We are heading now towards Dubrovnik where we are going to spend the rest of our stay in Croatia.  As the weather is getting a little chillier, we are renting a studio apartment.  We aim to continue to improve our Italian as our return to Italy is soon approaching and we are going to continue our fitness with a focus on cycling.  To break up the journey we stayed in a few sites on the way down.

Croatian mainland is intersected by a small strip of the coast around the town of Neum which is part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, forming Bosnia and Herzegovina’s only outlet to the sea.  All traffic travelling from south-eastern Croatia to Dubrovnik has to undergo two border checks, alternatively, you can take a ferry to avoid the borders (foot and car). 

The Pelješac Bridge is near completion with the purpose to provide a fixed link, thereby passing entirely through Croatian territory and avoiding any border crossings with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum.

Ston

Our first stop in the county of Dubrovnik was Ston. An area famous for its wall at a 5km length (was once 7km) making it the longest defensive structure in Europe.  Built to protect the salt pans with 3 fortresses.  Ston is small but worth a short stopover for lunch and a cheeky drink.

Onwards to Lapad

Located outside of the old town situated in an enclave this is where we are going to stay for the duration of our visit to Dubrovnik.  Lapad provides a good array of restaurants, bars, places to stay, beach and forest walks.  Our studio apartment is lovely with fantastic hosts and off-road parking for our van.  We are only a few steps up from the centre and a short walk to the beach and forest.

Rain, rain, rain and thank God we are in an apartment.  Some down time is in order.  One activity we still need to do irrelevant of the weather is walking the dogs, a good thing as it gets us out and about. We brought the OCULAS out with us, so out this comes, purely for the exercise! Oh ok for entertainment as well, along with focusing on our Italian learning and general fitness of Yoga and HIIT.

Graham continued to swim however gave that up due to the colder sea temperature!! Luckily the rain stopped and brighter weather continued.

Cycling in Dubrovnik! Throughout Croatian we experienced excellent cycling facilities, with an array of designated cycling paths which were well maintained, well sign posted and varied in distance and difficulty.    However, in Dubrovnik these didn’t exist and the only option is to ride on the roads.  Well ….. the drivers really don’t like cyclists and have no tolerance, at all, making it dangerous.  We went out 3 times however had to really give this up due to the lack of ability to do it safely.

So, what did we do In Lapad.  We found a lovely Irish pub and made this our local.  Good Guinness, sport TV and a little atmosphere.  We also wondered down to a local brewery and grazed through the many varieties of their beers.  Walks with the dogs were through the national forest and along the coastline normally finishing with a café and the odd time a piece of cake.  There was a really good Mexican restaurant, engaging hosts and fabulous food and a good but expensive cocktail bar on the rock edge overlooking the bay.  Any many more restaurants café’s and bars

Dubrovnik

Venturing through the Pile Gate you enter a completely different world. 

Located next to the deep blue sea, with a defensive wall encircling the city which has protected Dubrovnik from raids for centuries.  Nearly 6m thick, 2km long and 25 m high, built-in 10^th century and repaired 13-14^th century, the walls constitutes a solid defences barrier that prevents enemy hostile forces from entering. 

It costs 20 euros each to scale the stone staircases and embark on the scenic amazing walk around the perimeter, there are several ticket check gates along the way, allowing you the flexibility and freedom of leaving and re-entering the wall.

Our route started near the Pile Gate and headed up a steep flight of stone stairs to the top of the wall. From the top you get a much better appreciation of Dubrovnik’s stunning layout, as well as some fantastic views of the city, a patch work of church domes and bell towers poking through the sea of red roofs, the ability to obtain a full understanding of the maze of small winding streets and the Adriatic Sea with its harbours. The width and height of the walls varies as you walk around getting as narrow as a metre wide in some areas, the dizzying views all around you are just perfect.

The highest point of the walls is at the Minčeta Tower, with its walls up to 12 m think and worth a steep climb up to the top of the tower with more spectacular views.  The other fortresses are Bokar, Lovrjenac and Revelin. 

Church St. Blaise was built 12^th century with a major earthquake in 17^th century destroying this building and was rebuilt 2 decades later.

The clock Tower was built in 1444, 2 ton bronze bell with two bronze men statues called Zelenci (Blue man) who hit the bell and the tower is 31m high.

In the back alleys of the Old town there was a small yellow sign reading “cold drinks with the most beautiful view” this was the entrance of the Buza bar.  Literally a hole in the city wall you find yourself on the edge of the cliff, staring directly at the Adriatic Sea with the best view of Lokrum Island. Perched on the cliff side with crude metal scaffolding poles and concrete platforms to prevent you stumbling down the cliff side.  You can sip your drinks while taking in the location, soaking up the atmosphere, while watching crazy people cliff jumping against a magnificent sun set back drop – No toilet so drink carefully!!

There are a huge number of restaurants in Dubrovnik, too many to mention individually.  During our stay we took it in turns to choose a restaurant and had a little competition, who could choose the best restaurant for food, drink and hospitality. I must say we had such an array of magnificent food with the hosting attentive and informative and just each day/night was a wonderful experience.  Although the food throughout Croatia was a mixed and in the majority poor, Dubrovnik stood out and we could not fault it.

You can also take a cable car to Mount Srd mountain which presents you with an opportunity to see entire landscape of the beautiful city, a memorable scene of Dubrovnik especially at sunset from a height of up to 778m.

Lokrum Island is a 15 min boat trip and is a botanical garden, fortress, monastery and a nudist beach!

Little bit of history:

The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was made of six republics: Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia. The largest among them is Serbia, while Montenegro is the smallest.

The Balkans war – Why Servia invaded Croatia

In June 1991, the republics of Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, beginning the country’s break up. The next month, the Yugoslav army, largely composed of Serbs and controlled by Slobodan Milosevic, invaded Croatia, justifying the act as a means to protect the Serbian minority there.

The former Yugoslavia was a Socialist state created after German occupation in World War II and a bitter civil war. A federation of six republics, it brought together Serbs, Croats, Bosnian Muslims, Albanians, Slovenes and others under a comparatively relaxed communist regime. Tensions between these groups were successfully suppressed under the leadership of President Tito. After Tito’s death in 1980, tensions re-emerged. The Serb-dominated Yugoslav army lashed out, first in Slovenia and then in Croatia.

The Yugoslav forces mounted a sea attack on Dubrovnik in October 1991, just four months after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, setting off a four-year war. More than 25,000 people died during the war in Croatia.

The city was subject to a major bombing campaign with 886 buildings being totally destroyed and 1,675 sustaining damage. Although it is hard to spot it now, the only clues you have are the pockmarks left on some buildings and roofs which have been restored, with their bright orange newer roof tiles standing out against the more weathered originals.

A one night stay, turned into two nights.  What a camping spot we found in Primosten literally on the beach in amongst the trees.  A secluded area with idyllic surroundings for sitting outside the van barbequing, listening to the sea and watching the colourful sun sets; what a find.

Our first day we took a 2km lovely coastal walk into Primosten.  Dogs enjoyed another day of climbing and jumping off rocks into the waves and splashing, chasing balls in the sea.  We played with the dogs, sat just listening to the waves, whilst chatting about our travels past, present and future.

The beach area was being sculptured into a motocross course, looked like fun so we decided to stay another day to watch the event.  So, the next day, off we went, along the coast to Primesten and found a bar, next to the finish line.  

The bar was in a fabulous spot, right next to the beach, in an ideal location for enjoying the event and people watching.  Beers in hand we settle down for the day, immersing ourselves in the build-up of atmosphere. Music playing, contestants competitively racing, bikes jumping and sliding around the course, spraying pebbles as the bikes came to a stop past the finish line.  

The beach became scattered with groups of motocross riders with their treasured bikes, enjoying the day along with their families, friends and crates of beer.  All silhouetted against the dramatic sunset, contributing to a spectacular scene and atmosphere.  One hell of a good day.  

Krka is significantly smaller than Plitvice lakes however, still beautiful.  I would say it is less crowded, a blessing as there is only one walking trail around the national park compared to Plitvices Lakes having multiple trails of varying lengths.

The Krka National Park is home to 7 stunning waterfalls with the largest one being the Skradinski Buk.  Krka is not just about nature, it also has remnants of history as a reminder of its industrial past, powered by the waterfalls.  With its mighty stone mills, local farmers use to grind grain since ancient times.  The poor, who lived with no water, use to come with their laundry and wash their bedclothes and blankets up until the 1980’s. The powerful waterfalls of Krka power the mills all year round.  

Today the renovated 13^th century houses form a small village, a museum demonstrating how life use to be before the industrial revolution.  Home to a 19^th century watermill, a blacksmiths and you can watch people dressed in traditional Dalmatian clothing creating colourful patterned carpets and wall art on a weaving loom. Also within the borders of the park are the ruins of a Roman military town.

The waterways around the small village and watermill, gather in pools with the water cascading around moss covered rocks down the rugged terrain.  We sat having a coffee watching the many ducks bathing and congregating in the sunshine, an idyllic settling and so peaceful.  

The park is home to a tiny island called Visovac and this is home to a 18^th century Franciscan Monastery.  You can visit, restricted to half an hour, to view the treasures of the monastery museum, however dogs are not allowed therefore we were unable to see this part of the park.

Bathing use to be allowed in this park however to protect nature there has been a ban on swimming since January 2021.  

We visited the park twice, the second day our friends Dee and Jim with their dog Ozzy came to join us in the park.  Ended up quite a drinking and eating session and not much walking and exploring done.  Jim and Dee then headed off to Split to take the ferry crossing to Italy and then on to Spain their next travel chapter.  All arranged to meet up in April in Dorset for  our rock climbing and coastal experience.

Our next stop was Zadar where we spent the next 3 days. Finding Campsites is more difficult now as we are out of season and need to research for sites that are open all year-round and there are not many available. The site we found was in a good location just outside of the centre of Zadar and within easy walking distance. No sea view this time but still a good spacious pitch, very clean facilities, good restaurant and a small gymnasium. I was very dedicated as I did yoga and HIIT sessions in the gym using the weights, however regretted doing HIIT with 3kg due to muscle ache.

We arranged to meet up with Jim and Dee for the day in Zadar and met them in a bar just down the road from our campsite. They arrived on their motor bike with their little dog Ozzy in his backpack carried by Dee. We rented electronic scooters for the day and off we shot to Zadar. A fun day out zooming (well not that quick as they have maximum speeds) around Zadar across bridges, through narrow streets, along the roads, frequenting bars as we went along.

Zadar is full of history representing a mix of modern and ancient architecture mainly due to the devastating bombing the city suffered during World War II.  The war resulting in large parts of the city having to be reconstructed.  However, the city has preserved its heritage and still has a wealth of historic structures, buildings, and culture we can enjoy today and in the future.  

An interesting thing to hear and see is a giant harmonica that is played by the sea.  An art installation formed by concrete steps on the waterfront promenade which have underwater pipes in them that sound musical notes when filled with water.  A magical sound to listen to.

There is also in the same area a giant solar powered public dancefloor called ‘Greating of the Sun’, soaking up the sunshine throughout the day and as night falls coloured lights dazzle the spectators. Although we did not see this active, I bet it is a sight to see especially as you can dance across it.

Along with the main harbour area there are also several smaller quieter harbour waterfronts and a lovely hilltop garden to walk around to get away from the hassle of Zadar.

 We spent our time walking in the local area around the coastline, to the bars, the yacht club having the most amazing breakfast and visiting Zadar several times. Lovely time spent in Zadar another good place to visit.

OUR NEXT FEW DAYS WITH DEE AND JIM

Off we went back on the road with Jim and Dee heading towards Starigrad.  We planned a midway stop at a little harbour called Jablanac, such a quaint place.  We parked our vans a little out of the centre, unpacked our pre-prepared lunches, took our table and chairs down to the coastline to enjoy the beautiful view looking back towards the small harbour.  Relaxing in the sun we enjoyed a lovely lunch together.

In Starigrad we found a very small, quiet campsite right on the coastline. This is the best spot yet as it had a wall, we could put our table and chairs on, with the sea lapping right below us.  The dogs were able to play in the sea while we enjoyed a wine or two, listening to the sea and looking at the view graced by some beautiful sunsets.  The campsite was within a small harbour area offering some lovely bars and restaurants, overall, a wonderful spot to say for a few nights.

The Paklencia National Park was just up the road.  We spent a lovely 4 days in this area walking the dogs, riding our mountain bikes, and hiking around the National Park.  What we also experienced was an introduction to rock climbing, under the expert tuition of Jim and Dee.  Jim was a PT in the Navy for marines and now teaches rock climbing, privately and for the DofE, along with a variety of other activities such as sailing and skiing, along with Dee who took a career change to train and assist him.  Many an interesting story and adventure they shared with us.

Rock climbing was so much fun, a little competitive between Graham and myself, what he can do I can do and visa-versa! We had a great day climbing with them and accomplished 3 routes in total.  My saying was “have you got me”, I am (or is that was) scared of highs so every time I did something a little daring, I use to shout this down to Jim and Dee.  We enjoyed it so much we have booked a two-day course with Jim and Dee in Dorset for when we get back.  We would like to add rock climbing to the list of activities we can do while traveling.

The Paklencia National park is renowned for its rock climbing and was evident by the number of climbers at the park.  The terrain is dramatic with stunning views with deep gorges in amongst the pine forest.  Home to two canyons the rock formations are stunning. There are several challenging hiking trails throughout the park, again well marked out.  Definitely worth a visit. 

Having done our research, KRK was a go to island recommended to visit. It lived up to our expectations and more. We chose an area called Baska, a spectacular nature area with one of the largest, 1800 meters, most beautiful pebble beaches of the Adriatic. The surrounding area has 16 hiking trails, ranging in difficulty, with a total length of over 80km. The paths are well marked and very easy to follow, stretching across the most dramatic coastline and terrain I have ever experienced. The views in all directions are simply stunning.

The campsite we chose was small with great amenities, our pitch was right on the sea front.  The beach was stunning with great views across the arc bay coastline, with the waves crashing against the peddle shoreline.  It was magical to sit outside of our van, looking at the vibrant turquoise blue sea, listening to the waves and to watch the stunning sunsets.  This makes van life worth it, you can’t get that view and ambiance anywhere else.

We did three hikes. 

Our first hike was from Baska to Vela Luka, 8 km each way, of up and down rocky terrain.  We were hoping to have a drink in Vela Luka however everything was closed due to being out of season.  Dogs were very thirsty when we returned as we forgot to take their water and there was no natural water on route, oops!  5 bowls of water each upon our return for the dogs and a few beers for us.  At the bar we met two couples and spent the evening with them.  Both couples were rock climbers, one from Germany and the other from the UK Dorset.  Fantastic evening and we arranged to meet up with them the following evening.

We started the B2b Trail for our second hike an out and back trail located along the coastline heading south, a challenging route of scrambling up rocky steep paths and close to the cliff edges. The wind was strong making it more difficult and the paths were narrow, as we had the dogs, and Jerry is feeling his age, we turned back after a few miles and headed back to lower less challenging terrain. We met our newfound friend’s late afternoon and listened to their exciting tales of rock climbing, igniting an interest in both Graham and myself.

The German couple headed back to Germany and Jim and Dee joined us on our third hike. We decided upon a gorge walk, a route of 8km in a circular route, towards Vela Luka. This was a very hard trail with several crags we had to negotiate with the dogs. We walked, climbed, and had to push and pull the dogs through the gauge. The dogs did extremely well, especially Jerry and we all completed today’s challenge with a beer at the end (water for the dogs). We joined Jim and Dee for a few more beers at their campsite in the evening and decided to travel onto our next stay together. The route was planned.

We headed towards Zagreb choosing to stay in an apartment in the Jarun district, southwest of Zagreb centre. Our apartment was by Lake Jarun which has a cycle/walking track around the lake and a location where you can observe water sports such as rowing.  There are many bars and cafés located on the waterfront, a lovely location offering good music and lively atmosphere.  The downside is the only toilets available are public and are in a word, yuck! I would not recommend using them unless you are desperate! 

Although the apartment was again not that desirable as it was in a tower block and not attractive in any way, was nicely decorated within easy reach of the centre of Zagreb.  We had the option to either walk or catch the tram to get to the centre, walking took about 1 hr and the tram only 25 minutes.  You need to buy a ticket for the tram, which you can get either on board from the driver or from any of the small kiosks by the tram stops, cheap and easy.

Zagreb is made for strolling, with many markets offering an array of local produce, a maze of streets with a mixture of architecture with many wonderful historic buildings to look around.  One of the things we noticed is several ugly concrete walls that have been transformed by colourful murals by local street artists.  We also observed there were a number of areas dedicated to cats with little colourful houses and wall art.  See photos below.

We stumbled upon an unusual shrine, housed in the passage of one of the historic remaining ancient gateways.  Felt strange as it was an open walkway you could just wonder through between the upper and lower town.   It is a shrine of ‘Our Lady of the Stone Gate’ with square stone slabs that are engraved and present thanks ‘Hvala Ti’ and praise to the Lady Virgin. A place regularly visited by people who come to light candles to thank the Lady for protecting them and benches for them to worship and pray.  

Just outside of the shrine is the oldest pharmacy established in 1355 it was not just a pharmacy but also a local hangout for the residents and travellers. 

We found a lovely area, home to a large number of street food outlets, offering a wonderful choice of food from many different cultures.  A good vibe, fantastic spot to people watch, listen to music, relax and enjoy the day. 

I had to pop home during this period and left Graham in Zagreb, unfortunately for him the weather turned for the worst and rained every day I was absent.  The UK weather was wonderful!

Graham walked the dogs, frequented the bars by the lake and walked into Zagreb.  Upon my return we went into Zagreb and had a lovely Malaysian food, great last evening in the city before we moved onto Baska on the island of Krk.

Plitvicka Jezera

From Pula we headed inland to an area of extreme beauty called Plitvicka Jezera home to the Plitvice Lakes National Park. We found a lovely campsite nestled in amongst the hill and forest, just down the road from the entrances of the National Park.  The site had spacious pitches sculptured and scattered across the large area, amongst the trees with stunning views across the hills and mountains.

We spent 3 days exploring and hiking the Plitvice Lakes National Park, a well worth place to visit and highly recommended.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the transfer bus from the campsite to the Park. Therefore, we had to take our camper van the few miles up the road to the National Park.  Not really an issue as we are quite competent packing up the van now and left all the outdoor equipment, chairs, table, cooking etc on our pitch.  10 minutes later we were on our way.  Parking is easy with designated areas for motor homes and vans.  Cost was reasonable, can’t remember how much, but nothing too extravagant.

The Plitvice Lakes have walking hiking trails ranging between 3km to 18km.  Most routes include the Veliki Slap waterfall and the Sastavci Lower Lakes and some include a boat trip across the Kozjak lake.  There are seven different routes, trails A,B,C,E,F,H,K.  I would recommend entrance 1 for the shorter hikes and the easiest way to see the stunning Veliki Slap waterfall.  The longer routes start from Entrance 2 and include the Upper Lakes and the Veliki Prstavac waterfall and Trail K is the longest which is around the whole park.  The trails are well laid out, clear signage (so you can’t get lost), with well-constructed and maintained walkways and bridges. Hiking along the trails is an easy and fantastic way to explore the scenery and sheer beauty of the national park.

I would recommend buying your tickets in advance as they do limit the number of people admitted in a day and you don’t want to make the effort to get there and then not be allowed in.  There is a café at the entrance along with toilets.  We turned up at around 9:30 however this is a busy time with coaches arriving.  I would therefore recommend leaving it a little later to allow the crowds of noisy large groups, of not that interested teenagers, to get out of your way so you can really enjoy the views, scenery and landscape in your own quiet time.  

There is a lovely area in the middle of the National Park that has a variety of eating establishments and facilities.  A good place to rest, eat and drink before continuing onto which ever route you desire.

Although it was really easy to leave our pitch (leaving our outdoor equipment clearly marking our reserved area) it was really annoying, upon our return, we had a van park literally next to us.  Bearing in mind we were out of season everyone else were well spaced out across the site, respecting each other’s privacy.  

They blocked our easy entrance into our pitch, forcing us to have to negotiate multiple turns to get in and were less than one meter from our van, with all the space on this site it was totally unnecessary.  Having asked them, very nicely, to consider moving to another pitch they flatly refused and stayed put!  We took the moral high ground and really wanting our privacy and space we upped and moved to another area.  We did contemplate revenge! However, withheld our desire and enjoyed the rest of our stay in another quite area amongst the trees with a good view.

Below are some interesting facts, worth a read:

Plitvice Lakes National Park is 295 sq km forest reserve in central Croatia.  Known for its chain of 16 terraced lakes and caves joined by spectacular waterfalls which extend and lead into a limestone canyon.  Walkways and hiking trails wind around and across the water and electric boats link the 12 upper and 4 lower lakes.  The largest and most dramatic waterfall is the Veliki Slap, gushing over a magnificent terrain drop to the first lake at its foot of 62m stretching across to the beginning of the Korana River a drop of 87m. The maximum measured average flow of this waterfall is greater than 4000 L/s with the minimum flow less than 80 L/s when frozen.

The lakes have a surreal clarity due to the limestone minerals and organisms and a vibrant range of colour from azure, green, grey and blue, dependent upon the angle of the sunlight. The cascade of lakes is a result of the confluence of several small rivers separated by natural dams called travertines.  

Travertines are made from a combination of water, air and plants.  Created from deposits of limestone (calcium carbonate) creating barriers, thresholds, dams and cones that are encrusted with moss and algae.  The Travertines continue to grow and evolve (3mm per year), giving the landscape its magnificence, we are privileged to see today from the 1000’s of years growth, to future evolution generations will see in the future. 

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We decided to rent an apartment in Pula as my daughter Selina and her partner Dom were visiting us for their holiday.  Also, Graham’s new granddaughter was due to be born around the same time leaving him to fly home without worrying about me being in a campervan.

The apartment we rented was just on the outskirts of Pula, opposite a pine forest on the coastline.  The location was within walking distance from the town centre, about 20 minutes.  Although the apartment was lovely inside it was in a traditional Croatia block of flats! Not quite what we are used to, I must admit we did find it weird at first, however putting the aesthetics aside we got use to the place and settled in.  

Upon exploring the area, we found a wonderful beach bar in a lovely coastline spot, a rustic bar right on the coastline with palette seats and benches and a real beach atmosphere with good music. Inside the bar had a pool table and a party ambiance, and we spent quite a few evenings here, drinking and playing pool.  Also, a little further along the coastline was a harbour complex with an excellent restaurant and yacht club.  Although it was a good 40-minute walk, it offered us a chance to get some exercise in by having to walk there, and a good location to go to. 

Selina and Dom joined us for their holiday, and we spent the first day in Pula centre just having a good look round the city.  Pula is the largest city in Istria and is situated on the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula.  It’s well known for its multitude of Roman buildings including the site of Pula’s Colosseum, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres dating back to 1^stcentury AD.  A lovely first day spent in Pula in a bar overlooking the Colosseum and with the sun being out it was a lovely spot to chat and relax.

Pula is a mishmash of styles with Roman, Venetian, Austro-Hungarian and socialist architecture evident. Being a larger city, it is not as idyllic as the likes of Poreč and Rovinj but does offer a good atmosphere with a historic feel, worth a visit but I wouldn’t prioritise over some of the other areas we have visited if time is short. 

We visited the centre a few times during our stay.  One evening that stands out was when we sat at a bar in one of the historic narrow streets listening to a fantastic jazz band, the ambiance was idyllic and thoroughly enjoyable.

Another place worth visiting is the charming fishing village called Fazana.  The pretty little harbour offers picturesque beaches, a lively promenade with wonderful restaurants and bars.  Fazana was such a lovely place we visited again just to sit on the beach, relax in the sun and enjoy the atmosphere of the small quaint harbour.  

One day we rented a speed boat from Fazana and headed towards the Brijuni National Park, an expanse of sea with a group of 14 islands, with the largest of the islands called Veli Brijun.  We skirted around the shoreline of Veli Brijun in our little speed boat, then headed towards Rovinj.  We were keen to share this delightful historic town with Selina and Dom. After mooring our boat, we strolled around the narrow-cobbled streets and then settled in a lovely harbour bar for drinks and tapas. Such a delightful day out.  We ended the day with an evening meal in Fazana prior to us heading back to Pula. I would really recommend both Fazana and Rovinj as must places to visit.

Whilst in Pula, Selina and Dom experienced a trial scuba diving session.  They did this down in the harbour at the yacht club home to a very good scuba diving school.  Dom thoroughly enjoyed the experience, so much he did another dive the next day and was taken out on a boat to different dive site.  Selina did extremely well, however I’m not sure she is excited about doing it again soon, a little encouragement and I am sure she will!! Both nailed their buoyancy, one of the most important elements of being a good diver.  I’m excited to see if they do it again and if they will start their PADI qualifications, it will open up another exciting world under the sea and give them another element to holidaying.

We visited the yacht club a few more times as it was a lovely place to just sunbath, relax and sip cocktails.  Love a yacht club! We also spent many an evening in the beach bar playing games of pool.  

Had a fantastic week with them both and at the end of their stay Graham flew back to welcome his new granddaughter Catalaya into the world, such a cute and beautiful baby.

We moved onto Rovinj and I must say one of my favourite places of our visit so far.  Rovinj is on the west side of the Istrian peninsula and is a lovely historic fishing port. The old town has a maze of narrow streets with tightly packed colourful houses sprawling down to the seafront. The town is packed with character, a tangle of cobbled streets leading to the hilltop church of St. Euphemia which dominates the skyline.  The town overlooks 14 islands providing the perfect coastline view.  The town was originally an island and 250 years ago the narrow channel which separated it from the mainland was filled in.   Along with the church there is also the Balbi Arch and was once the entrance to Rovinj a symbol of the Venetian Empire. 

The harbour front spreads along the coastline, providing Rovinj with multi viewpoints in various directions.  A lively active fishing port with numerous cafes, bars, and restaurants you can enjoy, while relaxing and taking in the views and atmosphere.    

The campsite we stayed at had a water taxi, taking you straight into the centre of Rovinj and only took 20 minutes.  Many a visit to this amazing port, we wondered the streets, found many a lovely bar to sit at with our favourite one being in a bar that was cut into the side of the rock with a great view of the sunset, harbour with the sound of the waves.

We also found a lovey Irish bar which we frequented a few nights to chat about our travels, the experience so far and our plans and expectations for the coming months ahead.  This adventure has been exactly what we wanted plus more.  Spending so much time in each other’s company has been great and we still have loads to talk about! I am so grateful to have this opportunity and the ability to travel and to step outside of normal life and start to see more of the world.  I will post more about the emotions, feeling and experiences of travelling.

Having loved Rovinj, I was keen to show my daughter Selina when she came to visit us whilst we were in Pula.  We hired a speed boat and zoomed along the coastline, arriving at the port of Rovinj a couple of hours later having enjoyed some of the islands and coastline along the way.  We moored our little speed boat and wondered around the town with them admiring the narrow-cobbled streets, historical buildings, and atmosphere.  We had drinks in a bar on the port front then after another walk around the town we had tapas and cocktails in our favourite bar admiring the view.  Back onto the speed boat we headed back arriving just as the sun went down.

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