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of national culture in the Middle Ages, and of the desperate struggle for exi-
stence which protected Europe from the invasion of the Turks, and enabled
it to live protected and untouched behind the wall of the South Serbs
and develop its culture to the level of today? Nor are te Ahlps of Slovenia yet the
fashion .The Logarian valley was called by Amis Bois the most beautiful valey in
the Alps. How many have seen the waterfalls of Krk in Dalmatia, the falls of the
Pliva in Bosnia, of the many precipices of Vintgar in Slovenia, accessible only
to the mountainneer, of those of Herzegovina, or again the gorge of the Danube
at the Iron Gates, now made accessible for large passenger boats by an artificial
canal ? Few have basked in the southern sunshine of the Adriatic, enjoying from
ship deck the picturesque coastline, with its numberless fiords, or the blue caves
so bright and intense in colour. Inland too are others, scarcely caves, but almost
underground country, in which lakes are lost and do not reappear for 40 kms. Hardly
a scientist knows anything of the unexploited mineral wealth of the country. Here
lies the opportuinty of endless enjoyment for anyone who has the time and interest
to get to know the inhabitants of those wonderful districts, hospitable, obliging,
and picturesque folk with the national costumes and traditional customs.
Moreover these beauties of which we have mentioned only a few, can now
be visited with the usual degree of comfort. The chief towns and holiday districts
are connected with the rest of Europe by direct fast trains with sleeping and restau-
rant cars. The Railway Management is endeavouring to remove the last traces
which the war left here as in every other country. The large towns and spas have
hotels with modern conveniences. The offices of the ,,Putnik” travel agency give
free information and sell railway tickets, while 8 tourist federations with 70 societies
ander them undertake arrangements for the enjoyment of visitors in the better
known resorts. What then are the most interesting places for the foreigner to visit ?
First of all there are the large cities. Belgrade, the capital, in the course of the cen-
turies has many times changed masters. Much destroyed in the war, it is rebuil-
ding with lightning speed and making a new city on its proud eminence overlooking
the confluence of the Sava and Danube. Here there is modern life just as pulsating
as in many larger cities. Hotels like the Palace, Excelsior, Srpski Kralj and Petro-
grad are all worthy of recommendation. Zagreb, the cultural, commercial and
industrial centre of Croatia, has developed much more peacefully. Consequently its
inner charm is reflected in an attractive architectural exterior. With a modern
hotel de luxe ,, Esplanade”, modern promenade »»Zrinjevac”’, ethnographic museum,
picture gallery, university library and the picturesque costumes of its peasants
in the market, there is plenty to interest the visitor.
Ljubljana in Slovenia, the first city to welcome the visitor from the west,
all festive and white, carefully preserves what has remained of its mediaeval inheri-
tance. The wonderful Alpine environment seems to have transferred something
of its seriousness to the citizens. How different is Split, where there are remains of
the past at every turn, mingled with the realities of today, where between the old
palace of the Emperor Diocletian and the monuments of the first Christians of
Solin is growing up a new market. of international importance. The historic buil-
dings of Dubrovnik too have endowed their city even today with something of the
spirit of the old patricians. The most elegant of the winter resorts, full of the wealth