Croatia comes along

Oh dear I've not posted in weeks again. Alas, I will continue...off we went the morning after the Milano experience, what Opera, what teatro La Scala, what food! Anyway we had a fine time in Milano and were off to our next stop...where?! Pula on the coast of Croatia! Beautiful Pula with the Roman Colesium DOWNTOWN! Oh the joys of Roman archetecture and Japanese tourists. More about that later, the drive there on Italian and Croatian freeways was easy and quick as it could be thanks to the smoothest pavements in the history of highway making and few cops to slow the flow. Croatia made it's first appearance on its border with Northern Italy. At first merely another modern city on the broder (Triest) then the short dash down the ruggedly beautiful coast to spend the first night in a petite hotel in the seaside village of Isola. The room was fine and off we went in this somewhat LESS than sleepy little village-by-the-sea to fetch a place for dinner. Most offerings that day were closed as the tourist season was officially over and many hotels, shops and restaurants had folded up in anticipation of colder days ahead. One was open but had no guests so was rejected as we have LEARNED to "watch the trade" when dining in less than familiar surroundings. Back at the hotel disappointed, a drink and a nap before diner seemed appropriate after playing on the highway all day. Back out after dark at a true mealtime brought only an additional open dining opportunity or three as we searched high and low the village streets, alas, no diners in any of them. Then a genuine "find". A gentleman of somewhat enebriated status (drunk as a skunk is a phrase) walking his friend's dog happened across us gazing at a menu and we asked "Have you a good restaurant suggestion", in a heavy Slavian accent and somewhat slobbering reply he said "Follow me, I will show you." Off we went thru the alleys and narrow streets to be delivered to the door of the self-same restaurant that we had earlier rejected. Needless to say we had a FINE meal of local fish and pasta and enjoyed ourseleves enormously (no pun intended) and discovered too the joys of Croatian wines. Tomorrow...Pula

A Fall Trip to Croatia (and places beyond)

So up we (Kelly, Ted and I) were bright and early Monday the 17th of October to squeeze ourselves and enough clothing for a 3 month stay into our Toyota Avensis bound out to Dubrovnik, Split and Pula via fast expressway. I had figured it to be about 2000km one way, we were soon to find out it was more...Much more. Off to St. Amand and the A71 south to Lyon for a first nights stay in a local ETAP (Accor Hotel groups 35 dollar wonder of efficient design) just south of Lyon in the industrial sector...Large gas flames light up the night and daylight too! Full. Yes, full at 4pm in the afternoon. These wonderful hotels have an automated clerk, ATM-machine like that issues rooms, allows access etc. In a flash of feminine brilliance Kelly ordered up 2 Disabled Rooms! Shame on us but all the disabled spots were taken up by a Huge MAN Tour Bus! The room was specially built for the disabled, with a high potty, low sink and a bit more room around the bed. Room examined, bags strewn, we were off to explore a bit of Old Lyon. The drive thru the mid-day traffic was easy but finding it...finding Lyon while being IN Lyon is quite an amusing trick. No map, 2 rivers, bridges, few signs, poor memories all conspired to have us drive away into the hinterlands west, in the hills, and try from over there instead of the boring flatlands of new Lyon. Paths taken were not remembered (at all!) until at last a glimpse of a familiar wall below the Arena, then we knew Old Lyon was below us on the twistiest enlarged cowpath ever transversed by a automobile at 60 mph. Parking, a miracle! Then a walk thru the old sector and more photos, a hunger filled with a stop at a tiny Turkish fast food joint got us fed in fine style. More pictures, more walking and gawking and then back to the car to enjoy (!!!) the traffic to our little ETAP. Arriving, Ted tucked into his room, we into ours for a rest before heading to Vienne to the Brother's Cafe for dinner. At 7pm we once again piled into the car once again and drove thru the late day traffic to a traffic jam in Vienne fully 2 kilometers long! A single traffic signal causes this and is not to be avoided as it is the only access to the freeway south and the little town's ancient heart. Alas, after several laps we found the Brother's quite closed (a Monday...grrrr) and had to opt for a small chain restaurant that served up bowls of moules and fish in delicious proportions. A walk thru old Vienne after dinner and we had nearly done the day. Off to the trusty Avensis for the ride back to our hotel in Lyon about a half hour away. Ah, the Flame marks the spot as we flew past the offramp in the wrong lane into more speedy and dense urban traffic. Now what? Over a bridge to an offramp on the wrong side of the river, away from there to the west 2 km to the only offramp in a long, long ways and over the top and back onto the road heading back to where we started on this shunt. On the highway south again, back to the Flame and the offramp to the ETAP. Repeat this process many times in the next two weeks, time and time again either abbreviated signage, traffic conditions, or just plain ignorance led to adding many miles and loads of entertainment to this journey of ours. Tomorrow...To Milano!