Feeling the need to escape the impending gloomy winter that was about to descend upon the UK, I decided to abscond to Rovinj, on Croatia’s picturesque Istrian peninsula, to steal the remnants of an Adriatic summer like a pirate hoarding treasure from a ship stranded on rocks.
Rovinj is a charming old fishing harbor on the Adriatic Sea with enchanting narrow cobbled streets that weave there way through ancient mediterranean colored buildings. Popular with tourists the winding streets are peppered with small shops, hidden away restaurants, and galleries where local painters produce and sell their art. It’s an unhurried place, perfect for those who want to recline into days where the only plan is to have no plan.
After another dismal summer in the UK it was a pleasure to find Rovinj basking in warm mellow sunlight under clear blue skies. With the main tourist season over the streets were as quiet as I remembered them from when I visited here in 2007 with my brother.
Traveling with my friend Becky from the U.S., the pair of us lazily drifted through our days as if carried by a gentle Adriatic current. We sauntered along the pretty streets wandering aimlessly, stopping to take pictures, explore small shops, and browse tucked away galleries.
We learned how to say ‘hello’ (Bok), ‘thank you’ (Hvala), and ‘goodbye’ (Dobar dan) in Croatian just so we could feel a little more local and pretend that this place was home and our real life. My pronunciation was often askew, but the locals always smiled in appreciation of my effort (or perhaps sympathy at my butchering their language?).
Staying at my brothers cosy vacation apartment on the old town street of Montalbano, our days would start slowly with a relaxing breakfast in the sun at one of the many restaurants along the harbor. Sipping hot lemon tea with honey and watching passers by, we would guess their nationalities based upon clues provided by their clothing and behavior. Germans always seemed to be on point, working toward some defined goal, Italians were often easily identified by their chic appearance and musical tones, while the English would frequently seem politely hesitant and mildly indecisive.
We discussed the possibility of venturing beyond the town. Maybe renting a scooter and riding off somewhere, snaking around the roads like true Europeans, sounding the horn and making animated gestures for effect. But in the end that required more effort than it seemed either of us were willing to engage in at the time, this was a vacation after all, or “praznik” as they say in these parts.
One exertion that was absolutely worth the effort was climbing the rickety wooden stairs of the 206 ft (63 metres) belfry of the church of St. Euphemia. Based upon the belfry of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice the tower has been an enduring landmark on the Rovinj skyline for over 300 years. From there you get a fabulous view of Rovinj with it’s patchwork of tiled roofs alongside the shimmering waters of the Adriatic Sea.
The church itself has a history going back as far as 950ad. Inside there are statues of St. George, St. Rochus, and St. Mark, along with the alter of St. Euphemia. On the ceiling there are two beautiful paintings showing God or perhaps saints, and heaven.
There I decided to light a candle in memory of my late sister-in-law, Kate. She had been especially fond of Rovinj and it was mainly down to her influence that my brother bought the apartment that Becky and I were staying in. Mindful of the fact that Kate wasn’t especially fond of religious people I placed her candle separate from the others so as to give her a little space from those religious types. If nothing else I hope that from wherever she is now that gave her reason to smile.
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Of course, when you’re on vacation you’re supposed to treat yourself and indulge in good food and drink, that’s a rule, I’m quite sure it’s written somewhere. So Becky and I made sure we carried out our duty spoiling ourselves with fresh seafood, pizza, beer, wine, and ice-cream.
Each evening we would watch the sun fall from the sky igniting the horizon and turning the clear water into a glistening sea of gold. Silhouetted against the burning sky like a scene from a picture postcard, lone fishermen would stand in small boats tending their nets as natures awesome daily finale reached yet another rousing crescendo.
Rovinj isn’t a big town. An enthusiastic tourist could dash around and pretty much see everything in a day. But this isn’t a place that lends itself to dashing. The richness of Rovinj is only revealed when you’ve walked down a familiar street only to see it anew in the ever-changing light. The colors and tones transform throughout the day in striking ways that often lead you to take the same pictures time and again in this most photogenic of places.
On our final day in Rovinj we planned to take a boat tour around the islands, however due to the leisurely pace of our breakfast we missed the departure time for those tours and instead took a cruise along the coast to the Limska Draga Fjord.
According to the Lonely planet, the Limska Draga Fjord is the most dramatic sight in Istria. After reading that I checked Google maps to make sure we hadn’t visited somewhere else because it wasn’t that spectacular and anyone expecting a Norwegian-style fjord would be disappointed.
The four hour cruise included free wine which, to me, tasted more like a mixture or paint stripper and chemical waste. However, the German ‘Saga louts,’ who jollied the boat along, were happily guzzling the stuff down proving that there’s really no accounting for taste.
The boat stopped for a while in some inconsequential little place where the ‘Saga louts‘ disappeared without trace. We had a bite to eat then I managed to miss the departure of the boat leaving Becky and I to comically stand on the bank of the Fjord waving and calling it back. I couldn’t help but imagine how my brother, a highly scheduled and efficacious charachter, would have been annoyed at my totally lackadaisical approach to catching (and nearly missing) the boat.
We decided to have (what we thought would be) our last evening meal in Croatia at the quirky little Neptune restaurant. Our friendly waiter served us a complimentary glass of some potent local drink. He motioned that we should just down it in one, so we obliged. I have no idea what it was, but adapting a well known saying I decided to take the approach that when in Rovinj one should do as the Ronijians do.
Taking a final unhurried stroll the through the dimly lit cobbled streets, we indulged in some late night Gelato ice cream. I’m not a huge fan of ice cream but Italian style Gelato is devilishly sumptuous and perhaps even more dangerously morish than chocolate. It is perhaps fortunate for my waistline that I did not discover this sooner.
On the morning of our departure we headed out early for a final alfresco breakfast by the harbor. I felt a little sad that my brother had agreed to sell his apartment to an Italian woman, but more than that I’m just grateful that he so graciously shared it with me.
After a typically lazy breakfast we returned to the apartment, gathered our luggage, took one last look around then left. We closed the door behind us for a final time and walked down the steep stairs to the narrow street below where I looked up at the window and saw a picture that just had to be taken.
My last photograph of this place would be of the window to Pete’s apartment reflecting the shuttered window across the street. It was a fitting farewell I thought, and with that we both turned and left to meet our ride to the airport to catch a plane back to the UK.
As small and familiar as Rovinj is, it’s most certainly a place I would be happy to come back to. Maybe I will, but I rather think that I’ll take the sale of Pete’s little apartment as cue that there is a whole lot more of the world out there to be explored.
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Visiting Croatia
Rovinj’s tourist information
Rovinj on Flickr
Video : See a high quality version of the video above
Video : For Kate
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Wrote the following comment on Nov 21, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Wow- what a wonderful place! I adore Croatia. Have always wanted to go back and sail along the coast, stopping in at towns like this. Sigh… Maybe one day :)
Great pics!
Wrote the following comment on Nov 21, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Hey, this is a really beautiful post. Love the sunset video… thought about watching it on a loop for sleeping :-D
Wrote the following comment on Nov 22, 2009 at 7:33 am
Dude, that picture of Becky with the sunglasses in color is outstanding! The video is really excellent too. What do you use to make these videos?
Wrote the following comment on Nov 22, 2009 at 12:52 pm
hi simon!
very nice pictures…
i regret a lot that i never spent enough time there to have a real connection and that i was never taught croatian language.
i know a bit though and ‘dober dan’ means ‘good day’, not ‘goodbye’ :-D but can’t tell you if it’s still okay to use it, as in ‘have a good day’ or so, i just know it as ‘hello’…
Wrote the following comment on Nov 22, 2009 at 2:43 pm
It’s like I was there! ;-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 22, 2009 at 7:26 pm
@ Braden – I currently use a Canon PowerShot G10 for photography and short videos like the one here. I do have a HD tape based Canon video camera, but it’s never really convenient to carry it around. I suppose I ought to just sell it really as I never use it. As for software to make the movies, I use iMovie HD on my iMac.
@ Mira – We were told that ‘dober dan’ was okay to use as goodbye, and I stuck with that because I could never remember ‘dovidjenja.’ :-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 2:51 am
After reading this beautiful post, looking at the pictures and watching the video, I am just envious!
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 8:55 am
Hey Bro –
Great post. Fab pix. I’m glad you were able to make use of the apartment before I handed it over to the new owners – it looked like you used up the last of the good weather too because the following week it was absolutely dreadful – never seen rain like it.
The sigurnaluka website is temporarily down but by the end of this week (30th Nov) I should have created a replacement which’ll feature a few of your original photos, and links to help visitors old and new find alternative places to stay in Rovinj.
It was sad to sell the place, but were Kate here today she’d have been the first to nudge me in the ribs and say, “hey, come on, it’s time to start a new project.” And indeed it is.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 9:05 am
By the way, after five years of visiting Rovinj here is all the Croatian I’ve learnt (these spellings aren’t correct):
“Dobar Dan” – Hello (literally “good day”, so I suppose you could use it to say goodbye, but they don’t seem to)
“Da” – yes
“Pivo” – Beer
“Is Volataire” – Here you are. Useful when handing over your money.
“Hvala” – Thank you. The H is almost silent, otherwise you sound common.
“Moilm” – You’re welcome. But it’s more like the Italian word “Prego” so it’s also used when asking someone what they want.
“Ciao” – Goodbye, or “See ya”. if you really want to sound friendly and like a local you say “Ciao ciao”.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 1:55 pm
This is a lovely post but it makes this wet and miserable Scottish Monday no easier when I look at the slideshow of those bright colourful pictures and the gorgeous sunset in that video!
I liked the picture of the candle you lit for your sister in law. That was sweet and funny too, sitting away there on its little lonesome. I am sure she appreciated you giving her that space from “those religious types.” (I also watched the lovely video you made for her too. Very touching.)
I shall have to remember Croatia as a possible holiday option in the future.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 6:44 pm
I really enjoyed reading this. Thank you.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 23, 2009 at 7:44 pm
The sunglasses picture is clever. I like that.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 24, 2009 at 3:06 am
Is it just me or does ‘Dober Dan” sound to anyone else like he would be a character from a children’s TV show?
Wrote the following comment on Nov 24, 2009 at 4:55 am
Ah yes, I forgot you were one of those Mac types ;-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 24, 2009 at 6:26 am
Dober Dan, Dober Dan,
Dober Dan and his Croatian Van
Early in the morning
Just as Rovinj’s yawning
Dan thinks he’s a very happy man.
Hmmmm. Needs work.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 24, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Absolutely beautiful! Of course I am jealous!
Wrote the following comment on Nov 25, 2009 at 11:45 pm
Hi Simon. Thought I would swing by your blog and see what you’re up to. Glad to see you’re still out there living life to the full and taking beautiful pictures.
I just saw on the news that it’s Thanksgiving in America tomorrow and as I know you’re really a yank at heart I suppose I should wish you (and your American ‘buddies’) a happy thanksgiving. ;-)
Take care babe! Pam ~ xx
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Dober Dan sounds like an odd job man.
So lets see…
Dober Dan the odd-job man,
driving round town in his dirty white van.
He paints and he plumbs, and looks at girls bums,
Spends most of the day in the pub with his chums,
He’s Dober Dan the odd-job man,
driving round town in his dirty white van.
Okay, so it’s not really a children’s TV theme tune, but I think ‘our Dan’ would be a dirty Dober in real life. :)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 5:27 pm
@ Pam Sandwich – Thanks Pammy! Though I will just point out that while I do love the country I am not American and in fact happy to be a European through and through.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 5:28 pm
You can’t quite bring yourself to say proud to be British can you :-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I actually altered it from “proud” (to be British) to “happy, (to be European)” because to be fair I am not entirely proud of this country at the moment and I am indeed happy to be European.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Come on wilvo, you’re expecting too much from someone who described this great country of ours as being “a dreary little over-populated island dogged by bad weather and raging drunks.”
Personally I think that perhaps Simon should just bugger off to France and embrace his “European happiness” while growing fat on Italian ice cream and frog legs sandwiches!
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 8:29 pm
What pretty colorful windows and doors! ;)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 26, 2009 at 9:33 pm
@ Union Jack – In fairness that quote you seem to like so much was then followed by the line “Okay, maybe I’m a little down on the UK at the moment, but bear with me, I’m suffering from the early onset of S.A.D.”
Wrote the following comment on Nov 27, 2009 at 7:38 am
Jack – You know, I’m pretty sure my brother would “bugger off to France and embrace his ‘European happiness’ while growing fat on Italian ice cream and frog legs sandwiches” given half the chance – and given the other half of that chance, I’d be right behind him.
Re SAD – you need one of these: https://www.sadbox.co.uk/
I’m using mine right now. Louise has one too.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 27, 2009 at 2:36 pm
I wasn’t actually that serious about having S.A.D. However, because my iMac monitor is so dazzlingly bright I found that I was getting soar eyes from having to squint at it in low light conditions. Friends told me I needed glasses but the problem disappeared when I started wearing shades as I sat in front of the 24″ HD screen.
It then struck me that this probably wasn’t really very good either so maybe there was a way I could get a full spectrum bulb that was so bright it would equalize daylight conditions. – Enter stage left the insanely bright 32w full spectrum CFL bulb that now lives in my overhead light like a normal bulb.
I can now work into the night and experience absolutely no worries PLUS my plants in the studio have gone nuts too!
Wrote the following comment on Nov 27, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Hi Simon, great pics, especially the one of Becky at the Belfry in the sunglasses. You do great B&W/colour pics – very clever :-)
Wrote the following comment on Nov 27, 2009 at 4:42 pm
@ Sharon – Why thank you Sharon. You know actually that’s very easy to do in photoshop. Nice to see a comment from you, it’s been a while. And nice to see a comment from Susan too.
Wrote the following comment on Nov 28, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Maybe I’m missing something, but could you not have just turned the brightness of the screen down?
Wrote the following comment on Nov 30, 2009 at 12:38 am
@ Jack – Now there’s a thing. Why didn’t I think of that!