Pag - Dalmatian Coast , karst , salt and deforestation

The Dalmatian Coast has its barrenness, as well as the more lush walled cities area toward the south. Here is the area around Pag. Near Zadar. See map at www.lonelyplanet.com/ - if you get lost, use these additional indicators - mapshells/europe/croatia/croatia.

We were there in the pouring rain. No visibility except the barrens. Pag is a historic town, the end of a long peninsula, on Pag island, and on barren limestone plateau area, called "karst." See encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577939/Croatia.htmlkarst. Other places use the word karst for mountain areas as well. This would be an excellent geo-tourism site because of the geological sites and attractions. See book "Geotourism" by Ross Dowling at this site: elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/706060/description#description.

Pag is also a ferry port, for those coming by water from the Istrian peninsula, like Rijeke. It had been known for its traditional dress, but few places show those except for special days.

A moonscape, salt flats, and the mountains on the far side of the waterway are as close as I can get from our pictures. See www.photocroatia.com/GALLERY/list, for more Pag photos. The mountains had been deforested for ships for the Venetians and others, and the process accelerated through the centuries. Perfect for salt works. See www.theworldwidegourmet.com/countries/europe/croatia/ston-salt.

Pag once was a busy port, for traffic from Rijeka and many other places. It still gets ferries and some port traffic, but is remote by car. We went to the main square, found a hotel, and had a full apartment at Pag, with a fine restaurant below. We prefer smaller local places to the hotels, if there is a choice.

Pag is famous for its sheep's milk cheese, that whiffs of the varieties of herbs in the grass. Pag also used to be a place to see routine traditional dress, but not now.

It also has nude beaches, I understand, but we were there in the cold and wet. The history of Pag is at Pag History There are other sites with that beach information. Go fetch.