Kenneth E. Harker
2010 Croatia - Dalmatia

From Split, we took the bus to the city of Dubrovnik. Our route followed the A1 tollway all the way to its southern terminus, where we continued along the old coastal highway. As Dubrovnik is located in an exclave of Croatia, we had to drive about 13 kilometers (8 miles) through Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the drive, we saw parts of Croatia's wine country.

These photos are copyright © 2010 Kenneth E. Harker. All rights reserved.

	On the early part of the trip, the tollway follows an inland route. The range of hills here is between the tollway and the coast. Unfortunately, many of the photos from inside the bus have reflections on the window.
	Some of the construction at the southern end of the A1 tollway. We drove on a part of the road that had only recently been opened. In a few years, the tollway will extend all the way south to Dubrovnik.
	Some vineyards in the vicinity of the town of Gradac.
	Since independence, the Croatian wine industry has grown significantly.
	Croatian wine country looks a lot like parts of northern California.
	The elevated roadway and the tunnels are actually part of the new roadway under construction.
	A mix of pasture land and vineyards.
	Fields and vineyards near the coastal town of Ploče.
	You can just see the Adriatic Sea through a gap in the hills on the left.
	The little Croatian village of Duboka, on the Adriatic coast.
	This little village was known as Klek, and had a very attractive beach.
	Passport control to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina. U.S. passport holders do not need a visa to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina. At this checkpoint, the police officer looked inside our passports, but at the checkpoint to re-enter Croatia, they only looked at the passport covers.
	The region of Bosnia and Herzegovina through which we traveled is called Neum, and is a legacy of the Ottoman Empire. The land had belonged to the city-state of Ragusa, but was sold to the Ottomans in 1699 as part of the Treaty of Karlowitz that established new borders between the Ottoman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and the Republic of Venice. By selling to the Ottomans, the Ragusans hoped to create a buffer between themselves and the expanding Austro-Hungarian Empire.
	The town of Neum has some resort hotels and seaside apartments, but no significant cargo traffic.
	This is Bosnia and Herzegovina's only saltwater port.
	Our bus stopped in central Neum for a 20 minute break before continuing on to Dubrovnik. This is the main street in the town.
	This is the view from the cafe, grocery store, and gift shop at which we stopped. The store took Bosnia and Herzegovina marks, Croatian kuna, or Euros for payment.
	Across the water is the Pelješac Peninsula, a part of Croatia. Even though Neum is a seaport, it's access to the Adriatic is constrained by the proximity of the peninsula. The future expansion of the A1 tollway will involve a bridge connecting the Pelješac Peninsula to the mainland Croatian littoral. The bridge is politically sensitive to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which sees it as infringing upon its international maritime rights.
	Shellfish farming in the Adriatic Sea.
	Back in Croatia, another view of the Adriatic Sea. The island on the right is Otok Šipan, and the island on the left is Otok Lopud.
	More islands in the Adriatic Sea.
	A touring yacht.