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Istria is the largest peninsula on the Adriatic Coast, it belongs to Croatia, ex Yugoslavia. It is the westernmost region of Croatia. Istria was that* gorgeous place that James Joyce wrote from, to his brother Stanislaus in Dublin. The average annual hours of sunshine on the Istrian Peninsula are 2,380. When it rains everywhere, some part of Istria remains dry and untouched. The largest town is Pula (82,000 inhabitants). Istria is the place with smallest towns in the world. The smallest Istrian town is called Hum and is the smallest town in the world. The best-protected Istrian harbor is Pula, the narrow bay cuts 4-km inland. That is the largest lighthouse in Istria, 36 m high, built in 1818. Jules Verne in his novel "Mathias Sandorf", glorifies the Roman monuments of Istria, Pula and its nature. There is Roman Empire all over Istria though. Travel stories and ancient pictures carved in the stone slab of the old Roman Town in the Adriatic must have inspired Verne. The largest naturist center in both Istria and Europe is Koversada near Vrsar, with a daily capacity of 12,000 tourists. The average air temperature during the coldest month (February) is 6°C and during the warmest period (July) is 23°C. The temperature during the day in summers is about 30, with breeze in the evenings.

I was staying in Pula. My personal guide was Sonja, lady who lives FOR and loves Pula, an archeologist and real estate agent. We wandered together during the day, swim in crystal clear sea, visited interesting places and met interesting people. Our evenings we spent in theatres, on the concerts, festivals or at the movies. Most of the festivals we visited were having international character. Istria is very famous by little and bigger towns with manifestations and festivities during the entire summer period. So whenever and wherever you are there, you can check out theatre, music or film festivals. Most of the festivals are of the international character. And most of the people speak English. Istria use to be filled with British tourists, but now, after the ex Yugoslavia fell apart, there are not much British tourists coming. Other tourists from Europe yes, but not British, which is pity, ‘cause Istria has a lots to offer. I’m giving you full daily and evening Istria report, from day to day. Evening reports are focused on the theatre festivals I’ve visited. So, if you are not interested with theatre report just skip the paragraph named after the festival, about festival, on a next day new exciting travel adventure. I must warn you, the piece is long and please do not forget to leave comment.

Lazy day. We’re staying in the town and the main street of Romanesque-Gothic structure is full of tourists. The kind of street similar to a small coastal towns in Italy. We are staying in three floors building, with romantic small windows, situated right across St. Thomas' Church. Early in the morning the church bells goes off and you can hear early morning mass, ‘cause the church is Catholic. The flat we are staying in is lovely, two bedroom flat with small bathroom, the kitchen and the hall with air-conditioning. People in Pula are putting wooden curtains on the windows early in the morning because of the heat, opening it up by night when the air is fresh and chilly. The flat is on the market. All tourists are interested to buy such a flat in the central area, on such a romantic street. And because of the location, it's really easy to rent while you’re away. The flat coasts only 75 000 Euros, which is quite cheap for such a fantastic place. We got up late, had a coffee and chat and went out in the afternoon on the beach. The beaches are not so close to the town, surrounding beautiful forest full of shade. If the sea is restless and have big waves, you can always walk through the forest and shade, on the other side, to the other beach where the sea is calmer. The busses are regular from the center to the beach and coast 2 and half Euro to the beach and back. Or you can take one-month ticket that coasts 10 Euro, which is much better idea, if you intend to visit beach every day. The town has supermarkets and kiosks open all day until Midnight, except on Sundays. There are Prada, Benetton, Diesel, Reply, Max Mara shops with prices just like in Rome or London. There are also domestic but quality goods that you can find for much less. The cigarettes you can buy for only 2,5 Euro and even less, which is much cheaper than in UK. Souvenirs are pretty cheap or expensive, depends where you are looking at. People are happy, enjoying the sun. There’s music everywhere. Every year Pula hosts big names in music, names such Sting, Alanis Morissette, Jamiroquai, Zuchero, Simple Red…. This year Pula had the honor to host the very last concert of Luciano Pavarotti, 3rd of July. The tickets for big names coast 30-100 Euro and up depend of the event. All big concerts are held in the big 3,000 years old Roman Arena, a magnificent building that primly hosted gladiators’ fights in old times.

We went to visit Pula’s sixth largest Roman Amphitheater in the world. Most beautiful and most elegant historical site ever. It is also very important to come at the right time during the day, when it’s not too hot and sun casts the shade and there not much tourist in, so that you can sit and relax inside. The enter coasts 2,3 Euro per person. It seems that amphitheater in Pula does not have enough "windows" to frame its ancient stone arches and all images of time travel. It captures the mythical tradition and 3,000 years of continuity. It is indeed a unique place that gathers so many civilization differences. I’m talking about memories in traces of its distant inhabitants, the Histri from Classical, Romanesque-Ghotic structures and Baroque, from Austrian Secession architecture, the Italian Novecento and modern creations. In front of the entrance there are lots of souvenirs to buy. One-piece coasts 3-10 Euro depend what you want. Opposite the entrance you can see the sea and harbor with lots of luxury yachts. Some of it maybe is bringing you celebrity to meet. The town is getting regularly visited by John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons, Naomi Campbell…that you can see among the crowds accidentally. A Hollywood star of Serb origin, from Croatia, Rade Sherbedzija, often brings his celebrity guests, spending every summer on his little island, in his little theatre "Ulysses Theatre" on Brijuni Island, most famous National Park of old Yugoslavia.

There are plenty of sites to visit in Pula Town. An archeological museum that you can check out for free. The main gate into the building is old Roman catacombs tunnel with Twin Gates* from Roman Empire period. There are plenty of slabs and ancient pictures carved in the stone slab from that period, lying in front and on the back of the building. The details are of course avariable inside of the museum. As you go further on, behind the building you are running on the old Small Roman Theatre, place that held many jazz concerts and theatre performances, as well as might be the perfect place for secret lovers after Midnight, when everything is closing down. The cafes, romantic pubs and restaurants are open all day long until Midnight. Nightclubs are placed in Medulin, small town nearby Pula. You can get drink from 2,5 Euro until 5 Euro. There are fantastic wines of all kind that are begging to be picked on. Also other strong drinks. Supermarkets are open all day, where you can buy bottle of water for 2 Euro; something absolutely necessary for day walks through the town on hot sunny days. Big Golden Gate* also remained from Roman Empire marks the entrance in the main old part of the town in Sergejevaca Street, most romantic street of all, full of shops of all kind. The very beginning of the street glorifies James Joyce, who thought English in the building, where now is “his sitting on the table” sculpture. The café bar doesn’t allow customers to sit over the table where the sculpture of James Joyce sits. Even though tourists are dying to do so. My sister and companion did not sat over the table with the J. Joyce sculpture; she sat in his lap. We managed to take a fantastic photo there. The street is leading to an old Town Square, where you can find fine restaurant and pizza bars. The Old Square* is having old Roman Parliament next to a new town Parliament, City Hall building from early 20 century, with a lots of slabs from Roman Empire hanging there, on the new building, to remain that the City Hall was built on the old Roman Parliament Building. Poet Dante Alighieri, the famous runaway saw multitude of sepulchral slabs and grave mounds in Pula, included them into his "Canto IX of Hell".

PUF FESTIVAL
At 19h we are back to a theatre festival.
-19h -The exhibition "20 years of Dr. Inat Theatre". Inat Theatre and Mr. Branko Susac, director of the festival and art director of Inat Theatre and SAKUD are founders of PUF Theatre Festival in Pula. The founders were also leaders of best Croatian non institutional theatres: "Inat Theatre" from Pula existing 20 years now and the exhibition was presenting the photographs of their work. The festival during the past 10 years hosted British contemporary theatres, just as well.
-20h- just at the Golden Gates*, on the streets, we had chance to see street performance by Croatian theatre from Zagreb, Robert Franciszty’s "Against the correction of the skin and the fur". A performance that is examining the cruelty over animals which are raised in the cages on farms. . Very interesting street performance, easy to be done anywhere. Lots of people around us.
-21h- at Istrian National Theatre, "Kaspar Hauser" and Gregor Weber from Germany. A fantastic performance of Gregor Weber a mime performer and dancer, who presented Hauser’s development, his incarnation, that took place fast, to make human existence present in all physical humiliation, experienced visually through body work and video images. Gregor Weber is coming from Butoh Dance Theatre. With his body, he carried out of his dungeon, handicapped, disfigured but still beautiful of sensitive sensational creature. Gregor Weber also presented the performance called "Room Service" where he involved the audience in his act in separate rooms .
-22.30h- "Circles" by Croatian and host theatre "Dr. Inat Theatre". A tale about hard work of mime and physical theatre. About the developments and constant search for creativity. Hard work.
-23.30h- Forgotten Fish Memory Orchestra Theatre and their "The Philosophical egg", again! And than all night long party, in Rojc’s wander rooms and under the sky… Hmm.
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4th of July day time

PUF FESTIVAL
-20.30h- Performans "Man-wolf" a multimedia lecture by Croatian artist D.B.Indos and other collaborators about actual audio lecture by wolf-biologist Fred Harrington entitled "Wolf Vocalization [Fragments]", with excerpts of text and illustrations

Pictures of General: Croatia

Roman Arena in Pula

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PUF FESTIVAL
-20.30h- Festival hosts Teatro el Rayo Misterioso-grupa laboratorio de teatro, "Tango Argentino" a play of impressive sounds . An actors and dancers under the red lights and costumes of devilish people. Like in some strange dream. Less verbal more dance piece, full acrobatic twist and turns. A memorable experience full of colors of Argentina.
-22h- at Little Roman Theatre* the unforgettable Dutch theatre "Forgotten Fish Memory Orchestra Theatre" with their big concert. Magnificent Chinese/Japanese Opera masks telling the tale about people, by playing different ethno music on different ethno instruments. The view is magnificent, upper to the hill, in between ancient Roman stones and the flair of ancient hedonism in the air, at the right time when they “constructed” unusual environment, which is the primal originality for this contemporary theatre festival. All that in order to create the special atmosphere, a pyramid, a dome etc…The final cut of the festival achieved maximum effect to engage public and share communion of music, art and wonder.
-23h- The winning award celebration at the club of the festival and getting pissed all night long. That was a long night.
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Perhaps the best way to experience the inspiration of history and centuries gone by in Istria, is through a play in the ancient theatre, opera in the Roman Amphitheater, classical music concerts in the cathedrals, jazz happenings in the ancient castle, a popular play in one of the Renaissance squares or at the film festival under the starry sky in the medieval town …The entire European history permeated through Istria. On this very area three European civilizations met through history – the Roman, Slavic and Germanic. The name of the peninsula originates from Greek legends, the myth of the Argonauts* and the Golden Fleece*. They called the Danube Istros* and believed it had several river mouths and sources, and with one of those, they sailed into the Adriatic naming the peninsula by. Here seven millennia of its history can be touched and absorbed. Istria is the blackboard of history: prehistoric hill-forts, Gothic cathedrals, Baroque palaces, Austro-Hungarian fortifications Roman amphitheater and triumphal arches, early Christian churches, Byzantine mosaics, Romanesque basilicas, medieval towns, Renaissance frescoes, towers and town walls. More and more frequently Istria is chosen by visitors from all over the world, tourists seeking a fascinating new destination for their Holidays, conferences or meetings. As a result of the longstanding successfully created Istrian tradition image and hospitality. Towns known as congress and tourism destinations in previous Yugoslavia and still are, no matter of the past civil war: Umag, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula, and Opatija. Numerous cultural events, gastro festivals, wine cellars and excursion opportunities can capture you.

We had more days to come and enjoy Istria, more nights to get drunk, more picnics to enjoy to and more people to meet. I wanted to stay until an other Theatre Festival begins to taste a little bit of that too. This time it was more “classic” theatre festival involved. An other International Theatre Festival in Pula began 10th of July and lasts until 25th of August. The International Youth Theater Festival MKFM in Pula has been the educational center of theatrical arts for nine years in a row. The festival IS designed for young creative people in the fields of drama, theater and performance, conceived very ambitiously. During a two months, there was and will be plenty of theater and dance workshops, lectures, symposia and art colonies as well as practical presentations of some workshops and joint projects. MKFM offers specialized workshops such as: Text in action. The basics of acting, Clowns, Modern Dance, Butoh dance after the "Body in Aisia method by Katsura Kan from Japan, Dance techniques, Physical expression and media, practical course in directing and stage management… This year’s offer has two new workshops: Video workshop lead by Stefano Grassi from Italy and Musical lead by Mark Hardy from USA. There’s one intriguing workshop by Professor Petruska Clarkson from UK, called "Neurolinquistic programming about developing creativity in art and life through the use of subconscious resources", held on 11-17 July. Than Mr. Richard Hahlo lead the workshop of training and rehearsal techniques for the contemporary actor, using games, physical and vocal work to prepare the actor, focus on improvisation, rehearsal practice and text work all towards stimulating the creative work of the individual and the group. The festival brings together a colorful and varied crowd and the programs are delivered in Croatian, Italian, English and German. The director of the festival, the director of the Istrian National Theatre in Pula and theatre director is Mr. Robert Raponja.Year 2004. Festival dedicates to a Great Russian dramatist Anton Pavlovic Chekhov.

The Grande opening was magnificent. The guests were eating lots of fresh fruits served with chilled champagne. At the opening party I’ve met Mr. Richard Hahlo, who lead workshop, looking at training and rehearsal techniques for the contemporary actor. Mr. Richard Hahlo is an actor who while working at the Royal National Theatre in London has become strongly involved with the theatre’s Education & Training Department. He is now an Associate of the department and a leading Education practitioner. As well as continuing to act, he now directs and teaches all over the world working with actors, students, teachers and business managers. We had a long chat about travelling and about people in Pula, about the festival and life…There was a lot of fruit to eat and Champaign to drink that night. One very utterly enjoyable evening.
Come back to check the breathtaking pictures later.