View from the Pillion - Lošinj Island to Brda

Today we will be riding from the glorious Adriatic seaside, through the Istrian Peninsula and eventually to the wine region of Brda in Slovenia. It will be a busy day so we are up early on our way to catch the ferry from Cres Island.

 It's only when we're on vacation that we're up early enough to see the sunrise!

The road to the ferry dock at the northern tip of Cres Island is busy with vehicles all trying to make it in time for the next departure. Dan is an expert at passing long lines of traffic and we all dutifully follow. Motorcycles seem to have their own rules here and are treated with respect by the other drivers. As we get closer to the dock, we cut right up to the front of the waiting line of cars. No one seems to object and we are right there ahead of the queue with other bikes, waiting to board, before our ferry has even docked. 

The ferry takes a lot of vehicles aboard and I am just glad we don't have to disappear down into the hold the way we see some of the cars doing. The bikes are loaded first so that we'll be ahead of most of the traffic at the other end. At least that's the theory.

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After the ferry it's a relaxed ride through lovely countryside. At our lunch stop we have a great view of the medieval town of Motovun perched on a hilltop, across a valley of vineyards and orchards. Soon after we cross the border back into Slovenia. 

And now we are hurrying to catch the 2 pm tour of the  famous Škocjan Caves. In the rush to get tickets, stow our gear and join the tour, Peter and I somehow get left behind and have to run and catch up. But goofs that we are, we go in the wrong direction in the park and do a lot of extra distance before panting and puffing, we arrive at the cave entrance just in time to join John and June for the tour. We enter a vast labyrinth of long passageways, rocky ledges, caves and crevasses carved by water over centuries. Our guide leads us along dimly lit walk ways, through huge caverns, each one grander than the other, filled with limestone formations. Forests of stalagmites and stalactites, like graceful sculptures, form shapes that are lit to eerie effect. Far below our catwalk, the Reka River tumbles over boulders, sometimes disappearing only to surface further along. The roar of water fills the caves.

Photography isn't allowed inside the caves and once outside we try every angle to try and capture the magnificence of the scenery, but photos just don't do it justice. Apparently the funicular to get back to the top, is not operating today, so it's a long, uphill trudge to the rest area where we left Dan, Kathy and Ross. I haven't brought a hat, so I have to improvise with my bandana.We are boiling hot in our riding pants and boots. By the time we get to the top all we want is a loooong cold drink. 

We all agree it was worth the trek.

 
Afterwards we ride through the Lipica Stud farm which dates back to 1580 and is home to the famous white Lipizzaner horses.We are lucky that the horses are out in the field beside the road - looking very relaxed, not all dressed up and prancing like noble show horses. In my view, Lipizzaners are the rock stars of the horsey world. I have seen them  performing in Toronto and watched a rehearsal at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and I am very excited to see them close up. It is on my bucket list to ride a Lipizzaner; but today all I can do is pat one as it wanders over to the fence to check me out. It gives me a gentle nuzzle then wanders over to greet the other visitors lined up along the fence. I sense that I am the only one in our group that is star struck and soon we mount our motorcycles and head to the small village of Medana in the Brda region for our overnight stop.

The guest house, in a picturesque setting overlooking fields and orchards, is dressed in flower baskets and vines. Dinner, of course is scrumptious and the local wine is as usual, excellent.