Day 39 Malinska to Poreč

125km ( 78 miles) day 1,825 miles total. 
A big days ride over ground I cycled three years ago when returning from Lana’s christening in Zagreb. Very hilly day with 1,925 meters (over 6,300ft) of climbing. Set off at 8:00 to catch the 9:15 ferry to the island of Cres. Cres is basically the top of a sunken mountain ridge. It’s sides are unrelentingly steep. The arrival port from Krk (Merag) is on the East side of the ridge and the departure port to Istria (Porozina) is on the West side. I arrived at 9:45 and the next ferry from Porozina departed at 12:00. It was head-down/ass-up pedalling all the way - and I got to the ticket office at 11:40. Time for a celebratory ice cream before departure. Crossed to Istria at Brestova. The road out of the port is a killer. Incredibly steep and seemingly endless. Last time I had caught the last evening ferry and I ran out of energy, and light, and slept by the side of the road - to be woken in the morning by cars descending for the first ferry to Cres. This time no such issues and I reached the coast road with its lovely cypresses without issue (other than a lot of sweat). Cycled up into the central hills to Pazin and down to Poreč. Across the width of Istria. Again very hilly. Poreč is very nice but crowded as this is peak season. Settled into the five person mixed hostel room, had a shower, a great meal, and slept!

Tickets to ride - ferries to and from Cres




Ferry to Cres


The Cres ridgeline


Goodbye Krk


Ferry to Istria




My bedroom - three years ago


Ouch!


Climbing - looking back to Cres


The flat(ish) coast road 


Part of the climb to Pazin (that church is not the top!)


Reward in Pazin - first stop (except for ferries)


Poreč












Cevapčići and chips (yummy)


More rehydration 



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