.: dobar dan, Istrien :.

After crossing a good deal of Austria, the expanse of Slovenia and coming within a stone’s throw of Italy by the Bay of Trieste, we finally arrived in Croatia.  We began our adventures on the northern peninsula that dips into the arm of the Adriatic Sea on the eastern shores of the Italian peninsula, which forms a delta-shaped region.  We first stopped in an ancient town called Rovinj and set up camp on a wooded campgrounds that faced the majestic city from across the waters.  I

t was the perfect introduction to the land and culture, and we took our time to explore the old sea-front and well-preserved town.  Though many breath-taking routes hug the coast and we cruised along many such roads, it was also fascinating to take the inland paths, in order to admire the natural scenery and how the population of scrub and bush, usually neatly cordoned off by low stone walls that partitioned up the arable lands and forest for forgotten owners.  

We came to the ruins of the double fortress of Dvigrad before continuing on to the Roman outpost of Pula on the southern tip of Istria.  The town boasts an amphitheater complex, which although only the sixth largest, was impressive nonetheless.  The arena once held 23 000 spectators for gladiatorial games has a smaller seating capacity of 5 000 now but is still used as a venue for concerts.  

Further in town, there was an equally impressive ensemble of ancient buildings, including a temple to Jupiter and an archeological site still being discovered beneath a more modern (relatively) fortification that dominated the city.  We camped in view of an archipelago of islands jutting into the sea at Premantura.  In the morning, we ventured out on to the stony beach, our tender feet aching a little later despite caution steps before rounding the peninsula.  

We looked around the traditional fishing village of Luca Krnicki and took a detour to quiet Barban before boarding the ferry at Bresova to explore the major islands of the Kvarner Bay.  The short ferry trip deposited us on the Isle of Cres, and we drove this this arid though somehow lush landscape to the isthmus, aided by a draw-bridge that connects this island with Losinj, and camped there just after the former capital of Osor.  

The next morning we explored Osor, unchanged basically since it was demoted as the capital city of Cres—in favor of Cres Town, in the sixteenth century and headed towards the southern main city of Mali Losinj, doubling back to stay along the narrow strait at Poljana, straddling the sea east and west.  

We had fascinating drive, watching the landscape and vegetation change under the hot Mediterranean sun, the temperature reaching 34 degrees and we got relief in the warm waters.  

We stopped at the pirate town of Lubenice, perched high on a cliff with the crystal blue waters of the sea lapping below, which has some three millennia of history.  On the north-eastern shore of Cres at Merag, we took a ferry ride to the Isle of Krk—and we are still unsure how to pronounce this tongue-twister (we also passed a placed called "Vrd").  

We explored the stronghold of the City of Krk, with the footprints of several civilizations, including the Roman and the Venetian naval powers and marveled at the old castle and fortress.  Late in the afternoon, beat down by the sun, with only a slight reprieve from the dry Bora winds, we took a campsite on a nearby beach—ready for further adventures.