Piran: Return To Slovenia

July 5th we decamped and drove from Rovinj to Poroc, where there was an RV/camping store we had seen advertised. Even though camping-cars and wohnmobils and auto-caravanas are as common as carrots in Europe, you have to look pretty hard for stores that sell equipment, accessories, and the like. This one, Meridien, was pretty good, and pretty popular (they also did boating equipment and accessories), and after a few purchases and much nosing around, we proceeded on, passing on into Slovenia (Schengenia) and on to our next stop, Piran, a sort of mini-Rovinj, but with a Slovenian twist. Slovenia has only a few miles of coast, relative to Croatia, but they make the most of it, with a major port, Kopor, and with little seaside villages, now tourist destinations. Not on the tourist scale of Croatia, but still destinations. Compared with Rovinj, Piran seemed almost undiscovered. Almost. Real people populate most of the town and there are few trinket shoppes, but, with the tour buses, that will change. Oh, St. Euphemia was right: the night we stayed in Piran there was a terrific thunderstorm, one of the worst we've seen since that night in Bangkok...

The beach at the campground--mostly statics--at Piran

Mostly pebble beach, and thus mere beach towels will not do

Other things you can do with pebbles and stones

Piran town was a pleasant 15 minute walk along the beach

Another church, another bell tower, another weather-vane

It was a St. George church

View from the walls

Ditto; and another round of Negronis and pina coladas down there

The lighthouse

Alleys even narrower than Rovinj's

Unusual down-spout

Really narrow alleys

Now in the main square, Tartinin square, named after the
violinist

Panning around the square

"Let them talk" it says

On this house built by a Venetian merchant for his Piran
mistress

The square in Piran was originally the marina, later filled in; unlike Rovinj,
Piran also built a bit of a seawall to protect the houses on the water

Today's marina

Ugliness too

Where the paving stones come from

Future supply up the cliff

Italian beach toy (pizza slice)

Encampment at Piran

Rovinj

Rovinj is a nearly ancient town in the most Italian part of Croatia's coast. It is at the tip of a tiny peninsula, its buildings coming right down to the water. It flourished under Venice from the Middle Ages on, and it is flourishing right now, having been discovered by the tourist hordes, including us. A very picturesque and agreeable place. The campground/RV park at Rovinj is enormous and half an hour's walk along the beach and then the harbor to the city. We spent a very pleasant afternoon and evening exploring the sights and the many squares and alleys. We were in Rovinj July 4th. No one was celebrating, least of all us. A day of sadness, mourning...

Pix taken the next morning when the sun was better positioned

Glassy, clear Adriatic

No super-yacht here, just working fishing boats

1956 monument celebrating the struggle against fascism

The buildings, mostly residences, appear to rise right out of the sea

Main drag

It's a small place, area-wise, and the only way to grow was up and with very
narrow alleys

Restaurant seating

Church and bell tower of St. Euphemia

Atop the tower is the St. Euphemia weather-vane, more than
life-size, which we'll see later

Double-barreled downspout

Recycled material in the church building

The marina; no yachts here, either

View from where we had drinks (photo of Negroni and Pina Colada to appear)

Thus

St. Euphemia telling us a big storm is approaching from the sea

Adriatic sunset

It's 10 PM, and all across the Mediterranean, from Spain to Turkey, the kids
are  still up and at it; even the little ones