Zadar: Day 3 (10/11/19)
Zadar itself is pretty small, so there wasn’t much else to do after two days. But there are plenty of islands just a ferry ride away that have plenty of adventure to offer!
Up early to grab a ferry ticket to Sali, a tiny village on the island of Dugi Otok about 45 minutes away by boat. We docked a little after noon and I slapped on some sunscreen in preparation of a LOT of sun today. My goal was to reach Telascica, a nature preserve that holds a salt water lake (Jezero Mir) and some spectacular views, or so I had read. But first thing’s first, I had to traverse the 8.5km of hilly, sun-beaten road from Sali to actually get there. And there ain’t no buses on a tiny island like this. After a little searching I found a bike rental place and picked out my ride for the day for the equivalent of about 15 euro.
I reached the preserve a little over 3 hours later, drenched in sweat, down two cucumbers, and with an ear-to-ear grin plastered on my face. Telascica is located on a peninsula so I was treated to tons of great views as I rode: arid brushland, forested hills, sparkling blue inlets, the works! I dropped my bike off at the main park area, which was a sad sight to behold since it was obviously built for a lot of people and had approximately none occupying it. I then hiked the over the nearby hill to Jezero Mir, and it did not disappoint! Clear blue water, smooth stone beaches, and barely any people! I wandered around the lake’s perimeter for a few minutes, passing a couple of families swimming and one skinny dipper, until I found a quiet spot where I swapped to my swimsuit and dove it. And man, after a day of sun and sweat I could not have asked for a better refresher!
An hour of swimming and a little beach reaching later I continued my loop around the lake and found something unexpected. At the opposite end of the lake, where it’s closest to the sea, I discovered the largest field of cairns I have ever seen! Hundreds and hundreds of stacked rock piles covering every available surface; building off the natural boulders, each other, dead trees, anything that could support a tower was covered in them! It was an incredible sight to see with the Adriatic Sea and other nearby islands in the backdrop.
I fooled around for a bit, weaving my way between the cairns and feeling like a kid at Christmas, before meeting a couple from London who were also exploring the area. We had a quick chat and then I set out to complete my circuit of the lake. At that point it was doubtful that I could make it back to town for the afternoon ferry so I decided to take my time and check out the nearby cliffs before biking back. And boy was that the right move! I found the trail tucked behind an empty cafe at the main park complex and ascended up the hill to one heck of a sight: white stone cliffs, easily 100ft high, that plummeted into the blue green surf below. Absolutely stunning!
Around 5pm I retrieved my bike and made the journey back. It took longer than expected but since the temperature had dropped a good 10 degrees since the afternoon I managed to survive the honestly mostly uphill ride back. Though at some points it honestly did feel like straight up dying lol. After coasting into Sali I returned the bike and plopped down on a staircase in the shade for a few hours to wait for the 7pm ferry. Which was apparently a 9pm ferry as I found out at about 7:30, but whatever I was in no rush today. Pet a cat, read, and got pizza at the only restaurant in town before making the return trip to the mainland and my sweet sweet bad.
