Krk

Wednesday 14th September 1983

We got up at about 8 o’clock and booked out of the wretched hostel which was apparently closed now that the summer season was over. We had a couple of coffees and an extremely nasty sweet chocolate bar. Then we enquired at the Tourist Information office and booked a cheap double room. We parked the bikes outside and armed with our beachwear and a bottle of vino, we headed out of town. On a concrete pier we basked in the sun and swam in the sea. Time sped by as we read, exercised and relaxed in this wonderful place. Later we returned to town and bought sardines with beans and peppers, bread, salami, pear juice and margarine for another feast.

We then returned to our room for a siesta at 4 o’clock. After a welcome slumber we wandered around the backstreets of the town and had a few Cokes. We asked about the cinema in the Tourist Information Office (for there appeared to be a Kung Fu film on) and were informed that the movie started at 20:30 hrs. We bought 2 bottles of beer each and sat by the sea front. A fishing boat moored up and folk gathered to buy fresh fish. The beer was pretty nasty and after one we returned to our room.

A continuous chirruping can be heard, like the soundtrack of all good Westerns at campfire scenes, and bats flitter about. German couples wander about and we ogle the females. George is very weary – I hope the wretch is not ill. At the “hotel” I crack open the other beer and write my log. Religious hymns sound nearby. The town is amazing. It is like a film set for a middle-eastern film with white walled alleys, churches with tall white towers and women walk about and chat in their traditional black garb. There is also a pleasant scent in the air.