Croatia 1 - Krk a beautiful island

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Croatia looked like a real land of promise. Why we had never been before I cannot understand. It is one of those places you say you want to go to but never do. The roads just over the border from Slovenia seemed of an excellent standard and our first motorway toll cost 13 kunas. With this small payment you could travel as little as you wanted – us as far as Krk but others going down to Zadar. The money seemed odd as we felt we were spending a lot of money whereas in fact it was next to nothing. I kept thinking we were parting with a lot of cash and had to keep telling myself I was only spending a few pounds as we moved from Slovenia to its neighbour Croatia.

We travelled passed Rijecka a port of little distinction which looked quite scruffy in the distance. I imagined dissenters being sent to work in the shipyards for the least misdemeanor during the Communist regime. We travelled over the most frightening road we had crossed so far. The road went round and round up into the hillside and eventually spun off into mid air suspended over the valley below. Not for the fainthearted was this road. It was held up by what looked like the slenderest of stilts and could come crashing down at any moment. There were barriers but none of the high barriers to prevent you going over the edge. Because of the lack of barrier the view across the valley floor beneath us was fantastic as long as you don’t suffer from vertigo. We did think that we had to come back over it as there is only one road onto Krk and the same one coming back.

The landscape is predominately karst limestone almost grey and white. Bleached in the summer sun. A few shrubby trees relieved the harshness of it all. Eventually we arrived at the bridge to the island of Krk. It seems that before the bridge was built depopulation was spoiling the island. Islanders were moving to Rijecka for work understandably due to lack of work on the island itself.. However now the islanders could live on the island and work on the mainland. The cost of the toll to go over the bridge for a motorhome was 40 kuna for Class B which equated to £4. The bridge reminded me of the one over to the Isle of Skye in Scotland or the Isle de Re in France. It soared above the sea.

We camped at a family run campsite – camping Bor which was set in the families olive farm. Obviously camping proved a more lucrative lifestyle than growing olives. We had non of the language , the signs seemed to be very confusing and the language difficult but luckily English was spoken quite widely and we were introduced to new words Dobra Dan – Good morning. Well at least it sounded like that. The owner let us into the site and took us around in his electric golf buggy showing us his campsite and the spots we could choose. He was very proud of his achievements and was pleased to show us his campsite. We picked a plot on a terrace overlooking the town of Krk below and the cobalt blue of the Adriatic. The sun was beaming down and all was well with the world. The campsite cost was 133.00 kuna plus eco tax of 11 kuna and another tax of 2 kuna which we never could quite work out. All of that costs just £13. 00. A bargain at half the price. Polarity was reversed again and it seems the further south we go that this is the norm rather than the exception.

We walked down to the town which was a downhill walk of about 15 mins from the campsite. There were narrow streets looking typically Venetian with wells, cafes spilling into the streets and a pretty harbour filled with boats. There was a small red lighthouse on the end at the end of the harbour. We bought some jelly shoes from the local outdoor market to use in the showers for 5 kuna and a fridge magnet depicting a map of Croatia with its towns. We ate an ice cream and were accosted by a man with a donkey urging us to have our photo taken with his donkey. He had enough English to make us understand what he was trying to sell us. Along the harbour we were invited to join a boat trip to the islands two of which were womens and mens gaols in the era of Tito. The guy offering the trips told us he was a football fan and would watch anyone even gypsies if they could play decent football like Chelsea. It seems everyone wants to talk football to you when they realise you are a Brit. We visited the cathedral which wasn’t that impressive and rather dark. We were looking for a picture of the Battle of Lepanto which sadly we never found. Ah well always tomorrow when the museum would be open.

Upon our return we tried out the showers which were clean and functional and found the internet access in the restaurant. Cost 2kuna for the length of our stay. How can some sites offer such a good deal and yet others rip you off. We had peaceful neighbours mostly Dutch and Germans. We spent our evening in the restaurant which offered fabulous choice from a small family run concern and at such good prices. The whole family were involved in running the restaurant and cooking the food. I hoped Croatia would not join the EU as prices would probably go up dramatically. I ate Goulash with buttered rice, Glenn ate Goulash with roasted potatoes followed by pancakes with chocolate and with lemon, a bottle of wine and two coffees for the princely sum of 204 kunas = £20. We felt our money was going to go a long way. One odd thing we noticed was that smoking seemed prevalent and dogs were allowed where you were eating.

The following day we walked again to the town and visited the small dimly lit museum. It housed a beautiful silver Venetian altarpiece, some interesting medieval missals, embroidered church vestments and various other bits and pieces. The dour lady on the reception showed us the way in with no smile on her face. A throwback to Communism perhaps. The highest point was when we went into the church and found the local townsfolk spring cleaning the church. A small well organised young nun orchestrated work by encouraging them to take down the stations of the cross and clean them and walls behind them. Long handled feather brushes were used to clean pictures high up on the walls. Windows received a much needed clean. She directed with gusto and I am sure the job would be done in no time at all leaving the church spick and span.

Outside we drank two coffees again marvelling at how cheap Croatia was. 18 kunas just a little over £2. Signs of communism seemed just round the corner – wells decorated with red communist stars , poignant dates upon wall plaques and hammer and sickle decorations adorning street place names. We wondered just how things must have changed since the fall of communism for the Croatian people. Of course too the war loomed large, one cannot forget the Balkans conflict and how it must have affected the population.

The rest of the day was spent washing pots, washing clothes, lots of talking, admiring the cactus in bloom and the pots full of cheerful red geraniums. We ate our second meal in the family restaurant. Glenn ordered steak and we expected beef steak. It turned out to be succulent pork steak with roasted potatoes, I ate a spaghetti bolagnese which was extremely nice. Two glasses of wine this time instead of a whole bottle bill 156 kuna. The guy opposite us had ordered fish and when it arrived he picked at the small fishes that filled his plate. When the family came back to clear the dishes they asked why he had left so much. He pointed out he had expected a whole fish and not small ones which were not to his taste. His mistake and he was happy to live with it however the family went back into the kitchen made him a new salad meal and insisted he ate it. They were mortified he did not like their food. Such was the service – nothing too much trouble. Croatia and this site in particular were keen to encourage visitors and would go the extra mile to please. I have never been dealt with so politely for a long time.

We felt sad to leave – Krk had been a revelation and we were so grateful to our German neighbour for suggesting it to us otherwise we would have perhaps passed it by. The roads were empty as we headed back over a fairly barren karst grey limestone landscape for our road in the sky. It looked even more foreboding from the valley below. Gritting teeth we took it on and arrived safe on the other side at Rijecka. High rise communist style blocks of flats looked monotonous. Filled up with diesel – 9.93 kuna a litre – Dave take note – if the Croatians can charge the equivalent of £1.00 a litre why do you have to take so much tax off us. The motorways of Istria were empty and well maintained with long tunnels cutting through the hillsides. Many with one lane which seemed odd but given the lack of traffic they never caused problems. Pretty little red peage boxes mostly unmanned along the way. 67 kuna paid to go through one of them. Heading for Pula. We had planned to spend a week here so it would be interesting to see how it compared with the homework we had done before we departed England.

Have a feeling it wont live up to Krk.

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Photos

Krk
Croatian Kuna

Krk
24 hour clock