Hungarian population in Croatia - near Sisenik

In this traditional Hungarian neighborhood, near Sisenik, also near Zagreb (the capital), the houses are wood. They are distinctive from the other Croatian houses, that appeared to be a stone or brick, or stone/brick covered with stucco.

There were vast migrations of Magyars from the area now known as Hungary, throughout Eastern Europe. These houses also look like the traditional wooden houses in Poland. Don't know enough about the populations to tell the roots. Wikipedia says that there was a relationship between the Croatian and Hungarian groups, sharing a sovereign, from 1102-1918. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hungary.

Sinj - Above-rock Cemetery

Near Sinj. With the land so rocky, and karst hills, cemeteries may be surface mausoleums, in terraced rows.

There is the church, again on top of the hill for defense.

We came away with a fuller sense of "refuge" after seeing so many of these lone buildings, or perhaps forts and castles, silhouetted up there.

Istria - Real Estate Values

Look to the background and see just the tips of the Alps at Slovenia. This view is from the coast of Istria. Istria is a province of Croatia, that also borders Italy and Slovenia.

For second home buyers, consider northern Istria. The New York Times, 5/25/07, notes similarities between this province in Croatia, with Tuscany. Compared to prices in Split or Dubrovnik, homes are relatively inexpensive. Munich is only 5 hours away, says the article. "The Tuscany Life in Croatia: Second-Home Shoppers Look East for a Place in the Sun," by Brett Corbin.

Planes and title searches. No direct flights so far from US; and land use can be separated from the land in inheritances, reports Mr. Corbin. Be careful if you decide to fly into Venice, an hour or so from Trieste, and drive over. When we rented a car, a Trieste rental was not allowed into Croatia, but a Croatian rental was allowed into Italy.

Templars, road from Osijek to Verajdin

Knights Templar accumulated great landholdings and many towns are said to have originated with their economic activity. This is the ruin of a fortress in a Templar area on the way from Osijek to V.erajdin. ,We took a non-motorway route across the northern area, just past the agricultural panhandle and moving back into hills and mountains.

The dirt road that looked like it was going to the fortress and town up there looked ok, but rapidly became rutted and rocky. I became rapidly uncomfortable, so we backed down. Literally.

Near Osijek - The agricultural panhandle. Carnival, old grave

The pleasure and privilege of a car. Stop a while. At will.

See the world's universals, up close if you want. Here is a carnival camp. Get out. Walk a bit. Breathe in. Breathe out. Again. Let time pass.

Wander in an old graveyard off the road. Find a girl's face. Hello. Terejiza. Her picture, in ceramic, holding a book. A direct gaze. What happened?



















A river, the view from the trestle bridge. Do not do what we did . We followed some local people up the staircase to cross the bridge on the pedestrian walkway. When we came down, a train came by not long after. I looked back up, and saw the other people standing firmly by poles, arms around, back to the train, with the nonchalance of experience. Would we have had the wits to do that? Never go on railway bridges. Never. Not even when there is a pedestrian walkway.