I walk up the 64 steps to the main road where there has
been an accident just where we pick up. It is a lovely stroll down to the coach
on a very sunny and warm morning. There is a gentle breeze and I think this is
perfect weather as it is hot and sunny but not too hot. Delightful.
I sort the coach out and then go for a walk amongst the
permanent market to buy some goodies for the famous mileage quiz on the way
home! Jan, Penny, Gill and Liz are all wanting to go on a boat trip on Saturday
so I gather some information for them with one lady so keen for them to book
that I didn’t think I would ever get away! She did offer a discount though!
Once again I pick up at 09:00 (the accident has cleared
just leaving glass and debris in the road!) and drive around the block back
past the hotel to take the coast road towards Pula. I love this drive where we
climb high above the deep blue sea going
through pretty villages and past inviting beaches.
After 50 minutes there is a viewpoint I always stop at
where you can grab a coffee, go to the loo and walk around the terrace offering
fantastic views.
Not today though!
Well you can if you buy a drink as this is now the only
way you can visit the terrace and loos! I’m surprised they haven’t done this
sooner and as coffee can be bought for less than a pound it is not a bad deal.
From here we drive inland via Labin to Pula and the
motorway towards the Italian border at Trieste. We are not visiting Pula this,
instead going to Rovinj and Porec.
Rovinj is a beautiful town situated on a peninsular (it
was once an island) and dominated by the cathedral’s large bell tower modelled
on St Mark’s Rome.
I drop the group off by the harbour at the entrance to
the town. I can’t wait here and have to park at the edge of the town so don’t
get the chance to walk around today.
Once I am empty I go to a nearby garage to top up the
fuel and then at the coach park can fill the drinks water up from the special
drinking water tap here.
At the garage I buy a cheese and ham sandwich and a
cheese and ham roll just in case one has something else I don’t like in it!
They both have gherkins which I am not fond of with the roll’s gherkins being
all chopped up and inbedded in the butter! I can’t eat that but the sandwich I
manage to remove the offending green things and eat that!
I drive down to pick them all up 13:45 ready to leave at
14:00. As I’m waiting there a big cruise ship appears and without slowing comes
right in and parks by the car park. Just like that with no mucking about!
Impressive. It only took minutes.
I have a lady, Isabella, who is 97 years old and she has
come back a bit tipsy after too much wine for lunch! Very funny and good on you
girl!
From her we drive the 40 minutes to the lovely, and old,
seaside town of Porec which is as well known as a holiday centre as it is for
its Roman mosaics.
I pull into the coach park which is in the bus station
and am the only coach there. It is still very warm as I go for a walk along the
promenade into the town.
I have only been here once before and that was a few
years ago and had forgotten how pretty it is. The promenade is long and wide
lined with pleasure boats and fishing vessels on one side and restaurants on
the other. The town is old with narrow streets lined with shops and bars and a
lovely big square by the cathedral. This is really very nice.
I walk back to the coach just as another English coach
pulls in. It is a very long double deck monster carrying a children’s jazz band
from Bristol. The drivers are chatty and nice and tell me they are going home
tomorrow, leaving at 13:30 and driving straight through to Dover! Now that is a
long punch and very tight on driving hours even with the two of them. Not for
me but I wish them a safe journey.
We are back in Opatija by 17:50 and as there are no
spaces in the town coach park I park at the out of town park and wait for my
lift back to the hotel. While I’m here I have a chat with the Shearings driver
who is Polish and tells me he can understand the locals as the language is very
similar. He was here last year but didn’t really speak then. He is soon off to
Russia twice before the summers out and I am immediately jealous! I must go
back one day.
I
have a drink with Dot and Nicola before dinner and then another early night
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