Drugi dan najinega potepanja po Kvarnerju sva raziskovala Lošinj. Otok, kjer je Alja preživela že 24 poletij, prvič zaplavala, razbijala kamne in gradila peščene dvore, prodajala kamenčke z zataknjenimi rožicami, s kredami porisala ulice naselja Artatore, v vetru preprečevala badbinton žogici, da bi padla v žleb, tauhala školjke, prvič stopila na morskega ježka, na plaži pletla zapestnice, prebrala vse Harry Potterje. Po poti spominov sva se podala na lov za najboljšimi razglednimi točkami, obalnimi pešpotmi, skrivnimi kotički, se srečala z ženico, ki že vrsto let prodaja v ribarnici in se potikala po ruševinah zapuščenih hotelov.
The second day was for discovering Lošinj, the famous island resort of the Habsburg monarchy and perhaps even more famous for being the place where Alja spent the last 24 summers! It is the place where she learned to swim, where she sold cute little rocks she decorated with flowers, covered the streets of Artatore with chalk, played badminton, picked the seashells off the sea floor, stepped on a sea urchin for the first time, made bracelets on the beach and read the whole Harry Potter series. She expertly showed me all the best spots of the island and together we even discovered some new ones.
Po rivi sva se sprehodila skozi največje mesto na otoku, Mali Lošinj. Kulturno središče, ki ga v poletnih mesecih obišče ogromno turistov, je v mirnem sobotnem dopoldnevu delovalo precej umirjeno. Navdušeno sva opazovala gromozanske palme in razraščene kaktuse, pokukala v ribarnico, kjer se v vročih poletnih jutrih radi zbirajo domačini ter uživajo v svežem ulovu okoliških ribičev, nato pa sva se po zlizanih tlakovcih notranjih uličic podala proti cerkvici Device Marije.
We took the promenade through the largest town of the island, called Mali Lošinj (which litterally means Small Lošinj. There is a smaller town nearby, called Veli Lošinj, which translates to Big Lošinj. It used to be the bigger and more important one, but history took a different course. Veli Lošinj started to decline and Mali Lošinj developed into the center of the island). In the summer, during the high season, it is packed with people, but now it was all very calm. We loved the huge palm trees and cacti walls, checked the fish market and climbed the stairs and narrow streets to the church of Virgin Mary.
Mali Lošinj je čudovit, a niti približno ne tako čaroben kot Veli Lošinj.
Mali Lošinj is wonderful, but not even nearly as magical as Veli Lošinj.
Mali Lošinj is wonderful, but not even nearly as magical as Veli Lošinj.
Iz zaliva Valdarke sva se ob morju sprehodila do Velega Lošinja in si v Konobi Riba privoščila zares najboljšega pečenega osliča in krompir z blitvo ter se posladkala s sladoledom.
We parked our car in one of the bays on the way and walked the rest on a promenade along the shore. Then we treated ourselves with a fresh-out-of-the-sea fish in the only restaurant that was open (Konoba Riba) and finished it with an ice-cream.
Kljub temu, da ulice samevajo, večina trgovin, gostiln in hotelov je zaprtih, povsod nekaj prenavljajo in ropotajo, Velemu Lošinju to izredno pristoji. Je kot ostanek nekih drugih časov. In res ima dušo. Gotovo naju je od vseh krajev ta vikend najbolj očaral in zadržala sva se precej dlje, kot sva načrtovala.
Even though there were very little people and most places were closed it actually suits the small town. It`s like a remnant of another era. And it has a certain soul. We were compeltely mesmerized by it and we spent a lot more time there than planned.
We parked our car in one of the bays on the way and walked the rest on a promenade along the shore. Then we treated ourselves with a fresh-out-of-the-sea fish in the only restaurant that was open (Konoba Riba) and finished it with an ice-cream.
Even though there were very little people and most places were closed it actually suits the small town. It`s like a remnant of another era. And it has a certain soul. We were compeltely mesmerized by it and we spent a lot more time there than planned.
Kristalno čista modrina morja, prikupno urejena obala, stoletni borovci, stare ulice - našla sva celo odprt vhod v že davno zapuščeni hotel. Kar nisva in nisva mogla oditi, a otok ponuja še toliko drugega.
Chrystal-blue sea, lovely beaches and promenade, mighty pine trees, old streets - we even found a back entry to a long-abandoned hotel. We just could not leave, there was so much to see and do!
Chrystal-blue sea, lovely beaches and promenade, mighty pine trees, old streets - we even found a back entry to a long-abandoned hotel. We just could not leave, there was so much to see and do!
Vzpela sva se na vrh Sv. Ivan in uživala v razgledu na Veli Lošinj, malo nižje, iz tematskega razgledišča Providenca, pa na Mali Lošinj s širšo okolico, otoke Susak, Unije, Cres, vrh Osorčice in vse male zalive vmes. Lošinj je zares eden lepših koncev hrvaške obale.
We climbed the St. Ivan hill and enjoyed the view of Veli Lošinj from way up and continued to another viewing point Providenca, from where you can see the northern half of the island with Mali Lošinj in the middle, the nearest islands of Susak, Unije, Cres, the Osorčica mountain and all the small bays inbetween. Lošinj really is one of the most beautiful places of the extended Croatian coast.
As the day was closing in we took a walk through the modern, richer part of the island called Čikat, where we bid farewell to the evening sun, lying embraced on the warm rocks, listening to the song of the wind, rustling through the pine trees.