Via Dinarica 2019 - en route - Nikon Coolpix AW100
Most people in Slovenia are Roman Catholic.
A profusion of wild flowers on the meadows.
Bygone Soviet fame.
The odd snake.
Already early, in Slovenia, many bear tracks could be found on the trail.
Border fence Slovenia-Croatia. The latter not yet within Schengen.
You'll get trees dropped at your house for further processing - DIY.
In some villages even the last bar was shut down. The locals bought a beer in the small store and drank it on a park bench.
Beware of the sun! 30° C and no shade is no fun!
Restaurants are not a matter of course.
Stove fuel is worth a thought or two. Refill of lighter gas into the cartridge worked for me.
Indeed, bear scat.
Works for me: Rusk (light) and Mortadella (calories).
Makes you think. As I went south, refugees in need were on their way north.
Roger Caffin's unique stove. Though, with the warm weather I could have gotten by without inverted feed.
Disconected.
In larger cities (here Senj) I saw catridges. But firelighter gas was pretty much everywhere to procure.
Senj
Olive oil from the islands. Micro-entrepreneurs in an effort to make ends meet.
On the Premužić Trail.
A master cigarette twister.
Before.
After.
I was certainly not the fastest on the trail. But I wasn't the slowest either. I gave myself 10 weeks, 8 weeks seems to be feasible, 6 weeks will limit the joy very much.
Signs like this one all over the place. With only 15% out of one's own pocket pretty much a no-brainer - to me.
At Stap: make sure you know how to opperate a hand water pump (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_pump). I did not and found myself in a bad fix, at 30° C.
Inside Stap.
Also: think of something to fetch water from a deep cistern. Many do not have a bucket.
Prokletije National Park. Dramatic climbing.
Hauling the old way.
The ubiquitous schnapps. Called Rakija in this part of the world.
Looking back towards Prokletije and the Adriatic Sea.
Compare my knife in the sausage with that of the locals.
I have heard of vegetarians who have successfully made it all the way from Slovenia to Albania.
Disturbing. But if you stay on the path, you're going to be good.
Not funny anymore.
Walking through karst, water becomes an issue. Carry a small filter.
4.5 liters were needed occasionally.
Just stay on the trail. Even for a pee.
War victim.
Such may be the water source you were hoping for.
And an unexpected cistern will make your day.
There is a considerable number of kilometers on roads in that game.
Still bears en route.
WOW - good news!
Many old and interesting churches along the way.
With their striking orientation of graves towards the east.
Saving an ad in the newspaper.
Cafés typically teeming with men. Here in Knin. I suspect many unemployed.
Of course: Europe as a last resort.
Accomodation yes. But no food other than your own.
Crossing a major military training area.
The very first (and only?) femal train driver in Croatia.
Had to leave the mine-safe path here to set up camp. And although there were no warning signs I did not feel comfortable at all.
Another dribble.
Saving stove fuel.
Karst spring.
Mother and son. As friendly as the people are, the language barrier is dire.
Ham is the pride of any Croatian.
And home made cheese.
Ante in Budisa; next to Peruca Lake. A fine chap! Renting a holiday home.
And every now and then the sheep's throat is cut.
Only once it poured down upon me in a torrential rain storm.
Happy to see the that Poskok in this state.
My favourite sign on this trail. A scissorless hair"cut".
These are the small stalls where lighter gas is sold.
Refugee hostel near Grab. Looking more like a high security prison.
Changing tires about half way after some 550 KMs.
Grab.
Many pensioners who speak German and are pleased about a chat.
Another Ante. As nice a guy as he can be!
Many migrant workers were very successful abroad. And are now enjoying themselves in their homeland.
Pasta and a can of tuna in olive oil makes for a good meal.
Besides planning the water supply, food requires the same meticulous consideration.
Such meadows full of wild flowers are a rare sight at home.
Brushing teeth in the morning at grandma and grandpa out in the country.
The man in charge of marking the trail is obviously in love.
Food! Good food! Plenty of it!
Mountains ahead!
A reed covered roof with stones to keep it in place.
This is a major bear poo.
Famous Hajdučka vrata.
Hungarian youth with definitely the wrong footwear on the way to the mountains.
A huge open dump close to Jablanica. Did it stink!
Muslim realms.
An overnight side trip (by bus) from Jablanica to Mostar.
Famous Mostar Bridge rebuilt.
The entire place a single tourist trap.
Apparently an integral part of a Europe-in-10-day trip for well-off Asians.
All the cheap junk from China.
Mostar must have been heavily embattled.
Someone with access to stuffed pockets.
A picture summing up everything. Religion as a perpetual reason to fight those of other beliefs.
A money printing machine, also known as a parking lot. I talked for a while with the young parking attendant and learned more than by reading a book.
The owner vigorously confirmed that it is still in working order.
Life saving stores. Not only for the lonesome hiker in need.
The making of Burek.
Senad presenting the dough.
His wife pretty much doing all the work.
That was really yummy.
A new day lies ahead with a very steep climb out of Ravna.
Asian long-horned beetle: pretty fellow, but also causing much damage.
A Bosniak hiking comrade.
The dude taking all those pictures.
Mines are probably the worst thing you can imagine. How can you ever feel safe again?
Another sclonist. But already occupied.
Darn things!
Another precious puddle of water.
Hands-free shade.
Dubočani - a practically abandoned village.
An old, hunched over woman.
Stećak is the name for monumental medieval tombstones related to the Bogomil sect.
Lukomir.
With old women selling their knittwear to tourists.
More Stećak - small car sized. Must have been real work to get them here.
My next campsite. The meadow on the other side of the valley.
Well off Arabs.
Stranded - with a not so well operating car. 1:0 for the "hiker trash".
Hard working people.
And the ocasional beldam.
And also this!
What a terrible legacy.
Ratko Mladić a Bosnian Serb and convicted war criminal greeting in Kalinovik.
The sad results.
Lavishly commemorated.
While it is missing at many nooks and crannies.
But not for all.
Drago chopping up dinner.
His workshop.
Selmade electrician.
Licened by Fiat.
An easy-to-understand assembly.
The powerhouse.
From way back in time?
Don't count on signage. You may not be able to read them. Watch your navigational equipment (smartphone) like the apple of your eye.
Poskok snakes do not retreat!
Donje Bare Lake next to Tito's former hunting retreat.
Now restored.
For the local well-being.
And gosh - do these men know how to party!
Entering Montenegro. Kind of my favourite country of the trail.
One of the few moments when I got really scared. The leading bull would not at all let me get on top of Mt. Maglic. No way!
So be it.
Serious and useful markers - In Montenegro. Something new!
A tiny shelter, WITH a garbage bin, in use! And coffee powder to reinvigorate the weary hiker. How thoughtful!
A butterfly that rests horizontally folded.
Mindful people in Montenegro.
BnB soon to come.
Hay harvest.
The omnipresent workhorse on the Balkan.
Fireweed, an old acquaintance from Canada.
And big big berries!
A lean infrastructure is lining the trail. Make sure to bring your own!
Durmitor.
On Bobotov Kuk (2522m): A typical Bosnian Summit Meal.
Looking back down onto the lean infrastructure of the previous picture.
An ice cave along the trail.
Žabljak in the distance.
Montenegro = Mountains!
Yes - catridges in Žabljak. But 500 grams!
Well off people from the big cities.
Garbage - once again.
When I asked for water on the small farm on the right side of the picture, I was given not only this, but also invited for some local food.
Not what you may think at first glance.
Basketball !
Again: common people, most friendly and inviting.
On my way down to Mojkovac.
The simple cabins.
The luxurious ones.
What is black and white patterned in nature? Gosh - a cow plunged to death on a precipice. Did it stink! With bears potentially in the neighborhood I started to sing out loud.
Blueberry picker.
2 Euro per kilogram - at the market.
Horses driving away each other's flies with their tails. Quid pro quo.
A local "stunt driver", Kučki Kom in the background.
The kiosk with the 1-million-dollar view.
The Serbian cross.
Albanian mountains ahead!
Enver Hoxha's legacy to Albania. 1 of an estimated 200 000 bunkers (pillboxes).
Pigs roaming the streets.
Christians!
Be prepared for stores that are not anymore.
Somebody with deep pockets. Likely former emmigrants who struck it rich abroad.
Male pastime.
Providing for the tourists - soon to come?
Sadly with a terrible trash problem.
Up to date addition to a historic dwelling.
Someone from bygone days.
Guesthouses - THE source of income. Dozens of them around.
Politically, far from being settled.
The making of sheep's cheese in the mountains. Right next to THE tourist trail of the region. With dozens passing by daily during the season.
The final descent.
Theth is a particularly popular destination.
Driving one of the worst roads one can imagine. Teth to Shkodër.
Albania was the surprise. Interesting, friendly and as it appeared to me: safe as anything.
Glimpses of Shkodër.
No matter what: a Mercedes Benz is high on the wish list.
The “Site of Witness and Memory” is the first site of remembrance in Albania, which commemorates the victims of the communist regime in Shkodër.
The former interrogation room.
Three religious temples in close proximity. Enver Hodja's brutal dictatorship, which tried to wipe out all religions, is probably the reason for the great religious tolerance of today's Albania.
