Gobble Up Turkey

Friday 11th October 2024

In and around Split

Not sure if it was the church bells or the small herd of elephants in the room above that woke us, but the new day dawned about 630.

Cracking morning as we struck out through the old town trying to find a spot for breakfast. Whilst we are perfecrly situated it’s an absolute rabbit warren finding your way through the narrow cobblestone streets. 

There is no dearth of cafes, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops or ATM’s in the second largest city in Croatia where tourism reigns.

Breakfast here is typical of Europe, coffee and maybe one of 300 pastries on offer.  With a walking food/culture tour to come the breakfast was adequate, but Western inclined.

Wandered down to the harbourside and at 830 it was already jammed with tourists off the two hotels on water docked from overnight. 

If you wanted a picture it was never going to be other than with people included.

At 10 we found our guide and 8 other people and did a walk through the markets which were awash with fruit and vegetables, meats, cheeses and other farm produce. Sampled a few delicacies before moving to the fish market. It was epitomised by every fishmonger having a cigarette hanging out of their mouths or slapping down a beer. Because we had arrived late stock was low, as was the crowd, aside from the seagulls on the roof waiting for scraps to be disposed of.

The guide explained there were no flies in market due to the thermal sulphur springs below. Adjacent to the market was a thermal bath house, closed for renovation, where people could bathe and cure anything from asthma to warts.

Nothing like visiting the famous bakery to savour some biscuits and also the chocolate shop who happened to manufacture a chocolate bar big enough to enter the Guiness Book of Records. Apparently the town took just 2.5 hours to eat it in the town square.

Finished the tour, which was interesting from both a culinary and cultural perspective. Three lessons – apparently never wear a Dynamo Zagreb football jersey in Split and never expect less than 2 cruise ships a day to arrive to swell the local population of 160k. Something like 1.5 million arrive annually and a Euro doesn’t go very far.

Wandered around the old town taking in the architecture and marvelling at the fact that an old castle was now a living city of apartments. Did the obligatory shopping and then headed down to collect our ferry tickets for tomorrow to Hvar.

Had a drink in the market area before heading home for some tourist free time.

In the evening  we wandered off grid to an area to find restaurants recommended by the guide. They were either full or closed, but we found a quaint one in an alley way which served great local food.

Headed back through squares we had not even seen during the day which were stacked with dinners, before one last Xmas decoration buy, gelato and then headed home.

Friday night and Saturday morning sure are busy in Split with plenty happening until early hours which meant a disturbed sleep

Thursday 10th October 2024

Rijeka to Split via Bus

Well the bus delay messages were only outdisappointed by the cold shower we had to take before  lugging the bags downhill to the bus station at 715, just in case they picked up time.

The only one not suffering my disappointment was the dead black cat placed neatly on the steps of the business right next door. I must say it did invoke the thought of whether it may be an omen.

Arrived and with no office per se at the station it was difficult to get any information, even from other drivers of FlixBus vehicles waiting there. Best I got was’ it’s late, it could make up time, it will come- just wait and look at bus number.”

Right it was scheduled for 8 then 9, then 10 and then 1008 so at 748 we have a lot of waiting to do.  The opposition had a 9 bus going but it was full, so wait it was.  

Armed with  breakfast consisting of a pastry thing, coffee and a keen sense of alertness we ventured into the Waiting Room – 8 plastic chairs between the luggage room and the toilet.

After 30 minutes we paid the holding fee for the bag, and did a lap of the area within sight of the station. Managed another view of boats and trod the stairs to the Cathedral. A look was all you could get because blinding lights prevented any photos of what was a huge, but strangely unpretentious, building with only one parishioner and us.

A green bus had us scampering down the stairs, but was not ours- it was off to Perugia. Had to wrestle Jane to the ground so she didn’t jump on and go to her favourite place in Italy.

So at 9 we grab a coffee and sit next to three other travellers who just happened to be Aussie. They had missed yesterday’s bus because a red not the usual green FlixBus had arrived and they let it go, so they had a double whammy. As chance may have it they were on a Face Time call to relatives , in where but Concord 500 metres from our place.

Beep- that’s a message that signalled another 30 minute delay . I could not stomach another coffe else it would have me pulling out the catheter with a 7 hour bus trip to come.

Hallelujah 1034 the double decker bus from Frankfurt arrived, disembarked the weary and onboarded the frustrated.

That started an absolute scenic feast as we travelled both inland and then back to the coast along some fantastic motorways.

I hadn’t appreciated how mountainous it was, with huge forested mountains , inland lakes, a minimum of flat and arable land and lots of very small townships. 

Soon lost count of the number of tolls we paid and the tunnels we burrowed through as we soon knocked off the 4 hours to Zadar where our Aussie mates alighted.

A 10 minute break to spend 50 cents and grab a sandwich and we were off again headed for Sibenek.

A strange transformation happened after that stop as we headed onto narrow country roads through long valleys full of small farms. The hilltops were alive with windmills and the telegraph poles with national flags. The area was known for the peasant rebellion in 1950 where the farmers took up arms against the Government. It was a one sided battle with many losing their lives. It ended up being the only rebellion during the Cold War in Europe.

The mountains were always around and we soon popped back on top and burst through a gap to get a magnificent view of the coast with islands, yachts and a plane coming into land at the same height as us.

The view was like the postcards and we took it in as we wound our way down wiggling roads with Split in the distance. From a distance it was much bigger than expected with block after block of high rise around the foreshore.

It was big town traffic and a slow last 10 Kms before we were offloaded at the dockside with the ferries, yachts and cruise liners, after shorter than expected journeys of 6.5 hours. Think we may have forfeited another stop and shortened one, so that might have helped reduce the time. 

The town was abuzz with people, all dressed up for summer, even though it was only 21. Our apartment was in the old town and only 10 minutes from the harbour.

Dumped of the clothes, did a bit of washing and then headed into town for dinner. The restaurants were packed and not sure if it was the influx of cruise boats or just what to expect in this noted tourist town. Couldn’t find a restaurant  in the large square but found one a in a back lane which served some reasonable food at ridiculous prices. 

Another wander around town before heading home. Did a check of emails and it was pretty ironic that the first email I opened before going to bed was from the bus company. 

Hit the pillow after a long and adventurous day. Tomorrow it’s a city food tour and who knows what. 

Wednesday 9th October 2024

Around Lovran and Onto Rijeka

Today was an opportunity to have a look around the northern part of Lovran before a whistle stop visit in Rijeka as a launching pad for the trip to Split on Thursday.

Started with a great breakfast and headed out into a much nicer day, with the lack of breeze creating millpond conditions on the sea.

Still nobody braving the elements and having a swim, but plenty out and about walking.

We retraced steps from Tuesday afternoon to where we started our walk along the coastal path , stopping to enjoy the ingenuity of installing ladders and staircases ,plus concrete pads, to create tens of swimming opportunities in pristine water.

We reached the little protected marina with a collection of small boats, all competing for a spot in a very limited mooring. If only they went to the unprotected side of harbour where 50 untaken spots were on offer.

Popped around the headland and sat on the finger wharf looking up into the hills we had walked, before taking off the shoes and socks to feel the surprisingly warm water. There were still the same beautiful waterside villas at this end.

We wandeted up into old town which is getting prepared for the chestnut festival. It was a maze of narrow laneways with connecting stairways which weaved their way past some amazing old buildings.

We had intended to have lunch by the sea, but found a rustic restaurant doing a roaring trade. Enjoyed a typical bean stew and a pork chop, washed down with different beer number 10 – cold and tasty. They had an interesting outdoor wine rack.

Did our final seaside walk in the area before a taxi ride into Rijeka and finding our apartment accessed by an Agatha Christie period lift.

Given the early morning bus trip tomorrow we took a practice run to the bus depot .

Being the former major port a walk along the waterfront was a must. All of the marinas we had seen previously fell into insignificance. Gone were the trawlers,yachts and cabin cruisers we were in the land of the giants. There was at least 4 supe yachts over 165 feet long – several out of Malta and one 300 footer , so big it was moored where the liners would pull in. It was very Packeresque.

There was even a floating hotel cafe in the harbour with the uninspiring moniker of Boatel.

We had a spectacular distant view of the coast around Lovran and an even better appreciation of the mountain heights. The more you observe the geography here the more it invokes memories of Turkey with its high forested mountains finishing close to the coast.

The city of just over 110k is quite busy. with lots of bars, restaurants, mini – casino’s and a main plaza with all of the high end stores. Most of the modern commercial facades sit outside original and somewhat aging buildings. Most of the residences are apartments. In town very old style and on the outskirts new high rises, probably built post the 90’s war.

The locals are very friendly and lots of the cafes were full of under 25’s who may well have been part of the university community. The bars were pretty active with the ‘older generations’, drinking anything and everything and engaging in lively / animated conversations. Smoking ordinary cigarettes is still very prevalent across the population- not many capers or E-cigarette users. It was interesting in bars that many people ate sweet cakes as a snack / no chips or nuts etc.

Maybe it’s being back in the big smoke, but there seemed to be lots of foreigners – not necessarily tourists or students.

After our big lunch it was a couple of quite drinks and a shared pizza for dinner in the plaza. Again it was common for Fido to be sitting under the table at meal time.
We opted for a different route home which fortuitously gave us a chance to find a downhill route for tomorrow’s bag toting exercise to the bus.

Got home to receive a message that bus was delayed an hour, but be there by 745, just in case they picked up time on route down from Frankfurt. That message meant an uneasy sleep, especially with two dings of the phone extending the delay out to 2.25 hours. We hoped they wouldn’t cancel the 7.5 hour trip altogether, as there were not many alternatives, like trains or ferries on offer. Worst case was bus to Zagreb and fly.

Tuesday 8th September

Lovran  to Opatija to Volosko and Return

The brain must have known we didn’t have an early start or the little glass of sticky wine is the greatest sleeping aid ever, as it was 830 before the eyes saw daylight.

No rush to get out so it was a leisurely breakfast with not another soul. In fact we think there are only two others here.

Took the opportunity to give the boots a clean in the hotel garden, which was under the watchful eye of mine host who is lovely but might suffer some form of cleaning obsessive condition. They are now spic and span ready to be packed away for Italy in a week or  more.

Todays walk was along a path built clinging the coast which takes in an area often described as the Croatian Riviera. It connects Lovran with the old port town of Volosko passing through the hyped up town of Opatija, it’s somewhere between 10-12 Kms.

The seas were a bit bumpier than yesterday and swirling around the rock beaches and the man made ones outside our hotel. Not a soul swimming other than a couple of seagulls.

It’s amazing the labyrinth of stairways that just lead town to a rocky cove for swimming. Some come off the path and other from private homes and hotels have cave like entrances under the walkway.

The walkway itself was built in late 1800 and named after famed leader Franz Josef. Above the walkway are an amazing array of villas which were built during reign of Austro- Hungarian government. They are truly amazing pieces of architecture. Some are simply opulent, others well kept and sadly some have fallen into states of disrepair. Most are now used as hotels and apartments. The demise was best illustrated by the Grand Hotel Belvedere, with its disarranged sign. flapping awnings and broken windows.

Some more modern ones with fancy pools and restaurants have been or are being built, so there must still be an appetite. Had an interesting chat with a local who suggested a German industrialist had purchased up to 50 homes, hotels and villas along the coast but had not done anything to renovate them.

There are two or three major marina’s with boats ranging from dinghies, to cruisers, yachts and big boys toys. Like in Novigrad there appears to be a pecking order where you moor. At one of the marina’s was a mini submarine. Would be one brave sailor who jumped into that contraption . There are also lots of tiny boat tie up areas.

The pathway itself is beautifully flat and well maintained and today it was surprisingly busy, especially around Opatija which in Aussie terms has a Gold Coast feel about it with cafes , expensive restaurants, souvenir shops, boat trip vendors plus a pop up market, with lots of knock offs being sold. It was definitely busier with younger tourists. One had an ornate shell roof.

The coastline is alive with sculptures and statues ranging from anchors to sea nymphs to politicians and crusty old seamen. I posed next to one and Jane didn’t quite check all aspects you might say.

Along with them is a Hollywood type walk of the stars celebrating the achievements of scientists, writers, industrialist and one particularly memorable tennis player Goran Ivanisevic and Massey Park Golf Lady President.

With so many opportunities to swim, but mostly in open water wondered how young kids were taught. We found a couple of pools which might have been ideal training grounds.

The weather turned a bit windier and whilst nobody was in the water getting wet the swell was hitting the path with a bit more strength and giving people a surprise shower.

There was a huge botanical garden getting lit up for the festive season and adjacent to it was an open air theatre / opera venue. Along the outside wall were paintings of famous people where a unique effect had been created by painting their eyes on smooth tiles and the rest on a roughened texture.

Most beaches had areas for chairs and umbrellas to be used, obviously at a cost. There was a little bit of price gouging going on with rates increasing fourfold as you moved along towards the ritzy areas. An umbrella and two chairs set you back about $A110 for the day. I might have gone for the towel on one of the few pebbly beaches.

Finally rounded the corner into Volosko and found a harbourside cafe where a nice squid ink pasta was washed down with another different Croatian beer.

Considered a return walk for at least 30 seconds before climbing several sets of stairs up into the old town and catch a very full and rapid bus back to Lovran, beating the rain by about 5 minutes.

Whilst sitting at the bus stop a military fighter proceeded to do a series of very low level aerobatics – not sure who he was trying to impress.

The rain did not stop so we did a bit of work on next few days plans and rested some weary bones.

Our evening stroll for a snack was in bucketing rain which continued until our head hit the pillow. Forecast say 50-70 mm over next few days whilst we are in Rijeka and Split.

Monday 7th October 2024

Buzet to Lovran

Today was essentially our last walk in the mountains as we finished by the sea and walk a coastal concrete path tomorrow to finish the Istrian part of our journey.

The same great breakfast was on offer, but unfortunately shared it with a rude and self indulgent Indian businessman who treated the staff disgracefully. I guess I lowered myself when I called him a pompous p…k and told his associate to teach him some manners.

I managed to console the staff and confirm they were doing a wonderful job and to ignore his comments.

Sadly breakfast left a sour taste in my mouth.

We packed up, lugged our bags downstairs for 3 flights and tossed them into the back of the transporter. Still trying to work out why bags are feeling heavier.

Then off we went down the one-way cobbled street squeezing past buildings and all of the small sedans parked at crazy angles to maximise space utilisation. There is no room for a local to have a people mover up in these top of the hill castle towns.

We headed off on a very windy highway to start with and then along an expressway( won’t ever complain about Sydney tolls again) before finding a snakes and ladders route to the top of the hill in the National Park at 1500 metres, with an amazing view down to and along the Croatian coast and over the island of Krk.

The walk started pretty serenely through some beech and fir forests on a wide track, above the clouds. Within about 10 minutes we saw two other hikers, who inevitably ended up the only humans we saw during the entire forest part of the walk. In fact other than them and a few birds the only other living thing we passed was a wild Shetland pony

With detailed walking notes and a myriad of directional signs navigation was pretty good- essentially read the book and look for the red dots.

Strangely for a walk that was described as flowing down through the forest, we spent most of first 30 minutes going up, until we reached a memorial for where partisan fighters had established a hospital during the war.

It turned out to be the turning point in elevation and signage as we levelled off through thick forest on very faint trails. Vasco with notes and old faithful GPS in hand and me as forward scout managed to keep us going in the right direction and downhill.

The track underfoot was pretty tough, with steep rocky patches ready to twist the ankle of the unwatchful and slippery to boot. We both managed to stay upright.

The thing about walking up here is the silence, as often the only thing you can hear is the beat of your heart. It’s a great place to clear the headspace.

We came across an amazing little country retreat on one of the rare patches of flat ground. It was a beautiful little hut with everything a city slicker could want- BBQ, hot water, outside dining, woodshed and even TV.

Started off again on some stony tracks which followed stone walls for quite a way- what reason they were there is anyone’s guess.

The trail got a bit steeper and there were some skinny paths with pretty severe drop offs, so not much time to look up and take in the view. As the track levelled a little after about 2.5 hours we got our first view of the sea.

Down some very steep rocky steps and out of the forest we came to our first bit of civilisation a town called Lovranska Draga. The first real flat spot for lunch was the local Bocce centre with what looked like its own bar and betting ring. Lunch was interspersed with an impromptu game of bocce using prickly Chestnut husks.

We thought that might have ended the steep part, but we’re wrong on several counts.

After a little geographical misadventure, resulting in us doing a lap of the town, the route took us uphill for more than a kilometre , albeit on a tarmac lane with great views of sea, mountains we had trodden and the old terraces of this once rural area.

There was a lovely hotel where you could lunch and soak in the view.

From there it was all downhill, geographically and physically. The trail essentially traversed the mountainside on old Roman footpaths, often between peoples houses. The houses were a mixture of old, renovated and brand new villas, the latter more often than not with pools. No matter what age they enjoyed amazing views in all directions.

Looking at all of this construction work, the lack of many old cars and the number of people with growing families, the economy is going pretty well.

Strangely we came across an abandoned school on the edge of the suburbs.

The Roman stairs turned into steep roads and concrete paths , winding between houses who all had a dog to welcome or ward you off. There was no lessening in the view and stops to take it in across all directions was frequent. It also gave the leg muscles a chance to stop twitching.

Then the miracle, flat ground and a road that stopped at the seaside. We had arrived in Lovran which is one end of the Croatian Riviera. What a quaint town with amazing grand villas, a coastal path that led to hotels , cafes and beaches which were mainly accessed by stairs.
Things were looking up with only 700 metres to go to our apartment.

Hotel was quite modern and run by the most helpful owner ever. Got the full Cook’s tour and finally found the comfort of a spacious 2 bedroom apartment, with balcony.

So some 6 hours after starting we finally had a chance to take off the boots, sit on the veranda and reflect on an amazing day and trip overall.

After a couple of hours testing we went to dinner, both doing great impressions of John Cleese’s Minister for Funny Walks. We enjoyed another great seafood meal and unlike us topped it off with a celebratory dessert- nothing like a semifredo and or a lava cake.

The one thing that has amused us here is the music. It’s a collection from the 40’s through to the 90’s all sung in English. The saving grace is you can sing along.

It was a similar wander home to finish with a slug of sticky wine and go to bed knowing – no boots, no map, no GPS, no notes and no sore muscles tomorrow.

Sunday 6th October 2024

Hum to Buzet

Woke up to get in early to wish Grandson happy 20th birthday, which he was celebrating in Bali. It seems every holiday we are now away for his birthday.

A sumptuous breakfast was served up in the gourmet restaurant, which was a bit of a waste on me with my hunger level still down. Good news is I haven’t lost my thirst.

It was a perfect day to be different  so we decided to do our walk in reverse which meant a 20km drive into the hills to start at the worlds smallest walled town Hum- small by size small by letters.

Arrived just as Mass for most of the 25 population finished and entered the town through two ornate brass doors. Popped into the church, which was as pretty as any visited in country Croatia. Lit a candle for two wonderful young people who are battling health issues and hoped the Big Fellow might lend a hand in their recovery.

Soon we were doing a tour of the town. It was essentially B and B’s, a souvenir shop and a rickety building for sale, with an interesting sign attached to a ‘needs work’ veranda.

The girl running the souvenir shop had the most eclectic selection of products ever,  ranging from the obligatory truffle related items ( a must in a region who produces the most white truffles in Europe)  right through to slinky ladies underwear. There again for sale was the oddly named beets, this time trying to be a little less offensive.

She must have been trained at McDonald’s with best upselling pitch we have experienced in Croatia. Went in with no intention to buy and came out with chocolates and biscuits we really didn’t need.

Finished the town visit pretty quickly with only one disappointment the bloody grafitti hooligans, I refuse to call them artists,  had ‘marked’ some wonderful old buildings. 

We decided that reading the track notes backwards might be difficult so we placed our faith in Maps.me, despite yesterday’s dilemma. 

We were soon on a stony downhill track headed for the town of Kotli, which looked very interesting having been totally abandoned in the 40’s.

The track was not used regularly by walkers, given the often thick undergrowth, and making a decision to go with a T-Shirt wasn’t the smartest. Guessing the people on bikes who had used it earlier were in leathers.

In a trip back to the road we came across a monument paying homage to St Cyril who developed the Cyrillic script which was the basis for many languages. The Russians still use it, with its numerous letters and accents over letters to give different meanings.

Back onto a wider track strewn with red and white tape and numbers. We presumed it was for cross country bike races  which are popular. Some of the spots they traverse are amazing. In a couple of spots our track had tapes blocking access, but we realised they were crossing points. No noise so race  may already have concluded. 

The only two noises were baying hounds and pops in the distant hills – probably hunting- and water rushing down the river. Whilst no obvious hunting nearby we did come across a stand with a very rickety ladder which hopefully the hunters  scaled with rifles uncocked.

Soon back out on a tarmac road and reached Kotli. A bridge crossing had us in a town where there was only a closed restaurant and a myriad of well restored building, most being used as B and B’s. 

It was an old mill town up until 40’s, abandoned and now rediscovering itself right in a pristine forest area surrounded by waterfalls, walking tracks and rock slabs suitable for climbing.

Wandered around town before proceeding down the track and popping into a couple of water falls, both with pools suitable for a dip. I was considering taking the plunge but upon seeing a German guy go in before me I decided one shrunken pecker show was enough.

The river had calmed down considerably since recent floods, but debris well above the waterline and clogged on bridges showed the extent of flooding. It’s amazing considering the Amiens does run dry at times.

The trip continued following what was now a meandering river and there were 3 or 4 boot dipping crossings on roughly strewn rocks posing as stepping stones. We both got across them unscathed. 

The track levelled out and dropped to the floor of the gorge where both sides had climbers scaling or getting prepared to scale cliffs of varying difficulty. There were guys up about 200 meters just hanging there making no progress. They were dangling like the proverbial Xmas decoration, which bought a smile to the decoration Queen.

The cliffs had click on points scattered in all directions to cater for the different classes of climbers. They are wonderfully athletic  and you are willing them on to make the top and sharing their disappointment when they lose grip and bounce back to their latest connection.

Out of the valley on flat ground alongside the river with one destination in sight- the craft brewery. Like a pair of pit ponies the speed quickened, as did our resolve only to be disappointed by a sign – Opening Hours 4-8. At 230 we weren’t waiting around and at a much slower clip we trod the road to the top of the hill a kilometer away. 

No brewery, but two beers and a country platter later we were happy. 

I am now officially King of The Trails

After a leisurely hour or so it was off to dinner in the restaurant to not only dine but to confirm whether that in the first week of November an omelette comprising 2000 eggs and 10kg of truffles was baked in the town to celebrate St Mary. 

Twas no urban myth, they even invited us back to the carpark in the middle of town to join the festivities on the day. 

Just one more mountain walking day before hitting the coast. Will miss the country hospitality and magnificent scenery, if not the mud.

Sat 5th October 2024

Motovun to Buzet

Packed up early, but not early enough to beat the horde of bus travellers who had taken over most of the dining room.

Dining room etiquette is fascinating at breakfast with a soirée fit for a royal on offer raising the questions

• do I fill my plate with a bit of everything and not eat most of it
• Do I take the last egg
• Do I only take half of the remaining mushrooms
• Do I take enough food to feed an army and secret it into my bag to sustain me on the bus

I don’t think anyone in the queue before me said no to any of those questions. 

Perhaps it’s that mentality of I paid for breakfast so do what I want.

I dined on my cereal, toast and coffee and wasted no further energy trying to solve the conundrum.

A double ride this morning , one to the public carpark, where the breakfast bandits were straggling across the road to board their bus, oblivious to the traffic- perhaps it was a food coma.

Next trip was a 20 minute ride to thermal country where healing water bubbled out of springs and visitors soaked up the benefits. No time for soaking , we had a trail to conquer.

Our starting point was a crumbling bridge over the Mirna river for a walk along the riverside for the greater part of the day. The river was still flowing  quickly after all of the recent rain, having broken its banks several weeks ago.

After seeing the crack in the bridge I will never complain about potholes again.

The track started on a Roman road but soon become grass pathways along the river. The pristine conditions didn’t stay long with the track severely impacted by the recent flood ( about 1.5  metres above top of the bank when it happened ).

It was a fair bit of puddle hopping or slopping through water, sometimes ankle deep. At least it cleaned of all of the mud from yesterday.

The riverbank had been severely eroded and most of the vehicle crossings would not be useable.

We both had a few slip and slides, but only I hit the deck. Again pride was the major injury, though a metal container in my pocket gave me a bit of thigh cork- nothing a days end drink couldn’t fix.

The area is noted for animal life, caves and rock climbing. Animal could be heard but rarely seen; caves were abundant high up in the valley and we actually came across a female climber scaling what could best be described as a slab of rock.

Did not see another walker, but shared the trail with a host of trail bike riders, who were not doing the track much good.

The nearer we got to Buzet the clearer it became we were heading for another high hill finish.

Got a bit hungry so stopped at a Pirelli rated lunch spot – effectively a bunch of painted tyres on the edge of a park.

After lunch it was the usual slog up the stairs and roads to our hilltop restaurant. Flopped at the front bar and realised all of that mud had not disappeared. Being conscious of being a bit considerate we found a town fountain and gave the boots a scrub. 

I had a stark recollection as to why my balance was bad today- why buy some dimentia proof socks when you put them on the wrong foot.

A couple of frothies allowed us to celebrate the achievment and dull the pain. It was an interesting collection of drinks as the menu illustrated.

Unpacked, cleaned up and into the unheated pool- at least one of us got beyond 2 minutes. 

Refreshed, we did a lap of town soaking up the history and getting a birdseye view of where the trail will take us tomorrow. Some crumbling buildings, others well preserved and the usual town gate and one very narrow street.

Some people might be n trouble with the Strata Committee the way washing is hung out.

A gang of kids were happy playing games with a whole lot of kit a plumber had left around on a building site- simple fun well enjoyed. The plumber might not share that view on Monday when he returns to work.

Some people were doing early preparations for Halloween.

Took a seat in local bar, sucking in the drink and sunset before a lovely dinner in our hotel.

Friday 4th October 2024

Motovun to Kaldir and Return

Today we decided on what looked like the simple cross the valley walk to a winery, enjoy a tasting and then return through the vineyards to home, albeit with a very steep walk back up to the hotel.

Still struggling with a lurgi and low appetite and energy I picked through breakfast before kitting up the the day.

The easy part was leaving hotel and main square to head out the town gate. That was the first 50 metres done.

Nothing like starting the real walk with a nice downhill run on steep cobblestones to get the ankles and toes twitching- but at least we could see the township way off in the distance.

We wend our way through the suburbs – all three streets – before heading down towards the old railway.

On the way we passed a huge dog kennel with a lot of mixed breeds laying quietly , that was until we got near them. Strange thing with dogs here is that they are rarely seen as pets – they have two purposes finding truffles or finding wildlife for the hunters. It’s probably why cats are so prolific around the streets.

If the number of truffle shops is an indication they do a bloody good job. As for the hunting side we might find out more as we make our way through the menu to see if venison is available. We could hear a few baying in the distance and also heard a few gun pops. We had general instructions of ‘ in hunting season be sure you make lots of noise in the forest’. I guess yelling “oh s..t lost again and no more bloody mud” may have sufficed as no near misses.

We didn’t stay on the railway line very long we were either on tracks or wandering through the edges of vineyards. In both cases it was through mud which caked your boots and often you had to pull them out of boggy spots with a pop- hoping they stayed on.

Reached a decision point and when Jane deferred to the note – alas a couple of pages were missing. After a mild panic they were found crumpled in the guide holder.

Having notes didn’t make the going easier and we seemed to go around and up hills in a circuitous route to finally find the town of Kaldir. If it wasn’t for the winery there was not much else going on, other than a house with a lot of ribbons tied to gates , fences and vetsndah’s – so presumed it was a wedding.

Up into the winery to be told our booking was for yesterday, but with a crowd of 2 they managed to squeeze us in. Tried about 5 different wines,including the award winning Teran blend, which were all nice. Bought a sticky to have something to drink as an after dinner pleasure.

They were a small winery selling 160,000 bottles, including overseas markets . Got the full tour of the operation and met the winemaker, a young woman in her 30’s.

A bit of route checking before leaving and we thought we would defer to Maps.me and go off the notes to avoid the walk through an area where it was supposedly muddier than before.

A great call it wasnt, as we wandered through tracks with landslips, walked away from home on many occasions and still ended up in the mud. At one spot Jane’s boots were completed covered. The look on her face suggested a photo wasn’t a good choice.

We eventually found our way onto some solid footing we had trod on the outward journey and plodded our way up the stairs and cobbles to home.

The lesson – probably don’t change routes after 5 wines.

Got home before dark and time to change and wander around town in search of somewhere to dine, only to end up back in our hotel.

Thursday 3rd October 2024

Novigrad to Groznjan to Motovun

The local forecasters got it right with rain all night and the whole day to have constant falls up to 45mm.

When we had breakfast and then when collected to be taken to our high hill start the quizzical look on peoples faces said it all – ‘are you sure you don’t want a taxi all the way through’.

A 30 minute trip, during which the driver gave us a quick history lesson , gave us the opportunity to reconsider. We decided to walk the 18 Kms. Even though 2 other walkers quickly jumped into a cab and bolted when we got to our starting point.

The town of Groznjan has a deep history associated with artists and of course the truffle. Other than the supermarket it was truffle shops and galleries. It was also a town serviced by the now defunct Parenzana railway and had 3 miniature trains taking pride of place in the square. The Parenzana railway was destroyed by Mussolini so he had steel for weapons manufacture. We actually walked on parts of it today and scheduled to do similarly tomorrow.

Jane plonked herself in the church door way, to check directions, though I suspect she was looking for divine intervention. The town had a great view down into the valleys   if only you could see through the rain and clouds.

A lap of town was followed by a long haul up even higher and the first of many old houses being renovated by returning expats and foreigners. It was sad to see equally as many derelict, as families can’t afford to renovate.

Real estate isn’t cheap – a penthouse in Novigrad with no views was circa A$900k.

It was a view through drips off a soaked rain hat all day that that we enjoyed as we visited every town named after a Saint who I didn’t cover in my Bible studies classes. They were all quaint with only a few houses and the obligatory church.

Tracks ranged from tarmac roads to forest trails and muddy gravel roads. Other than the short cut that Jane spied, which was basically a creek bed that took and hour and three quarters to descend. 

We did stop for lunch in the pretty town of  Portole where we enjoyed a coffee and then a picnic in a cupola with magnificent views back to where we had started . It’s amazing that it’s 10 Kms from start to finish today by car- our trip is 18.

Lots more walking, including the aforementioned short cut, with not a lot of dialogue. Mused over what different structures were and where possible looked back to reflect where we had been. We also realised it was hunting season hence dogs barking and roosts spruced up.

We kicked a couple of mushrooms along the way which appeared in the middle of the track.

Finally reached the penultimate town of today Livade, which is famous for a resident finding the biggest ever truffle. Not surprisingly there was an international gourmet festival celebrating the truffle.

High in the hills was the castle town of Motovun whose claim to fame is it being the hometown of the Andretti racing car family. If he had a rallying background you could understand as the road wound its way up the hill and then into the castle area with its narrow cobblestone roads only wide enough for one car. The gates into the castle were barely wide enough for a car and when it’s full of Japanese tourists navigation is even more difficult. Perhaps it’s appropriate to mention that we did get a ride from the bottom of the hill- only dry part of walk all day.

Montobun does also hold mantle of best preserved medieval town in Croatia.

Found a great artistic impression of the hilltop city in our hotel.

The Kastel hotel is also a Wellness centre and hopefully after our walk tomorrow we will get a chance to use the facilities.

Room looked like a Chinese laundry after we hung everything out to dry and we were glad for the hot shower.

Feeling the effect of the lurgi Jane had passed on meant a little kip before a nice dinner.

Wednesday 2nd October 2024

Around Novigrad

Novigrad is far from a metropolis and as the hotel owner said 20 minutes and you will see the highlights. It’s not a worry as we were using it as a seaside relax before the next walk.

This is a tourist town where people come to relax in and on the water. Water was the theme for the day, with rain starting early, along with a fairly strong wind. 

With our gortex jackets on we headed off to the seafront. What a difference from yesterday’s millpond conditions, today waves were splashing up and over the waterside path. The change and shower stations were both getting inundated. Waves were even spraying up into some of the seaside restaurant outside terraces. At one spot water was rushing up stairways to the street.

The railings down into the water were similarly going under water. 

On the water things were equally different with yachts heading into sheltered coves and also seeking protection behind the breakwater. One yacht with 5 onboard tried to head out to see but had some sort of mishap and needed towing into the inner harbour.

Another brave yacht headed out to sea under motor and was last seen bobbing around like a cork in 1 to 2 metre swell.

We left the seaside and visited the local chapel and the bell tower. Right next door was a distillery famous for its brandy. It had a shop selling anything and everything alcoholic or related to truffles,the latter is a major industry in this area. Nothing like a brandy tasting at 10am to salve a sore throat.

They even had a crate of old fashioned soda symphons out the front

It’s amazing how the new and the old sit together , with brand new cars parked under ancient sundials. Decrepit old houses with satellite dishes, all mixed in with some houses renovated or waiting to be renovated. There was even a Lavender inspired hose.

The streets around this area were adorned with umbrellas which was ironic given the weather. With none ourselves and rain increasing we headed for a local cafe for a lingering coffee.

Even the Town Hall got into the decoration theme.

Warmed up we did a bit of shopping and looking for prospective dining spots.

Another walk around the port showed that it is a harbour of three groups, the fishermen, the recreational yachties/boaters and the serious big boys toys.

Whilst the trawling fleet looks aged some boats had great aids to assist with sorting the catch, including conveyor belts with species sorting shoots. 

With seasons end coming for tourism, many business have closed down and others are operating at limited capacity. It didn’t stop us finding a nice harbour side cafe for lunch. Given 40% of residents are Italian in this region we decided a Bruschetta and frappe would suffice. 

Had an interesting lunch mate in the form of a woman in her 80’s who walked in took a table and dined on a bowl of nuts and a cigarette- perhaps it is an alternative Mediterranean Diet. 

Having done the city tour we headed home to do some more planning for the next 6 days, where walking might be a little challenging with weather and what had been described as ‘very muddy tracks and hills that may need to be crossed in a switchback method’.

At around 530 the light rain turned into torrential rain with lightning and thunder. Rethinking best laid plans already.

Managed to find a break in the weather and head for seaside restaurant. Didn’t need to look for the way the noise of crashing waves was guide enough,

Found Leonardo’s and shared a meat platter for two and a local bottle of wine. Had a bit of banter with four guys who were on a Casino visit. Thought they were all German and committed the ultimate sin when one popped over for a chat and I said ‘are you all German ‘. I was quickly put in my place when he explained he was Austrian. At that stage I guessed it was the wrong time to mention the war.

Finished dinner with a complimentary Schapps or espresso – no guessing who opted for the former.

Lingered until the weather improved and puddle hopped our way home for another pre 900pm lights out.