Croatian Short Stories - Slapovi Krke (Krka National Park)

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Changing the scenery from sea to lake. from waves to waterfalls. Not too far from Vodice one very popular place for holiday goers and locals can be found. The Krka National Park with its waterfalls of the river Krka. It was formed to protect the ecosystem of the Krka River and is intended primarily for scientific, cultural, educational, recreational, and tourism activities. It is the seventh national park in Croatia and was proclaimed a national park in 1985. The Krka National Park is a spacious, largely unchanged region of exceptional and multifaceted natural value, and includes one or more preserved or insignificantly altered ecosystems. The Krka Waterfalls area has the second highest density of lavender in Europe, hence the high frequency of wasps and bees in the area. Especially in the summer 2020 wasps due to the little rain and extreme heat acted more aggressively than normal, making outdoor meals a bit uncomfortable. 17 different waterfalls connect through various platforms with little ponds descending over 50 m.

Eight hundred and sixty species and subspecies of plants have been identified within the territory of the Krka National Park. Eighteen species of fish inhabit the Krka River, among which ten are endemic, making the Krka a natural landmark of the highest category. The abundance of species of birds ( over 220 types were counted), the structure of the bird communities and the great significance of the Krka for spring and autumn migrations make it among the anthropologically most valuable regions of Europe. There are numerous birds of prey in the area, notable ones are: osprey, short-toed eagle, golden eagle, Bonelli's eagle, Lanner falcon and the peregrine falcon. Other birds of interest are Eurasian eagle-owl, European bee-eater and griffon vulture.

We had a relatively quiet walk through the forest and along the river and waterfalls, as the visitor numbers were below the normal, but still surprisingly high. Some sections of the river are cordoned off and one can go for a refreshing splash. Temperatures of the Krka are several degrees below the Adriatic sea. Nenad was for the first time at the falls when in primary school in Yugoslavia. Then not many people took an interest in the falls and he and his friends could climb the rocks of the waterfall terraces and jump into the Krka, something absolutely forbidden today. When he saw all the restrictions today, he has no appetite for a swim with all the other visitors. For Nui being here the first time it was an impressive few hours in the NP. By the way, should you ever go there, at the entrance of the park you can enjoy a tasty Cvapcici dish, one of Croatia's famous minced grilled meat specialties. Leave out the french fries (invented for German tourist) and eat the meat only with lot of onion, bred and Ajvar, a paste made out of paprika.

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Photos

Slapovi Krke
River Krk Waterfalls