EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 20, SEPTEMBER 25th, 2016 PULA, CROATIA

September 16, 2016

We had the morning to further explore Pula as we weren’t due to go aboard our boat until mid-afternoon.

All of the main sights of historic interest in Pula are concentrated in a relatively small area which made things very easy for our morning’s time limitation.

We wandered down past the Amphitheatre where we’d spent quite a deal of time yesterday. We followed the old town wall past the remains of the Octagonal Mausoleum and then on to the Twin Gate (Porta Gemini) which dates from the 2nd century. It is one of only two surviving gates. Directly opposite was a photographic gallery exhibiting the work of Tomislav Rosandic. His thirty photographs of scenery and architecture from within all parts of Croatia were spectacular and showed artistic flair as well photographic skill. The next gate we arrived at was Hercules Gate. This was built in 47-44 BC and is now flanked by two medieval bastions. The top of the arch is a very worn relief of Hercules and his club.

Around the corner only a hundred metres away we found the Triumphal Arch of Sergius. This was built in 29-27 BC as a tribute to Lucius Sergius Lepidus with a donation by his wife Salvia. It is an arch although it looks as if it should have been a city gate in Roman times. It is richly decorated and flanked by Corinthian columns. At the top of the arch underside is an eagle holding a snake. The arch was studied and drawn by many artists including Michelangelo who it’s claimed stated it to be the most beautiful arch he’d seen. Adjacent to the Arch is a large bronze statue of James Joyce the Irish novelist. He eloped to Pula in 1904 with his chambermaid Nora Barnacle who was later to become his wife. He worked here as an English teacher for four years and later, somewhat disenchanted with Istria they moved to Trieste in nearby Italy.

Down from the Arch is the old Roman Forum which on our arrival was filled with vintage cars and motorcycles. The cars were mainly Fiats, VWs and Citroens although there were some Porsches too. A rather ancient Ducati motorbike caught our interest; it was in immaculate condition although quite old.

At one corner of the square is the Temple of Augustus built between 2BC and 14 AD. This is an exceptionally beautiful building with refined slender proportions and six tall columns with Corinthian capitals. It was drastically damaged by bombing during World War II but thankfully it has been painstakingly restored to its former glory. The Temple of Diana used to be alongside but now all that remains is the rear wall which has been incorporated into the rear section of the Town Hall.

We then walked down to the Chapel of Mary Formosa and on our way past the nearby car park we fortuitously found the Roman Floor Mosaics. These are the most complete and best preserved Roman mosaics in Croatia. The scene covers an area of about 8m x 3m and depicts the tale from Greek mythology where Dirce is brutally punished by the sons of Antiope.

At this point it was time to have a quick snack, recover our bags from the hotel and head down to our boat (MV Tarin) which was conveniently docked quite close to our hotel.

After settling into our cabin we gathered with the other fifteen passengers for a briefing and a checking out of our bikes. We then did a 15km leisurely ride around the waterfront of Pula stopping halfway for a beer. On return the crew loaded the bikes onto the deck of the boat, we gathered for drinks on the foredeck and the Tarin then left Pula Harbour to move around to a quiet anchorage for overnight.

Bikes on the Tarin with Amphitheatre in background, Pula

Our evening meal on board was excellent and after some further introductions of crew members we headed for bed.

Tomorrow we have a 35km ride and everyone is looking forward to cycling through this glorious countryside. The weather has been superb practically the whole time; how lucky we are!

We do have WiFi on the boat but it is restricted to the dining area and the number of users at any time is limited, so we'll do our best to post updates when we can.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 21, SEPTEMBER 26th, 2016 PULA – VRSAR - POREC, CROATIA

September 15, 2016

In the early morning sky directly above us were numerous planes leaving a criss-cross pattern of condensation trails. We could see the sun shining on six planes but there were many more trails left by earlier flights. This area of Northern Croatia and Slovenia is on the direct flight path line from the Emirates States through to European centres. This vision of planes painting the brilliant blue sky white continued for much of the day.

The ‘Tarin’s’ engine started just on 07:00 and we were soon underway heading northwards up the Adriatic coast at a steady 7 knots on flat calm crystal blue seas. Just off the coast from Fažana we passed the Brijuni Islands National Park and then 25km further north-westwards we rounded Zlatini Point where two large cruisers were anchored in the lee of the off-shore islands nearby.

The old Roman and then later Venetian town of Rovinj was bathed in bright sunshine as we passed and the luxury yachts and massive cruisers offers testament to this coast being the playground of the very rich from Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

We then passed the Limski Channel and just north of this large inlet we entered the port city of Vrsar. We docked next to two large fishing boats that were busily unloading and packing into ice boxes what appeared to be a massive load of smallish fish, possibly pilchards or mackerel.

The bikes were quickly unloaded and with the time now being 10:30 we were underway on our bike ride to Porec (pronounced porech and sounds somewhat like porridge).

The first hour was spent riding in and around the old city of Vrsar where we visited a sculpture park featuring the work of Dusan Dzamonja who is one of Croatia’s most famous sculptors. We found his sculptures rather mundane and uninteresting but in amongst his work in the park area we found five spiranthes orchids in flower. They were a green/yellow colour and very similar in size and form to our Tasmanian Spiranthes australis.

Spiranthes orchid, Dusan Dzamonja sculpture park, Vrsar

Sculpture, Dusan Dzamonja sculpture park, Vrsar

At a high point in the city next to the cathedral we had a wonderful view out across the blue Adriatic which in this area is dotted with tiny islands.

The riding path then headed inland and we rode on a gravel road for about 8km parallel to the Limski Channel. The gravel road had loose rocks and quite treacherous sandy spots together with some short steep hills so riding in these conditions needed due care. The road passed through mainly beech forest with some conifers too. At one point we stopped to take in the view across the channel where fish farm pens seemed to dominate the scenery.

At Klostar we left the gravel road and rested for lunch at a restaurant that specialised in roast meats cooked on a spit. With 20km more ride to complete we decided it unwise to partake in a ‘feast’ that was on offer and instead had a small taste of the roast pork and agreed it was delicious.

After lunch the ride was on smooth sealed roads for most of the way as we passed through small villages with their vineyards and olive groves. There was very little traffic to contend with and the low to mid twenties air temperature with no wind made for idyllic cycling conditions.

With only 2km to go to reach Porec we left the main road and then followed the waterfront promenade which passed pebbly beaches and rocky shoreline where the locals were swimming and clearly enjoying the crystal clear blue sea.

We arrived at the docks in Porec at 16:00 having covered 33km and found the‘Tarin’ waiting our arrival.

The ‘Tarin’ is a traditional motor powered sailing yacht of length 22m and beam 6.2m. She was completely refurbished in 2004 and has ten cosy guest cabins with an adjoining toilet and shower room. On this trip there are a total of seventeen guests and a crew of five. Apart from us six Aussies, six of the guests are from Germany, four from Switzerland and one from Ireland.

Before dinner we had a one hour guided tour of the city of Porec. The Histri tribe settled here about 6000 years ago and then the Romans defeated the Histri in 177BC. In Roman times Porec was the capital of Istria but since then it seems that many nations have had an interest in controlling this city due to its strategic position linking Italy to Greece and beyond. The Huns, the Ostrogoths, Byzantium and the Venetians all at some stage claimed ownership of this miniature peninsula and its value as a defensive encampment.

In 1797 Venice retreated from Istria and Pore č was ruled by the Habsburg Empire. Even Napoleon in 1805 had a turn in reigning over this area but in 1814 it returned Austro-Hungarian control.

Apart from interesting Roman ruins within the city centre probably the most noteworthy structure is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica. This structure is one of the finest examples of early Byzantine architecture in existence. Although we were not in time to see them, the floor mosaics in the basilica are particularly noteworthy according to our guide. The church is triple-naved and triple-apsed with a prominent bell tower that was added in the 16th century.

With meal-time calling we returned to the boat for dinner and prepared for an early night as tomorrow we have 50km ride with some fairly decent hills we’ve been warned!

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 22, SEPTEMBER 27th, 2016 POREC – VIŠNJAN – POREC - NOVIGRAD, CROATIA

September 14, 2016

After a delicious breakfast we were on our way by 09:00 and luckily the traffic in the Porec township was fairly light and the cars we did encounter were in most cases very considerate. Riding in traffic is particularly an issue when crossing through roundabouts where it’s necessary to keep to the outer lane to maximise safety.

The road we followed out of Porec involved a gentle climb through vineyards and olive groves towards the little village of Dracevac. Continuing now northwards we stopped at a spot just before Višnjan where in a paddock next to the road were two of the famous white Boskarin cattle. These large beasts are a rare sub-species with only about 2000 remaining. They are immensely powerful and it’s claimed they are as strong as draught horses. A breeding plan is now underway to increase numbers. The two bulls we saw had very large horns each crowned with a copper cap.

We then rode a short distance through rich red soil farming land (mostly grapes and olives) into the township of Visnjan where we stopped for coffee and a spot of sight-seeing. The Croatian towns we’ve visited so far during our bike ride have lots of similarities it seems. They’re normally positioned at and around a hill of prominence and usually the high point is dominated by a church with a bell tower. The streets are narrow and paved with shiny limestone rock and there’s typically a village square featuring coffee shops and restaurants. Visnjan certainly fitted this description to a tee.

After another four kilometres of mostly uphill riding we came to Kastelir where we stopped for a specially prepared luncheon. The meal served to us was home made pasta in a cream sauce with the serving generously covered with twenty or thirty slivers of truffle. Everyone agreed that the meal was delicious. The local farmer provides the truffles and in this region they are common and quite inexpensive. They had both black and the even rarer white truffles and these are ones that occur naturally unlike the ones that are seeded and grown commercially on truffle farms. The farmer uses pigs to find the truffles but they have to be very well fed otherwise they eat the truffles before they’re recovered.

At Kastelir we were at the highest point of our day’s cycling trip so from then onwards the going was mostly downhill.

Our homeward journey was interrupted by a one hour’s diversion to see the Baredine Caves. We descended 60m underground through five main sections to a sub-surface lake where there were rare white amphibians called olms (Proteus anguinus). These strange blind axolotl type creatures can live for more than 100 years and can exist for months without eating. Their diet is mainly insect larvae and worms. Our young guide did a very good job in describing aspects of the cave formations and its inhabitants to our group in both English and German.

We arrived back in Porec at 16:40 having completed the 50km round trip. The bikes were quickly loaded onboard and we left Porec and headed 10km up the coast to the picturesque village of Novigrad where we’ll stay for the night.

Corinne & Tony arriving back at the Tarin, Porec

After dinner on board the ‘Tarin’ we ventured into the township of Novigrad for a brief excursion.

Tomorrow is going to be the hardest day of this bike riding adventure being the longest and steepest so an early night and plenty of rest was the order of the day.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 23, SEPTEMBER 28th, 2016 NOVIGRAD – UMAG – GROZNJAN - NOVIGRAD, CROATIA

September 13, 2016

The ‘Tarin’ left the port of Novigrad at 07:00 and during breakfast we motored northwards the thirty kilometres to Umag, a town where one of the ATP World tennis events is held each year. It’s about five kilometres south of the Slovenian border.

At 09:00 we commenced our ride which followed a fairly gentle rise initially but there were three or four sections of about 2km each where the climb was fairly demanding and strenuous. We arrived at Buje a hilltop town at 222m above sea level. It is sometimes referred to as the ”Sentry over Istria”. After a coffee we had half an hour to wander around the old city and we found in the hidden alleyways the Parish Church of St. Servulus. This church was built on the foundations of the Temple of Jupiter in1272 and refurbished in 1784. Its entry door is magnificent as is the bell tower next to it.

Our next hour’s riding took us up to our highest point at just over 300m. The ride was up a near constant gradient with an occasional respite that was always welcome in the early afternoon sun.

Just before entering the historic city of Groznjan we had our first sight of the remains of the Parenzana. This was a railway line built in Mussolini’s time connecting Trieste in Italy through Slovenia to Porec in Croatia. The line operated from 1902 to 1938 and carried passengers and freight. Our introduction to the Parenzana was to ride through a disused railway tunnel and back just for fun.

Tunnel on Parenzana railway line, Groznjan

We then rode a little further into Groznjan for a lunch break and some well earned rest.

The city of Groznjan is a ‘picture perfect’ location with beautifully preserved old medieval buildings and glorious views over the Mirna Valley. It is now an artists’ enclave with numerous galleries and boutique shops within the old town. Despite the fact that it has fewer than 100 inhabitants it can be called a city because it has a cathedral, a city square, a post office and an administrative building. The view from this hill top ‘city’ out towards the Adriatic was glorious with minimal haze and a deep blue sky.

After our lunch break we had the luxury of a fifteen minute downhill ride which brought us back to near sea level again. The high-speed descent was exhilarating with some in our group going at seriously high speeds and others riding more cautiously.

Then we had a less than pleasant 10km ride on a gravel road that is a cycle track made along the old Parenzana rail-line. The road was rocky and bumpy with loose stones and potholes and followed the Mirna River through to the Adriatic. The waters of the Mirna provide irrigation for paddocks next to the bike trail. Farmers were forage harvesting lucerne as we passed.

At the end of the gravel road we then had a short but steep sealed road for two kilometres into Novigrad. This meant that we’d covered 55km in our travels with a total ascent of just on 600m.

The ‘Tarin’ left Novigrad port and anchored for the night in a bay close by.

After our evening meal the crew put on a concert with the skipper (“Admiral”) playing acoustic guitar and the boat owner playing piano accordion. Our two guides sang Croatian and German songs although Waltzing Matilda was also included in their repertoire.

The admiral & owner, singalong sesion on MV Tarin

Ina & Villy, singalong sesion on MV Tarin, Novigrad

At 21:30 we all decided it was time for an early night after an excellent but energy sapping day. Tomorrow should be much easier as we will just follow the coastline from Novigrad back down to Porec a distance of only 25km.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 24, SEPTEMBER 29th, 2016 NOVIGRAD – POREC - ROVINJ, CROATIA

September 12, 2016

During breakfast time the ‘Tarin’ moved back in to the port of Novigrad and we commenced our cycling excursion southwards towards Porec and then beyond. The ride was mainly along the foreshore with few big hills to worry about. Instead of calling them 'small hills', the term our guide Vili (pronounced Willy) uses is we go up ‘ramps’. Needless to say even along the coast there were some quite appreciable ramps but nothing like we’d experienced yesterday.

For most of the way we were able to avoid using main roads and instead used the promenades provided for cyclists and pedestrians. In some sections the pathway was reduced to rocky roads and at one point we all had to dismount because the steepness and boulders in the road made it navigable only for mountain bike specialists.

We diverted from the intended path to visit Cape Velta where the view across to Novigrad was splendid with the colourful buildings of the town bathed in early morning sunlight.

For our morning break we stopped at Cervar-Porat and enjoyed ice-creams and coffee. With the summer and tourist season now over this popular tourist resort was practically deserted apart from a few stalwarts bathing in the rocky shoreline pools along the way.

Our next hour of travel towards Porec was through an extensive olive growing region with healthy trees on both sides covering an area of several square kilometres. The trees were loaded with green olives looking like they may be soon ready for picking. The harvesting is done by mechanical ‘shakers’ that grab the tree trunk and then rattle the olive tree vigorously and the olives collect on mats strategically placed beneath the tree.

We didn’t stop in Porec but kept going a further 3km south past ‘beaches’ (small rocky inlets and rocky slabs) to Zelena Laguna where the ‘Tarin’ was awaiting our arrival. We loaded up the bikes and had lunch on board while we steamed down to Rovinj (pronounced Rovinn)passing Vrsar and the Limski Channel we’d visited and ridden past two days ago. Our ride this day had covered only 34km and we were home early enough to have a relaxing afternoon to ourselves.

At Rovinj port Kuki our chef disembarked to go to the hospital for an x-ray on his foot that was injured last night whilst we were berthing.

The ‘Admiral’ then took the ‘Tarin’ out to a safe anchorage just near Rovinj where some swam in the clear waters whilst others rested.

At 18:00 after some anchor lifting issues we moved back into the central port area of Rovinj and docked near a cruise liner that is occupying the wharf space normally assigned for ‘Tarin’.

As we’d had a large luncheon on the boat earlier it was deemed that a very light snack for our evening meal was the order of the day. We wandered into the waterside tourist area of Rovinj and based on Vili’s advice had a meal in the Veli Joze restaurant where the décor looks like a nautical history and antique shop with ship’s binnacles, telegraphs, bells, wheels, ‘hard hat’ diving equipment plus numerous other bits and pieces on display. We enjoyed a light meal of fish soup and wine before heading back to the boat via a circuitous route through the back cobbled alleyways of Rovinj.

Tomorrow we spend the morning riding in this region of Istria and then have the later afternoon to explore this beautiful town at leisure.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 25, SEPTEMBER 30th, 2016 ROVINJ, CROATIA

September 11, 2016

This was to be our easiest cycling day with the total distance travelled being only 20km and this was along mostly level seashore paths.

From Rovinj we followed the waterfront southwards past the open air market and on to the marina which appeared to be jam packed with large and very expensive yachts and cruisers. The Maserati and the Ferrari plus the numerous luxury BMWs and Mercedes in the adjacent car park gave a hint that this is a rich person’s playground. We rode around Zlatni Point and then further south through a parkland area and past a nudist campground that was empty.

Riding through camping area, near Rovinj

Our travels ended at a extensive caravan park right on the water’s edge where many of the motor homes were huge and seemed mostly to belong to German retirees enjoying the Adriatic coast now that the tourist masses have departed.

On our return journey to the boat we stopped at one of the very few seaside cafes which was open and had a coffee while some of our fellow cyclists had a swim.

As an interesting and highly informative interlude we then sat along the foreshore wall and our cycling guides Vili and Ina gave us an hour’s ‘lesson’ on the history of Croatia and its language. They did a wonderful job using both German and English in explaining the structure of the Croatian alphabet and they helped us with the pronunciation of common words and expressions. The history segment was from 1000BC up to the Balkan civil wars.

We arrived back at the boat at 13:00 and had lunch which included dragon fish which was very tasty indeed!

After lunch we walked around to the antique market and then walked up to the hilltop location of St. Euphemia’s Church hoping to climb the Bell Tower but unfortunately it had closed for the day at 15:00. The view of Rovinj from the hill summit was panoramic and magnificent. A wedding party had gathered outside the church and meanwhile a baptism was happening inside the church. We found St. Euphemia’s sarcophagus (see more below) in the apse behind the right altar.

St. Euphemia’s sarcophagus, St. Euphemia’s Church

Rovinj is regarded as the pearl of Istria and has been a favoured tourist destination for many Europeans. In early times it was a favourite of the Venetians and the wealthy classes in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nowadays it becomes overwhelmed with visitors during summer months whereas in winter it is practically deserted. We are lucky to be experiencing summer weather and yet relatively few tourists.

Rovinj was originally an island inhabited since the Bronze Age or earlier but in 1763 the isthmus between the island and the mainland was filled in and the town grew to well beyond the city wall. Rovinj became a major ship building, fishing, trading and stone exporting town with its quality marble and limestone used to build parts of Venice and other nearby cities.

After 1813 Rovinj came under Austrian rule having previously been controlled by Venice and even Napoleon for a brief period.

Apart from the amazing architecture evident throughout this city, the structure that captures one’s imagination above all else is St. Euphemia’s Church. One of its more notable features is the bell tower modelled on that of St. Mark’s in Venice. St. Euphemia stands atop of the bell tower as a weather vane. The original and much smaller church on this site was built in the 10th century and then it was completely rebuilt in 1725.

The story of St. Euphemia is intriguing. Born in Chalcedon she was the daughter of a 3rd century (AD) Roman Senator and believed in the Christian God. Because of her failure to worship the Roman Gods she was tortured by beating and stretching (being put on the ‘wheel’) and then sacrificed to lions in a Roman amphitheatre. The myth goes that the lions just licked her skin and showed no aggression towards her (a miracle!). As a martyr, St. Euphemia’s relics were placed in a golden sarcophagus and later transferred to Constantinople. In the 7th century Iconoclasts dumped her reliquary into the sea and part of her remains ended up washing ashore in a marble sarcophagus at Rovinj (another miracle!). For the strong fishermen who found the sarcophagus it was too heavy to move but a small boy and two calves towed it up the steep hill to the church where it remains today (a further miracle!).

In the late afternoon we joined a guided tour of the old city of Rovinj and walked along the original area that divided Rovinj from the mainland. After passing one of the old city gates we ventured further uphill past the point where Euphemia’s sarcophagus had supposedly washed ashore. Passing Euphemia’s Church in near darkness we then ventured downhill through the artists’ quarter of Grisa where paintings, jewellery, clothing and all types of souvenir items were on display.

After this two hour tour which was mostly in German we then gathered for an evening meal in a downtown Rovinj restaurant after which we headed back to the ‘Tarin’ for rest.

Tomorrow will be our last day’s bike riding on this trip and we are already feeling sad that this wonderful experience has to come to an end. It has been totally brilliant!

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 26, OCTOBER 1st, 2016 ROVINJ – PULA, CROATIA

September 10, 2016

We awoke to find that there was swell pushing into the Rovinj Harbour on the western approach so the Admiral moved the ‘Tarin’ around to the protected inside marina and then after a delayed breakfast we headed for Fažana which is about 25 km south of Rovinj.

The day’s bike ride started a bit later than we’d planned due to there being some delay in receiving the berthing permission from the Fažana Harbour Master.

We rode a gentle three or four kilometres to Peroj and then climbed steadily for the next 5km arriving at Vodnjan our morning coffee destination. The town has grand Venetian and Baroque architecture with narrow limestone paved streets and multi-coloured shuttered on curved buildings that often follow the contour of the streets. The narrowness of the alleyways is partly to moderate hot summers and icy winters for the houses and to minimise wind flow past the homes.

The neo-Baroque Parish Church of St. Blaise was built between 1760 and 1808 and is the largest parish church in Istria with a 25m high dome and a 62m high bell tower once again modelled on the Piazza San Marco tower in Venice. Hidden behind the main altar in a dimly lit curtained area we discovered six glass cases containing the intact bodies of six saints the oldest being St. Leon Bembo who died in 1188. One of the mummies is of Sr. Nicolosa Bursa a Benedictine nun who died in Venice in 1512. The bodies are clothed and although the skin has darkened their desiccated flesh gives them a grotesque appearance. The mummies were brought here from Venice in 1818. In total the church holds 370 relics belonging to 250 different saints!

After a coffee we wandered through the back alleys of this sleepy little village and admired the stone structures and the colours of the concrete rendered buildings. The dominant colours seem to be Venetian red (more a burgundy colour really), buttercup yellow, orange and blue.

Before leaving Vodnjan we rode a short way out of the town to view some intriguing stone structures called Kazun. These are dry stone circular buildings somewhat like a yurt but with a conical stone roof. They provided shelter for shepherds and peasants and were common in the late 18th century when farmers were clearing their land of rocks and stones in order to make the ground arable and viable for olive groves.

We then had a speedy downhill ride back to Fažana for a lunch break and some had a swim. Fažana is an important port for olive oil distribution, fishing and for access to the nearby Brijuni Islands. These islands are now a national park but in times past provided a popular holiday location for the ‘famous’ like George Bernard Shaw, Arch Duke Ferdinand and President Tito who entertained kings, queens, famous politicians and film stars at his exclusive summer home on the main island.

The town of Fazana has an impressively built breakwater/groyne that extends out to sea for about 150m and is constructed from neatly placed rectangular blocks of limestone that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. In a side street we discovered a wood turner and carver whose displayed work was quite magnificent. He works with timbers similar in appearance to those used by Tasmanian artisans.

From then on it was about a 12km fairly flat ride following the coast for most of the way down to Pula. The last few kilometres before entering Pula were alongside a disused military base that housed thousands of troops and equipment prior to the Second World War.

At Pula we rejoiced and had final group photos with our bikes that had been so significant to us for these last seven days. The 240km bike trip was suddenly over.

At our last dinner on the boat we all expressed our gratitude to the crew and our two guides for their outstanding efforts over this last week. Without doubt our whole group of seventeen riders has had a truly fantastic cycling tour of the Istrian peninsula.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 27, OCTOBER 2nd, 2016 PULA, CROATIA

September 09, 2016

During the night there was a significant change in the weather and we awoke to find heavy rain and very miserable conditions indeed. The locals assured us that this rainstorm would pass and that by late afternoon it would clear.

After an early breakfast we said farewell to Willy and our German and Swiss cycling friends of whom three couples were to drive the 1000km or more to their homes taking several days to do it.

We packed our bags and vacated our cabins leaving our luggage on the ‘Tarin’ to collect later if and when the rain eased. We headed off in raincoats to find the bus station to check that our travel plans for tomorrow morning are in order. With this confirmed we headed into Pula’s old town to find it practically deserted and the streets awash. We had coffees under the protection of a canvas awning and then decided that we needed more cover from the weather so we ventured into the small Café Uliks which is tucked in a corner behind the Sergius Arch. The café has a larger than life-sized bronze sculpture of James Joyce outside its front door and inside it has some photos and memorabilia of Joyce’s time in Pula.

Our Aussie group with hot chocolates at James Joyce Cafe, Pula

With the rain having now abated a little we ventured back to the ‘Tarin’ and said our last goodbyes to the Admiral, Ina and Kuki before collecting our bags and walking up to the Scaletta Hotel where we’re staying tonight.

In the mid-afternoon the rain ceased as predicted and in semi-sunshine we wandered back down into the city centre of Pula and bought some provisions and liquid refreshments. We also ventured beyond the normal tourist zone and discovered the large market square. Although being Sunday it was devoid of activity.

Back at the Scaletta we had a gin and tonic with our Irish cycling friend Richard who is staying in the same hotel and then we all walked to the nearby Peekaboo pizza restaurant for an evening meal. The choice of pizzas included one with a healthy sprinkling of truffle pieces. This one proved to be very popular as was the selection of local wines.

Before heading for bed we all said farewell to Richard who is to leave very early tomorrow before breakfast. Our close contact riding with him over this last week or so has resulted in a friendship developing that we hope can continue. As an international pilot there’s a chance he may get to visit us all in Australia or maybe for us to visit him in Dublin.

Tomorrow morning the six of us board a public bus at 10:00 and head for the Plitvice Lakes and Waterfalls; a further adventure in this amazing and much unknown part of the world.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 28, OCTOBER 3rd, 2016 PULA - PLITVICE, CROATIA

September 08, 2016

To our group, the Scaletti Hotel was much more like a friendly B&B and when we had to leave in the morning after a lovely breakfast it was like saying farewell to family friends.

The weather was not looking settled so to avoid getting wet we quickly walked the 500m to the bus depot nearby to await the 10:00 bus to Karlovac.

Soon after it arrived and we were on our way it started pouring and it rained continuously for the next three hours. The road we followed with its numerous tunnels was almost the same one we’d travelled upon a week ago although it was now exceedingly wet and enshrouded in cloud whereas previously our path had been sunny and hot. The other noticeable change was that the forests were much more obvious in their yellow, orange and bronze autumn colours than they’d been nine day’s ago.

On arrival at Karlovac we found ourselves abandoned at an old and unclean bus depot with two hours to fill in before our next bus. We found a café bar within the bus precinct and sat outside under awnings where there wasn’t too much cigarette smoke and waited for our next bus through to the Plitvice Lakes National Park.

The bus duly arrived at the appointed hour and in cloudy and occasionally sunny conditions we left the dreary and dismal town of Karlovac and headed south towards Plitvice.

The road we followed passed through small farming villages and then dense forest areas with the terrain becoming steeper the further we travelled. After skirting along the edge of some deep valleys below we finally reached our terminus and we were pleased to find Zoran awaiting our arrival at the bus stop. He and his associate then transported us some 10km to our accommodation at Villa Plitvice lodge. The units we are in are new and delightfully warm, comfortable and clean.

There is a small family operated restaurant just 50m over the back lawn from our units and this is where we ventured for pre-dinner drinks and dinner. The friendly proprietor plied us with slivovitz and enormous amounts of delicious food including trout and other local delicacies. A most enjoyable evening was had by all despite the dramatic change in weather we’d all experienced during the past few days. We were now wearing jumpers and long trousers for the first time since leaving Australia.

Pre dinner drinks at restaurant, Plitvice Lakes

Tomorrow if the weather is kind to us we will explore this beautiful lake region with its glorious forests and numerous waterfalls. Its fame as a region of natural beauty has us excited with expectation.

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 29, OCTOBER 4th, 2016 PLITVICE LAKES NATIONAL PARK, CROATIA

September 07, 2016

As a matter of extraordinary luck, after a day of rain we awoke to a blue cloudless sky and perfect conditions for our day in the Plitvice Lakes National Park.

We ventured across the lawn for breakfast with our friendly restaurateur who immediately offered us slivovitz with our coffees. It made us imagine a new Kelloggs cereal line called “schnapps, crackle and pop!”

With several locals offering slightly differing instructions as to the best way to see the park we ended up being a little confused as to the preferred route. As it turned out it made no difference anyway as no matter whichever direction you head you are in a visual paradise.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s best known and most visited natural attraction. It covers an area of nearly 300km2 and entails 16 lakes cascading from the highest one at 637m through a fabulous sequence of gushing waterfalls to the lowest lake at 502m. To add to this amazing sight, the lakes are set in deep forests which we were told are inhabited by bears and wolves although we saw no hint of such wild-life.

Being autumn the beech, maple and holm oaks were at their colourful best with the forests around the lakes being a dazzling mixture of green, red, yellow, orange and bronze foliage. To add to the spectacle, yesterday’s rain had increased the water flow over the cascades and had left the leaves wet and in the morning sunshine the glistening colours were glorious.

After purchasing our entry tickets we headed for Veliki Slap which is the biggest waterfall in the park with a fall of 70m. Wooden paths meander along the river banks and in many places between the lakes the water flow splits into smaller streams all of which involve beautiful cascades into crystal clear pools inhabited by thousands of fish (carp) ranging in size from hatchlings to 30cm adults.

We climbed from the river up to a road where we caught a road train that transported us to the highest lake, Proscansko Jezero where the cascades commence. In glorious sunshine we followed a trail for about four kilometres and there were barely a few metres when we were not adjacent to a waterfall of some size. Most falls were only drops of 5-10m but they were frequently split into multiple cascades producing divided water curtains along a mossy bank.

The water is unbelievably clear due to the mosses and algae absorbing the calcium from the water and depositing it as white calciferous layer on the bottom and on submerged tree trunks and roots in the small ponds that interconnect the lakes.

The effect of wandering through this aquatic wonderland is hard to explain but it is akin to euphoria. The amount of moving water, the crystal clarity and the pale blue, emerald green and turquoise colours of the water make for a magic scene. In places the lakes seem as still and reflective as a mirror and elsewhere they run rapidly frothing through gullies and shooting out from fissures in the rocks. At one spot a stream that had divided from the main flow disappeared into a hole in the rocks at the base of a beech tree.

With this visual overload and boundless splendour we eventually decided it was time to stop for a brief lunch break and reflect on our luck with the weather and the idyllic conditions prevailing. The number of visitors to the park today was not so great that one felt uncomfortable and in many places along the pathway we were the only people to be seen. With there being thirty or so kilometres of paths around the lakes and three separate entry points it makes for minimal congestion even when large bus-loads of tourists arrive.

In the later afternoon we caught a mini-ferry (there were several) that took us the length of Lake Kozjak back to where we’d started this wonderful journey some seven hours earlier.

For our evening meal we went to another restaurant associated with a small hotel next door. The food, wine, service and décor were all first class and despite the comparatively expensive meal we were all very pleased to have had this as a special final night as the six Aussies together until next time we gather in some unlikely corner of this planet. In addition we had a somewhat pre-emptory celebration of Chris’ birthday which occurs next week when we’ll all be in different countries.

As the final part of our Croatian holiday one must say that this visitation to Plitvice Lakes National Park has been an event that we’ll remember for many a year: yes, a truly spectacular day!

EASTERN EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 30, OCTOBER 5th, 2016 PLITVICE - ZAGREB, CROATIA

September 06, 2016

Often one hears the statement that “it’s a small world” and on this morning it proved to be case once again. It happened that friends of Chris and Diana were not just staying in the same small hillside village as us but they were accommodated in Villa Plitvice Lodge too. We all had breakfast together and then it was time for us to head for the bus.

Zoran and his associate drove the six of us 15km from Villa Plitvice Lodge near gate 3 back to gate 1 and dropped us off at the bus stop. We waited in sunny but quite cold conditions for our bus and in the meantime we watched busloads upon busloads of tourists arrive and unload just nearby to gain access to the Plitvice Lakes National Park through gate 1. As was the case yesterday we were astounded to see the number of people with dogs entering the park. On the comparatively narrow walkways these dogs, even on leads pose a considerable risk to safe passage.

Although fifteen minutes late, eventually our bus to Zagreb arrived and we headed north through Slunj to Karlovac, the unimpressive town we’d visited two day’s ago. After three hours of travelling we arrived at the bus depot in south eastern Zagreb.

Zagreb, the capital of Croatia has a population of just over a million and is situated between the north bank of the Sava River and the mountains behind that form the border with Slovenia. Zagreb is a sprawling city, its suburbs filled with high-rise apartment blocks that look singularly uninspiring. Sadly, graffiti on many buildings is all too commonplace. Although our bus travel skirted the heart of the city we could see some hints of the Kaptol in the partly scaffolded twin spires of the cathedral.

We then said farewell to Chris and Diana as they head to Venice today whilst we are staying overnight in Zagreb.

The four of us then caught a bus to Zagreb Airport and arranged for a shuttle to take us to our hotel nearby called ‘Cool Rooms’. The hotel is small but new and very comfortable. The hotel’s daily tariff being €45 seems very reasonable in comparison to some of our previous accommodation charges.

After a quick surveillance of the neighbourhood we discovered a corner store and bought provisions for a late lunch which we consumed back in our hotel room. In the evening we had a pleasant meal in a nearby restaurant where apart from two others we were the only dinner guests.

As John and Janet leave tomorrow morning at 05:15 we said our farewells tonight wishing them well for their onward journey to Austria.

We too leave Croatia tomorrow and fly at 08:35 to Copenhagen and then change flights to travel down to Düsseldorf to stay with Edel. We are so excited to be catching up with Edel after all these years.

Our Eastern European holiday has come to an end and without doubt it has been an utterly fantastic adventure encompassing different cultures, amazing architecture, fascinating history and spectacular scenery experienced with wonderful friends in extraordinarily good weather conditions.

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 31, OCTOBER 6th, 2016 ZAGREB, CROATIA – DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY

September 05, 2016

We arrived at the Zagreb airport at 07:00 and our checking in went wonderfully smoothly with our bags being checked through to Düsseldorf even though the second leg of the flight was with a different company. However, the customs officers were very officious and grumpy and made us remove cameras and lenses from our camera bag and then x-rayed then separately. There were no smiles to be seen so it was nice to get through and continue on our way.

The flight to Copenhagen was on a Fokker 100 and took about three hours. On arrival we had a very long walk from the end of one long arm of terminal D to the furthest end of terminal B. Despite the short time interval between flights we were soon on our way to Düsseldorf on a Bombardier plane with a flight time of eighty minutes. Incidentally there was no security check on transiting passengers.

Düsseldorf airport is the third largest in Germany after Munich and Frankfurt and our luggage was to be collected from carousel 19 involving another major hike but luck was on our side as our bags were first off!

Within a minute we’d found Edel and there were many, many hugs and kisses after us not having seen each other for so long.

Edel drove us to her home in Hilden which is a town of around 25 thousand people about half an hour’s drive south of Düsseldorf. Edel’s house is effectively four storeys if you include the basement that she is presently having developed as a self-contained flat to lease out.

Our bedroom is on the top floor which is like an attic with one sloping wall along the roofline making it very cosy and comfy.

We then spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and reminiscing of our families, travels, Edel’s work and especially the wonderful times with Uwe which meant sad and emotional moments as well as very happy times too.

Before dinner, we went for a walk through the forest near Edel’s house. It is a very pleasant area with paths for people to walk, run, cycle and ride horses. We also came across a dressage arena where riders and horses were training.

We returned to Edel’s house to have a celebratory drink and prepare a meal. The night was made even more joyous as Edel’s and Uwe’s son Max joined us for dinner. Max is a delightful young man and we had a very pleasant evening together. For dessert Max used Edel’s Thermomix to make a chocolate mousse which took him only a few minutes to prepare and tasted superb.

By 23:00 we were all exhausted and headed for bed after a day of protracted travel followed by lots of catching up.

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 32, OCTOBER 7th, 2016 DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY

September 04, 2016

As we were not under any great pressure or time constraints we had a leisurely start to the day with breakfast and coffees lingering on until well after 09:00.

The weather looked a bit miserable initially and the hint of a slight drizzle further delayed our plans to head into Düsseldorf for a day’s sight seeing.

Eventually in warm jackets and raincoats at hand Edel drove us into Düsseldorf central and we parked in an underground car park, with the entrance from inside a tunnel.

We walked through the old part of the town with its pedestrian mall making for easy movement free from traffic and noise. We then headed along the embankment of the Rhine watching the long freighter boats heading in both directions with the upstream vessels having to work hard against the strong current. The embankment used to be a highway but now the road is underground and the Rhine’s riverbank is a tourist area with restaurants, shops and open garden spaces. Close by is a church with a tall spire that is not symmetrical. It was damaged initially by a fire and when repaired it was made too heavy and it twisted into an uneven cone. It was decided to reinforce the structure and leave it with this aberration which has now become a landmark point of interest.

After some coffee and exotic fruit infusion teas we went to the 168m high observation deck of the Düsseldorf communication tower. The weather had now improved with patches of sunshine and the panoramic view from the tower was magnificent with us being able to see as far south as Cologne. The scene below us was like viewing a ‘Legoland’ town with everything in miniature. Some of the newest buildings in the city close by were designed by the renowned architect Frank O Gehry. One of his creations involved a multi-storey building clad in curved shiny mirror like panels.

Corinne & Edel in Lowensenf mustard shop

Another building had giant multi-coloured geckos (flossies – flossy is German for flipper) attached to its outside; striking if not a little bizarre.

A visit to an open market area was productive as we bought food for tonight’s dinner as well as enjoying the strolling amongst extensive benches of fruit, vegetables, flowers and meats.

After a day of sight seeing in Düsseldorf where we’d walked about eight kilometres we were starting to tire and thus we decided to head back to the car.

On our way back to Hilden we bought some beer and tonic water in readiness for a well-earned beer and/or G&T.

Edel has been a wonderful guide and we’ve so enjoyed this day’s visit to her city. It certainly has changed a great deal since we were last here in 1986. The city has altered roads and improved public transport dramatically in an effort to make the centre and the Rhine embankment more people friendly.

We then enjoyed a typical German meal of bratwurst sausages, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and mustard bought from the mustard shop and museum.

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 33, OCTOBER 8th, 2016 DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY

September 03, 2016

Max arrived at 09:00 with a selection of warm breads and croissants from a nearby bakery. For breakfast we had the breads with meats and a selection of nice cheeses complemented by excellent coffee; that being a typical German start to the day.

Max then drove us to Oberhausen to see a photographic exhibition called “The Wonders of Nature”. The exhibition is in a 100m high gasometer that has been converted into a three storey gallery and concert hall. Its quite amazing to see how an ugly industrial tower has now become such a splendid facility used for concerts and exhibitions.

The photographic work on display was phenomenal in both quality and quantity. There were two floors of photographs within the 65m diameter circular tower. Each photographic exhibit was the same in size, namely large format (2.5m x 1.5m) and was suspended by thin wires and lit from strategically placed spotlights in the ceiling. The whole area was dark except for the beautifully lit colour photographs. Each photograph had another photograph on the back of the suspended display board. To supplement the images there were also some short video ‘clips’ of plants and animals many of which were from well-known natural science series such as “Planet Earth”.

The photographers were internationally prominent people many of whom work commercially for facilities such as National Geographic and the BBC. The work of Heidi and Hans-Jurgen Koch featured prominently and was stunningly beautiful.

The photos were from all over the world and ranged from wildlife scenery to microphotography. In some instances the images were obtained using electron microscopy. Each photo had a detailed description in German and English of the subject matter.

Paintings, Wonders of Nature exhibition, Gasometer, Oberhausen

The range of subject matter was extensive but the one theme throughout was the miracle of life on our planet. Many of the photos themselves were miracles with ‘pin-sharp’ and incredibly detailed images of birds, chameleons, alligators, snakes, fish and insects often in dramatic action shots involving feeding, fighting, flying, sexual rituals and giving birth, all emphasising the richness of social relations and the ability to coexist with other species.

Amongst the myriad of around 150 spectacular photographs were a number of underwater shots of colourful reefs, turtles, copepods and sea-jellies from tropical locations including Sipadan and Raja Ampat.

When we moved to the third level of the gasometer exhibition tower we encountered the climax of the exhibition which was the ‘Earth’ itself. In the dark gigantic interior is a 20m diameter globe hovering in the 100m high air space. Moving, high-resolution satellite images, accurate in every detail are projected onto the globe from hidden locations within the vast emptiness. The effect is one that astronauts must experience when returning from afar. Visitors are encouraged to lie down on cushions in the darkened theatre and watch as the Earth moves through various day and seasonal changes.

Globe of the Earth, Wonders of Nature exhibition, Gasometer, Oberhausen

Globe of the Earth from above, Wonders of Nature exhibition, Gasometer

The sequences show the rotation of the Earth and the changes from night to day and the world’s weather patterns through cloud formation and movement. The polar ice changes shown over an extended period are dramatic too.

We then went the very top of the gasometer tower in the glass-elevator and took in the panoramic view of Düsseldorf and its surrounding towns. The tower is close to an industrial area and former coal mining region hence the old gasometer for storing ‘coal gas’.

In the late afternoon we went for a walk with Edel through parklands and beech and oak forests near her home and although the air was cold the sun on the autumn colours made for a delightful evening stroll.

After dinner we walked to visit Edel’s friends, Uta and Klaus Rudolph who live a few streets away. We enjoyed cocktails and wine together with lots of chatter and merriment. We’re planning on a trip with them tomorrow to visit Cologne (German: Köln). This was a late night for us as we didn’t get to bed until after 01:00.

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAY 34, OCTOBER 9th, 2016 DÜSSELDORF - COLOGNE, GERMANY

September 02, 2016

After a late breakfast Klaus and Uta arrived and we all travelled in Klaus’ new Tesla car to Cologne which is about 60km south of Hilden. Our travel on the auto-bahn was fast with the Tesla able to accelerate impressively and our top speed often above 150km/h. Instead of braking normally the car converts kinetic energy to electrical energy through an alternator and recharges the battery in doing so. The car can travel up to 400km between charges depending on the driving mode. High energy consumption occurs when the car accelerates dramatically such as his can; 0 – 100km/h in just over four seconds.

Despite some road works causing diversions we eventually found the car park in Cologne that we wanted with its E-car charging point. Klaus used his phone to find a code and then plugged in even though his batteries had sufficient to get us home later.

Klaus organising Tesla recharge at e-car charging station

Final display, Tesla e-car charging station, Cologne

We walked into the old part of town and visited the Kolumba Museum. This museum gives an insight to the city’s history of two thousand years as a memorial landscape. One major exhibition room houses Roman ruins on which are the ruins of the Church of St. Kolumba. Other rooms have modern art and minimalist exhibits which were less interesting. More of interest were the recovered gargoyles and angelic carvings from the nearby cathedral. The amount of atmospheric pollution has caused such damage that they’ve been removed and stored internally within the museum and the replaced with replicas that are acid rain resistant.

Recovered carving from the Cathedral, Kolumba Museum

We spent some time in the Cologne Cathedral. This Gothic masterpiece is world renowned for its splendour and complexity of design. Its construction commenced in 1248. Many additions to the cathedral have continued since and now the whole complex in its vastness is undergoing refurbishment to overcome the effects of time in a polluted world.

View of the Cathedral from Kolumba Museum, Cologne

The cathedral has much to enthral with such spectacles as the wonderful stained glass windows, floor mosaics, symbolic gilded rods, smaller chapels, epitaphs to past Archbishops, the Miraculous Picture of the Virgin and the Shrine of the Three Magi. The intricacy of the cathedral doors is beyond easy description but fascinating in its complexity of detail.

Stained glass window, Inside The Cathedral, Cologne

After this we walked along the banks of the Rhine and stopped for coffees and a special local beer called Gaffel Kolsch brew. It was very nice with a strong hop taste but you have to put a coaster on top of your beer glass to cover it otherwise they will keep filling it!

Statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III, Cologne

Buildings on banks of the Rhine, Cologne

We then had dinner in a Lebanese Restaurant in the old part of Cologne and it served as a preliminary celebration of Uta’s birthday which is tomorrow.

We then headed back to collect Klaus’ car which had added 58 kW h of energy during the afternoon.

Back in Hilden we talked for a short while and then headed for bed after a great day’s visiting the famous city of Cologne.

Later tomorrow we start our long journey home at the conclusion of this wonderful adventure.

EUROPEAN ADVENTURE DAYS 35 – 37, OCTOBER 10th – 12th, 2016 DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY – HOBART, AUSTRALIA

September 01, 2016

We spent some of the morning finalising our packing and then Edel took us to the reasonably nearby Benrath Palace (Schloss Benrath).

This is a Baroque style palace that now forms part of the borough of Düsseldorf. It was built for Elector Palatine Charles Theodor between 1755 and 1770. The main building is decorated with elaborate white window frames and ornate skylights and with the pale pink walls which give the effect of a magnificently iced cake. The palace is flanked by two arched symmetrical wings which originally housed the servants but now are museums of horticulture and natural history.

A large circular pond is directly in front of the palace and behind is a 300m long rectangular ‘mirror’ pond, home to many swans and geese.

The palace is surrounded by a large park originally intended as a hunting area. The fifty hectare park has a circular central garden and radiating from this are four main alleys with interconnecting paths through gardens. One alley way leads directly from the palace to the banks of the Rhine.

Flower garden, Benrath Palace, Dusseldorf

Bee on flower, Flower garden, Benrath Palace, Dusseldorf

One of the other buildings, the so-called Alte Orangerie is now used for community activities and behind it is a delightful flower garden set out in a typically ‘old-world’ fashion with box hedges, fountains and a maze of paths amongst the flower beds.

At 17:30 Edel dropped us off at the Hilden South train station and after a very teary goodbye we headed for the Düsseldorf airport.

Our Airbus A 380 800 plane left at 21:30 and we arrived at Dubai six hours later. After a four hour stop-over in Dubai airport we boarded another Emirates A 380 and arrived in Melbourne some 13 hours later, it now being early Wednesday morning. Tuesday had been pretty much a non-event as far as we were concerned.

After a very short wait in Melbourne we were on our way to Hobart arriving at just on 09:30. Tim, our next door neighbour very kindly offered to pick us up and soon we were home and ready to rest after about 33 hours of travel.

Our holiday was made up of four distinct periods namely our time in Budapest, then our G Adventures travel through some of the former Yugoslavian states, next our Istrian Peninsula cycling and boating trip and finally our four days with Edel in Germany.

We have had an absolutely wonderful time and met so many lovely and interesting people and to cap it off we’ve had the best weather possible with only one wet day and even this occurred while we were on a bus for most of the day.

We are indebted to our travelling companions and all those who helped make this experience one that we’ll always remember very fondly.

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