Krk
Monday 1st October, Tuesday 2nd October
Monday was looking to be a warm day and we had planned to do a walk with the dogs to a destination as yet unknown. We had however got hold of a walking/cycling map from reception and there looked like lots to explore. The map was usefully annotated with estimated walking times so we picked out a route to a little cove about an hour away, or so we thought.
It was a very pleasant route through wooded areas of oak and olive with the occasional information point telling of local history or the merits of the local olive oil having the best medicinal properties in the world. We followed what we believed to be the waymarked route of coloured splodges on rocks but became a little concerned that we had been walking for much longer than expected and hadn’t yet reached our destination. We had reached a more open area of olive groves where owners had built, or were building, small structures that seemed to be little get-a-ways. We passed one that had a great smelling BBQ going on. Consulting the map we decided that we had we probably gone wrong given the time we had been walking. Before turning back though we walked a little further and around the corner where we found the first meaningful direction signs of the entire walk. We were where we were meant to be, it had just taken a bit longer than the map had indicated.
We walked a little further down the hill and to a wonderful little cove called Luka Sv. Juraj. There was no one there apart from a boat moored in the cove and presumably having a spot of lunch. They soon moved off, their peace and isolation spoilt by our arrival but left instead to us.
It was a great shame that we hadn’t brought lunch with us because that would have just been perfect. But Lily enjoyed a swim in sea fetching the ball and cooling off whilst we pondered the longer than anticipated return journey. Our return to the campsite seemed a little quicker now we were confident in where we were going.
In the evening we ate in the restaurant on the site. Again, run by the family, the familiar faces we would see through the day working on the site we now saw in the restaurant. It has a fairly basic menu but we had a good meal none the less. We had our free wine once we got to our table and we both tried the Rose, and very good it was too, so much so that we ordered a bottle to go with our meal. So much did we like the wine than we bought some from the onsite shop to bring away with us, a bottle of Rose, a bottle of dessert wine (Muskat Bijeli), and a bottle of their 2004 Barrique.
Tuesday we had planned to have an easier day so chose a shorter circular walk with the dogs in the morning. After lunch we left the dogs for a stroll around the old walled town. We would have taken them with us but knew that Lily would have hated it. Actually has it happened, the old town was fairly quiet so we would have been OK with the dogs in tow.
The old town has seen a lot of renovation of the years and there was no sign rack and ruin. Even the old monastery and cathedral all looked in pristine condition. Around the town are small plaques with historical nuggets usually in both Croatian and English although on some the English had been worn off presumably through countless fingers scrolling across the words. Despite the faint inscriptions on some we managed to get the gist.
Now we are not ones for spending hours pondering old buildings but it is fascinating getting a brief glimpse into the history of the places we visit. Whilst in the old town we wanted to find a way through to the other side because we had heard of a dog friendly beach and this would have been ideal as walk the following morning before we headed off again. This sussed, we headed back to the promenade on our way back to the site.
The promenade has lots of stalls, some trying to sell you boat trips, but also souvenir stalls, some selling honey, and also a few ice cream stalls – oh go on then! Before heading back to the site we stopped off for some provisions at the local supermarket (more a mini-market) and the pekara (bakers). We noticed the fish mongers but that was only open in the morning so we had to pass that one by, but a useful note for the future.
On our way back we noticed a group of young men (obviously worse for wear) being loaded into a minibus. Being loaded, is not an unfair description because many were not that steady on their feet to say the least. This is a tourist town and whilst it was fairly quiet during our stay I dare say that at peak season the place could be heaving. Having avoided the reversing minibus we headed back up the hill and back to the campsite for our last night at Camping Bor.
