6th September
Rovinj, Pula and Icici
Today we made our way over the border into Croatia at which unlike all the borders crossed since arriving in France, we had to show our passports! The guards on the border were very much taken with Nailz though, which was a relief as they had given us the expected stoney glares as we approached. Soon we were journeying through the Croatian countyside in the areas called Istra. This is the northern coastal area famous for Olive oil, Wine growing and cheese! We soon passed lots of small holdings selling their own home-made produce, but sadly as we had just crossed the border we didn't have any of the local currency with which to buy anything! One of the stalls was selling pumpkins and all around we were surrounded by fields of pumpkins and squashes ready for harvest.
We were heading towards the coastal town of Rovinj which we had read as a picturesque town with some nice architecture, but as we drove through we saw police on every corner! This disturbed us a little as we wondered what the rest of this country would be like. After driving past the harbour we decided to carry on to Pula, further down the coast and it was as we headed out of the town that we were passed by a procession of police cars and blacked-out limos with state flags fluttering from the bonnets. I still don't know what this was about but at least it explained the police presence, and it was a huge relief to know that it wasn't because they had been tipped off of our presence.
A little while later we arrived in Pula which is on the far south eastern corner of Istria. As we entered the centre we passed the Roman Amphitheater. We parked nearby and set off on foot to have a closer look at this amazing creation. It was started in 30BC during the reign of Emperor Augustus and finished in 1AD. Made out of the local limestone it measures 130m long and 100m wide making it the 6th largest Amphitheater in the world, and impossible to fit in a photograph. Next to this we found a more modern church and poked our noses inside, where we found a large mosaic depicting the Crucifixion and on the front of the building this lovely little mosaic. The other major attraction we found in Pula was the ancient temple dedicated to Augustus. Pula is the largest town in Istria and was the major naval base of the Habsburg empire. It is still a major port today, so having seen the highlights we alighted 'Gertrude' again and hit the coastal road towards Rijeka, the next major town en route.
The drive to Rijeka involved a lovely coastal road as we were avoiding the motorway and we were rewarded with some fantastic sights as we went along.
As the evening drew in, we came to the little village of Icici, near Opatija, where we found an incredibly informative tourist info booth (the lady there could not do enough for us!) and found a campsite to hole up for the night.
7th September
We left Icici after a restful sleep an made our way north, keeping to the coastal road so that we hit the town of Rijeka mid-morning. We had seen the lights and tower blocks of this large city (Croatia's largest port) from across the Kvarner bay and didn't fancy stopping here too long and had planned just top drive straight on through. As it turned out we had a bit of shock. Driving through the busy streets we were immediately struck by the charm of the place, so parked up and headed towards the centre. First we crossed a footbridge which was absolutely teeming with fish - the little shark-looking creatures were everywhere. Next we saw some wonderfully elaborate and ornate buildings, some showing the winged Lion of the Venetian empire and others with similarly interesting features. There was a market in the centre with all kinds of produce on display and we were able to pick up one or two bargains, before seeing this Church which had some colourful mosaics as part of it's contribution to the style of the place, and was the initial reason we decided to see more of the place. In the high street was an nice archway which had a clock telling the time in standard and a more simple way.
On leaving the city we stumbled across this example of a very daring relief.
We were then blessed with some incredible scenery as we drove south-east, again following the coastal road and heading for Zadar which was to be our next stop. It was a longer stint than we had done for a while so we swapped seats so I could take more snaps of the views. We also pulled over for a short snorkelling session in the crystal blue waters by the roadside, with starfish galore! We also stopped to pick some figs from the trees next to the lay-by and spent a lot of the journey cheerfully munching away on them! They were really sweet and to someone who would not normally eat figs, I found them very delicious. Soon night had fallen and it was dark by the time we reached Zadar.
Zadar is a very cool place, there are some very interesting historical monuments but also some very cool modern additions. Moreover, this is another place where you are straight away intrigued and knocked off balance, as what you see within the city walls does not match any expectations you have. As you walk through the city walls into the pedestrianised old town the first thing you notice is the floor. The paving slabs are so worn that you can literally slide over them even when they are dry. Later we would try walking on them after some light rain, wearing flip flops, and it was fun trying to stay upright.
In the centre of the town lies the traces of the Roman forum which once stood here. The remains have been partly excavated (more were brought to light as a result of the Allied bombing in WWII, although also much of it was destroyed in the process). If you look around in the nooks and crannies all over the old town you can see examples of ancient buildings next to modern (and pretty tatty) flats which again conveys the rich character of the place. It's hard to make that last sentence sound good, but take it from me, it adds to the appeal of the place.
Built upon the ancient Roman forum is a Byzantine church, St Donatus, which was literally built on the remains, including fallen columns, of the forum.
Of the more modern aspects of Zadar to enjoy are two very cool pieces of "Artitechture" by local artist Nikola Basic. The first is (and it is a world first) the Sea Organ which makes soothing noises as the sea pushes air through tubes set into the seafront. It's quite extraordinary and we sat on the front for ages just listening to the sea make unique music with this true work of art. I think Rachel was even lulled to sleep by it, briefly, at one point.
Slightly further down the seafront is the Sun Salutation, which is a 22m circle fo coloured lights. During the day solar panels on the surface of the circle capture the sun's energy and from sunset to sunrise colours are beamed out from this circle, again using the sea to alter the patterns formed by the colours. It's breathtaking to watch, and Nailz loved it too.
We were really late to get to a campsite now so we made for the only campsite in the town. We had seen on camping forums that sleeping in a van outside of a campsite in Croatia can land you with a hefty fine so we wanted to play it safe. However, when we arrived at the camp there was a big sign saying quite clearly that dogs were not welcome. This was bad news, but unperturbed we popped our head in the office with Nails in tow. Immediately we were told this was a problem but when we asked if we could just stay in the carpark and move on early doors, unexpectedly we were told that not only could we stay on the campsite, with Nailz - and for free - so long as we moved before seven in the morning! We could not believe our luck and promptly moved the van onto the nearest pitch and went to sleep!
8th September
We got up early and made sure we got out of the camp so as not to cause the kind chap who had let us stay any bother. As we were up early we headed to a town called Nin, just north of Zadar as I had read about the "world's smallest cathedral" being there. We parked and crossed the bridge into the single-street which was the town and saw the 9th Century Church of the Holy Cross, the aforementioned smallest cathedral in the world, surrounded by the ruins of a Roman temple. As we made out way out of the town we came across a further curiosity which was the Church of St Nicholas, built on a small burial mound. This was perhaps more quaint than the Church of the Holy Cross as it stood all alone on the mound on the outskirts of the town.
We were heading back to Zadar when we decided to track down some Pag Cheese, cheese made from goats herded on the nearby island of Pag. The reason for this is that the goats herded on Pag feast on wild "medicinal" herbs which brings healthy qualities to it's cheese, so we are told. We were told in the tourist info booth just outside Nin that any of the two local shops would sell it and (dubiously it must be said) we ventured inside. Sure enough, there was "Pag cheese" so we bought a block (there were only two blocks left which I took to be a good sign), hopped back in the van, sampled a piece and both Rachel and I were in love. Pag cheese, unbelievably tasty and I swear it tastes slightly different each time I have some.
We stopped in Zadar again to get some more photos of the Forum and Church in the daylight and plan our next step which was to push on to Trogir and see if we could set up a dive for tomorrow, so shortly after we were again on the road south. On the way we passed this little village which looked as though it was in danger of being washed away.
After sitting in a pretty boring traffic jam trying to get onto the island of Trogir (to where the dive centre was) we finally got to the Trogir Dive Center (descriptive name!), set up the dive and they were kind enough to help us find a lovely place to camp. our campsite for the night is right on the beach and as I am writing this I can hear the (pretty big) waves crashing on the jagged rocky shore. Shortly after we arrived on the site I went for a snorkel in the waves and it was a lot of fun. There was a small stony beach area where I could safely get in and out and there were plenty of fish braving the swells. Hopefully the weather will be good for tomorrow and I will have more diving photos to share with you!
Rovinj, Pula and Icici
Today we made our way over the border into Croatia at which unlike all the borders crossed since arriving in France, we had to show our passports! The guards on the border were very much taken with Nailz though, which was a relief as they had given us the expected stoney glares as we approached. Soon we were journeying through the Croatian countyside in the areas called Istra. This is the northern coastal area famous for Olive oil, Wine growing and cheese! We soon passed lots of small holdings selling their own home-made produce, but sadly as we had just crossed the border we didn't have any of the local currency with which to buy anything! One of the stalls was selling pumpkins and all around we were surrounded by fields of pumpkins and squashes ready for harvest.
We were heading towards the coastal town of Rovinj which we had read as a picturesque town with some nice architecture, but as we drove through we saw police on every corner! This disturbed us a little as we wondered what the rest of this country would be like. After driving past the harbour we decided to carry on to Pula, further down the coast and it was as we headed out of the town that we were passed by a procession of police cars and blacked-out limos with state flags fluttering from the bonnets. I still don't know what this was about but at least it explained the police presence, and it was a huge relief to know that it wasn't because they had been tipped off of our presence.
A little while later we arrived in Pula which is on the far south eastern corner of Istria. As we entered the centre we passed the Roman Amphitheater. We parked nearby and set off on foot to have a closer look at this amazing creation. It was started in 30BC during the reign of Emperor Augustus and finished in 1AD. Made out of the local limestone it measures 130m long and 100m wide making it the 6th largest Amphitheater in the world, and impossible to fit in a photograph. Next to this we found a more modern church and poked our noses inside, where we found a large mosaic depicting the Crucifixion and on the front of the building this lovely little mosaic. The other major attraction we found in Pula was the ancient temple dedicated to Augustus. Pula is the largest town in Istria and was the major naval base of the Habsburg empire. It is still a major port today, so having seen the highlights we alighted 'Gertrude' again and hit the coastal road towards Rijeka, the next major town en route.
The drive to Rijeka involved a lovely coastal road as we were avoiding the motorway and we were rewarded with some fantastic sights as we went along.
As the evening drew in, we came to the little village of Icici, near Opatija, where we found an incredibly informative tourist info booth (the lady there could not do enough for us!) and found a campsite to hole up for the night.
7th September
We left Icici after a restful sleep an made our way north, keeping to the coastal road so that we hit the town of Rijeka mid-morning. We had seen the lights and tower blocks of this large city (Croatia's largest port) from across the Kvarner bay and didn't fancy stopping here too long and had planned just top drive straight on through. As it turned out we had a bit of shock. Driving through the busy streets we were immediately struck by the charm of the place, so parked up and headed towards the centre. First we crossed a footbridge which was absolutely teeming with fish - the little shark-looking creatures were everywhere. Next we saw some wonderfully elaborate and ornate buildings, some showing the winged Lion of the Venetian empire and others with similarly interesting features. There was a market in the centre with all kinds of produce on display and we were able to pick up one or two bargains, before seeing this Church which had some colourful mosaics as part of it's contribution to the style of the place, and was the initial reason we decided to see more of the place. In the high street was an nice archway which had a clock telling the time in standard and a more simple way.
On leaving the city we stumbled across this example of a very daring relief.
We were then blessed with some incredible scenery as we drove south-east, again following the coastal road and heading for Zadar which was to be our next stop. It was a longer stint than we had done for a while so we swapped seats so I could take more snaps of the views. We also pulled over for a short snorkelling session in the crystal blue waters by the roadside, with starfish galore! We also stopped to pick some figs from the trees next to the lay-by and spent a lot of the journey cheerfully munching away on them! They were really sweet and to someone who would not normally eat figs, I found them very delicious. Soon night had fallen and it was dark by the time we reached Zadar.
Zadar is a very cool place, there are some very interesting historical monuments but also some very cool modern additions. Moreover, this is another place where you are straight away intrigued and knocked off balance, as what you see within the city walls does not match any expectations you have. As you walk through the city walls into the pedestrianised old town the first thing you notice is the floor. The paving slabs are so worn that you can literally slide over them even when they are dry. Later we would try walking on them after some light rain, wearing flip flops, and it was fun trying to stay upright.
In the centre of the town lies the traces of the Roman forum which once stood here. The remains have been partly excavated (more were brought to light as a result of the Allied bombing in WWII, although also much of it was destroyed in the process). If you look around in the nooks and crannies all over the old town you can see examples of ancient buildings next to modern (and pretty tatty) flats which again conveys the rich character of the place. It's hard to make that last sentence sound good, but take it from me, it adds to the appeal of the place.
Built upon the ancient Roman forum is a Byzantine church, St Donatus, which was literally built on the remains, including fallen columns, of the forum.
Of the more modern aspects of Zadar to enjoy are two very cool pieces of "Artitechture" by local artist Nikola Basic. The first is (and it is a world first) the Sea Organ which makes soothing noises as the sea pushes air through tubes set into the seafront. It's quite extraordinary and we sat on the front for ages just listening to the sea make unique music with this true work of art. I think Rachel was even lulled to sleep by it, briefly, at one point.
Slightly further down the seafront is the Sun Salutation, which is a 22m circle fo coloured lights. During the day solar panels on the surface of the circle capture the sun's energy and from sunset to sunrise colours are beamed out from this circle, again using the sea to alter the patterns formed by the colours. It's breathtaking to watch, and Nailz loved it too.
We were really late to get to a campsite now so we made for the only campsite in the town. We had seen on camping forums that sleeping in a van outside of a campsite in Croatia can land you with a hefty fine so we wanted to play it safe. However, when we arrived at the camp there was a big sign saying quite clearly that dogs were not welcome. This was bad news, but unperturbed we popped our head in the office with Nails in tow. Immediately we were told this was a problem but when we asked if we could just stay in the carpark and move on early doors, unexpectedly we were told that not only could we stay on the campsite, with Nailz - and for free - so long as we moved before seven in the morning! We could not believe our luck and promptly moved the van onto the nearest pitch and went to sleep!
8th September
We got up early and made sure we got out of the camp so as not to cause the kind chap who had let us stay any bother. As we were up early we headed to a town called Nin, just north of Zadar as I had read about the "world's smallest cathedral" being there. We parked and crossed the bridge into the single-street which was the town and saw the 9th Century Church of the Holy Cross, the aforementioned smallest cathedral in the world, surrounded by the ruins of a Roman temple. As we made out way out of the town we came across a further curiosity which was the Church of St Nicholas, built on a small burial mound. This was perhaps more quaint than the Church of the Holy Cross as it stood all alone on the mound on the outskirts of the town.
We were heading back to Zadar when we decided to track down some Pag Cheese, cheese made from goats herded on the nearby island of Pag. The reason for this is that the goats herded on Pag feast on wild "medicinal" herbs which brings healthy qualities to it's cheese, so we are told. We were told in the tourist info booth just outside Nin that any of the two local shops would sell it and (dubiously it must be said) we ventured inside. Sure enough, there was "Pag cheese" so we bought a block (there were only two blocks left which I took to be a good sign), hopped back in the van, sampled a piece and both Rachel and I were in love. Pag cheese, unbelievably tasty and I swear it tastes slightly different each time I have some.
We stopped in Zadar again to get some more photos of the Forum and Church in the daylight and plan our next step which was to push on to Trogir and see if we could set up a dive for tomorrow, so shortly after we were again on the road south. On the way we passed this little village which looked as though it was in danger of being washed away.
After sitting in a pretty boring traffic jam trying to get onto the island of Trogir (to where the dive centre was) we finally got to the Trogir Dive Center (descriptive name!), set up the dive and they were kind enough to help us find a lovely place to camp. our campsite for the night is right on the beach and as I am writing this I can hear the (pretty big) waves crashing on the jagged rocky shore. Shortly after we arrived on the site I went for a snorkel in the waves and it was a lot of fun. There was a small stony beach area where I could safely get in and out and there were plenty of fish braving the swells. Hopefully the weather will be good for tomorrow and I will have more diving photos to share with you!
loving the disco dog pic
ReplyDeleteI want to try this Pag cheese...dont think I will find it in Somerfield tho... Oh well sounds like a good enough reason for a holiday!
ReplyDelete