The rest day by the lakes of Plitvice is overwhelming us with strong contrasts: on one side the ethereal turquoise of crystal clear water, naturally-made zen forests, the silence of the leaves and the sound of countless waterfalls...

...on the other side the signs still tangible of the recent Yugoslavian war, the tanks parked behind the wire netting and the memories of newsflashes seen on tv, once so far geographically, now so near. The dark time is over, though. Croatia is a rising country, the nationalistic hate among the population inhabiting the balkans is soothed and today is a day of celebration: today the European Commission has declared that this country has reached the targets and is ready to enter EU in july 2013! Welcome Croatia, you will be our 28th state!