After one last (very nice) champaign breakfast at the St Regis, we board a water taxi to Roma Square. Waiting there for us is Boren, the driver we hired to take us into Croatia. He’s a native Croatian and offers us a wealth of information about the places we pass and the places we’re going later in the trip. The drive to Rovinj takes about two and a half hours through some beautiful scenery. On the way through Slovenia, we decide to take a break, if for no other reason then to say we were in Slovenia. Boren knows of a little café at the top of a mountain pass with good coffee and great views. It’s a funny little place, not much more then a coffee shop, but it’s our kinda place… lots of family behind the counter, good energy, friendly banter.
We arrive in Rovinj and have Boren drop us off at the car
rental office. We pick up our Toyota
Aygo X and head to the Lone Hotel. We’re
checked into room 425, a fantastic corner suite with two massive sliding glass doors
which open onto twin balconies. We have
sweeping views of the landscape and the Adriatic Sea and we soak in the sights.
Old Town Rovinj is an ancient fishing port dominated by the massive
church at the top of the hill. We walk down
a winding footpath into the village and stop for lunch along the curved promenade
by the sea where we’re treated to some beautiful local fish and “fresh wine”,
the term here for this year’s vintage of white wine. It’s sunny and hot as we leave to wander the delightful
old town, popping in and out of the little shops and generally just strolling
for an hour or so.
Back at the room, we slide open the massive window-walls and
let the warm breezes blow through the suite as we nap. It’s all very dramatic and romantic, the
sheers blowing, the sounds of the sea, the sun heading towards the horizon, a bright
rainbow for good measure.
Dinner tonight is at Puntalina, a well-reviewed café with terraced
seating stepping down the sea wall. More
then half their tables are outdoors and only some of them are covered, so
tonight’s rain causes the staff to scramble to seat all the reservations. After a brief wait, we get a lovely table and
start chatting with Duncan and Janet, the nice British couple at the table next to us. The conversation is easy, from food to travel
to sports to family. It’s close to 10
when the rain returns in earnest, so the four of us find a table inside the now
mostly empty restaurant, sharing one last drink, a bit of dessert and a few
more laughs before calling it a night.
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