Highlights of Zadar, Croatia

We ride into Zadar from nearby Biograd na Moru, a trip that takes 40 minutes. We park the motorbike outside of one of the old gates to the small city bordered by water on three sides and walk in, since the gates have all sorts of traffic restrictions. A few locals seem to know the old streets well enough to park inside but I don't. Maybe they have permits.

The gates to the old city are all interesting; this one is very ornate.; the lion motif reminds me of St Mark's in Venice.

In the centre of the old city is the Roman forum ruins and St Donat's a circular church.

It is the site of ancient altars to Juno and Jupiter, pagan gods, from before the Roman era.

The sea organ is my favourite place in Zadar, as it is both visually appealing and a place where lots of people swim from the steps, an acoustic and visual art installation. The waves generated by passing boats play an increasingly high pitched pipe melody through the tubes with vents behind the steps.

The sound is quite symphonic and hypnotic, but doesn't disturb the swimmers.

Even the backdrop to the organ is music inspired, looking like the ebony and ivory keys of a piano.

In the evening, after sunset, the "salute to the sun" next to the sea organ comes alive. The place is thronged with people taking photos.

The discs contain photovoltaic cells which have been charged by the sun's light all day, and the whole disc takes on the life of an outdoor disco floor.

Although the lights are better seen by the eye than the camera, I find a shutter speed that gets it a little better. I have to wait a bit for the light patterns. It is slightly disorientating and best enjoyed either lying down, or from a distance. When the disc is seen as a whole, the lights ripple across the surface.