| Well here we are back in Croatia and it is really good I can tell you. Pula hasn’t changed, the Forum in the centre of the old city has been filled up again, last year it was all being excavated for artefacts and old things. We have met up with our old friends, Igor, at the restaurant where we enjoy our Turkey salad each, ½ ltre red wine, ½ litre water, and two beers all for less than $30NZ. Later on we bumped into him at the fish market and he insisted on buying us a coffee, where we learnt that in his position of relative authority in the restaurant, he is actually paid pretty well, in fact better than a doctor, general gp, who earns about $1750NZ per month, and he earns $2500NZ per month and he and his small family have quite a substantial apartment near the beach. So we were pleased to hear this. In Croatia they have a social security system for the unemployed etc, Sue Bradford would not be pleased, it is only about $78NZ per month. All their medical treatment is free however. On our way back that afternoon, being a Friday, which is obviously the day of weddings, we witnessed the commotion of quite a few this day. They literally have quite a hoot of a time, 20 or so of the guests roar along after the wedding car, all tooting madly on their horns. Slaven tells us on the wedding day what normally happens is the Groom goes to the house of the bride and asks permission to marry their daughter, whereupon the bride’s family play tricks on the groom, putting baracades up etc, to make it difficult for him to get in and gain permission. While we were talking with Slaven on the back of Wrighteau, we witnessed someone obviously very rich and important, they chartered out a big gullet type boat, and at the end sent up fireworks, which were a bit nervy for us, as they were coming down near us as a red hot bullet, which I could envisage making a perfectly round and scorched hole in our bimini.
We decided against the solar panels, Slaven managed to get bigger and new batteries which Jeauneauu paid for, and also we have added another one, and we couldn’t say when the panels would be fitted and ready to go. Since we have left we have found we can keep the fridge charged up much better now, as well as sometimes having music. So after getting sails on, tidying up the bombsite we made on our arrival night, and farewelling some of the friends we have made here, stocking up the larder, we set off for Soline, just 6 miles around on the other side of Pula. We stayed a couple of nights here until the winds looked more favourable to head south. While we waited in Soline, we took a stroll around the little island which is basically a campsite which only local people go to as you need a boat to get to it, although there is a little ferry which many seem to not know about I guess. Slaven and Laura have a permanent tent site set up looking out to sea, just perfect for a nice g and t in the evening, if they were so inclined. It reminded us of all those lovely camp grounds in NZ on the water edge all disappearing to development Then we also had a nostalgic walk back along the Veruda marina and had a pizza, the beautiful waitress remembered us from 2 years ago, she speaks only German and Croatian, and she heaps much praise on me when I manage to order the whole meal in Croatian. Later on in the evening Slaven brought his family out on their dinghy to see us, Karlo, his little 4 or 5 yr old is such a dear wee boy.
The glass, barometer, was dropping further, Slaven said it was possible the bora was coming, so I started to think we might be hold up for days, but on Wednesday we thought conditions were perfect, in fact we even ventured to think it might be a pleasant genniker run all the way down, but as often happens when we leave a bay the wind direction follows us, it was a fairly tight sail, so it was motor sailing, and when we got out into the channel the winds were rising to 27 knots and we were well reefed down, however the sea state was quite comfortable and we made good time. We decided to come into the marina at Mali Losinj, we only just got in, I guess people heard about wind outside and stayed put, usually at 2pm many people have left, the marina is nearly empty for another lot. It is an old favourite for sure, and the Baracuda Restaurant is not to be missed very good for its fish, and I have Skampi Bouzara, a specialty I only allow myself to partake in a couple of times at $40. All the same staff there, they also remember a regular like us, who return once or twice a year. Walking around the little village/waterfront afterwards we found a big stage set up for a band, some dancing girls with batons did their thing first, then the music started, so it was lullaby for us going to sleep.
So today we head off down to Ilovik, and Molat, Bribinj and maybe Sali, over the next 5 days or so. So until the next time, Do Vejenya
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