Raving Rovinj

The sun looks like an orb of butter as it slips below the horizon. On the opposite horizon, the white full moon rises in replacement. Across the bay lies the city of Rovinj. Its church at the very top of a symmetrical hill. The town spiraling down around it in Venetian-style buildings plastered and painted in pastels. Looking across the bay, it is easy to picture this old city as it might have appeared centuries ago. We take our dingy into town as the sky is changing from blue to black. It is a city alive with energy and art and music. The narrow streets are filled with nooks hawking goods to the tourists that fill those narrow streets. A band is playing American cover songs that even in this distant country, the crowds lips sync up with the words. Young children dart back and forth amongst the gathered people playing children games and dancing to their parents amusement. If we ever stop to ask ourselves why we are here, the answer lies before us. We are a part of this. And yet we are observers looking from the outside in. Welcome to Rovinj.

The National Park of Brijuni

Just off the coast of Pula lie the Brijuni Archipelago islands. These 14 small islands became the playground of the rich Roman elite. Their beauty seems to be a magnet for the powerful even in modern times. When Tito rose to power after WWII, he chose these islands to govern from 6 months out of the year. I guess if you are going to be the leader of Yugoslavia, and these islands are part of your kingdom, why not move in for half the year and govern from there. Signing decrees and dispatching diplomats is every so more pleasurable from a beautiful island getaway. His own personal residence was a restored Venetian villa Tito would host heads of state and Hollywood’s elite from his private islands. There is an exhibit recording the famous procession of people that included Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, other sex goddess. Tito had a fancy for exotic animals. So like Michael Jackson, on this neverland, Tito built his own private safari park. Many of the animals in this zoo were the gifts from the heads of state that paid him homage. With the death of Tito, most of the big game was shipped off to zoos. But there are still elephants, ostriches, zebras, peacocks and other African animals wandering around. You can also visit the ruins of the Roman villas from when they took up residence here to govern their subjects centuries ago.

Praising Pula

The Bora winds kicking up gave us some extra time to explore the charming city of Pula. It is a port town that has been around since prehistoric times. Pula is most famous for the spectacular Roman ruins that are very well preserved scattered around the city like jewels in a treasure box. The crowning jewel of these treasures is the first century amphitheater that rises at the bay’s edge. This Roman structure is the sixth largest amphitheater in existence and one of the best preserved. The outer white stone walls are pretty much still intact. The seating in the center of the arena is about a fifth of what it once was. Many of the square seating blocks were removed in the 15th century to be used to construct a castle and other city buildings that are still around town. When built, the amphitheater held 25.000 spectators. These stunning architectural Roman masterpieces are still amazing examples of brilliant engineering. Gladiator fights have given way to opera, rock concerts and, while we were in town, an international film festival. It is nice to see these old structures still in used today. I think the Romans would have liked that. The town has the usual pedigree of invaders and conquerors. Nowhere is it more evident than in the town square. Holding the kingpin position is a Roman temple that is still largely intact. This temple was built in the first century and part of the original Roman forum that once made up the town square. Next to it is a building that looks like it was built during medieval times complete with carvings of dashing knights and majestic coat of arms. One of the walls is from a Roman temple to Athena; the wall is all that remains of this temple. To complete the town square are building built by the Venetians who ruled this city for 800 years. The rest of the gems scattered around town are Roman gates and arched monuments to the once powerful Roman elite. Even Hercules has a single arched gate that is one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the city. At the top of the arch is a carving of the head of Hercules with a club signifying his strength.

Blowing Bora

The weather in Croatia has been very consistent and predictable all summer. It is one of the things that we have enjoyed most about this country. Mornings are calm and so is the sea. Towards noon, the winds pick up to a strong breeze and the sea remains flat. At 5 in the afternoon, usually within minutes, the winds die down to nothing. Water becomes as smooth as glass. You can often see 30-40 feet down to the sandy sea floor. We sleep uninterrupted on the hook as they say (at anchor) for the night. This has given us some of the best sailing in all of the Mediterranean and has allowed us to be under sail almost every day this summer. We managed to squeeze almost a whole month of sailing on one tank of petrol. You gotta love that. But this week, for three days that all changed. Croatia is also known for the famous Bora winds. Its name is uttered with respect and awe and always in hushed tones. The Bora are winds that mostly occur in the winter, but can occur in the summer as well. A high pressure in the Northeast and a low pressure in Italy cause these mighty winds. Cold air gets trapped in the mountains that build up pressure until they are released thundering down the slopes at velocities of up to 110 knots. This week we were treated to one of these occurrences. We monitor the weather closely each morning. The prediction was for a Bora in two days. That gave us plenty of time to head to a safe harbor and button down the hatches. We lashed extra lines to shore and waited. The winds came, not continuously, but with strong gusts that shook the boat and everything around it. Flags stiffened out like they have been starched. I had to tie Steve to the mast so I wouldn’t loose him. (well almost) We didn’t monitor the wind speed but some friends we met from Canada clocked the winds at their peak at 55 knots. We too now speak of the Bora with reverence and in hushed tones.

Raving About Rab

This walled city got a huge buster shot when Augustus decided to make it a Roman city. Fortification came as well as civilization. It all arises from a peninsula that has just the right steepness to make it an easy city to fortify. From a distance you see 4 bell towers that stand as exclamation marks pushing skyward from the stone buildings below. The city itself has a great vibe to it with lots of energy and live music singing out standards that the whole world knows how to sing. Rab also has a huge harbor for it’s size that gives you visions of old clipper ships throwing their lines to the big brass mooring posts that are big enough to have dinner on. This place became a favorite of mine. We were planning to stay one night. We stayed three.

Heading North

After spending the last couple of weeks sailing the archipelago islands right off the coast to Zadar, we head further north to the Kvarner Region of Croatia. This is a big bell shaped area that is scattered with more small islands at the very north part of Croatia. It is here at the northern most area that Croatia kisses Italy and Slovenia. For the most part, these islands are long and skinny with ragged edges. Those ragged edges make for excellent places to spend the night. There are so many places to choose from. Like a kid in the candy shop, we choose the ones that look the most tempting. There aren’t many bad choices in this area of Croatia.

Sailing to Sali and Around

The winds continue to be perfect for sailing. We raise the white sheets and head to Sali. This small village is named after the salt works that operated during medieval times. Sali also became a favorite vacation resort town during those more prosperous times. Large houses in the gothic style were built during the Renaissance period. We ended up mooring to the town quay for the night. The next day we head to another delightful anchorage. We find a quiet cove right outside of Bozava. The weather continues to be calm and allows us some anchorages that we would not be able to take advantage of if the winds and waves were stronger. Spending the afternoon jumping off the boat and cooling off in the azure blue water, a little reading and napping and you have the perfect afternoon. In the evening, we walk the well laid out trail into town for some local cosine. What is not to like about an afternoon like that. We then went around the peninsula to Sakarum. This is a spectacular inlet with a beach that skirts the entire bay with sand almost as white as snow. This is clearly a favorite hang out for Croatians and one of the few sandy beaches around. There are laid moorings scattered throughout the bay that you can tie up to for about 22 euro a night. I think most tourists stay in hotels at Bozava and take a shuttle to this special place. One of the advantages to traveling by boat is you can drop anchor almost anywhere and spend the night. Often that gives us some of the best real estate Croatia has to offer. Our rooms come guaranteed with a view that changes nightly.