MONDAY MUSINGS: MLJET

MONDAY MUSINGS has me thinking about the importance of parks and their preservation for future generations to enjoy Nature.

My Croatian adventure included visiting a couple of their National parks off the Dalmatian coast. The first park was MLJET  (Muhl-yet)  the largest of the southernmost and easternmost islands with two saltwater lakes - Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero, surrounded by limestone, a true global phenomenon connecting them to the sea by artificial shallow canals when the Ice Age submerged the once valley. 

A dense pine forest surrounded our hiking path to be ferried to the middle of the big lake to tiny St. Mary Islet, replete with a 12th century Benedictine stone monastery and a lovely chapel ( see below)

Boat ferry to the island...  The monastery  btw is now a café.

the floor

inside the  chapel

Lovely arches, right?

 

Amidst all the islet's stone work, 

plantings abounded some added by humans, and Mother Nature also  did her part...

Obviously, they love that sea air and climate

Half of our group returned with the next boat back to get their steps in on different trails for different overviews. The rest of us enjoyed a coffee/ cold drink and a snack, rejoining our group later. 

Aw, fresh air and stretching our sea legs... 

Another excellent adventure with nature, history and exercise.

Another gorgeous day in Croatia...