Back to Istria

After a week in Split, we returned to nature. Away from the coast, to a lake north of Split. The drive was quite bleak, passing through many small villages. Tourism hasn't reached here. Along the coast, everything is being built and renewed, while the countryside is deteriorating. A bit sad.

Arriving at the lake, we found a beautiful landscape. We decided to stay the night here. It was pitch dark and cars kept coming and going or stopping for a few minutes. It was a bit spooky or unusual for me. Of course, the night went well. The coffee in the morning tasted really delicious in such a great setting. We continued north towards the lake, where there was a natural campsite. We had to check-in ourselves. We stood alone until the afternoon, when a Swiss couple arrived with their off-roader. It was a wonderful place. A quiet, relaxing night. The next day, I spoke to the lady from Switzerland, and they wanted to continue towards the source of the Cetina. I had never heard of it. I told Chris, and in the late afternoon, we followed the Swiss couple. It was a very good decision. An extraordinary nature experience. The water was ice cold. The Swiss couple went into the icy water first. Chris couldn't resist and jumped in after them. It was definitely too cold for me. Even when I dipped my feet into it, they froze. We spent the night together by the river. It was a night where I could sleep peacefully.

The next day, we continued to the Plitvice Lakes. Our first overnight spot was no longer available. So, we looked for an alternative. We drove to a horse farm about 20 minutes away. There were no reviews on Park4Night, so we'll see what awaits us. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by 3 volunteers and 4 dogs. The farm was still under construction, but the feeling here was great. The hosts and helpers were super friendly. We slept here for 2 nights. We could determine the price ourselves.

After the first night, we drove to the "Plitvice Lakes" National Park. I had read that it could be very crowded here in good weather, especially in the morning. So, we decided to leave at 8:15 am. We arrived at 8:45 am. It looked like everything was still closed. A nice woman at the reception advised us on which tours we should explore. We were almost alone on the first route. Around noon, it started to get really crowded. It's a good thing we were there so early. Despite Corona, it was quite busy on this sunny day with around 22 degrees. The park is a real highlight. The waterfalls and lakes are truly magical. We can only recommend it if you're nearby. And get up early, maybe even earlier when Corona is over.

Back at the farm, we had a small meal and hung out with the dogs for the rest of the day. The next day, it was 8 degrees and raining. Damn. I looked at the weather map. It was 18 degrees in Zadar. So, we packed our things and drove towards Zadar. 1.5 hours later, we were in a small camp. (Location can be seen in the photo)

Here, we could do laundry again, tidy up Theo, and pursue our hobbies. We were the only Germans here, along with their 2 dogs. The absolute highlight was in the evening. The sea was calm, no waves to be seen. Suddenly, dolphins. We saw dolphins in the wild and even one with a little baby dolphin. Unbelievable! After 3 days, we continued to Karlobag. There was a parking spot above a bay where we stayed for one night. On the other side, there were other motorhomes this time. We went for a walk here, Chris did some climbing, and I enjoyed the sun. The next day, it was a bit uncomfortable, so we took a walk, read a book, and played in the van. Around 7 pm, it started pouring rain. Accepted. It often rains in Croatia. 1.5 hours later, a gusty wind started blowing. Not so pleasant on the hill. We waited... but it got stronger and stronger. The van on the other hill started driving away. We followed them into the village. Here, the other Germans asked the police if we could stay overnight. No problem. It was more pleasant down here. Or so I thought... It got more and more intense, and I could hardly close my eyes. Wind and rain. The fierce storm (Bora) finally caught up with us. It's fascinating to think about it afterwards. But please, not again. After a not-so-good night, we drove to Jablanac. The village has 82 inhabitants and is home to the lowest mountain hut in Europe. During World War II, there was also a concentration camp here with Serbs, Jews, and Roma people. Impressive. It's really cute, apparently so well-known that about 20 motorcyclists make a stop here. Just as we were about to leave, loud Croatian music echoed through the village. We don't know if Sundays are always like this and everyone gathers together, or if it was someone's birthday. But it was great.

We continued to Senj. A castle and a huge garden where you can stroll for hours. We had lunch here and enjoyed the peace at the castle and the view. We decided to spend the night in Jadranovo. We had already slept here on the way there, and it was peaceful and beautiful. When we arrived here, the village had changed. Locals were on vacation, the apartments were filled, 10 people were crowded on their boat, enjoying wine and food, and the 2 cafes were open. A completely different feeling than "back then". Different but nice, because you can see that the village is coming back to life. The night went by quickly because I was so exhausted. We had a coffee and left the village before the other guests woke up.

We drove back towards Istria. We finally bought groceries again and drove to the campsite I had chosen. I made a delicious salad. Chris had nuggets and I had fresh sardines. Then it was time to shower. In the afternoon, we walked along the beach, discovered beautiful old houses, and enjoyed the sun and the warm air. In the evening, we had chili con carne and watched a movie.

The next day, we went to Lovran. Unfortunately, there are not really any bike paths along the coast, so we took the bus to a parking lot. In the end, it wasn't such a bad idea. We walked about 10 km in Lovran. There's a promenade along the waterfront that you can walk for a very long time. Always along the water. Today, on Monday... completely deserted. We saw a little cute cafe and made a stop here, enjoying the music, the style of the bar, and the sea. 2 coffees and 2 waters for 20 Kuna (2.65€). A dream. We walked the promenade to the harbor in Opatja... and back... There were already some fancy villas. Famous people like Albert Einstein used to spend their holidays here. Even nowadays, many celebrities still come here. Unfortunately, I couldn't find out any names. But if you can afford a room in a 5-star hotel for 1,400€, you must be famous in my opinion. Oh, and breakfast is included ;) Back at the campsite, we went to our beach again. And I went into the water. It was still cool, but more comfortable than the previous times.

Next, we want to go back to the heart of Istria. You can already see the green nature here.

Greetings to Germany!!!