Wurzburg, as seen from the Autobahn service station.
Slipping & Sliding at Tuhelj; I had no peace from Hannah till I took the plunge!
A typical Naive piece of
Artwork.
By the daily market.
One of the pools.
A church in the Zagorge.
A Campanile – Rab.
Great version of Del Shannon’s ” Runaway”!
Taking a taxi boat to Rab Town,from the campsite.
Fish BBQ on site.
After a 2500 mile journey,some respite was needed; thought gathering.We all enjoyed the trip, through a somewhat dreary Belgium,onward along Germany’s reliable Autobahns – all toll free.The scenic journey through Austria,having purchased a Vignette at the border.Some inexpensive tolls in beautiful Slovenia and similarly in Croatia. We crossed dramatic viaducts and passed through many tunnels,where a five mile length was not unusual!
The picture above is a view of Wurzburg,Southern Germany.
Although we had a destination in mind,in Istria – Rovinj – we never knew where we might be stopping each night.That is one of the benefits of this mode of travel; we stayed in some memorable places.Sobec in Slovenia, on our second night, for example,near Lake Bled.Two rivers bordered the site and there was also the opportunity for lake swimming.It typified an important aspect of Slovenian culture – outdoor activities of every kind were available. But my favourite was watching the wild bird life with a glass of wine in hand!
Porton Biondi Autocamp in Rovinj was a gem.Across from a beach and a pleasant walk into the town, with it’s revered Venetian architecture and quiet alleyways,albeit being thronged with visitors. We always use the local markets for shopping and bought some great fish,locally caught.
The city is dominated by the church of St Euphemia, whose relics are contained therein.The story of her arrival there rivalled that of St James to Santiago de Compostella – a book here? “Great Christian Fables”.Despite its popularity,Rovinj still has the characteristics of a working town ; especially its fishing industry.And a great band on the beach!
All too soon it was time to move on down the Kvarner Gulf,along the Magistral,the coastal highway to Take a ferry to Rab Island.Less than 15 minutes to cross over to this much feted destination.
Another good campsite, a sandy beach,rare in Croatia and a great choice of Bars, restaurants etc; the town is dominated by its four Campaniles , many tiny alleyways to explore and a variety of religious sites.Touristy but subtle and preservative of its heritage. Another week passed by and it was then time to make for a change of scene in Northern Croatia, 25 miles North of the Capital,Zagreb.
This is region of Spas and we found ourselves on a tiny campsite ,in Terme Tuhelj,the Zagorje Region.There were a number of Permanent caravan style lodges on the site and the regulars were very friendly.However, the contrast of our rustic retreat with the Well Hotel complex, of which it was an unlikely facet, could not have been greater.dsA short walk from the Site gate took you to the Pool complex, the like and magnitude of which I had never seen, was something to behold.A number of outdoor and indoor facilities, all with sun beds; opportunities for every kind of massage ,thermal experiences etc; We were given wristbands, as part of our welcome,of which we took full advantage.
Despite the numbers of guests and visitors , it was relatively peaceful.Croatians seem to have this innate ability to enjoy themselves quietly, without the crass behaviour I have witnessed by swimming pools in France & Italy. Although we had a memorable time on the visits,I particularly enjoyed this last part of the holiday.The gentle hills as a backdrop,with views of tiny church towers , were picture perfect.
We took Hannah for a day in Zagreb; a city we had visited on a previous tour and one that is a favourite. Really good local transport, a compact “Old Town” and more museums and galleries than you can count.Rarely visited by the British, it is a captivating place.
we enjoyed strolling along Tkalciceva Ulica, a pedestrianised line of bars and cafes.We revisited the Gallery of Naive Art, to enjoy new collections of paintings by untutored,local artists. This is only a series of snapshots of the Croatia Trip.With its fascinating history, range of sites and scenery, value for money and hospitality,Croatia is one of the most fascinating countries.
PS, almost got to grips with this updated version of WordPress.
A typical Naive piece of
Artwork.
Tags: caption, Croatia
I was frustrated the other evening, trying to put together a few thoughts on the past three weeks or so. Having written a paragraph, it just disappeared ; am I not au fait with this”upgrade”, or is it too quick for its own good? This time I’ ll go backwards in time & see if it works out. Today was a picnic at The National Trust site,Baddesley Clinton, with Tom,Vickee, Jude and Martha; we enjoyed a peaceful walk around the estate, followed by a picnic – the ducks left us alone for the most part! Super weather ; idyllic place.
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