Adriatic Sea
Republic of Croatia
Osor
Town Harbour
SY "Kamu II" alongside at the S end of the canal which separates Cres from the island of Lošinj, first made in Roman times, revived in the 16th-century CE. KN 106.- (€ 14.-) per night.
Click below for a bird's-eye view of our harbour berth:
Click here for a summary of this year's travels:
2003 Map
Hiking extensively on Cres Island, one of the N islands in the Kvarner Gulf, picking up and taking along a sizable piece of limestone rock from the island which, according to the local belief, would protect us from all kind of poisonous snakes on our future travels since Cres Island is quite famous for the absence of this brood, even though they are common in other parts of the Kvarner area.
Strolling through the little town of Osor and listening to the locals about the interesting history of their town which until the 15th-century CE was a strong commercial, religious and political presence in the region, but in a sudden turn for the worse a combination of plague, malaria and new sea routes through the Adriatic eliminated the town's population with just 80 people remaining.
Meeting Croatian yotties Zelimir and Alexander (SY "Doga"), emptying together a bottle of their home-made “doctor-grade” travarica or herbal rakija (a hard liquor similar to grappa, made by distilling fermented fruits [grapes, plums, peaches, apricots, pears, apples, figs or quinces] up to an alcohol content of 60% and mixing the brew with herbs [e.g. mistletoe, myrrh], honey or nuts) and learning about the distinctive grades of travarica: (i) the highest quality (“doctor grade”) is always for the local doctor, (ii) the second-highest quality (“police grade”) is for the local cop, (iii) the third-highest quality is for your other enemies, (iv) the fourth-highest quality is four your friends, and (v) only the lowest quality is for one’s own consumption - živjeli.
