The Republic of Palau is scenically magical. For such a tiny area of land, it packs a big punch. It's hard not to be overwhelmed by its extraordinary array of natural wonders: this is an archipelago of about 200 largely pristine limestone and volcanic islands, blanketed in emerald forest, surrounded by a shimmering turquoise lagoon. Unsurprisingly, diving is the number-one activity here, with truly world-class dive sites. Divers swear by Palau's exciting seascape, fascinating wrecks and stunningly diverse marine life – it's not dubbed 'the underwater Serengeti' for nothing. When the underwater wonders have finished working their magic on you, there are other adventure options. Kayaking, snorkelling and off-road driving are fabulous, with the added appeal of fantastic settings. And for history buffs there are plenty of WWII relics scattered in the jungle, as well as a handful of well-organised museums in Koror, Palau's largest town. Palau is most famous for scuba diving. One of the most famous dive sites - Blue Corner, with constant sharks and a high current - is located less than 1 hour's boat ride from most resorts. Many live aboards like Ocean Hunter operate out of Palau.
Peter Plogojowitz (Serbian form: Petar Blagojević/Петар Благојевић) was a Serbian peasant believed to have become a vampire after his death and to have killed nine of his fellow villagers.
Peter Plogojowitz (Serbian form: Petar Blagojević/Петар Благојевић) was a Serbian peasant believed to have become a vampire after his death and to have killed nine of his fellow villagers. The case was described in the report of Imperial Provisor Frombald, an official of the Austrian administration, who witnessed the exorcism via impalation by stake of Plogojowitz. Peter Plogojowitz lived in a village named Kisilova (Kisiljevo) in the part of Serbia that temporarily passed from Ottoman into Austrian hands after the Treaty of Passarowitz (1718) and was ceded back to the Ottomans with the Treaty of Belgrade (1739). Plogojowitz died in 1725. His death was followed by a spate of other sudden deaths (after very short maladies of about twenty-four hours each). Within eight days, nine persons perished. On their death-beds the victims allegedly claimed to have been throttled by Plogojowitz at night. Plogojowitz's wife stated that he had visited her and asked her for his opanci (...