To the South: to Adriatic Sea
Mr. M has rented a car and we can pick it up at the Zagreb airport starting noon this day. Airport car rent seems a good idea as it is the most convenient place to drop it off at the end of the trip. We did not explore the option and conditions of picking the car up at the city and dropping at the airport, which could save as a Bolt drive. But the traffic jams are unavoidable in any case, thus we allow the Bolt driver to manage them.
Interesting fact is that Uber rates in Zagreb are almost double to compare with Bolt rates. Not sure why, and - as typical also in Riga - both Uber and Bolt drivers often are official taxies (and apps are just another way to call a taxi). Which is almost a shame as private drivers seem to be more open to chatting during the ride.
Car rental delivers us a Skoda with manual transmission, which is not exactly a SUV (which was ordered), more like a bigger hatchback. Ok, let it be. Luckily oblivious of the formalities (have no idea of the terms and conditions and smallprint and hacks and tricks of car rental in Croatia), I do my job of finding a groceries store on the way to our today's destination - Karlobag, a seaside town of Adriatic Sea.
Interesting fact is that Uber rates in Zagreb are almost double to compare with Bolt rates. Not sure why, and - as typical also in Riga - both Uber and Bolt drivers often are official taxies (and apps are just another way to call a taxi). Which is almost a shame as private drivers seem to be more open to chatting during the ride.
Car rental delivers us a Skoda with manual transmission, which is not exactly a SUV (which was ordered), more like a bigger hatchback. Ok, let it be. Luckily oblivious of the formalities (have no idea of the terms and conditions and smallprint and hacks and tricks of car rental in Croatia), I do my job of finding a groceries store on the way to our today's destination - Karlobag, a seaside town of Adriatic Sea.
I have no idea, why and how we chose this place to stay. It was pure coincidence. Just browsing the map in booking.com and Airbnb and looking for a decent apartment close to the sea. All I wanted from the apartment was for it to be close to the sea, so I can see and smell it, and preferably, the apartment had to be with a balcony, so I could sit on it on the evenings with a glass of wine and enjoy the view. With exactly so much to ask, it was not easy to find a place, as most looked as haven't seen a coat of paint since the last century, or being small, or being moldy, or being just red painted with cardboard furniture. In essence, furnished as cheaply as possible to provide the dwelling for a lowest price for a middle class.
The apartment we have ordered affords an ostensibly decent bedroom and operational kitchen, and a balcony. And a Wi-Fi, which is important, as on the third day after our arrival I have to take part in the bachelor thesis defense session. This is the reason we stay at this place 4, not 3 nights as I would have wished. When appreciated in the real life, the apartment is ok, although smaller in the real life than in the pictures, the balcony is huge, but the Wi-Fi in the apartment is almost non-existent. I decide to postpone dealing with this problem.
The apartment we have ordered affords an ostensibly decent bedroom and operational kitchen, and a balcony. And a Wi-Fi, which is important, as on the third day after our arrival I have to take part in the bachelor thesis defense session. This is the reason we stay at this place 4, not 3 nights as I would have wished. When appreciated in the real life, the apartment is ok, although smaller in the real life than in the pictures, the balcony is huge, but the Wi-Fi in the apartment is almost non-existent. I decide to postpone dealing with this problem.
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After having taken the bags to the apartment, we go for a stroll through the town. And feel almost like "Palle Alone in the World". Most restaurants and cafés are closed. The open ones have few guests, most seem like locals, grabbing the opportunity to socialize. The waiter later admits having little activity, but despite the fact he has some fresh fish to offer. While Mr. M gets octopus in a red sauce, I enjoy a grilled fish and learn that “gemišt” in the drinks’ menu refers to a home-made white wine diluted with mineral water. The result is a drink similar to Italian frizzante.
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While enjoying our meal, we spot a close tourist office across the square. “We could go for a boat ride, was it open,” Mr. M suggests. But why do we need a tourist office, on the other hand, if the boat and a board with all the information is available across the street, on the docks? Here we find not only the excursion boat, but also the captain, which seems to be living on the boat (a conclusion we come to later). The captain tells us that there are “keine Leute”, he needs money but will be able to take us to the ride on a condition more people will apply. I am invited (as I speak German the captain understands) to come across around 9am next morning to get the update of the situation. Funfzig-funfzig Chance.
Later in the night, after I have tried one of town’s beaches (more like – a place where it is possible to get into the water and out of it), we start a tradition we followed all the nights at Karlobag and also in the days at Rovinj – watching sun setting, with or without a glass of crispy cold white wine. The sunsets differ as much as differ the days, and each night gives its spectacle. Through the days we will see some tourists arriving and leaving, and will spot the same locals coming to see the sunset as well, and will even become friends with a beautiful dog who goes for its evening walk around the pier each evening around sunset time.
Later in the night, after I have tried one of town’s beaches (more like – a place where it is possible to get into the water and out of it), we start a tradition we followed all the nights at Karlobag and also in the days at Rovinj – watching sun setting, with or without a glass of crispy cold white wine. The sunsets differ as much as differ the days, and each night gives its spectacle. Through the days we will see some tourists arriving and leaving, and will spot the same locals coming to see the sunset as well, and will even become friends with a beautiful dog who goes for its evening walk around the pier each evening around sunset time.
Tavern with the fresh fish and nice waiter: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g3380066-d21208748-Reviews-Konoba_Ribar-Karlobag_Lika_Senj_County.html
Apartment: https://www.booking.com/hotel/hr/apartments-cindric-karlobag.lv.html
Apartment: https://www.booking.com/hotel/hr/apartments-cindric-karlobag.lv.html
