One thing I have learned from experience is that if you sunbathe in the altogether, it is best to ensure that there are no bees in the immediate vicinity, or you may get stung on a delicate part of the body, but more of that later….
Last year I was given the opportunity to visit Croatia and Slovenia. Flying time from Gatwick Airport in England to Croatia takes about two and half-hours; however, I went by bus and it took three days. I may write about my journey through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Italy at a later date.
Now
I can hear you saying where is Croatia? It is situated in Southern Central Europe. Slovenia borders it to the north, Italy to the west. To the east and south are Bosnia and Montenegro, independent countries of the former Yugoslavia. Croatia’s stunning coastline is on the Adriatic Sea and comprises lots of islands, of which only just over 60 or so are inhabited. It is said to be one of the cleanest seas in the Mediterranean and is wonderfully warm.
Porec, our destination, was originally a Roman town positioned on a wooded peninsula amongst small bays and lots of uninhabited islands on the Istrian Riviera in northern Croatia. It offers a spectacular shoreline with little coves and pebble and rocky beaches. We arrived in the centrally situated Hotel Neptun in June. The Hotel is located in the heart of the old town and overlooks the harbour.
We were fortunate in that we had been allocated a room with a sea view overlooking this picturesque harbour. Despite being surrounded by bars and restaurants, it wasn’t too noisy at night; the only noise coming from cats who started fighting every night and the seagulls who never seem to sleep.
The Hotel Neptun is part of the Riviera Group of Hotels. Although it does not have a swimming pool, guests can make use of the facilities at the Hotel Fortuna on the island of St. Nikola.
The Dalmatian region of Croatia is a large wine producer. Although the wines vary in price and quality, we often sat outside on the terrace bar of the Neptun in the warm evenings sipping a glass of red wine and watching the boats returning to the harbour.
Porec is the centre of the region’s tourist industry with a wide range of hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants. Little stalls line the harbour selling items to the tourists – seashells, swimwear, jewellery, glass painting, clothing and footwear, homemade orange schnapps etc. Take a walk through the cobbled streets in the evenings when the old town becomes a hive of activity, alive with holidaymakers of every nationality drinking in the many bars or looking at the shops that stay open until late in the evening.
Porec’s Roman heritage is distinct with a main street named Decumanus and a 13th Century Roman house. There are Gothic and Baroque houses of the 16th and 17th Centuries, old stone Venetian-style houses, narrow cobbled streets, mosaic frescoes, a crypt and a Basilica.
I decided one warm June morning to visit the island of St. Nikola. As I have mentioned earlier the Hotel Fortuna (the Neptun’s sister hotel) is situated on this island. After a short boat trip, I wandered around the island. Guests of the Neptun Hotel can make use of the Fortuna’s swimming pool, but as the island contained rocky coves and stretches of grass shaded by trees, I decided to find my own spot and perhaps read a book, sunbathe and swim in the warm seas. I found a nice secluded grassy area surrounded by prettily coloured wildflowers. I was on my own and no one knows me here, so decided why not – so shedding the swimsuit and spreading my beach towel over the grass. Heaven….
Or so it was for about ten minutes until I suddenly awoke from my half-sleep to sudden pain down below. Sitting up, I could see the mauve and pink flowers were attracting a lot of bees. I needed to be a contortionist to extract the bee sting (or at least slimmer and fitter!). Putting a sarong around me I hobble into the Fortuna Hotel where a member of staff gives me a large glass of ice cubes and directs me to the Ladies Toilette so that I can put the ice cubes on the painful and now swollen area. I am now hopping around, ice cubes going all over the place, I nearly fall on the now slippery Toilette floor, a cleaner comes in and leaves immediately.…
I abandon any ideas of nude sunbathing either now or in the future….
If you are a discerning holidaymaker who enjoys culture, history, natural unspoiled beauty, medieval towns and palaces, blue crystal-clear seas, pine woods, then Croatia is for you.
I have however come to the conclusion that Croatian bees have a much more painful sting than British bees, or it could be that the sting was in a delicate area…. I am not going to tell you where, but I will give you a clue – it made horse-riding the next day a very painful process.
Janna
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I went here ten years ago. I don't remember the bees but I did encounter a jellyfish with equal stinging power! Enjoyed it (but not the bees bit!) - Jules
SusanLesley 12.02.2002 14:44
I went on holiday here many years ago and I really enjoyed myself, Susan
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Advantages: Easily accessible by car from Europe, still value for money, lovely beaches Disadvantages: everytime you tell your friends you've been there you'll have to answer the 'but what about the war?' question :-)
free4susan 25.07.2001 ·
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Review of General: Croatia
Feb 9th, 2002
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