Red sky at night, shepheards delight - we went to bed expecting a lovely day, but heavy rain during the night and a grey start to the day had us wondering if Croatian shepheards had a different saying... We swam off a sandy beach close to our tent, and washed in the river, which was surprisingly warm, and a great way to start the day. Shortly after breakfast, just as we were packing our tent away a passing Croatian police boat spotted us, pulled up and asked to see our passports. After a minute or two of page shuffling, they gave them back and carried on their way. I am sure they left feeling very important.
We set off south, and quite soon came to a junction where our guide suggested an 'alternative route'. A blue bike path sign, and a tarmac levee path encouraged us off the main road. The next twenty or so km's were faboulous, a good surface, and very well kept levee banks, our only company was a sleeping forester, a fox and a few wild pigs. We passed an 'Eco centre' which was the remains of a village that used to house seasonal land workers, at it's peak it housed 600 people. There are now twelve residents, and one pet deer living amongs largely derelict buildings.
We then passed out of the woodland into an area of dykes massive fields and fish ponds. These fish ponds are for farming fish and are huge, now much of it is a reserve for migratory birds.
After picking up some groceries in Bilje we headed on towards Osijek, and experienced a moment of wonderful generosity. We stopped at a roadside fruit stall to buy a few peaches, and having selected our four fruit set about trying to pay for them. The stallholder would hear nothing of it, and insisted on giving them to us for nothing. Not only that, but as we were finding spaces to put the fruit without squashing them, she marched over to us with a massive watermellon in her arms! This too, was a gift. After much protest from our side, she insisted, and even managed to get the thing strapped onto Sonja's bike. This was to be our constant comanion for about annother week untill what was left of it fermented and we couldn't face any more. A real lesson in generosity, this lady was selling her fruit for next to nothing, and we clearly could have paid her, but she gave what she had, to total strangers with a smile, we were very touched and I expect will remember this moment for a long time. (Sonja will certainly remember carrying the extra 7kg's...)
We carried on, very proud of our new 'catch'. We tried to stop for lunch in Osijek, but all the bars were just that, bars. There was no food at all on the menu, so after stopping for a drink, we ate our picnic on a bench in a square. The sun is out, our Croatian shepheards may well have the same sayings our their British counterparts.
A tram in Osijek, in very well kept blue and white livery.
As we continued on and out of the town, it became increasingly obvious that this country has recently been at war. Many buildings show the scars of bullet holes and in some cases shell holes. Skeletons of buildings remain in the areas where no one can afford to remove or repair them.
Riding on, and having a 'second lunch' (hobbits are not that daft you know!) we continued for a few uninteresting kilometers towards Borovo and Vikovar. The former is a never ending suburb of the latter, and the road busier than we would have liked. Once in Vukovar, we found a lovel resaurant by the river and ate a very nice meal acompanies by some truly unique pan pipe renditions of popular hits... nice. We are a three course meal and non-alcoholic drinks for the equivalent of 40 euros.
We decided a night in a hotel was in order, and stayed in the 'Hotel Dunav' which seems to be one of the larger hotels in town. It was a bit of a timewarp, and still felt very much like how I imagined the former eastern block countires to be under Communism.
The view from our hotel window. Bullet riddled water tower in Vukovar.
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