#istrian meal

[scr4n]

Istrian style chicken fillet with fuži pasta and french fries 🇭🇷

[whumped-by-glitter]

The Morning Dasa's Life Began to Change

CW: institutionalized slavery, captivity, bondage

here is a very whumpy excerpt from chapter 2, it takes place the morning of Annika's birthday. I am working on edits still, so aspects may change slightly by the time I post the entire chapter.

word count: 2,066

The slave, who was only called dog, stood spread eagle in his master’s front yard, his arms and legs held taut, and outstretched between two pillars, bound by a force pulling at the bands on his wrists and ankles. two bars were slid through brackets, on both pillars, one at his throat, one at the back of his neck to deter any forward or backward slumping. His well-defined muscles were far past the point of screaming from lack of movement, His black, medium length hair was matted with days of sweat and grime. He'd lost count of how long he’d been out there, 3 days maybe? His master would show up three times a day to beat him and force him to eat. He was never starved for punishment, like the other slaves, because he was being trained to resist, properly identify, and neutralize poisons. Missing meals would mean missing doses, which could screw up any resistance he’d built up, which had taken almost 20 years to establish. He was only being held here, this time because a younger slave, referred to as boy, was stealing food. Dog had taken the blame, to protect the starving kid, who was banned from food because their master’s lazy son Balor was not pleased with how long it had taken Boy to buy more snacks.

The sun began to rise, and the people of the Fief had begun to move about. Some of the passers- by would look at him with pity. Others would poke fun at his predicament, or giggle. Some of the Arcturian children would throw stones or mud, from the gutters, at him. Dog was insensible and numb to all of this by now. For the Drar, such treatment was commonplace. He was an enslaved people.  The position Dog now found himself in was his master, Corvius’s, favorite punishment for him.

The Drar were a race that had incredible physical strength, and heightened senses, like wild animals. They were actually the only race of Balthia that did not possess any magic, in fact they were more sensitive to it being used on them, but their senses and strength more than made up for it. Even their eyes looked animalistic, amber yellow with slit pupils. They also boasted incredibly fast healing, however, dog unfortunately did not, likely due to the poisons he had to drink every day. Dog was also not as strong as other Drar probably for the same reason. He was stronger than the Istrians and definitely stronger than Arcturians though.

As the sun rose higher dog started to grow concerned. Master Atheris should have been outside by now. Did Corvius forget about him? Did Corvius decide to just leave him out here, and to start fresh, with one of the younger slaves? Doubts whirled through his head, which was bound to happen when he had nothing to do but think. It was like torture, to suddenly change a routine when he was in such a vulnerable position.

Finally, after hours, Boy appeared. Relief spread through Dog, followed immediately by confusion. Then Boy started to slide the bars out of their slots, which confused Dog and caused more than a little bit of panic to arise in him. “Wh-what are you doing?” dog asked, in hushed tones, his voice cracking a little, which betrayed concern for the younger slave.

“don’t worry, I’m on orders to get you cleaned up, I’m not helping you escape” Boy replied. He showed Dog Balor’s ring. Boy gave a wry smile when Dog sighed in relief. Boy released Dog's ankles. Then he released Dog’s wrists, first his right, causing dog’s body to slump back, onto Boy’s waiting shoulders. “Why do you do this to yourself?” Boy asked, “you would almost never be punished, if you weren’t constantly defending the rest of us” he said, releasing his other wrist, causing dog’s entire body to crumple and boy had to help him to the ground so he could recover for a moment. It was a relief to allow blood to start flowing back to his arms.

Dog shrugged in response “because, I know how much these suck, and it hurts me a lot worse than the actual treatment ever could to see someone else go through it.” He replied pensively, revealing what might be his biggest weakness, “besides, someone’s gotta look out for all of you. now shhh, you know we aren’t supposed to talk to each other”, talking, between slaves, was strongly discouraged not just by Corvius, but across the board.

Boy gave another wry smile as dog flexed, trying to restore blood flow to his stiff limbs, his muscles aching from prolonged disuse. Boy doubted their master had even realized how fitting the name “Dog” was. Dog was loyal to a fault, almost to the point of being stupid. As the oldest slave in the household, he always took it upon himself to look out for everyone else and protect them from Corvius and his lazy son Balor. The other slaves would sometimes jokingly call him Maso, short for masochist.

Once dog could at least stand, boy half dragged him into the bathhouse, to begin getting him cleaned up. Dog was dreading the cold water, when he realized it was warm. He had never once had a warm or even lukewarm bath. He closed his eyes and melted into it. It felt amazing on his still stiffened and somewhat atrophied muscles. Boy had to help him with his hair, as he still could barely lift his arms. To Dog’s surprise, Boy used real shampoo. This really started to concern dog, as normally, on the rare occasions they were allowed to bathe, it was cold water and only a bar of soap.

After he was cleaned up, Boy handed him a towel and brought in some clean clothes. He then carefully bandaged his still bleeding and thoroughly battered body. When dog started to dress, his concern grew, ‘what was going on?’ he thought. The fabric was soft and clean. The garments were new and had no holes at all. It was a simple black tunic and breeches, with red edging. Dog dressed quickly, not wanting to dawdle too long and get Boy in trouble.

A few minutes later Corvius waltzed in, followed by his portly son, who came waddling in after his father. Dog immediately knelt and bowed his head to the floor, a gesture of humble submission and obedience. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite lawn ornament” the old man sneered.

“And snack retriever!” Balor added dumbly, trying, and failing dismally, to parrot Corvius’s sneer.

Corvius walked around dog, assessing him, “that’ll have to do” he muttered before wrapping a blindfold over Dog’s eyes. Corvius was strictly averse to his slaves making eye contact, even by accident, with any free person.  It wasn’t uncommon for him to just blindfold them, when they were going to be around nobles. In fact, he had trained them, for a couple hours each evening, to function and even serve as usual, while blindfolded. It wasn’t unusual for slaves to wear lace coverings over their eyes, as the nobles found the Drar’s yellow, slit pupiled eyes, quite unsettling, however, Corvius took it to an extreme. “Get up, come with me dog” he ordered sharply, and dog rose, as gracefully as he could and followed obediently, sensing Boy’s eyes watching him intently, as he left the room.

He followed Corvius’s menacing tapping, as he’d put metal plates on the bottoms of his shoes to make himself more imposing. Dog wouldn’t need them to follow his master though, as the Drar have extremely good senses and their sense of smell is was keener than most wild animals. The same was true with hearing and sight, and Dog’s were even more developed from years of training. He could operate the same way, blindfolded or not.

The three of them got into a carriage. Once inside, dog took a spot on the floor, as he was not allowed to sit on the seats, as they were reserved for free persons. to Dog’s shock and surprise, Corvius, whose presence he could detect by scent alone, began to remove his bands one by one. The surprise must have registered on Dog's face, which was another taboo for slaves, because he received a painful prod from Balor with his ring, who sniggered wickedly. Dog dropped his face and resumed his usual void, neutral expression, once more. He fingered the skin around his neck, bands were put on the Drar from birth, so it always felt foreign not having one. ‘It isn’t time for resizing my bands, what is going on?’ He wished Master would tell him.

Then, one by one, they were replaced. However, these bands smelled different. They were of a different metal, gold. He began piecing together, bit by bit, what was going on at that point. Gold bands were strictly for slaves belonging to Royalty.

“hand” Corvius ordered coldly.

Dog obeyed and held out his hand, readying himself for the finger stick. It always made him jump a little for some reason, and attuning the stones was a little painful.

Corvius stabbed his finger hard with a needle. He then roughly squeezed out a drop of blood and pressed it to one ring until Dog let out a hiss, then repeated the process for a second ring.

These bands controlled the Drar’s whole lives. They were linked magically to a ring or rings their owners wore. The rings were simple with a small red stone on it. The stone was linked directly to a specific slave. The bands would cause immense pain if the slave even thought about disobeying, same with touching their own ring, and being too far away from their master. Any ring, the same status or higher could make the bands bind or unbind. This was to protect against rebellion. So, anyone with a gold ring had pseudo control over any slave. The Nobles, with their silver rings, had some command over silver and brass banded slaves. The commoners, with brass rings, only had control over brass banded slaves.

Although the bands only forced them to obey their master, they were still expected to obey everyone or face punishment. The only exception to this being if a command from someone else interfered with their master’s orders. It was a tough line to walk. Dog especially felt bad for brass bands, sometimes poorer communities would share slaves, to do work in the fields. The thought of having maybe a dozen owners made him shiver. However, he had often heard that they weren’t treated as badly, so maybe it wasn’t as awful. Dog had been a silver band. Silver and gold had to be always on point and were often used for entertainment, which often exposed them to more wanton cruelty. He himself had been used in a number of blood sports, which were referred to as “games”.

When the carriage stopped, Dog was ordered to exit. Before leaving, he was stopped by Balor, who placed gold irons on his wrists connected, behind his back, by a chain just long enough for him to reach about 6 inches in front of him, the same was done with his upper arms, but this chain was shorter, which kept his Upper arms at his sides. The two sets were connected vertically to prevent him from stepping over the chains and bringing his arms to the front, not that he would attempt it anyway. Dog was obedient to a self destructive degree.

Dog was led into what seemed to be a ballroom, based on the number of people and the amount of echoing that reverberated off the chamber’s walls. “Kneel, dog” Corvius growled, as he positioned him near the back of the room so that Corvius could go mingle with the rest of the nobility and elites. Dog obeyed, and gracefully took his place. He remained so still, that several women thought he was a manikin at first. That was another pet peeve of Corvius’s, excess fidgeting and swaying, even Dog's breathing had to be measured.

The sounds in the room suddenly changed, some kind of ceremony was beginning. Dasa’s chest tightened, he still didn’t fully understand what was going on and desperately hoped he wasn’t about to be entered in game, his body was still too stiff and sore.

taglist: @whumperofworlds, @3-2-whump, @wounds-seen-and-unseen, @aryox

Masterlist

[travelwiththefallons]

Motovun - Truffle Hunting

I assure you that this post is about our second day in Motovun, Croatia, but first, a tale of mythology that was completely fabricated by me with no knowledge or research, but I’m fairly certain is 100% definitely how it happened. So, basically just like everything else you’ll read on the internet these days.

Many, many eons ago, all the gods assembled to examine this newly created being, the human. All the gods you’ve ever heard of were there. Yes, the god you believe in and the god I believe in and all the numerous gods that our ancestors believed in so fervently. Their goal was to decide what these humans would eat, how it would taste, where these consumables could be found or grown, what would be poisonous and basically hash out all of our digestive details in a round table kind of way. Odin brought the idea of eating other beings that consisted of red meat, Dionysus first suggested a fermented grape based drink called wine, and Heset was very fond of her idea, milk from utters. After many suggestions, discussions, arguments, and compromises, they got our diet mostly sorted and were about to disperse to their various heavenly realms, when Mercury, known to the Romans to be a bit of a trickster god, stood up with a wonderful idea.

He proclaimed that he wanted there to be a small fungus, similar to a mushroom, that tasted unlike anything on the planet. On its own, it would not completely smell unlike a mushroom being musty, sweet, with complicated, overlapping additional flavors that result in an almost soil-ish smell but with a tinge of rich aroma. However, where the beauty lies in this little fungus would be that it amplifies anything it’s cooked with! Normal cuts of red meat somehow taste meatier and become worthy of fine dining once cooked in its sauce, eggs become a gourmet meal, and it amplifies every dish making every aspect of a meal more satisfying! Naturally, the gods loved this idea and told Mercury to make it happen and thus, the truffle was put into existence.

Then, the trickster did in fact make it happen, but decided to make this wonderfully decadent ingredient the most infuriating thing for humans on the planet. He decided to make it tiny, looking almost like small rocks, and hide it underground on the roots of trees, where it would be nearly impossible to find. Attempts to farm it would prove nearly impossible or at least unrealistically expensive. The only way to successfully cultivate these little prizes would be to train dogs and pigs to smell them out deep in the forest and hopefully stop them from eating it before the human could intervene. Finally, the shelf life of these little morsels would be incredibly short. Don’t let them sit for more than a week or they’ll start getting mushy. Wait another week and they’ve lost a substantial amount of flavor. A week after that and it’s either gone bad or is essentially flavorless.

Now that my foray into fiction is over and some knowledge of the truffle has been imparted, we return to our adventures in Motovun. We find our heroes waking up somewhat early after a lovely night of decadent eating (perhaps a bit too much), drinking a plethora of wonderful wines (definitely a bit too much), and one of us spraining an achilles while walking down a minor mountain after consuming said wine and refusing to drink water all night (definitely Jimmy). That wound will have to be ignored because today is to include a trip up another minor mountain where we will be following some well-trained canine friends in our hunt for truffles!

Our guide for the day was Goron, a local veteran of food, wine, truffles and seemingly all things culturally relevant to Istrian region of Croatia. We pile into Goron’s Mazda and make off to meet our truffle hunting guide, Milo and his wife Merra. Milo truffle hunts for a living and occasionally takes small groups with him. After a warm welcome and some shots from homemade liqueurs, we meet our hunting companions which consists of several German and Austrian families, including a couple that want to bring their own dog along for a try. Also joining our group is Svetelana from Moscow who will be coming with us later with Goron. We also meet the stars of the show, Lila and Bella, our canine truffle guides. Lila is a small 2 year old lab who is very excited, but still learning. Bella is a terrier mix and is older and more seasoned in the hunt, who will end up doing a lot of the work while showing Lila the ropes. We pile back into vehicles and head for a short drive into the forest. After that the process is pretty simple. The dogs pile out of the back of Milo’s SUV and we start walking.

(Lila is very excited and would like a treat before she begins)

(I spy Motovun in the background)

Hunt is perhaps not the right word for foraging truffles. It’s basically a lovely stroll through the woods while a couple of off-leash dogs, with a finely tuned nose run all around like adorable jackasses trying to pick up any scent of the prize. It turns out you need to start training incredibly young, only a couple months old, in order for the dogs to develop a taste for truffles, which is necessary to develop this scent. The third dog that was tagging along had none of this training and is having a wonderful time frolicking through the woods, but is mostly getting in the way. It’s not long and Bella is onto something. She stops near the base of a large oak, shoves her snout into the ground for several seconds and once she’s locked on, starts digging like a madman. Milo has to act quick here because the dogs will eat or damage the truffles if they get to them first and since they’re only about a foot deep in somewhat soft soil, that happens fast. Milo gets Bella’s attention with a bread treat and while she is preoccupied, he takes a small shovel and digs the truffle up himself.

(Bella has found one!)

(the smell was unreal)

(a white truffle - the most expensive of the truffles)

They’re tiny, only about the size of a ping pong ball and almost look like a little stone. The aroma gives them away though. It’s an intense smell that is somehow musky with notes of fruit and chocolate all at the same time. As we continue up the mountain on the forest trail, the dogs dart about through the trees seemingly having a great time. We manage to uncover five total, 2 summer black truffles, 2 white truffles and 1 winter black truffle which is rare for our season. Goron tells us this was a very successful hunt and that they normally don’t find that many on one trip out. We walk for about 30 minutes and then turn around. The views from the mountain are capable of holding your attention until your mind has wandered as only substantial scenery seen from precious vantage points can do. Milo keeps the dogs working, explaining that truffles release their odors in spurts. The dogs could pass directly over one that isn’t releasing a smell and then find it half an hour later when it is. The whole event is a total roll of the dice and the odd and inconsistent behavior of these fungi is part of the reason that they have not efficiently found a way to farm the spores. Goron explains that many hunts are completely unsuccessful, but many yield one or two. The most they have ever found on these short tour expeditions is seven. We load back up and head back to Milo’s.

Merra has prepared a truly remarkable spread while we’ve been in the woods. Various breads, meats, cheeses, all cooked with truffle or covered in a truffle spread. We’re told to sit, pour a glass of wine and dig in. Naturally, we need no coaxing. At this point in our trip, we’ve been inundated with truffles in nearly every meal. You would think this would hamper our appetites, but not in the least. The beauty of the truffle is that while it has its own flavor, it’s real purpose is to act as an amplifier for whatever you’re dining on. A truffle steak isn’t going to taste the same as truffle fish or pork or whatever you cook it with. You’re just going to get a very pronounced version of the flavors already present despite the truffle. The spread is amazing, but Merra has one more surprise for us. She’s going to cook truffle eggs for us live. She fires up a heated bowl and gets going with 26 eggs for our group, light seasonings, a criminal amount of truffle and finished with some grated parmesan. The show is a nice way to end the meal, all the food is very good and we’re off to the gift shop, naturally.

(Everyone was very excited to learn Merra's secret to good eggs)

It should be mentioned that Merra and many Croatian restaurants use an ABSURD amount of truffle in their truffle dishes. When you consider the cost of truffles, it’s hard to figure how these $20 meals don’t cost hundreds of dollars. The answer lies in the shelf life of the truffle. Once out of the ground they’re only exceptionally good for a couple weeks. They’re relatively abundant in Croatia so it’s easy to put them in meals all the time and in large quantities. However if you’re in an area where they don’t grow naturally (most of the world), you have to figure out who can get them, when they have them, how they need to be transported to stay fresh, and how to get them to you very quickly. These logistics add up and truffle hunters aren’t fools. The local restaurants get first pick at discount and then the rest of the world gets to fight for the rest at the highest bidder. That’s why most of the world’s truffle dishes are very expensive and use fairly low quantities.

[thestoriedspoon]

My favorite Istrian Lidia Bastianich's Sunday night Chicken Sausage Bake on Saturday night. 🍃 Browned chicken thighs and sweet Italian sausage nestled in with crispy potatoes, roasted garlic, and a little red onion for my own addition. 🍃 Rosemary and parsley all around and a splash of vinegar during baking. One of my favorite meals ever. 🍃 What are you making tonight? 🍃 🍃 🍃 #lidiabastanich #chickensausagebake #comfortfoods #aquarreloffeasts #foodblog #foodblogger #castiron #rustic #quarantinecomfort #saturdaysupper #instafood #instagood #feedfeed @thefeedfeed https://www.instagram.com/p/B_s6Aq4Bhyp/?igshid=mzxjall1xto2

[domhovasse]

The best Balkan.

For the last couple of years, I’ve been hearing and seeing incredible things about Slovenia. Since we didn’t have time to add it to our Balkans trip itinerary, I figured I would claim my last week of holidays and spend an entire week hiking, swimming, and exploring the ‘green’ country of the Balkans. Originally I was planning on leaving alone, but when I found out that my friend Dave was going to be travelling at the same time, I suggested he join me for Slovenia, and he gladly accepted. 

After a night in Venice, we headed to the capital city of Slovenia, Ljubljana, where we spent 2 days learning some history, eating some good food, and exploring the city on bike and foot. After our severely delayed bus ride, we checked-in to our hostel before grabbing some typical Slovenian sausages for lunch. We then walked up to the Ljubljana Castle, where we spent some time exploring the various rooms, and walking up to the tower/lookout, where we got stuck in an agressive rain/hail storm. The rain thankfully subsided intime for us to end the day off on a free walking tour, before grabbing dinner along the river, and later on, participating in a pub-crawl. 

The following day was spent exploring Ljubljana by bike, visiting a few museums, hanging out at a park, and getting rooftop drinks at sunset. After grabbing dinner, we went for a little walk around town before having an early night in.    

The next morning we hopped on a short bus ride to Bled, a beautiful, picturesque lake, famous for its turquoise water and (man-made) island in the middle. Ever since I saw a photo of the place years ago, I’ve been determined to one day visit. And boy was it even more beautiful in person. The forecast had said clouds and thunderstorms, but the sun pulled through and we were able to spend all our time outside, hiking, swimming, and tanning. The lake is about 6km in circumference so we spent our first day walking all the way around the lake, as well as visiting two viewpoints, one at Bled Castle, and the other at the end of a 45-minute hike.

Our second day was spent at Lake Bohinj, another beautiful, much bigger lake, that actually reminded me a lot of BC. We decided to rent an electric scooter for the day, to have more flexibility in regards to time, but this decision ended up backfiring when our scooter stopped working right as we got to the top of a lookout point. I figured if we let it rest for a little bit, the engine would cool down and eventually start-up again, but after hanging out and grabbing some food at the top of the mountain/lookout point, nothing. Since we were at the top of a mountain, we were able to make it back into town mostly by riding in neutral all the way down, but once the road flattened out we ended up walking for a while, stopping people along the way to ask for help, all of which could not get the bike to start either. We eventually found a tourism office, where we asked a young Slovenian guy if he could help us. When him and 2 of his friends couldn’t figure out how to fix the scooter (even after calling the shop owner), they decided to put it in the back of a van, and drive us back to Bled. The shop owner ended up paying them for gas/their time, which we were so relieved about! We thanked them a million times, gave them all big hugs, and were (finally) on our way back to our hostel. 

After a perfect morning paddle boarding on the lake, we caught a bus back to Ljubljana, where we began our journey by train, to visit some of the coastal towns of Slovenia. To cut our journey in half, we decided to make a stop at the famous Skocjan Cave. We caught a free shuttle bus from the train station to the cave, went on a guided tour, and found out that there were no shuttle busses running to bring us back to the train station, where we were to catch our train to the coast. What a lovely situation to be in, stranded in the middle of Slovenia, with no ride to the train station, and the last train of the day leaving in 20 minutes. We desperately asked a worker for advice, who she suggested we walk, until she realized we wouldn’t get there in time. She then decided to call her mom to see if she could give us a ride on their way home (even though it was apparently forbidden for her as an employee to offer rides to customers/travellers). Thank God for kind people! We arrived at the train station right in time to catch the last train to Koper - what a relief. After arriving, we checked-in to our hostel, grabbed dinner, and wandered around town a bit, before heading to bed.

The next morning we woke up bright and early, spent some time walking around the town of Koper, before renting an electric scooter and driving along the coastline, stopping first in the town of Izola for a nice walk and ocean-side cocktail, and then Piran, where we stopped for lunch, and visited a few tourist attractions. We made sure to check that the road was more or less flat so that we wouldn’t have a repeat of our last scooter rental experience. It ended up going very smoothly, and we got back to Koper in the late afternoon, in time to grab a sunset beer, before dinner and another early night in. 

After splitting up with Dave, I had 3 days to spare before my flight home from Venice (since the roundtrip flight from Paris was much cheaper than the one to Ljubljana), so I decided to make my way up the Istrian Peninsula by bus, stopping to explore a few cities along the way, since they’re all quite close to each other and small enough to explore in a day. First up was Rovinj, a picturesque town known as ‘little Venice’ built on a rocky spur. I locked up my bag at the bus station and spent the majority of the day wandering around town aimlessly, getting lost in the narrow streets, and eventually following the coastline to the beach, where I spent some time people watching and enjoying the sweet sound of the ocean.

In the late afternoon, I made my way back to the bus station to pick up my things and catch a bus to Pula. I was so shocked by the amount of British tourists in both Rovinj and Pula, I almost forgot I was in Croatia! After checking into my hostel, I got dinner and wandered around the city center with a Canadian guy from my hostel dorm. The following day we explored more of the city, visiting an old castle as well as the famous Pula Arena, the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers and the most well preserved monument in Croatia. In the afternoon we decided to head to the beach, where we spent a few hours taking it easy, reading, and enjoying the sun. On our way back to the hostel we picked up groceries to make our own dinner, since the food options all seemed to be very overpriced, and of sub-par quality. 

My 6 hours in Trieste the following day were spent walking around the city center, visiting some sights, stopping for coffee a few times, and (obviously) treating myself to a delicious pizza & glass of wine. I felt so bougey sitting at a nice restaurant and getting the most expensive pizza on the menu, until I realized the exact same meal would have costed double the amount in Paris. After taking a brief nap on a bench along the pier, I eventually made my way back to the bus station, where I caught a bus to the Venice airport. I remember it being so incredibly hot this day, I ended up spending so much time just sitting in random shady spots around the city, trying my best to avoid possibly fainting. 

Another trip for the books, and a region of the world I highly recommend everyone explore! Slovenia had some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen, and the fact that a lot of it reminded me of home was a big plus. If I were to do it again, I probably would have rented a car to have more flexibility while travelling in Slovenia, and I definitely would have skipped Pula altogether.  

[eurotren]

At the sign of the Goat

Not wanting to sit around the pool one late afternoon I offered to fetch some local Istrian wine to accompany our evening meal from the shop in Zbandaj. Our hosts had left bottles of red, white and rose for our consumption, Sal and Chris duly obliged. En route I decided to check out the nearest hamlet to Kirmenjak, a place called Radmani. The road through the hamlet pointed towards the coast so I thought I'd stroll along it and examine the views. Radmani is a pleasant enough place, although the 'front end' looks more like a suburb than an Istrian village, with a small number of older houses and rather more new built villas. The latter looked as though the had been specifically built from scratch for the tourist market and were more '3 star' than the upmarket and salubrious villas developed from older properties in Kirmenjak.

The light was fading when I reached the end of the village, which was marked by a run down house that had to be several hundred years old. Opposite was a farm building with a stone plaque of the Goat of Mendes, complete with red eyes and flated, smoking nostrils. Ahead in the distance I could see a figure walking slowly down the road away from me with a stooping gait and a lump on his / her back. Of course it could have been a hiker trying to make Porec before nightfall, but I knew it was the bloke from the Hotel Brioni. I've seen enough of Hammer's films to know that if I'd have continued down the road into the gathering gloom that I'd have come to a sticky end. The mosquitoes at the Villa Simone had first dibs on my blood and I wasn't about to disappoint them by giving it up to a vampire.

I turned around and walked back through Radmani and onto Zbandaj. At the local shop, as instructed, I bought three bottles of Istrian white wine. The woman behind the till gave me quizzical look. Although she spoke no English her gestures made me understand that I ought to be buying the local red. When I refused, suspecting an ulterior motive, she simply smiled knowingly and shrugged. I returned her smile and made a note to put a few Kunas on her for the forthcoming Mrs. Goat contest. I assumed it was a look-a-like competition and this woman had the beard for it!

[paulasmiths-blog]

Villa Prunella: The best accommodation in a beautiful corner of Istria

Villa Prunella is located in a beautiful location. It is one of the safest and the best family accommodation in Istria.

The villa has four bedrooms with three bathrooms and suitable for eight guests. The villa is homely accommodation and has traditional features. The villa is well equipped with modern facilities such as air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and satellite TV.  The bedrooms are interconnecting. Cloakroom facilities are provided so that the different families or groups can live with privacy. The villa has a wonderful layout.

Villa Prunella is built in a traditional and rustic style. The villa is surrounded by fields and woodlands. It is an ideal place for enjoying relaxing vacations. The house is cozy and has two storeys. The ground floor has a living room with open fireplace, DVD, satellite TV and exit to the garden, one double bedroom, and bathroom with shower, open kitchen, and dining room. The furnishings of the living room are classic. You can enter the verandah from the living room through a French door. The bathroom is equipped with a washbasin, a bathtub, a toilet, a shower, and a hairdryer. The upper floor has three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, terraces with furniture, deck chairs, and fabulous views. You can enjoy a broad view of the greenery outside. You can park your car free of charge inside the entrance gate.

The kitchen is well equipped with modern amenities such as refrigerator, oven, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, and toaster.

There is a large private pool outside where guests can have fun with their families. You can also enjoy a meal on the built-in barbecue. There are two shaded dining terraces to enjoy a meal with your friends and family. The most important benefit to choosing this villa for your vacations is that the villa has an outdoor fireplace with covered patio.

There is a beautiful tiered garden outside with a lawn, shrubs, and beautiful bougainvillea. The outside view is peaceful. Nature’s splendor waits for people who visit the villa for spending quality time with their family and friends.

There are country lanes and trails outside the villa. You can walk and cycle and enjoy the tranquil beauty. The historical town of Sveti Lovrec is situated just 2.5 kilometers from the villa. There are a number of bars and restaurants to enjoy delicious cuisines. You can also get the things of daily needs easily as there are two mini-markets in the town.  There is a beach nearby where you can visit with your family to have fun.

If you want to spend a lovely day with your friends and family, you can visit the ancient Roman town of Porec that is just half an hour drive from Prunella. It is a beautiful town for history lovers because there are a number of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque buildings in the town which are worth visiting.

The villa Prunella guarantees a peaceful and quiet vacation. There is something to satisfy every member of the family. Villa offers a beautiful view of the Istrian landscape. You can spend a peaceful vacation in the serenity of nature with your loved ones.

Enjoy your villas in costa brava and write your own travel itinerary by booking villas with private pool.

[sbknews]

New Post has been published on Superbike News

New Post has been published on https://superbike-news.co.uk/wordpress/fiva-world-motorcycle-rally-27-30-june-2019/

FIVA World Motorcycle Rally, 27–30 June 2019

Open to any owner and enthusiast with a motorcycle built prior to 1984, not only FIVA members, this 3-day touring event celebrates the fun of riding classic motorcycles on the road – in this case discovering a hidden gem of the Mediterranean: Istria, a peninsula shared by Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.

It is in Istria that the world-renowned truffle can be found, where charming hilltop villages welcome visitors – and it’s easy to enjoy gourmet meals and fine Istrian wines while discovering local secrets, history and spectacular sites.

Of particular interest to many will be the third day of the tour, dedicated to Trieste in Italy, where participants can preview the exhibition on Camillo Castiglioni (a huge influence on early BMW) at Palazzo Gopcevich, and ride the legendary climb of the ‘Trieste-Opicina’ race. Starting from Piazza Unità d’Italia in downtown Trieste, the tour will follow the route of the race that ran from 1911 to 1971 and became known as ‘The Uphill Monza’, arriving some 10km later on the Karst plateau, around 330m above sea-level.

Participants will be staying at the four-star Hotel Sol Umag on the Croatian coast, among Mediterranean pine trees and a short walk from the many seaside pools, buffets, restaurants, fitness and spa centres, as well as the historical attractions of central Umag.

The cost of the tour is 450 euros per person, including three nights’ accommodation from 27–30 June, all food and refreshments during the rally, the social programme and museum visits, reserved parking, motorcycle service at the car park, welcome gifts and a memorial plaque, plus a shuttle/bus for non-riding companions.

Itinerary

27th June – after the breakfast buffet, the tour will spend the day in Istria, one of the most popular holiday destinations in Croatia. Accompanied by experienced marshals on modern motorcycles, participants will visit the town Poreč and its surroundings, returning to the hotel via Grožnjan, a small picturesque medieval settlement.

28th June – a visit to the city of Piran with a guided walk through the city and harbour, followed by a visit to the birthplace – now a museum – of the world-famous violin virtuoso Giuseppe Tartini. The winding road will lead the tour between vineyards and olive plantations to the newly opened wine cellar ‘Rodica’, known for its culinary delicacies such as prosciutto, sausages, cheeses, salami and local wines. The return trip to the hotel is via the picturesque Slovene Istria and the centuries-old salt pans of Sečovlje.

29th June – riding to the heart of Trieste, participants will be welcomed by the Mayor and the President of the region, as well as meeting the members of Motoclub Trieste – the oldest club in Italy, founded in the summer of 1906. While the tour’s motorcycles are on display in the square, participants are invited to preview the Camillo Castiglioni exhibition at Palazzo Gopcevich: ‘Camillo Castiglioni: the Triestino that brought BMW to success’. There will also be an exhibition of the history of BMW motorcycles, from the first prototypes to modern production, and a presentation of the book ‘La Trieste Opicina Motociclistica’ by motorcycle author Dr. Franco Damiani. Plus there will be a display of British Frazer Nash cars in the Piazza Unità d’Italia, following the world meeting in Bolzano.

Then it’s time for the ride up the route of the ‘Trieste-Opicina’ race, starting from downtown Trieste and ending at the Karst plateau, 330m above sea-level. After a traditional regional lunch and local attractions, the tour will return to the hotel for the final night’s gala dinner, with music and an awards ceremony.

For more details and an entry form, please see our webpage https://fwmr2019.svamz.com/.

Notes to Editors

FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) is the worldwide organisation dedicated to the preservation, protection and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture, as well as their safe use. Since April 2017, FIVA has been a non-governmental partner of UNESCO, and continues to pursue its successful FIVA World Motoring Heritage Year programme.

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[slayerforbreakfast-blog]

its a life thats made for me where I can be completely free so long as I obey this sound that echoes around just like the ocean or the sea #neworder #brotherhood #weirdo _____________ just go here. a picture is worth a thousand words, but no locution nor word exists to describe the beauty of this place - so these half a dozen additional shots from the istrian peninsula of croatia are essentially faint silence compared to the resonant symphony that awaits you playing on these beguiling & fetching shores xox 1. Brixton with Trevor skipping rocks* 2. Brixton with Trevor at the playground near the port 3. Brixton at the playground near the port 4. Brixton with us at the bay near Banjole 5. the odd statue without a plaque that google cant find info on & Id like to know more about* 6. Brixton with us & the statue* 7. Istrian meal* *asterisk indicates #nofilter #getoutside #letthembekids #letthembefree #toddlerlife #toddleradventures #familyadventures #familyvacation #bringthekids #goadventuretogether #letthemexplore #showthemtheworld #couplegoals #ourcandidlife #fatherandson #toddler #toddlerontheloose #toddlermom #mother #motherhood #momswithcameras #makemoments #thehappynow #justfortoday #odaat #wedorecover (at Istria)

[amberdallas17-blog]

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[accuhunt]

How to Find the Perfect Airbnb and Make the Most of Your Travel Experience.

I often wonder what makes a travel experience truly unforgettable. Take my recent trip to Georgia (the country) for instance. When our plans to travel to the remote Tusheti region got snowed on, we decided to visit a forgotten protected reserve near Georgia’s border with Azerbaijan and the Dagestan province of Russia. I was recovering from a flu, and even on a sunny day, wrapped up in layers and a warm hat.

“Cold?” Otto, our potbellied, jolly Georgian host asked me. I solemnly nodded.

He turned to search for something in the shelves of his outdoor kitchen shed. I tried to tell him I had already taken medicine, but he wouldn’t stop.

He finally found what he was looking for. A bottle of homemade chacha – a strong plum liquor ubiquitous in Georgian households.

“Chacha very good,” he said, even as I resisted it at first. Then we cheered to India, Georgia, family, religion (even if mine is atheism) and good health, and downed shot after shot.

With my Georgian host Otto.

I guess the flu, hiking to the waterfalls in the protected reserve, my friend’s tumble into a glacial river and all the homemade jams we ate for breakfast will gradually fade away in my memory. But I’ll never forget sitting in that little shed by the garden, surrounded by grape and plum vines, the warm sunlight pouring in through cracks in the tin roof, drinking chacha with Otto.

So if you ask me, the most unforgettable travel experiences are the ones that push us beyond our comfort zone, happen outside of planned itineraries and immerse us in the local way of life. And for that reason, I’ve sworn by Airbnb in my last three years of traveling.

My dreamy Airbnb in the Caucasus Mountains.

Here are all my tips and tricks on how to find the perfect Airbnb when you travel:

Think about the kind of experience you’re looking for

The thing about traveling is, one size doesn’t fit all. I might love spending time in an obscure little village deep in the mountains and you might love the vibrant night life of a city. I might love slow days with no plans and you might love road tripping from town to town. The good news is that accommodations on Airbnb tend to offer a rather vast range of experiences – from swanky apartments with a kitchen (ideal for a long stay), to a homely room with a local family (great for local insights), to a unique mountain lodge that is an experience unto itself.

Before I even start looking at Airbnb, I think about what kind of place I’m keen to stay at. If I’m merely passing through a city, I prefer to stay centrally and don’t care much to find a host who’d be very involved. On the other hand, if I’m slow travelling through, let’s say small-town Italy, I’d look for a quiet place with beautiful surroundings, ideally with a host who would be open to conversations and sharing a glimpse of the local life. Before you begin your research, take a moment to think about what you really want from your trip.

Read: Why Long Term Travel is More Like Real Life and Less Like Instagram

A charming home to slow down, in Addis Ababa.

Browse on the Airbnb map

Typically when you search for a destination on Airbnb, the most reviewed accommodations show up on the first few pages. Unexpected gems can often remain buried on further pages. To get around this, I use the map feature that accompanies accommodation search. By checking a box under the map, I ensure that search results change in real time as I move or zoom into the map.

On my Sri Lanka trip last year, I knew I wanted to stay in the hill country, yet not in the busy town of Kandy. So I zoomed into the map, but away from the cluster of Airbnbs in Kandy, till I found one isolated Airbnb on the shores of the magnificent Victoria Lake – it turned out to be one of the most stunning Airbnb experiences I’ve had yet. On the other hand, while looking for an Airbnb in Colombo, I had no idea which part of the city I wanted to stay in. So I moved the map around, looking for green areas not too far from the city centre, and ultimately found College House in a neighborhood I had never heard of before.

The point is, the map feature allows you to find Airbnbs away from the tourist action (or in the middle of it, if that’s your thing), and often in small towns and villages that might not be on your radar otherwise.

Read: 7 Epic (yet affordable) Airbnbs to Stay in Sri Lanka

Waking up in a wine barrel bed in Ljubljana!

Use filters to shortlist accommodations

Just like the map feature, filters make it much easier to find your perfect Airbnb experience. During a typical search, I choose the following filters:

Entire place or private room. I’m not one for sharing a room, like ever.

Wireless internet. Because, digital nomad

Kitchen, if I intend to stay longer than a week.

Superhost, just to get an idea of the top-rated accommodations at my destination.

I almost always use the price filter too, but I usually keep the upper range 10-15% higher than my actual budget, since it’s often possible to get a discount on weekly and monthly prices, off-season travel and solo occupancy.

Read: How I Conquer My Solo Travel Fears

Sleeping under the stars, on the roof of my Airbnb in Mauritius!

Read reviews of past travellers

Once I’ve shortlisted 5-10 accommodations, based on the kind of experience I’m looking for, location on the map, amenities and price filters, I start reading the accommodation and host description, and looking at photos. Over the years though, I’ve learnt to take photos with a pinch of salt – they often tend to be edited for perfect light. I try to ignore artistic photos, and analyze instead how spacious the room looks, whether the surrounding area offers natural beauty, and most importantly, if the bathroom looks clean and modern enough. The last thing I want on my travels, is to pay to stay in a dingy room with a filthy bathroom – which has happened by the way.

But what I rely on most are the reviews of past travellers. I look at what aspects of a place most reviews tend to praise – the hospitality of the host, the location, the surroundings or the room/apartment itself – and assess if those are the ones most important for me. I pay close attention to anything negative, especially if it concerns cleanliness.

Read: My Worst Travel Memories

An eagle’s eye view on Lake Atitlan (Guatemala) from my balcony.

Manage expectations with your host

I think the best part about Airbnb, as compared to other accommodation websites, is that you can have a conversation with your host before you book. I always do that, asking questions that are unanswered in the description, like whether I’ll be able to get around without a car, my options for food (and the availability of vegan food), if there are hiking or cycling trails and other activities to keep me busy for a while, and if the internet usually works well. Asking such questions also gives the host an idea of what I’m looking for from my stay, and such discussions have often led to hosts going out of their way to create experiences for me.

On the Croatian countryside for instance, I stayed at an Airbnb with little public transport connectivity. My hosts not only picked me up from the train station, but also invited me on their day off to show me their favorite spots along the Istrian peninsula!

Read: Dreamy Airbnbs to Experience Europe Like a Local

With my Quichua host family in Ecuador.

Remember you’re not in a hotel; be a mindful guest

Time and again, my Airbnb hosts have gone beyond a business relationship to invite me into their lives. Many of them became good friends over the course of my stay, some invited me to come back and stay as a personal guest, others I still keep in touch with and hope to see again. But these relationships are always a two-way street.

When I arrive at an Airbnb, I remind myself that I’m not in a hotel but in someone’s house. If the host is up for it and I haven’t had a very long journey, I try to keep my first hour or so for a get-to-know-each-other conversation. These conversations often reveal amazing personal stories and great recommendations in their neighborhood. I keep myself open to tea or meal invites, or join my host for a day out, but never try to impose on their lives. I try to be accommodating, ask politely for anything I need (just like I would in a friend’s or relative’s house), and make sure I adhere to the house rules and keep my space clean. Little gestures go a long way.

Over the course of my travels, I’ve realized that most Airbnb hosts are not in it just for the money. They are people like you and me, who love to travel and share their part of the world with those passing through.

Read: How I’m Funding My Adventures Around the World Through Travel Blogging

An incredible Airbnb abode in Himachal <3

Leave an honest review

I’ve heard some travellers say they feel frustrated with Airbnb because the reviews sometimes seem too positive – travellers are worried about hurting the hosts’ sentiments after building a personal connection with them. I understand their frustration, and believe it’s up to each of us to keep the Airbnb spirit alive – by being honest.

On my part, I ensure that my Airbnb reviews are as helpful as possible, without being too flowery or brutal. I highlight aspects of the place I loved, and those I believe could’ve been better. Genuine feedback can enable hosts to offer better experiences, and manage expectations for future travellers.

After all, we have to rely on each other, the travel community, to discover travel experiences that are truly unforgettable.

Do you use Airbnb on your travels? Any tips on how to find the perfect place to stay?

I wrote this post in collaboration with Airbnb India. If you haven’t used Airbnb before, sign up with my referral link to get 18$ off your first stay, and use it to find local experiences the world over. 

Join my adventures live on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

How to Find the Perfect Airbnb and Make the Most of Your Travel Experience. published first on http://ift.tt/2w0EToM

[croatia-hotels-and-apartments]

Subtitle A traditional folk festival accompanied by a rich culture & entertainment program and a gastro offer   Celebrating the feast of St. Maurus, the protector of the city, citizens of Poreč are organizing various commemorative events, and among many is Polenta Festival, with its gastro-entertaining content for all the citizens but also interesting to guests that happen to visit the city in this winter period.   Program will start on November 21st, at the Freedom Square, with a presentation and tasting of whole variety of polenta-based meals. Apparently simple meals of our fathers combined with very good istrian wines, followed by music and get-together at the Freedom Square will surely make that day an amusing and interesting experience.   Definitely, this is festive moment, a place of meetings, tastings and reminiscing some of the old dishes, stories and people, but also a chance to come up with some new experiences, so it could be interesting to see and to feel such unusual and alive winter scenery. Region Istria Coordinates Geolocation is 45.227296, 13.595692 Nov 21 2017 Events list image Highlited in events list 0 Link http://www.myporec.com/en/what-to-do/events/17824 Place Poreč Show in home 1 http://croatia.hr/en-GB/Activities-and-attractions/Events/NewEvents/Polenta-Festival

[alexandertbaer]

Kanegra, near Umag

After breakfast in the mountain sunshine we left the Gailberghöhe and made our way further along the pass towards the italian border. Parts of the road were not in a very good condition and it remained very steep und winding. Eventually we reached the valley floor on the italian side and here the roads improved greatly. We got on the Autostrade to take us down to Triest, pulling a toll ticket at the entrance and had a quick and uneventful drive through Italy. The toll for the italian motorway cost 7,10 Euros which we paid at a toll booth when leaving the motorway. When we crossed the border into Slovenia we also had to pay a toll for the use of the motorway. This we purchased at the petrol station close to the border and here the charge was 15,00 Euros for one week. Continuing, we discovered we only used the motorway for a short distance before turning off onto the road to Umag in Croatia......lesson learned! On our return journey we used the coastal road and avoided paying the toll. We had decided to try the camping site in Kanegra just north of Umag on the Istrian coast. The site was still quite full at the end of the summer season but we had a choice of three or four pitches and we were lucky to get a pitch in the front with direct views of the Adria and with shade from neighbouring Pine trees. We booked in for five days and then set ourselves up. As this was a naturist site one of our first tasks was to get our clothes off and the sunscreen on! The campsite has two main sections, on one side there are a large number of simple holiday homes with a large number of families and young people. This was not a naturist area. On the other side there is the clothing optional camping site with tents, caravans and motorhomes and on the whole there seemed to be fewer young people and children here.

The weather was for the most part glorious with a couple of hefty thunderstorms just to make things more interesting! We were quite happy just to spend the days being very lazy, just soaking up the sun. And we liked it so much we decided to extend our stay for another five days. This meant we would have to move as our first pitch was already reserved but our second pitch was just about as good. The first big thunderstorm was followed by a rather cooler day so we took the opportunity to ride our ebikes along the coast to Umag, the next town. This involved bicycling along some rather rough gravel tracks where you had to be very careful when braking or changing direction. The route took us along normal roads as well and after about forty minutes we reached Umag. I have to say, Umag was a little disappointing. The old town with its picturesque alleyways is very small while the rest is rather uninteresting. We did however stop for a snack in one of the harbour restaurants which was very pleasant. The rest of our stay in Kanegra was very quiet, reading, sleeping, sunbathing and probably every second night eating in one of the campsite restaurants. The meals were simple but always hot when they reached the table and very tasty too. After ten days we reluctantly decided that we had better start to make our way home. During the whole of our stay we could see the town of Piran from our pitch, across the bay in Slovenia. It looked lovely and so we wanted to visit on our way back. On our final day, once we had packed and paid our bill, we drove along the coastal road to Piran. There was a bit of a wait at the croatian and slovenian border stations but once we got through them it was a quick drive to Piran. Being such a popular place and wanting to preserve the character of the beautiful old town only residents and delivery vans and buses are allowed into the centre. It was difficult to find a place to park the motorhome near the town but we did find somewhere in the next town Portoroz. Portoroz and Piran meld into one another and could be one town. In any case we walked along the coastal promenade and it didn't take us long to reach Piran centre. It was well worth the effort. A really beautiful old town with winding streets, an attractive town square, a pretty harbour, nice little shops and cafés and looking all over this and the red-roofed buildings a beautiful church and its prominent Campanile (bell tower). If you are in this part of the world, we recommend visiting Piran! After a good couple of hours we had to get on our way. There was quite slow progress as we were not the only tourists following the coastal road to avoid the motorway toll! Not always sure if we were following the right road we eventually found the entrance to the italian motorway and after that made fairly quick progress back to the Gailberghöhe where we were going to stop over.

[coolkidzcooltrips]

‘It looks like a cruise ship sailing into the harbor,’ I say as we look at the fluid black and white design of the hotel Lone in Rovinj. ‘No,’ my kids interrupt. »It’s like a wave hitting the shore,« they say. While we might disagree on the what the distinct shape of the hotel reminds us of, after two days spent here, we all agree hotel Lone is one of our favorite hotels. Why?

Location, location, location

When it comes to location, I don’t think it gets better than hotel Lone : nestled in the thick pine tree forest, presiding over a bay dotted with tiny islands in the distance. And the picturesque town of Rovinj is only 15 minutes of leisurely walk away.

A weekend stay here gave us a chance to unwind, to escape the daily grind but with so much to do in and around the hotel there was no risk of being bored or lonely at any point. On the contrary, we wished we could’ve stayed longer. There was still so much left to explore of the hotel’s neighborhood.

Even though we started the second we arrived. We just dropped the luggage on the plush carpet of our room and headed out to wander the cobbled streets of Rovinj.

The room with a view

Hotel Lone, a uniquely modern hotel with a distinctive y-shape that makes the building seem fluid, has 236 spacious rooms and 12 suits. The best have a render-me-speechless view of the bay and pine tree forest. It was this view that made me wake up before seven the following morning.

I leaned over the fence on the terrace and soaked up the view, while a soft scent of lavender growing on the terrace filled my lungs and added the right touch to the already perfect picture.

I love how inconspicuously the hotel encompasses the best of its surroundings. It works with the elements: design fluid like the sea, trees growing on the ground floor, lavender, bay leaf decorating the balconies and open plan reception and the lobby where it’s hard to tell where the hotel ends and the outside begins.

Back in the room the rest of the family was stirring. The black and white might seem to be predominate colors used not just in the rooms but throughout the hotel. Yet the right touches of other colors and wooden objects and furniture make the rooms warm, homey and comfortable.

No wonder nobody was in a hurry to get up.  The magic word – breakfast finally did the trick.

Breakfast is king

My favorite thing about hotels is the breakfast in the morning and hotel Lone doesn’t disappoint here either.

The hotel has three restaurants. Breakfast is served in the restaurant On. Floor to glass windows are the most distinctive feature of the aesthetically designed space. They let the morning sun stream in and it almost felt like eating outside on the terrace. Also an option – but it was still a bit too cold for comfort.

With an abundance of different types of eggs, croissants, donuts, variety of cheeses – I tried the local Istrian cow cheese , Illy coffee prepared to your liking, different options for juice , kids’ favorite cereals,…

They offer Čokolino – a type of chocolate cereal our kids love.

… three different types of honey. I’ve never seen honey with chili but I was too chicken to try it out. I did however try quail eggs.

Did I mention there were so many different egg meals I was so relieved we were here for two days and I’d have a chance to try a few. What can I say our favorite meal of the day is breakfast and if we can we start it with egg and bacon. Yep, you guessed it they had bacon too.

So, after the hearty breakfast – though you could have a diet one too – they have that option as well, but ooh poor you -if you had to skip the delicacies. It’s far better to just do your best to lose the calories with a walk, a swim, or use the gym the hotel provides than not indulge in the breakfast.

Plenty of activities

You guessed it, after breakfast exploring beckoned even though the kids were begging us to let them hit the pool.

We exited the hotel and in less than a minute we were at the pebbled lone beach. I bet it gets crowded here in the Summer but this time all of it was just for us. A short stop and ten stones thrown into the sea later, we decided to take a gravel path to the left.

Turn right and a paved pedestrian road leads you all the way to the old part of Rovinj.

Our path was perfectly lined with pine trees on one side and the rocky beaches on the other. We loved the quiet, with only our daughters’ voices interrupting the silence. Do note that we headed out for a walk early in the morning.

Can you believe that the gravel path made me wish I was a runner! Even though I hate it. I was severely tempted by the beautiful surroundings.

If for some reason you don’t want to venture out, the hotel has many amenities to keep you busy.  A great pool, which we tried the second the walk was over and to my utter dismay the next morning too. I had packing to do . Then there are: a spa, sauna, whirlpool, gym… you name it.

It also has a lovely outdoor pool, but it wasn’t yet fully operational while we were staying there.

The kids can enjoy the little playground outside as well as the Mini Club on the ground floor.

and the food, again

And I can’t forget the food. On Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays after 6:00 pm The Restaurant E offers delicious Sushi. Restaurant L is perfect for dinning in the evening. But you know what? We did so much that day, that when we finally ensconced ourselves on the couch in our room, Room Service sounded the most appealing.

One burger and crunchy salad later, we were ready to call it a day. A perfect day.

Hotel Lone is certainly no lone star, it deserves its five and with the great location, smart design and diverse options it has plenty working in its favor. It is now one of our favorite places.

    No Lone Star: Hotel Lone in Rovinj 'It looks like a cruise ship sailing into the harbor,' I say as we look at the fluid black and white design of the hotel Lone in Rovinj.

[amberdallas17-blog]

In search of Reasonably priced Catering Companies?

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[croatia-hotels-and-apartments]

Subtitle A traditional folk festival accompanied by a rich culture & entertainment program and a gastro offer   Celebrating the feast of St. Maurus, the protector of the city, citizens of Poreč are organizing various commemorative events, and among many is Polenta Festival, with its gastro-entertaining content for all the citizens but also interesting to guests that happen to visit the city in this winter period.   Program will start on November 21st, at the Freedom Square, with a presentation and tasting of whole variety of polenta-based meals. Apparently simple meals of our fathers combined with very good istrian wines, followed by music and get-together at the Freedom Square will surely make that day an amusing and interesting experience.   Definitely, this is festive moment, a place of meetings, tastings and reminiscing some of the old dishes, stories and people, but also a chance to come up with some new experiences, so it could be interesting to see and to feel such unusual and alive winter scenery. Region Istria Coordinates Geolocation is 45.227296, 13.595692 Nov 21 2017 Events list image Highlited in events list 0 Link http://www.myporec.com/en/what-to-do/events/17824 Place Poreč Show in home 1 http://croatia.hr/en-GB/Activities-and-attractions/Events/NewEvents/Polenta-Festival