Croatia is a stunning country, it used to of course be part of Yugoslavia and now shares the former country with Serbia, happily the war over. Located in southeast Europe, it has a fantastic coastline on the Adriatic Sea (bordering Italy) and also borders Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.
This is a country that looks after its coastline, and it also contains major rivers including the Danube (the second longest in Europe). There are also protected forests, mountains and nature reserves. It has its own ‘Lake District’ with waterfalls that cascade over dolomite and limestone, with pretty colours of turquoise or even mint waters! The country is ranked first for the quality of its swimming water by European Environmental Agency, leading its main income to be tourism (it’s the 23rd most popular destination on earth). It’s particularly popular for honeymoons!
what we can learn from Latvia & Estonia
Also in Eastern Europe, Latvia is home to one of Europe’s oldest languages. The Venta is Europe’s widest waterfall and again like so many other Europe neighbours, over 50% of it is protected forest with everyone allowed to pick and eat what they want from state-owned forests. Only a petition by 38 Degrees stopped the UK government selling off remaining forests to private owners. 10% of Latvia is bog, so pack your wellies!
Just next door, Estonia is a fascinating little place that you can reach by ferry from Finland or Sweden, or even by bus from Berlin or Warsaw. With a beautifully preserved medieval city, nearly everyone speaks 4 or 5 languages, and it’s one of the most forested nations on earth, with all of it protected to preserve the country’s wildlife (lynx, brown bears, wolves, foxes, deer and rabbits).
Despite the ‘natural aura’, it has fantastic broadband services, with nearly everyone paying taxes, registering a business or getting medical prescriptions online. But what’s most fascinating is that despite its historical churches, it’s one of the least religious countries on earth (many people believe in ‘nature’ as their God instead). And also one of the most peaceful. Yet what’s hilarious is that official religious people visit to try to ‘convert’ the masses, often from countries at war – due to religion!
