|
Mali Losinj to Rovinj + Bale
|
|
|
| |
Thursday 21st September 2023
|
|
|
An early departure from
Mali Losinj. The weather wasn't looking too encouraging
and we were advised that our plans for today would have
to be altered. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
We should have sailed
from Mali Losinj to the town of Cres (on the island of Cres)
and stayed there overnight. Due to strong wind in the forecast,
our captain decided that the port was too exposed and that
although we might have been able to get into it today, getting
back out again in the morning might not have been possible.
Instead, we would sail directly to Rovinj, our next planned
port, where we would spend two nights instead of the one
that was on our itinerary. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Porer lighthouse
was built in 1833 on an islet of the same name and is 35
metres high. It is situated a mile and a half southwest
of the southernmost cape of Istria - Kamenjak. |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Rovinj.
Our first impressions were good. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
| From our docking location, we could see the
luxury Grand Park Hotel, known to some passengers because
it was once featured on a television programme, Life Beyond
the Lobby (which we hadn't seen). |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Our cruise director,
Carolyn, had worked hard in the background to come up with
extra activities for us, given that we were in Rovinj for
an extra day. She came up with two. The first was a visit
to "Agrorovinj", a co-operative for a variety
of food and wine producers in Istria. We started with a
wine tasting, which was nice and then went on to quite a
lengthy explanation/demonstration, where we were introduced
to traditional "Istarksa supa". Transalated as
"Istrian soup" we thought it was more like mulled
wine served with bread. Not to everybody's taste (including
ours), but it is authentically and proudly Istrian. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The wine
tasting... local wines only. We didn't buy any. |
|
| |
We
then gathered for the "Istarksa supa" ritual. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
We weren't
sold on the product... |
|
| |
...and
we didn't buy the kit to replicate the experience at home! |
|
| |
We did, however, appreciate
the historic location and the enthusiasm of the local guide. |
|
|
| |
The second spontaneously
arranged activity involved a coach trip to the town of Bale,
in the Istrian countryside. Geoff decided not to go, so
he spent time walking around Rovinj to get his bearings
and to seek out a suitable restaurant for tomorrow evening. |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
Bruce decided to go
with the group on the relatively short drive to the town
of Bale.
Both of us enjoyed our different afternoon's activities.
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
This
was quite a find. No security, no entrance fee, no queues, just
some 15th century frescoes. |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
A short walk from the
town centre we visited a small, local olive oil producer,
where we were given a tasting. It was similar to one we
had been to in Andalucia two years ago. I remembered the
"catch in the throat" tasting experience then
and it was repeated today! |
|
|
| |
|
| |
Back
to the ship in Rovinj at the end of the tour. |
|
| |
|
| |
The day had been really
warm and we were looking to having a barbeque on the top
deck. |
|
|
| |
A fairly
brisk, cool wind didn't prevent us from enjoying the meal. |
|
| |
We were
happy to be here a day earlier than planned. There would be plenty
more to see tomorrow. |
|
| |
|
|
