So before I left the winery I asked Dominics dad which way to go and he pointed me in the right direction, and the road was paved all the way into Durdevac. It being Sunday just about everything was closed so i found the AOE (Amazon of Europe) trail again and rode mostly along quiet country roads and side of the road paths. AOE had signage and interpretive kiosks every once in a while, some newly built rest stations tho so new the charging stations weren’t yet complete. Too bad.
I didn’t go to all the sights of interest it being Sunday… but I did go to Stari Drava, which is a tall suspension bridge for pedestrians and bicycles over the river to a wildlife natural area, i think it’s a regional park and wildlife preserve, well there was also a ferry which I took over then i saw people pushing their bikes over so I did on the way back, it was $1 to ride the ferry which looked a lot like the old Jubal Early ferry across the Potomac back in Virginia. Held 9 cars or so but also corn harvest season is in full swing I was passed by dozens of tractors pulling carts of corn today. Across the lake its a meandering section of river Drava so it’s surrounded by water no way out but the ferry, but it’s about 8 km (4 mi) all the way in. And there are houses and farms there, and a restaurant, bar, and bike friendly hotel about 4 km from the ferry.
I was so leg tired and hungry I went in and was greeted warmly, the place had about 5 tables of people mostly men drinking talking loudly laughing and smoking, lots of people smoking in there the tables on both sides of me were smoking, well there was outdoor seating but my phone needed charging so the waitress set that up for me behind the bar and no menu asked me if i wanted meat or fish. Catfish or Smud? Well i don’t care for catfish i must have looked puzzled, she said Smud is our best fish, so i got that and potato salad and big thick slices of bread with a lemon wedge and one slice of pickled cucumber on the side, and a PAN beer, that’s the local beer. And it was delicious! Two days in a row I’ve now had fried fish fresh out of the river… well i was so tired i thought why don’t i just stop now and rest so i asked if she had a room for tonight, no we don’t work Monday, so no room tonight.
Which meant i had to ride back to the ferry and across…. Added mileage my legs didn’t need… but i pressed on and about an hour later there would be a town Virovitica with several choices of apartments on booking.com, and a hotel, but there was one closer Kapela Dvor which for 55 euros i booked, includes breakfast you could look it up it’s another grand dame old hotel, once was a kind of palace of a wealthy nobleman and his family. Now refurbished the Hotel Kurija Jankovic. It’s very nice and the reviews say the breakfast is great so only drawback my room 301 on the “second” floor, which means 3rd floor here, and no elevator, so lugging my panniers and bags up was two trips, then i had to go with the desk clerk to lock up my bike in the stor room out back, then once more up the stairs, even tho there are a bunch of bike tourists here i decided no more stairs took a shower and I’m in bed now ready for lights out at 830.
A good but tiring day my legs are sore I’ve ridden 395 miles since last Sunday, so my next objective now that I’m about done with the AOE trail, is a spa town in Hungary, looking at the map there are a good number within a days ride…. That’ll be for at least 2 mights 2 baths at least one full body massage. OK good night over there !
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