Motovun to Momjan

There had been rain overnight and the morning looked threatening with low cloud.
We had decided to try the Parenzana, a rail trail, which we did but bailed out because it was too rough and wet, only really suitable for mountain bikes.
After a nice fast flat ride along the valley we headed for Groznjan, a road that included one of our steepest climbs ever, perhaps 20% for a section. Groznjan is another Tuscan-like hilltop village with a focus on artists and art galleries.
After a look around we continued towards Momjan. The weather improved and we spent some time photographing the many varieties of roadside wildflowers.
We arrived in Momjan and had a very enjoyable lunch (fuzi mit hen, fluffy omelette, Malvasia white wine) before finding our Warmshowers hosts, Michael and Marijana, who are keen cyclists and lovely people. They have 21 bicycles, including 8 tandems, some of which they use for riding with the blind.
We also met Michael and Marijana's friend Ian, and we spent a very enjoyable and interesting evening. Thank you for hosting us & for your lovely cooking Marijana. We would love to see you in Oz.
Michael and Marijana are in the process of establishing a hostel for cyclists, with fantastic views of the Istrian hills, the Adriatic and, on a clear day, the snow capped Alps in the distance.

Rovinj to Motovun - back on the bikes

Cool air, tailwind, sunshine and some nice climbs. 49km and about 640m of climbing.
The road out of town was fairly busy until we turned north. We then descended to sea level and climbed back out of the Limske Canal.
Stopped for coffee at Sv Lovrec, a lovely quiet old village with good coffee.
As we approached our destination for the day the views of Motovun were amazing.
A day that reminded us very much of riding through Tuscany in the springtime.
As we turned towards the town we passed a sign indicating a 12% slope. The last 300m was walking uphill on very rough cobble stones to Villa Borga, a lovely old b&b right at the top of the hill.
The views from Motovun are breathtaking, especially with a few cold beers. We had a delicious meal at Mondo Restaurant, finishing with chocolate souffle.

Rovinj

Two nights in Rovinj in a very nice little apartment. Rovinj is a beautiful, picturesque, touristy, arty, old town. We wandered the narrow streets, bought a pashmina (another one) and had lunch at the most idyllic little restaurant right above the water's edge. Dropped the hire car off, ready to ride again tomorrow.

Plitvice to Rovinj

After breakfast at Villa Lika we checked out and drove the 2km to the national park entrance. Starting before 9am we got a fair way into our circuit of the lakes before the crowds arrived.
The lakes, waterfalls and forest are beautiful.
After a light lunch at the park we headed for Rovinj, about 280km away. The first part of the drive was very slow going but very scenic. We eventually made or way to the freeways, which require a toll but are well worth it and include many impressive bridges and tunnels.
We called in to Opatija hoping for coffee and cake, but failing to find cake drove on.

Split to Plitvice

Each night I have to store some medicine in a fridge & refreeze two freezer packs that insulate the medicine in the travel pack. The freezer packs fit exactly into two pockets on each side of the travel pack. In Split I had no alternative but to store them in a communal fridge. Although this was worrisome, I reasoned that the medicine was pretty obviously of absolutely no value to anybody else, so I risked it. Mistake. Medicine was fine but some b!@!!@*!  had helped himself to the freezer packs. After contacting local pharmacies without luck, I asked the very nice lady who ran the hostel if she could do a quick scan of the rooms. Third room in- bingo. The bloke even initially claimed it was his - bloody hide.
In the mean time Pat had picked up the hire car keys from around the corner, and we loaded our bikes and luggage and headed off.
We took a slight detour for a look at Trogir, where we got caught in a downpour. The drive up to Plitvice Lakes was very scenic. The weather is unseasonably cold and wet. It had cleared up before we arrived at Plitvice, and we are hoping for some sunshine for our visit to the national park in the morning.

Hvar to Split

Even though our ferry didn't leave Stari Grad until 11.30, we were on the road before 9.30 to avoid traffic heading to the catch the same ferry. Being Saturday also helped because the traffic was much lighter than on the outward trip. The first 11km of our ride today consisted of the climb up to the tunnel through the mountain top. The steep pitches started before we had left our street and continued right up to the tunnel, maxing out at 11%. After that it was all downhill. Coffee at the ferry terminal and a pleasant 2 hour punt along the Adriatic brought us to Split. We checked in to our hostel and enjoyed lunch at the nearby restaurant Toc- a typical Croatian affair with fresh, cheap and generous servings.
We spent the afternoon exploring Diocletians Palace and the 'Riva', the promenade along the waterfront. Ancient buildings intertwine with modern and both tourists and locals mingle people-watching, strolling, shopping and, of course, drinking all sorts of beverages at the many outdoor cafes.
In the palace basement we viewed an exhibition of award winning press photography from around the world.
Our hostel is just a short walk from the ferry terminal, the Palace, and the hire car office.

Hvar

After a leisurely breakfast, we headed down to town. The scenery along the waterfront was beautiful & quiet at 9.30. Hvar is a touristy but lovely seaside port - old churches, fortress, city square & some lovely, if overpriced, jewellery shops. We walked through the steep narrow streets leading to the fortress & the views were spectacular. Lunch beside the dock consisted of an interesting seafood basket, foccaccia and wine/ beer - very pleasant.