the oncoming sirocco are the calm at the sea, weak changeable winds, dimness of the horizon, the increase of the temperature and moisture, and the gradual decrease of the pressure. Waves from the direction of the southeast become bigger.

Landward Breeze The landward breeze (Cro.: maestral, maestral, smorac) is a daily, thermic wind blowing from the direction of the northwest, and it occurs as the consequence of the difference in the speed of warming up of the land and the sea. It is present from the spring to the autumn, and, during the day, it often changes the direction of blowing. The landward breeze is more present in the southern Adriatic than in the northern Adriatic, and it starts to blow earlier there.

Stiff Breeze The stiff breeze (Cro.: burin) is a wind blowing contrary to the landward breeze. It blows during the night from the direction of the north, north-east in the northern Adriatic, and in the southern Adriatic, from the east or south-east. It is the strongest before the dawn, and after that it stops soon.

Data About Weather Weather forecasts are made by the State Hydrometeorological Institute, and they can be heard on VHF frequencies of coastal radio stations and harbor master's offices. They are also broadcast on FM stations or at the end of the news or within broadcasts for seamen. Harbor master's offices constantly send weather reports and warnings on their VHF operating channels, in four languages. It is possible to get forecasts with the presentation of the synoptical situation in all the marinas and harbor offices.

Nautical Radio Service and Communications Service The whole of the Croatian coast is covered by radio communications rather well. The radio service for protection of human lives and safety of navigation is provided by Plovput from Split, through radio stations Split and Dubrovnik, which cover the southern Adriatic, and Rijeka, which covers the northern part of our sea. According to the standards of the GMDSS system (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System), the channel for automated receipt of digitalized distress calls is the channel 70, after which the communication is transferred to the operating channel of the coastal station, i.e. a harbor master's office (16 or 10). GMDSS system has been in use since 1 st February 1999, and on the present VHF channel for distress calls, the channel 16, constant listening will be possible still for some more time. For a direct call to a harbor master's office, the channel 10 is used.

In Croatia, there are three commercial systems of wireless telephony: mobile phone 099, Cronet 098 and VipNet 091.
Preservation of the Adriatic
Aside from the rich cultural heritage, diverse natural resources and attractions characterize the Adriatic. Nature is specially protected according to the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. The state body with the special task of preserving nature is the Government Board for the preservation of nature.

The coastal region holds a special place, and therefore, there is a systematic policy of the preservation of nature through urban planning and managing of the sustainable development.

The institutes for research of the sea in Rovinj, Split and Dubrovnik carry out continuos biological, ecological and chemical research of the Adriatic. The project for the development of islands was recently introduced and should be an incentive for the development of our islands.

Except for the governmental bodies, there is also a whole range of associations which, through their programs and activities, help to preserve natural resources. Croatian biological and Croatian ecological society carry out and support research projects of the Adriatic and its underwater area.

There is also the project of the Good dolphin research in cooperation with the Tethy Institute from Milan and An Association Mediterranean Monk Seal which examines research of the areas which used to be inhabited by this sea mammal, Group of the friends of nature 'Our Lovely' who also work on the Blue flag project, Green flag and Eco School with the primary task of educating younger generations about ecological matters.

Life in the sea Various animals and plants live in the Adriatic. We can distinguish two types of habitats: the plegic area or the area of the open sea where two big groups of organisms live plankton, that is to say, all organisms floating in the sea, and nektons or real swimmers, all organisms which can actively move around. The group of benthos, or life at the bottom of the sea, includes all organisms, which are constantly or occasionally connected to the sea bottom.

In the water mass between the mentioned areas we can distinguish different belts or steps with different characteristics:

Supralythoral, which is the part, exposed to the spraying of the sea,Mediolythoral which is the area of the high and the low tide. Then comes infralitoral or the area of photophilic algae and, which in the Adriatic expands from the border of the low tide to 30-50 meters, Abyssal which reaches 50 to 200 meters, Hadal or the deep sea area, which extends more than 200 meters in depth.

Abyssal exists only in the southern part of the Adriatic, and in the area of the Jabuka basin, and hadal does not exist in our sea Crabs inhabit the supralythoral area of the Adriatic. Endemic algae, the Adriatic bladder wrack and sea anemone inhabit the mediolythoral area. In the infralythoral area, which is the largest one, many species of algae, corals, and different sorts of fish like sheepshead bream, the predatory yellow fish, ugly frog-fish, gilthead, goby, bamboofish and many others.

The Adriatic eco-destination
The quality of the water in the Adriatic is very well preserved. The results reached through the constant measuring of the quality of water on more than 800 beaches are in accordance with the strictest criteria. Except for the cleanliness of the sea, another important quality of the coastal area is its biological and geographical particular quality, which can be seen in the number of species of plants and animals, and in the high number of endemic species (for example human fish).
In order to protect and preserve such natural wealth, a list of rare and endangered species, the so called Red Book, has been made.

Various projects are carried out in Croatia by government institutions or associations of citizens with the goal of preserving natural and cultural heritage, and its evaluation. One of these projects is The Blue Flag Project, and from the year 2001, the project Green Key also starts with the goal of improving the quality of surroundings in hotels, motels, camps and other facilities.
Another project is Eco habitat Green Laguna in Porec, where the environment is especially taken care of. Green Laguna has its olive groves, orchards, horse stables etc. where tourists can take active part in preserving the environment.

Through the year several days are especially marked in Croatia such as:

* International day for water preservation
* World meteorological day
* Day of the planet earth
* Day of the dolphins
* World day of preserving the environment
* Day of the Sun

Except for the natural, great significance lies on the preservation of cultural heritage, as well. National costumes and customs are preserved. During the summer, in most coastal towns special celebrations are organized in order to show tourists our local traditions, for example, traditional donkey race which is held each year in Tribunje, Moreska - knights, dance on Korcula.
Croatia is also, except for its ecological cleanliness of air and water, an exceptionally safe place where everybody feels pleasant and welcome.

Albania

This pint-sized, sunny slice of Adriatic coast has been ground down for years by poverty, blood vendettas and too many five year plans, but Albania still manages to pack a wild punch of traditional Mediterranean charm and Soviet-style inefficiency.

It's a giddy blend of religions, styles, cultures and landscapes, from Sunni Muslim to Albanian Orthodox, from idyllic beach and rocky mountain to cultivated field. Relics from one of the longest dictatorships in Eastern Europe rub shoulders with citrus orchards, olive groves and vineyards.

Decrepit, Chinese-built factories stand next to breathtaking mosques; ornately decorated Orthodox churches face off 'Soviet Brutal' palaces of culture.

Kicked around by the Balkan big boys for millennia and turned upside down by its very own Maoist Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, Albania is now tentatively embracing democracy, the outside world and a few foreign travellers. Some things won't ever change, though: the spectacular forested mountains, the warm Mediterranean sun, and the heart-rendingly blue waters of the Adriatic all endure the country's ups and downs.

Warning
The security situation in Albania is on the improve, although visitors should continue to exercise care, maintaining a high level of personal security awareness. The northeast of the country, which borders Kosovo, is the only region travellers should avoid.

Unexploded ordnance bedevils parts of the area bordering Kosovo. Armed gangs operate in this region, as well as in Shkoder and in the south between Memaliaj and Gjirokastra. Travel should be restricted to daylight hours and large public gatherings and demonstrations should be avoided.

Full country name: Republic of Albania
Area: 28,748 sq km
Population: 3.5 million
Capital City: Tirana
People: Albanians, with Greek, Vlach, Macedonian and Gypsy minorities
Language: Albanian, Italian, English, Greek
Religion: Sunni Muslim (70%), Albanian Orthodox (20%), Roman Catholic (10%)
Government: Emerging democracy
Head of State: President Alfred Moisiu
Head of Government: Prime Minister Fatos Nano


GDP: US$15.69 billion
GDP per capita: US$4,400
Inflation: 6%
Major Industries: Cement, chemicals, food processing, hydropower, mining, oil, textiles and clothing, timber
Major Trading Partners: Italy, Greece, Germany, Belgium, USA, Bulgaria, Turkey, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Member of EU: No

Facts for the TravelerVisas: Visas are required for citizens of most countries. These are issued on arrival for a price equivalent to what an Albanian would pay for a visa for their countries.
Health risks: diarrhoea
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Dialling Code: 355
Electricity: 220V ,50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

When to Go
The best month to visit is September, when it's still warm, the days are long and the fruit and vegetables are in good supply. The sun shines longest from May to September, and July is the warmest month, but even April and October can be pleasant.

Money & Costs
Currency: Albania Lekë

Meals
Budget: US$5-10
Mid-range: US$10-20
High: US$20+

Lodging
Budget: US$10-40
Mid-range: US$40-60
High: US$60+
Prices in Tirana are considerably higher than in the rest of the country, so budget travellers should see the sights then head for the boondocks. If you are on a tight budget, you could get by in the country for US$30-40 a day, but you'll need closer to US$60-70 in Tirana. That will give you fairly basic accommodation and three square, if basic, meals a day. Paying for a few more comforts, staying in a better class of hotel and doing some guided trips would easily raise the budget to $80-90 a day. Even though Albania is cheap for the western traveller, you can spend a lot more that US$100 a day if you work at it and look only for the best hotels and eat in the top restaurants.

Every town has a free currency market that usually operates on the street in front of the post office or the state bank. Look for the fellows with pocket calculators, who will give you about the same rate as a bank without the 1% commission, although some banks will change US dollar travellers cheques into US dollars cash without a commission. Transactions on the street are legal, but you'd be wise to count your notes before you walk away. US dollars are the favourite foreign currency, and you should bring your bills in small denominations as they can be used to bargain. Cash is preferred everywhere, and credit cards are not accepted.

Albania is a tip-conscious society, and you should leave a reasonable (say, 10%) tip in restaurants. Duty free alcohol can be an excellent gift for anyone who has been particularly helpful, but you should use your discretion when considering tipping in other situations. Tourists who hand out small gifts to children on the street are encouraging them to become a serious nuisance. Bargaining is fine in markets and bazaars, and for everything from hotel rooms to taxi rides to curios.

Attractions
Tirana
Capital of Albania since 1920, Tirana is compact and pleasant enough to explore on foot. It lies almost exactly midway between Rome and Istanbul, and its architecture has been influenced by both, as well as by the Soviet Union. Most visitors to Tirana begin at Skënderberg Square, a great open space in the heart of the city. Mt Dajti rises to the east, and the market on that side of town is well worth exploring.

The National Museum of History is the largest and finest museum in Albania, and you'll find it next to the 15-storey Tirana International Hotel, the tallest building in the country. A huge mosaic mural entitled Albania covers the façade of the building. To the east, the Palace of Culture has a theatre, restaurant, cafes and art galleries, and the Soviet influence is apparent in its clunky architecture. The entrance to the National Library is on the southern side of the building. Opposite that is the cupola and minaret of the Mosque of Ethem Mey, built in 1793 and one of the city's most distinctive buildings. Tirana's clock tower, built in 1830, stands beside the mosque.

A statue of Enver Hoxha once stood on the high marble plinth between the National Museum of History and the State Bank in Skënderberg Square, but it was toppled after the return to democracy, and a small fairground now takes up the centre of the square. Over the Lana River to the south are the sloping white marble walls of the former Enver Hoxha Museum, which is occasionally used as an exhibition centre and slated to be turned into a disco. The red star has been removed from the pyramid-shaped building's tip. Further south on Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit are the ultramodern Palace of Congress and the Archaeological Museum, which has a fantastic selection of objects from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages.

The best budget accommodation in Tirana is through private rented apartments or with local families. The formerly cheap state-owned hotels have either closed or been renovated, and now ask substantially higher prices. New hotels are similarly out of the budget traveller's reach. There are plenty of places to eat cheaply on Skënderberg Square and on Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit, and small and stylish bars have sprung up all over town.


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Butrint
The ancient ruins of Butrint lie 18km south of Saranda and are a real gem if you're into ancient world ruins. Virgil claimed that the Trojans settled Butrint, but no evidence of this has yet been found, and the site has been pored over by archaeologists.

Treasure hunters from Italy lifted many of the antiquities before the war, but most have since been returned and are on display at the National Museum of History in Tirana. Greeks settled Butrint during the 6th century BC, although the area had been settled long before by the Illyrians.

Within a century of the Greeks arriving, Butrint had become a fortified trading city with its own acropolis, the ruins of which you can still visit. Just below the acropolis in the forest is the 3rd century BC theatre, also used for performances when the Romans were there. Nearby are public baths with geometrical mosaics, and deeper into the forest is a wall with Greek inscriptions and a 6th-century baptistry decorated with colourful mosaics of animals and birds.

Overlooking the whole site is a triangular fortress, erected by warlord Ali Pasha Tepelena early in the 19th century. Butrint is accessibly by road from Saranda, which is linked to Tirana and Vlora by bus. The ruins are nearly on the country's southern border with Greece, 160km (99mi) south of Tirana.


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Durrës
Unlike Tirana, Durrës (Durazzo in Italian) is an ancient city, founded in 627 BC by the Greeks. It was for centuries the largest port on the Adriatic, and the start of the Via Egnatia to Constantinople. Landings here by Italian troops in 1939 met brief but fierce resistance, and those killed defending it are now regarded as the first martyrs of the War of National Liberation. Roman ruins and Byzantine fortifications embellish this major industrial city and commercial port, Albania's second largest city.

A good place to start is the Archaeological Museum, which faces the waterfront promenade near the port. Behind the museum are the 6th-century city walls, built after the Visigoth invasion of 481 and supplemented by round Venetian Towers in the 14th century. The Roman Amphitheatre, built between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, is impressive, and stands on a hillside just inside the walls. The former Palace of King Ahmet Zog stands to the west of the amphitheatre, and in front of that is a statue of Skënderberg and, incongruously, huge radar disks set up by the Italian army. When you're in the centre of town, don't miss the Roman Baths behind the Aleksandër Moisiu Theatre on the central square.

Durrës is 38km (23.5mi) west of Tirana, and is easily accessible by rail. If you're coming from Italy there are direct ferries from Trieste, Ancona and Bari, and there are also services from Koper in Slovenia.


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Gjirokastra
Gjirokastra is a strikingly picturesque museum town, perched on the side of a mountain above the Drino River. The town was well established by the 13th century, but the arrival of the Turks in 1417 initiated a slow decline. By the 17th century, however, the town was thriving again, with a flourishing bazaar where embroidery, silk and the still famous white cheese were traded. Above the Bazaar Mosque in the centre of town is the Mëmëdheu ABC Monument, commemorating the Renaissance of Albanian education around the turn of the 20th century. Dominating the town is the 14th-century citadel, now a museum of armaments. Enver Hoxha's childhood home houses the Ethnographic Museum, and the old Turkish Baths are in the lower town. Gjirokastra is 120km (74mi) south of Tirana, and as it's on the main highway between Tirana and Saranda it is easily reached by bus.


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Shkodra
Shkodra (also Shkodër and, in Italian, Scutari) is one of the oldest cities in Europe and the traditional centre of the Gheg cultural region. In 500 BC an Illyrian fortress was already guarding the crossing west of the city where the Buna and Drin rivers meet. The road to Kosovo also begins here. Shkodra's skyline is dominated by the new and impressive Sheik Zamil Abdullah Al-Zamil Mosque, and next to that is the Muzeo Popullor, which exhibits recent paintings and historic photos upstairs and has an impressive archaeological collection downstairs. Shkodra was also the most influential Catholic city in Albania, and the impressive Franciscan Church on Rruga Ndre Mjeda is now a church again after serving as an auditorium during Albania's official period of atheism.

Rozafa Fortress lies 2km (1.2mi) south-west of Shkodra, near the southern end of Lake Shkodra. Legend has it that a woman named Rozafa was walled in here, and she asked that two holes be left in the wall so she could still feed her baby. Nursing mothers come here today to smear their breasts with the milky water. Below the fortress is the many-domed Leaden Mosque, the only mosque in town to escape destruction during the 1966 Cultural Revolution. Shkodra is accessible by frequent buses and trains from Tirana, 80km (50mi) to the south, and infrequent buses from Durrës.

Off the Beaten TrackBerat
Berat is Albania's second most important museum town, and is sometimes called 'the city of a thousand windows' for the many windows in its red-roofed houses. Along the ridge above the gorge is a 14th century citadel sheltering small Orthodox churches such as the Orthodox Cathedral of Our Lady, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Church of the Evangelists. On the slope below the citadel is the historic quarter of Mangalem, while a beautiful seven-arched stone bridge leads to Gorica, the Christian quarter. The town has several fine mosques, such as the Leaden Mosque, the King's Mosque, the Bachelor's Mosque and the Alveti Tekke, a smaller shrine where Islamic sects like the Dervishes once practised. Berat is 122km (76mi) south-east of Tirana, and the bus journey takes three hours.


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Elbasan
Elbasan lies midway between Pogradec and Durrës, and the town has been prominent since 1974, when the Chinese built a steel mill ('Steel of the Party') there. It also has a cement factory and a growing pollution problem, but Elbasan is not completely without charm. It was founded by the Romans in the 1st century AD, and strong stone walls with 26 towers were added in the 4th century AD to protect it against invading barbarians. In 1466 Sultan Mohammed II rebuilt the walls and renamed the town El Basan ('The Fortress') in Turkish. The 17th century Turkish Baths are in the centre of town, on the opposite side of the park from the Ethnographical Museum. Go through the Bazaar Gate near the clock tower and follow a road north past the 15th century King's Mosque to St Mary's Orthodox Church, which has beautiful stone arcades on its walls. Elbasan is 54km (33mi) south-east of Tirana, and buses, minibus taxis and trains make the journey daily.


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Korça
Korça is the main city of the south-eastern interior, and it sits on an 869m (2850ft) high plateau. It is Albania's largest carpet and rug producing centre, and has been since the Greeks were there. Fine museums include the Muzeu i Artet Mesjetar Shqiptar (Museum of Albanian Medieval Art), the Muzeu Historik and the Muzeu i Arsimit Kombëtar (the Education Museum). Much of the old city was destroyed by earthquakes in 1931 and 1960, which toppled minarets and flattened churches, but some of the colour of old Korça remains in the bazar, west of the Hotel Iliria. Korça is 179km (111mi) south-east of Tirana, and you can get there by bus. It is also the first stop in Albania if you enter from Florina in Greece.


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Kukës
Kukës has possibly the most beautiful setting of any town in Albania. It is set high above Lake Fierza, just below the bald 2486m (8154ft) summit of Mt Gjalica. The old town formerly stood at the junction of two rivers, the White Drin from Kosovo and the Black Drin from Lake Ohrid, but in 1962 it was relocated to its present position when the Party decided to build a hydroelectric dam ('The Light of the Party') and flood its location. It's a pleasant place to spend a few days, and the Hotel Turizmi is one of the finest hotels, with one of the best restaurants, in the country. Kukës is 100km (60mi) north-east of Tirana, and minibuses and buses ply the route daily

History
The Illyrians, ancestors of today's Albanians, occupied the western Balkans in the 2nd millennium BC, and a convoy of interested warring states followed. The Greeks arrived in the 7th century BC, set up self governing colonies and in the main traded peacefully with the Illyrians, who set up their own tribal states by the 4th century BC. The Greeks took over the south, and still have a claim on it today. The expanding Roman Empire came to blows with an expanding Illyrian Empire based around Shkodra in present day northern Albania, and the Illyrians came off the worse after the Romans sent 200 warships there in 228 BC. The Romans spread their rule to the whole of the Balkans by 167 BC, and in the main Illyria enjoyed peace and prosperity - as long as you weren't one of the slaves working on the agricultural estates.

When the Romans couldn't hold on any longer, the Visigoths, Huns, Ostrogoths and Slavs salivating outside city limits struck poses and compared armies during the 5th and 6th centuries AD. In the 11th century, the Byzantines, Bulgarians and Normans squabbled over the northern region of Illyria, which, before Roman times, had stretched north to the Danube. Serbia, the Turks under the Ottoman Empire and even the Venetians all came and stayed, but in 1479 the Ottomans invaded and ruled until 1912, letting the region languish as the most backward part of Europe. In 1878, the Albanian League at Prizen (in present day Kosovo, Yugoslavia) began a struggle for autonomy that continues today. The Turkish army squashed the first glimmers of independence in 1881, but further uprisings followed.

Uprisings between 1910 and 1912 culminated in the declaration of independence and the formation of a provincial government led by Ismail Qemali. The London Ambassadors' Conference of 1913, however, put paid to aspirations of independence by handing Kosova, (you're less likely to cause offence if you call it Kosova) - nearly half of Albania - over to the Serbs.

WWI temporarily wiped away further moves for independence as Albania was occupied by Greece, Serbia, France, Italy and Austria-Hungary in succession. From 1920 to 1939 the country governed itself, but Ahmet Zogu, representing the landed aristocracy, went to bed with Mussolini's Italy. That move sprang back to hit him in the face when the Italians invaded at the outbreak of WWII. The communists, under Enver Hoxha, led the resistance against Italy and, after 1943, Germany. By October 1944 they'd thrown the Germans out, the only East European nation to do so without the assistance of Soviet troops. The communists consolidated power after the war, and proclaimed the People's Republic of Albania in 1946.

Two years later the country broke off relations with Yugoslavia and allied itself with Stalin's USSR. Britain and the USA backed a few Balkan-style Bay of Pigs operations - landings by right-wing Albanian émigrés - that nevertheless failed to topple the communists. When Khruschchev demanded submarine bases in 1960, Albania broke off diplomatic relations. After the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Albania left the Warsaw Pact altogether. It embarked on a self-reliant defence policy that has left the country littered with around 750,000 igloo-shaped concrete bunkers and pillboxes, some of which have since been painted in bright colours. After the break with the USSR in 1960, Albania turned toward China for its inspiration, even embarking on its own cultural revolution in 1966-67. Albania's special relationship with China ended in 1978.

Hoxha died in 1985, and the new leader, Ramiz Alia, embarked on a liberalisation program and strengthened Albania's ties abroad. By early 1990 the collapse of communism in most of Eastern Europe had created a sense of expectation in Albania, and after student demonstrations in December the government agreed to allow opposition parties to exist. The communists won the 1991 elections, but by mid-May a general strike forced the ruling Socialist Party into a coalition with the opposition Democrats. Central economic planning was now on the skids, factories ceased production and the food distribution network broke down. By late 1991 the country faced chaos, and food riots broke out in December. The EU, fearful of a refugee crisis, stepped up economic aid, and the Italian army set up a large military base south of Durrës to supervise food shipments.

The 1992 elections ended 47 years of communist rule, and the Democratic Party wasted no time in launching a witch hunt against former communists and party officials. By 1993, Amnesty International was prompted to condemn increasing human-rights violations in the country. Albania signed a military agreement with Turkey in 1992 and joined the Islamic Conference Association in a move to counter Greek territorial claims to southern Albania (which the Greeks call Northern Epiros). The mid- to late 90s saw quick changes in prime ministers and presidents as the new democracy stumbled and nearly collapsed, and many Albanians left the country in search of work. As much as 20% of the labour force currently works abroad, mainly in Greece and Italy. When NATO bombed Yugoslavia in spring 1999, nearly half a million ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo spilled over the border into neighbouring Albania.

Culture
Polyphony is a southern Albanian tradition dating back to ancient Illyrian times, involving blending several independent vocal or instrumental parts. The songs usually have epic lyrical or historical themes, and may be slow and sombre with beautiful harmonies or include yodelling when it really starts whooping up. There is little Albanian cinema, but the most notable recent film is Lamerica, a stark portrayal of post-communist Albanian life. Before written Albanian was standardised in 1909, there was very little literature. Fan Noli, who died in 1965, was the giant of 20th century Albanian literature. Many of his own works were based on religious themes, but the introductions he wrote to his translations of Cervantes, Shakespeare, Ibsen and Omar Khayyám established him as the country's foremost literary critic. Albania's best known contemporary writer is Ismail Kadare, who fled the country's police state in 1990. His work has been translated into 40 languages.

Albanian (Shqipja) is an Indo-European language with many Latin, Slavonic and modern Greek words. It has two main forms, Tosk and Gheg, which diverged about 1000 years ago. In 1972 the Congress of Orthography established a unified written language, which is now universally accepted for both languages. Italian is useful for travel in Albania; many Albanians learned it before 1943, but others have picked it up by watching Italian TV stations or through recent trips to Italy.

Traditionally, Albania has been 70% Sunni Muslim, 10% Roman Catholic (mostly in the north) and 20% Albanian Orthodox, making it the only European country to have a Muslim majority. From 1967 to 1990 it was also the only officially atheist state in the world, and many churches were converted into cinemas and theatres. The spiritual vacuum left after the fall of communism has in part been filled by US evangelists, but new churches and mosques are springing up all over the country.

Albanian food has been strongly influenced by Turkish food. Grilled meats like shishqebap (shish kebab), romsteak (minced meat patties) and qofte (meat balls) are common dishes. Popular local dishes are çonlek (meat and onion stew), fërges (a rich beef stew), rosto me salcë kosi (roast beef with sour cream) and tave kosi (mutton with yoghurt). Lunch is the main meal, although eating out in the evening in Tirana is increasingly common. Ice cream (akullore) is very popular, and the coffee is either kafe turke and strong enough to walk over to your table by itself, or kafe ekspres (espresso). The white wine is usually better than the vinegary red, and other local drops are raki (brandy), konjak (cognac), uzo (an aniseed flavoured liqueur like Greek ouzo) and various fruit liqueurs. If you're taken to a bar, always offer to pay. Your Albanian host will rarely let you, but your gesture gains your host 'face' in front of others.

Environment
A few thousand square km smaller than Belgium, Albania basks on the south-eastern shore of the Adriatic, just a hop, skip and a jump across the waves from Italy. It shares its southern border with Greece, Macedonia lies to the east, and Yugoslavia and the troubled province of Kosovo lie beyond its northern border. The interior of the country is mostly mountainous and over 36% is forested. Despite its position in Eastern Europe, you know you're in the Mediterranean as the plains are extensively planted with olives, citrus and vineyards. A few large lakes, one of them the deepest in the Balkans (Lake Ohrid, at 294m or 931ft) stretch along the borders with Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Greece. The Ionian coast, particularly the 'Riviera of Flowers' from Vlora to Saranda, has some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.

Albania has six National Forests, 24 nature reserves and 2000 natural monuments, but the protection for all of these areas is mainly on paper. All parks are under threat from human activities such as hunting and wood cutting, and Albania simply doesn't have the money to pay for adequate park management. In 1994 hunting was prohibited, which led to some improvements in protected areas such as the Karavasta Lagoon in the Divjake National Park, the most western nesting site in Europe of the endangered Dalmatian Pelican. Environmental pollution is a major cause for concern; nearly all raw sewage is pumped into the rivers untreated, and instances of leaking effluent and deliberate discharges of chemicals from industry have grown to nightmarish proportions.

Albania has hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Summers along the coast are moderated by sea breezes. Around 40% of the rain falls during the winter months, and in winter the central mountains are very cold as continental air masses move in. Even in the cities winter can be uncomfortably bracing, as most rooms are unheated and tap water can be icy.

Getting There & Away
Italy is not a good flight gateway as Alitalia charges business class fares for one-way tickets. Malév Hungarian Airlines offers a cheap service from Budapest to Tirana. You can fly from many European capitals, and Athens is among those offering the best value. The simplest bus route is from Ioannina, Greece to Kakavija on the Albanian border, and there are regular services between Tirana and Sofia in Bulgaria. Land crossings were possible from Yugoslavia before the current round of hostilities in Kosovo, but you can still cross by land from Macedonia. The ferry takes from nine to 25 hours, depending on where you leave from Italy, and there is another ferry between Koper, Slovenia and Durës. Departure tax from Albania is US$10.


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Getting Around
Most Albanians travel the country in private minibuses or state-owned buses, and they are frequent, cheap and comfortable. The roads are generally poor and badly maintained, and if you want to travel by car be warned that petrol stations are available in the cities but are few and far between in the countryside. A limited railway network operates, with daily passenger trains leaving Tirana for Shkodra, Fier, Ballsh, Vlora and Pogradec. Cycling is not unheard of, but it is preferable to do it in groups of two or more for security.