Here is how the five days went...
Muggia to Portoroz 45 km
The old border station loomed ahead of us as we exited the campground in Muggia, Italy, but the buildings are empty now that Slovenia is part of the EU. You could actually see Croatia off in the distance, but we needed to round the Slovenian coast first - all 47 km of it. After riding a very quiet road along the coast through farm country, we flagged down a road cyclist to get directions to the town of Koper. As usual, the map did not match the reality of the roads we saw, and we were worried about how to avoid the busy freeway. Just after a fork in the road, one way leading to the freeway and another down under the freeway, we saw a sign with a bicycle logo and the number D8. Hmmm...a bicycle path. Cool. The bicycle path led us through Koper (cute town, lunch at a restaurant right on the water) and turned into an old rails-to-trails, or railbed converted to bike and hiking path. The railway used to connect Trieste with Porec, a Croatian port to the south on the Istrian peninsula. Now, it winds its way through the hills beside vineyards, through tunnels, past farms and scrub forest. Finally we descended down to the cast, and checked one campground, where they basically wanted us to push our bikes up a steep hill and camp on a small dirt terrace right next to the busy highway. We passed, got back on the bike trail, and headed to the resort town of Portoroz, where the campground wasn't much better...but we were tired. The large port was full of expensive yachts and big sailboats, many flying German flags. The noise from the casino across the harbour echoed over the water until very late. Hard to sleep in many of the campgrounds. Ugh.
> Portoroz to Umag 38 km
After getting a little lost and a little irritable, we got back on the bicycle path/old railway grade the next morning. We passed the old salt ponds which were used for centuries to dry sea water for salt, a major industry in the past.
We cruised along the bike path, which was very nice, until I noticed that the Slovenian\Croatian border had uniformed officers, and was over there on the other side of some trees and bushes and we were cycling right past it. Probably could have rolled right past, but I was worried about what would happen if we didn't have the right passport stamps. So we cut back through some bushes and around and through a parking lot and got properly stamped and inspected.Border agents are generally amused when our small caravan rolls through. But I don't know how amused the Croatian agent was when Tom asked directions back to the bike path. A little more riding and we were up a hill, down to a town called Umag, and then in a nice quiet campground right on a beach. Erich watched some German retirees squidding as the sunset over the water.
Umag to Porec 36 km
A mostly unremarkable day. The town of Porec is set on a small peninsula jutting outinto th sea, and there were many tourists and fairly agressive shop owners. The historical section of town was small but quaint. We rode on a bicycle path on the coast through parks and past resort areas to a very large campground where, after some connving, we also put our tent up close to the beach, and also close to the FKK, or naturist, or nude area, which wasn't being used as such because it was cool and windy. Many of the Croatian campgrounds seem to have naturist areas bordering the clothed areas, marked by signs of figures with or without bathing suits. So far, Erich is OK with all of it.
Porec to Zminy 47 km
We decided to cut across the Istria, which is a heart-shaped peninsula with a hilly interior. We rode up a designated bike route which turned out to not be as steep as I had feared. The countryside was sparsely populated with lots of vienyards and oak/scrub forest, dotted with small towns. Almost every house had a small garden with grapes, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and peppers. Many old women were out working fields and gardens in scarves, sweaters, and wool socks rolled half way down their legs. We stopped once to ask directions of such a woman, who waved us on one direction and vividly shook her finger, "no," to the other direction, smiling a fairly toothless smile and talking rapidly in a mixture of Croatian and Italian. After a few moments of hesitation we decided to follow her gestures, and headed down what turned out to be the correct road. There was a long downhill and then steep uphill in and out of a river valley, and with the ruins of a castle half way up.
The interior of Istria seems mostly unaffected by the massive tourist development on the coast, and we enjoyed the glimpse into a more traditional Croatian lifestyle. We spent the night in an apartment arranged by the very helpful tourist office.
Zminy to Cres 75 km
This was one long, tough day. From Zminy we rode a quiet road and then a busier one, hen a very steep descent with aching arm s from braking our heavy bikes. A short ferry hop, then we had a 10 km steep climb...OK, I walked parts of it. The sun was roasting us on the west facing slope, and there were few trees. The views were fantastic, with the blue sea, terraced hill,olive trees and goats. I haven't been to Greece but this is what I think Greece might look like. Some flat across the crest of the island, and then, horrors, another fairly steep uphill climb. Then a short steep descent into Cres town, where we crept into the campground and collapsed.
Cres to Omilsalj, 47 km
We started the morning with a very steep up, then down, then up, then down to the ferry terminal where we caught a ferry to the island of Krk. We met two Spanish cycletourists, Carol and Robert, and we were all amused by the wedding party on the short ferry ride. There was an accordion player, another old guy banging a stick with bells and goat hoofs, people doing the polka and toasting each other and the bride and groom, and all the Croatians were getting in the party mood with old ladies hauling themselves up to dance together.
Once on Krk, up, down, up, down, hot, and a busy road. We were headed to a campground shown on the map, but once in the small town of Omisalj most of the people seemed somewhat, ahem, inebriated, and the directions were not too clear. Well, it was Saturday evening. Finally found the campground, which came with a chair for Erich to use while doing his homework...see the picture!
Omisalj to Rijecka
Very warm morning, with a stiff wind, a headwind of course. This was our one secton of riding the very busy coastal highway on Croatia, and I was glad not to be riding more of it. Mostly a gentle uphill to the city of Rijeka, past some industrial areas and then around and into th city. It looked like a nice town but we saw very little of t, as we were trying to find a bus or train to Ljubjana, Slovenia. But that is the next story...
So the was our short Visit to Croatia.
More from Slovenia...
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