Sunday, March 22, 2009

Paxi Island – Greece

The Island of Paxi, having a big mythology, is bathing, like another Venus, just very close to Corfu, in the Ionian Sea.
Paxi is an island full of natural beauties, capturing any visitor. Saint Nikolas castle, Madonna’s cloister on the homonym island, Erimitis, Karama, Ypapanti, Ellinospita, Ortholithos, Graves, Ahai, the Museum, the Gallery, the Mills, the Basins, the Lighthouses, Vatoumi, Vrika are some of the sightseeing the visitor may enjoy.
Paxi is an island full of olive trees, its population survived for centuries on this blessed tree, which used to be not only a source of living but also a mean for development and evolution. Today, tourism is the major source of income at Paxi local economy.
Now on, transport from and to Corfu and Igoumenitsa is daily. Among the island’s customs which survive until today are: the stock on 15th of August, which is distributed for free on the small island of Madonna Koulouma at Lakka with pagan dances and songs, the First Resurrection at Saint Giakoumo of Fountana, where they hit regularly the pews, the Processions after Easter, Labates of Sent John etc.
Certainly the island offers many enjoyable choices and the visitor shall be fully satisfied.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Roman “Villa Urbana”

Whole territory of today’s town Risan, from the spring Sopot till the monastery Banja, represents very rich and important archaeological site where are created the pages of the earliest history of Montenegrin Littoral. The Bay of Boka Kotorska was for the first time mentioned under the name of “Rison River” in the middle of 4th century BC. In the year 230 BC Illyrian fortress Rison on the hill Gradina over Risan become the war capital of Illyrian state of the tribe Ardiei under the king Agron and his heiress, very known queen Teuta, who began the first in the series of wars with the powerful state of Rome, which termined with the final decline of the Illyricum under the king Genthius, in the year 167 BC.
Immediately after the submission began the hurried Romanization of Risinium, which become a typical Roman town enclosed by “cyclopean” city walls and urban center or Forum on the field Carine at the right side of small creek Spila. Out of ramparts were the cemeteries or necropolis, and on the southern side the residential part of the town with the villas of rich merchants and landowners of Risan.
The mosaics cover the floors in 4 of 5 rooms in the east part and in 2 rooms in the west tract of villa, while in other rooms were discovered only the traces of mosaic floors. In the west part of villa, toward the sea, the mosaics were made in the technical of large cubes of local grey and black stone, with the motif of “labrys”, the double battle ash from Crete. Between the mosaics in the east part of villa the best is the mosaic floor in the north corner room, made by the stone cubes of different sizes and colors (red, yellow, green, blue, black, white), with stylized floral motifs wreathed in a certain geometric rhythm, but in the middle is the round medallion bordered with meander and on them, by very miniature cubes and skilful blended shades, presented the Greek god of dreams Hypnos in the shape of young winged boy, leaned on the pillow. By this figure and the fact of the absence of ornaments on one part of the floor in the size of a bed, it is concluded that it is the sleeping room (dormitories) of the owner. In the next room toward south the mosaic floor is made in the form of chess board by black and white stone cubes, while the subsequent one had the mosaic floor made in ceramics, destroyed in earlier excavations. The following two rooms have the mosaic floors, in the first one decorated by geometric ornaments and stylized examples of sea fauna, while in the last on the south the floor is divided in 8 rectangles, also with geometric motifs and stylization of sea fauna, but as here one part of the corner is without ornamentation, it is presumed that was the dining room of the villa, with typical Roman couches, for diner.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Dvorovi Spa

Settled in Northeastern part of Republic of Srpska – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dvorovi Spa is situated between rivers of Sava and Drina, on 93 m height above sea level, and roads running across Raca and Pavlovic Bridge from Serbia to Bijeljina and farther to Banja Luka and other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
By its Semberia meekness, grand parks, swimming pools, good hotel accommodation in St Stephan Hotel, and above all by good host hospitability, Dvorovi Spa is right place for vacation, prevention and curing for different diseases.

History
First perception about medical thermal water in Dvorovi Spa comes from 1956th, a time oil-field workers, looking for an oil southern from Sava River, made a well in Dvorovi village, near to Bijeljina. From the same gushed forth starting to stream out with no control. Careful and inventive native citizens of Dvorovi village gave warm water for an analyzes – results showed mineral water with important characteristics crucial for rheumatics patients therapy, with clearly expressed mineral ingredients in its resource.
After warm mineral water is discovered and its quality analyses is made, construction works on bath and spa building with a reservoir for warm water, that needed firstly to be cooled due to its too high temperature for direct usage, was started. By spa building, in 1968th an Olympic swimming pool with warm water was made, what was very rare and unique case in Bosnia and Herzegovina in that time, a place for sincere enjoyment of swimmers in a pool and relaxing. Later on a restaurant of Stara banja namely Izvor nowadays, was made just next to thermo mineral water origin. In 1981st a small children swimming pool was built as well. Planed spa development and infrastructure construction, and organized activities on tourist-catering offer development has started in 1986th by new company Spa-recreation centre Dvorovi establishment, when spa managing was transferred from local community of Dvorovi to newly established company. In last ten years, thanks to clear business plan and management, infrastructure construction and creation of good ambient made this spa recognized today. Two more swimming pools, fields for small sports are already made; new hotel is in construction, one well more is found with water temperature of 80 C, unfortunately not exploited yet.

Healing power of mineral water
The water is sodium-calcium-hydro carbonate- chloride one. Its analyzes proved that water usage gives very good results in curing chronic rheumatic diseases, lighter forms of diabetes, chronic gastritis, posttraumatic injuries of extremities and some forms of eczemas, chronic gynaecological diseases, lumbago, spondilosis, spondilitis and lumboistialgia.
It is recommended to the guests to use thermo mineral healing water in a form of baths, efficiently curing following diseases:
Inflammation of rheumatic diseases in resigned clinical and lab phase
Degenerative rheumatic diseases
After the injuries states
After direct surgery on locomotors systems
Scoliosis and kifoscoliosis
Peripheral arterial blood vessels diseases
Paresis and paralysis of peripheral nerves
Light skin diseases
Caries prevention by water drinking
Stomach, bile and bile ducts diseases – by water drinking
In Dvorovi Spa, full medical team consisted of doctors, specialist, physiotherapists, masseurs, medicine personnel, takes care about guests’ health.
The Spa gives medical services whole around the year, whereas tourist-catering services are mostly given over the summer time. Swimming pools usage is seasonal.
In summer time, a season of vacations, school holidays, excursions, organized sports events, 120.000 guests visit spa complex coming from Bijeljina, region and other parts of Republic of Srpska, Croatia, Serbia.

Congress tourism
In Dvorovi Spa, there are halls suitable for holding different seminars, symposiums, presentation etc.
Its favorable geographical position, its nearness to Belgrade, Novi Sad, Zagreb and Banja Luka make it suitable for congress tourism development.

Hotels
St Stephan Hotel is categorized as high B category, with 42 two-bed rooms and 2 apartments. The rooms are with bathrooms, phone line and TV; over the winter, heating is made by thermo mineral water.
Within the hotel, there is a restaurant with 400 sits. Proleter Restaurant is with 300 sits, and Izvor Restaurant is with 120 sits and 200 sits outside on the terrace, a place the guests can enjoy in pleasant atmosphere and domestic cuisine prepared by culinary masters.
In St Stephan Hotel, there is a medical block with medical rehabilitation services. There is a lift in a hotel, too.