Coasting through Croatia part 1.

Coming into land Croatia looks stunning - little coves and clear seas.   Rijeka is a partly industrial town by the sea and when one is rushing up and down trying to find somewhere to stay it is hard to spot its charms.  Sadly despite being in touch with Ryanair and Hotels.com who are responsible for my booking - I have neither had a refund or assistance.   However,  on a warm day there is nothing nicer than sitting in the sun and enjoying a freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, true it could be almost anywhere in Adriatic area, but it is pleasant enough.  The town has some attractive buildings, a small old town, port and market.   I hope if I have to fly in there again, some interesting museums look worth visiting  and I would definitely stay at 

the little hostel where I stayed in before as that is right in the  heart of town, cheap and the people who run it very pleasant, much better than the rubbishy hotel that I had booked and which was closed!  I am trying to label the picture and reduce its size, but cannot get to grips with Bloggers new layout, which is horrid at present and has suddenly underlined things and gone blue!. 

The joys of  Croatia are beyond Rijeka - the bus climbs up into the mountains, with lovely seaside views,  goes over the plains and then drops down into Zadar and nice old walled city with a lovely atmosphere.    I stayed in the new part, but only had to walk across the bridge to be immersed in the lovely energy.   Mostly people are happy to wonder the streets, take in the Roman remains, dip into one of the many shops or sit in the warm evening sun and have a meal.   I had the biggest ice cream ever.    It was a lovely town to pop into to buy breakfast in the market,  or to wonder around.  I visited the glass museum and the archaeology museum and would especially recommend the later.  In the afternoons I walked to the nearest beach, which is a good half an hour a way, but by then a dip in the sea is absolutely vital, and then in the evening you can pop back into town.  I was there at the start of the Zadar summer festival so on my second night was able to see the rehearsals for a free concert and on my third night I was able to sit on a roman remain at a good social distance from others to watch the actual concert.    One of the special joys of Zadar are the wonderful sunsets - and whilst you watch the sun slowing sink down you can also sit and listen to the mournful sounds of the sea,  via the Sea Organ installation.  Then when it is finally dark,  head for the Greeting to the Sun and be in some kind of weird disco of lights generated by the heat of the day,