Croatia (Days 97 – 103)

Sunday (6/19). Today we joined the throngs of tourists being shown around Old Town Dubrovnik. The majority were there to see the sites where “Game of Thrones” scenes had been filmed. We settled for just learning some history. As always, the ancient kind was fascinating, but the most compelling history took place 30 -ish years ago. As Yugoslavia broke apart, Croatia voted for independence. The remnant of Yugoslavia and Serbia weren’t having it, and war followed. As part of that war, the Serbian military shelled Old Town Dubrovnik. It served no military purpose other than to kill civilians and destroy their homes. Our tour guide lived through that horror and shared his story. From a vantage point overlooking the city, you can see a few buildings that still have yellow roof tiles dating back centuries. By far, the majority of houses and buildings are sporting new red tiles. These were donated by France and were used to repair damage from the war.

Monday (6/20). Dubrovnik was turning out to be such an intriguing city that we extended our stay. First order of business – purchase ferry tickets and make sure our bikes can come along. Check and check. Next up – spend the day at a beach. Check. Finally, soak up the ambience of Old Town with an evening stroll. Big check. Interesting side note: the fortifications here are truly one of the more impressive features of the city. Through skillful diplomacy (and bribery) the walls never had to repel an attacker. And when in 1808 Napoleon showed up with his army on one side of town, and the Russians on the other, the city leaders threw open the gates to Napoleon. Lesser of two evils, they figured.

Tuesday (6/21). We said good-bye to Dubrovnik and boarded our ferry to Mljet. No real plan other than to arrive late morning, ride the island and find a place to camp. When Mljet came into view, it was if plans to build a second island were canceled and all the extra material had been piled onto Mljet. Biking here looked to be a challenge. It was. By chance we happened to meet Anne and Marcillen just before leaving the ferry terminal. We appeared to have traveled almost the same route through Turkey and beyond, but somehow never crossed paths. They were catching a ferry after having spent several days on Mljet. We parted with hopes of meeting again.

As is often the case when biking is difficult, it is also amazing. As we left Sobra and ascended the spine of the island, to the left we looked out over the Adriatic, to the right a mainland peninsula, and all around at Mljet itself. The scenery and lack of traffic made it all so worth while. Practically melting by days end though, we made our way to Camp Lovor near the little village of Kozarica. After securing a site, we immediately made our way to the beach for a cooling dip and shade.

Wednesday (6/22). Anna shared a shortcut to take us back to the main road. What a delightful way to start the day – sneaking past three large hills.

Clearly the island of Mljet is no secret in the tourist world. Dozens of sailboats, yachts, and small cruise ships ply these waters. I found out that one ship drops off its forty passengers on a different island or port every day to roam on e-bikes. I believe my loathing was entirely justified as they effortlessly zipped uphill past us.

At the top of one such hill, we met three young ladies (Julia, Lucia, Elodie) who, like us, were cycling under their own power. Their two month ride was also their first ever bike tour. I am so impressed by the people who set off on ambitious journeys like theirs with little or no experience. Happily we met up later on the ferry to Split and traded stories and plans. They were heading inland to see some of Croatia’s famous natural wonders. We decided to enjoy more of the coast. One never knows when our paths may cross again. If not, “Bon voyage et bon chance!”

Thursday (6/23). Our next goal is the city of Zadar, roughly 100 miles up the coast. It’s primary attraction is that ferries from there serve the northern islands. With our early start, we arrived at Rogoznica by early afternoon. Somehow, many of these harbor cities manage to be tourist magnets and yet maintain an old world charm. The harbor at Rogoznica was filled to overflowing with yachts and charter sailboats. The usual shops and restaurants line the harbor, seeking to pry some cash from all these travelers. And yet at a small beach nearby, a fireman lounged in a hammock. Local boys acted like fools to impress local girls. (didn’t seem to work). Mothers talked while keeping tabs on naked toddlers playing at water’s edge. Old men sat and smoked, and one could imagine, traded stories of how life was when they were young. And on this day, two tired cyclists from far away, swam, sat in the shade, and watched life go by. Ad I said, charming.

Friday (6/24). If asked to explain why we travel by bicycle, I would probably point to a day like this. We cycled on a lightly traveled coastal road. At every village we would exit the main road and cycle through town, usually along the beach. Occasionally we took a quick dip in the ocean to cool off. Other times we sat in the shade, enjoying a snack and watching people going about their business. Yes, it was hot, but not unbearable. Yes, there were hills – but we also enjoyed the inevitable gravity assist. After our usual 40+ miles we arrived at Pirovac. Later that evening we joined the throngs strolling the seashore promenade. We watched some seriously competitive bocce players. We enjoyed some live music in the city square. This was a day featuring everything you could ask of a bike tour.

Saturday (6/25). I felt tired yesterday, but we did ride over forty miles, and it was hot. Nah! That wasn’t it. During the night, I dreamt I was sick. Guess what? I woke up with a head ache and sore throat! How weird is that? Still it didn’t seem serious, so off we went on yet another pleasant day of coastal riding. Especially after we hopped a ferry to an island off the coast. Once there, traffic was non-existent along tiny seaside lanes. Perfection. Another ferry dropped us off in Zadar.

By the time we arrived at our Airbnb, I was cooked. Whatever bug bit me, bit hard. So rather than sight see Old Town Zadar, I ended a wonderful week, sound asleep at 4:30 in the afternoon. Which, all things considered, is not a bad way to end any week.

With time beginning to wind down on our trip, we’re starting to feel a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out). Crazy right? No sympathy from the working class! “Dave and Sharon only have a month left. Boo hoo!” I get it. But here’s the thing: we could easily spend the rest of our time just in Croatia. But all the other cyclist we’ve met have said, “You HAVE to see Slovenia.” OK. We’re in. But what about Austria? The Alps? Vienna? The Czech Republic? Prague? And we’re so close to Italy. The point is…we’re having great difficulty deciding what to see next. Or more to the point…what places are we not going to see?

Special Mention! During our time on the island of Mljet, Sharon left her wallet at a lunch stop just hours before we caught the ferry to Split. Somehow the restaurant guy figured out that we stayed at Camp Lovor (15 miles away). He contacted Anna who reached out to us, literally as we were trying to figure out where we might have left it. Anna’s daughter drove to pick up the wallet. They offered to drive somewhere else on the island to mail it ahead of us. THANK YOU Anna! Thank you Anna’s daughter! Thank you restaurant guy! There are so many ways this could have turned out differently. Can’t say enough good things about Anna and all the  folks there.