Ooops its been a while. Time to get the grey matter back in gear post hols. We made a series of good decisions so I may as well throw a few recommendations into the mix.
Flew into Pula, in Istria up north. Managed to get a ridiculously good deal at the new Hotel Lone in Rovinj, below.
Enjoyed a few days and nights under the pine trees that come right down to the beach – dix points! There are a few of these Maistra Hotels right next to one another around the bay. Unusual to compete with yourself four time over but it appears to be working for them!
You can see the Venetian influence in the town…
Then off to Pula we went – the film fest was in full swing in the stunning amphitheatre. Stayed with some very good friends – check out that uber industrial view from the front room and that cloud formation.
And off into the wilderness of Istria. More truffles! I am a little over that pong now. We checked into a hotel which looked fine online….and then in the flesh. Wow, I thought it was like a hospital, and then….I decided it was more like a hospice. I embrace the cold Eastern European aesthetic of asylum/abattoir chic in a spa but this was one step too far. We flew the hell out of there and snapped up the last room in the Kastel Hotel in Motovun. I am still a little foggy as to why we didn’t plump for that in the first place. The walled, hilltop village was abuzz with the film festival preparations. Clearly Croatia is film festival mad – but they’ve got the climate I hear you cry! No, not this year they haven’t. Never mind. Little screens squirreled away all over the village. It was magic.
We met some fellow Brits and hung out at their place on the wet Sunday. We didn’t even notice the rain. I had to laugh when someone said they were struggling to kip through the noise of the truffle dogs barking. Sounds like such a posh affliction.
And here is a real live truffle dog poking his head out. Motovun is truffle capital of Croatia and they rival Italy’s on the Global Index of Fancy Food. I would’ve fancied nipping out one night for a hunt…shame they don’t do it with pigs any more. Pigs doing something would be rather exotic in a way.
