Istria 2: Deja Vue All Over Again Almost

Val and I retraced some old ground (from my last trip) and explored some new.  On Monday, we got lost going to Oprtalij but found it eventually and had lunch there.  After that we drove to the old part of Buzet where we walked around and stopped for a drink.  Tuesday morning we drove to Roc (Roche).  It is a charming little village, known for its tradition of Croatian folk music.  We had lunch at the only restaurant in town which was right next to the school where we could hear the music students practicing.

After lunch, we went to Hum, the self-proclaimed smallest village in the world.  There are supposedly only 14 full-time residents, yet it has a wall, gate, church, etc., not to mention souvenir shop and restaurant.

From Hum, at Allen's suggestion, we went to Kotli, a wide space in the road, where there is a pleasant cafe/bar next to the river.

After that we went to Allen and Mihaela's for another dinner on the terrace.  We were joined by Ellen and her friend Julie who arrived that afternoon.

The next day we joined Ellen and Julie, who was also on her first trip to Istria.  We started with a visit to the remarkable church in Porec (see Istria:  Days Three and Four).

From there we went to Motovun for lunch and after, a walk around.  We went into the church, which I had not done before.  It was designed by the famous Italian architect, Palladio, who was a big influence on Jefferson's neo-classical style.  Inside the frescoes next to the altar were in the process of being restored.  The photos speak for themselves.

By the time we left the church, the weather had turned colder with sprinkles.  We walked around the wall and the village, taking in the views under increasingly threatening skies.

We ended the day in another small, nearly deserted town which was once on the railway that connected interior Istria to the ports on the coast.  Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the village.

Val and I drove back to Zagreb the next day, after a visit to the truffle king's to pick up some goodies for friends at home, and, of course, some Rakija (grappa) with truffles for me.