We adjusted our itinerary. We had hoped to hit the coast, wander along it to Split, see if we could make arrangements to visit Mostar, continue to Dubrovnik, and then cut north and inland. Turns out travel along the coast, and up toward Mostar, is very slow, especially in the winter. Rather than spend at least a week on buses, we decided to get a taste of the coast (Rovinj) and then head east, on an inland path.
Rovinj is a small town (even though officially 14,000), and a tourist mega-location. Fortunately we are in the off-season. Huge very fancy hotels with bullshit English/ Croatian signage: “be free”, “imagination” . I wrote some of you they looked like mega-cruise ships in dry-dock. we used out landlord’s fairly junkball (but working) bikes to cruise the shoreline (Aegean!).
The color of water and sky and rock a constant reminder of that Sea, tons of resorts with white gravel and smooth rock paths & sidewalks so we could just tour.