Rovinj

Saturday 21 September

Today we travel to Rovinj via the Istrian hills. Istria is probably more Italian than Croatian as after WWI it was given to Italy; then after WWII it became part of Yugoslavia along with Slovenia.

Went for early morning walk (in Motovun). Lovely.

Breakfast; then extricated ourselves out of the "citizen" 's carpark. Much easier to get out than in (not our car).

Drove to Livade where Zigante runs a world-famous restaurant specialising in truffles. 

On to Hum high above the Mirna Valley; the world's smallest town is its claim to fame. I helped the lady sweep the church and she let us have a look inside; she spoke Italian so she and I talked about her bad back - and her grown-up kids and her grandkids.

On the way to Hum, we went along the Glagolitic Avenue commemorating the old Slavic script.

On then to Kanfanar where we had a coffee at a bar at the old station. This used to be an important railway junction.

Kept off the freeway and enjoyed back-country roads, passing small villages, lots of pumpkins growing in the fields and the road criss-crossing the railway line.

We arrived into Rovinj where thankfully (!) the hosts of our B&B kindly rescued us and the car and spirited it off somewhere after guiding us in to the Old Town.

Spent the rest of the day wandering the town, seeing the church where a wedding was taking place, a car rally, the harbour, laneways, guys crushing grapes, and the harbour again (by sunset).

Had dinner and bought a gelato to finish off and then had a fantastic night by the harbour where My Friend watched the Fiats, Pirelli, Renault, etc of a car rally run around the cobbled streets; and there was a FANTASTIC (free) concert: a 5-piece band playing all the old baby-boomer standards (ABBA!) which greatly appealed to the largely older crowd who danced, jigged, clapped and sang along. The girl singer had a great voice as did one of the guys who also did an excellent electric guitar; the guy on keyboard was really good too.

When we got back to our B&B, there was a large group in our little square at the foot of our stairs also having a concert! A smaller one thankfully. And they packed up by the time we turned the lights off!!

Very beautiful here.
 

I don't think I have ever seen so many boats!

And a selfie! Arrgh!