Another Croatian Seaside Port- Rovinj to Pula

​We reluctantly say goodbye to picture perfect Rovinj. 


After leaving the city limits we reach a pedestrian cycling only path that clings to the sea.  The Adriatic Sea is so inviting and the path is lined with what looks like some kind of red pine giving us cool shade for many miles. 


Most of the day is right on the sea’s edge with a few deviations slightly inland.  



We take a dirt road that is very pleasant with a few puddles from yesterday’s deluge.  We come across a rider who tells us it is too muddy to continue.  He looks at Diane and I and says , I don’t want to insult you but I think the path ahead is too muddy.  It is probably alright for you ( then looking at Al and Jim) but you (looking at the females again) might lose your balance in the mud and fall.  We chat a bit further and waiver on whether to push onward into potential danger or to turn back and find another route.  We agree let’s try it. It turned out to be nothing and we had a lot of laughs about his macho attitude towards the fair sex.  

We stop for a lunch break in Fazana and then head into the final stretch to Pula. 

Pula is a very active port city with a large busy ship harbor and some nearby industry.  It isn’t the picture perfect Rovinj that we just left.  It is a bit more rough and tumble but it is full of its own charms and a lot of history. 


Temple of Augustus which is one of the most intact temples of this era outside Italy. 


All kinds of Roman era stuff including a stunning almost fully intact coliseum. 



Jim went for a bike ride today while Diane, Al and I went out for a walk.  We saw some more inviting beaches, interesting architecture as well as taking a coffee break and watching a wakeboarder do his thing.  





We all met up in the historic center for a lunch. 

 

We did some more exploring after lunch and met this woman up by the towns fortress holding these lovely flowers.  She tried to tell us what she was doing with them but we didn’t know the Croatian words and she had no English.  But she was gesturing put the flowers into something and then making a gesture of drinking something.  I guessed elderberry and yes that is what it is.  She makes her own liquor. 


Overall, we found Pula to be lively and genuine and it was a place worthy of the extra day.  We had to spend two nights here in order to catch the ferry to Zadar which only runs a couple of days a week.  We went down to the ferry dock to check it out during our afternoon stroll.  We are ready to launch in the morning.  


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