Dalmatian spots (not all black and white!)

Why Croatia, why Zaton?
We knew nothing about the options when we started our research. We would be coming back up again for the Venice ferry - not ready for Serbia and/or Albania yet -  so not too far South, and then it was a matter of choosing a good beach, suitable cycling territory and a comfortable apartment. Generally we were pleased!

 Of Croatia as a summer holiday choice we liked:

• Stunning landscapes
• Good infrastructure
• Good food (mostly Italian style, some more local specialities, fish)
• Cheap, good draught wine
• Clean sea (untested, given the weather)
• Well-trained staff

Less to our personal taste was:

• Knowing no Slavic languages at all, so feeling like any other ignorant tourists
• An uncomfortable feeling about recent history:- deserted quality homes that are presumably the legacy of ethnic cleansing

So we left thinking we could well come back for a taste in decent weather. We were very lucky, however, that it did not rain on the northwards journey! We would be using a fair bit of Adriatic coast road - shown on our old road atlas as due to be of motorway standard by 2008! Thus, we could not understand signs suggesting an alternative (and much longer) route to Rijeka. We took a road across to Senj on the coast, and it was a bit intimidating, but when we hit the coast the fun started. Mile after mile of unmade surfaces as part of roadworks and we were in a convoy consisting largely of Dutch caravans! It went on and on, until reaching some vast viaducts and complex junctions.
 Eventually we reached Slovenia and got away without a vignette for the 56km because it was not motorway. it certainly wasn't! Then into Italy and the downwards plunge into Trieste. A journey to remember - and it was Ruth's birthday, too!