[CINC] 4th of July in Brijuni Nacionalni Park, Croatia

[Paul Jr. Petrich]

Fellow Volunteers,

 Yesterday, the 4th of July, marked the 25th birthday of this beautiful national park in northern Croatia, consisting of 14 islands and islets in the northern Adriatic. The park lies adjacent to the Istrian peninsula near Pula. It has only 7.3 sq km of land area, but expands to 36.3 sq km with the marine belt included surrounding all the islands. Marine life in the park is said to be the best preserved in the north Adriatic. The water quality here, as is true for most all of the Croatian coast, is scientifically determined to be nearly pollution free. Plus. plastics are not an eye-sore! 

 The cultural preservation aspect of the Park's duty here is lengthy: going back to archeological digs including the Illyrians, Romans, and Byzantine. Austrian-Hungarian Empire rule here starting at the end of the 18th century, introduced this location to aristocracy as a beautiful nature resort. It seems to continue with a bit of an aristocratic flavor now, with a "use" ideology that might not fly in the United States; only quests at the few green hotels on the main island are allowed to swim or dive in surrounding waters. The other multitudes that visit on daily tours are not allowed these privileges, to make overuse and pollution in the surrounding sea a non-issue.

 Last night we few "aristocrats" were treated to a wonderful 25 year Birthday Celebration! The main focus was the Rock Classic performance done outside by the Zagreb Philharmonic. The beautiful renditions of pop music that have lasted through generations included California Dreamin, Get Back (by the Beatles), and Imagine ( John Lennon ). The final classics brought the crowd to a standing ovation that encouraged an encore: Bridge Over Troubled Waters and Good Vibrations! As I gathered, with my poor understanding og Croation, the beginning tributes included reference to the contribution of Abraham Lincoln to the National Park idea with his signing of the act that gave California the responsibility to save Yosemite Valley to "be held for public use, resort, and recreation...inalienable for all time."

  KEEP ON VIBRATING, CINC!    Paul Petrich

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