Lijepa, mirna Rovinj

That is beautiful, quiet Rovinj in Croatian--thank you google translate.  We arrived in Rovinj, in the Istria section of Croatia, via bus from Trieste last night.  We had arranged to rent an apartment and the hostess, Zjelka, said her father would meet us at the bus and show us the way to the apartment, which was only a few minutes walk from the station.  Zjolka did meet us and was the friendliest, nicest welcoming committee we have ever had.  Rovinj is a small  nearly deserted town now that tourist season is over, and he easily was able to point out many of the key sights on our walk to the apartment, including the best bakery, good restaurants serving local cuisine that are still open, the harbor, the main piazza, and the entry gate to the old town.  When we arrived, he showed us all the features of the apartment, including a huge stack of literature about what to do in Istria, how to operate the washing machine and jacuzzi tub, all of the light switches and plugs and heaters, even the air conditioner which we surely wont be needing.  The apartment is great and really has everything you could possibly need.  It is nice that it is stocked with some basics for cooking like vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, etc. as well as a full range of pans and dishes.  Unlike Italy, the stores here are open late so Tom dashed to the market for ingredients and made a delicious chicken and pasta dinner.

View from bedroom window

View from living room window

Living room left, kitchen above

Second bedroom above, hall on the left

Main bedroom

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The covered market is right under our window

With the window open, we could hear the waves coming in (and the very loud seagulls).  My cold is still going strong and Tom actually caught it, which never happens, so we slept in, then headed out to explore the town.  All of the main 'tourist sights' are close to the apartment.  We saw the covered market--not too busy this time of year--Tito's square, the fountain erected to commemorate get.ting running water IN 1959! and climbed up the hill to St. Euphemia's church, through winding narrow streets with many art galleries.  In the summer, the artists hang their pictures outside on the walls so you can look at art all the way up the hill, but now there are only a few shops open.

Simply called "communist era monument"

View of St. Euphemia Campanile

Trg Marsala  Tita (Fountain in Tito square commemorating running water in 19059)

Balbi Arch, the entry to old town.  The winged lion is the symbol of Venice and a reminder that Venice used to rule Rovingj

Narrow streets on the way up the hill to the church

Artists  hang their wares on the walls all along the street to the top of the hill

The town hall--it has the Italian flag along with the Croatian flag

View of St. Euphemia 

Views from the top of the hill at St. Euphemia

The Church

Heading back down to the main part of Rovinj

The St. Euphemia story is one I hadn't heard during my Catholic school days.  She was a daughter of a nobleman near Istanbul who refused to worship a 'pagan idol' and was tortured on the wheel and thrown to the lions in the arena as a result.  However the lions refused to eat her, only giving her 'a loving nip' and the Romans had to finish her off themselves.  Years later her giant stone sarcophagus somehow floated to Rovinj, landing on the shore below the hill where the church now stands (there was a different church there at the time).    While the townsfolk were trying to figure out how they would get the sarcophagus up the hill, a young boy showed up with two calves (animals, not the ones in his legs) and said he had a dream about St. Euphemia and he would move the sarcophagus up to the church, which he did.  The church was rebuilt but the sarcophagus is still there and they open it once a year for the faithful to gaze upon the saint's 'waxy face.'

A friend from Seattle, Laura Tudor,  who is studying in Croatia for a year, came to Rovinj to see us for the week-end.  We went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant recommended by Zolkja.  Laura was a big help in deciphering the menu.  I tried broda which is a fish stew and Tom had mixed fish with Polenta, while Laura had risotto with squid ink (better than it sounds).  Obviously a lot of Italian influences in the menu.  Tomorrow, off to see some hill towns in our first rental car of the trip.