Pula & Rovinj

Today we woke up, hit the rental car, and started with a day trip to Pula (we're lodging in Rovinj). 

To the first sight/site, we head to the great amphitheater, Pula Arena, constructed between 27 BC and 68 AD, much of it still standing today.

We felt there was no need to pay the ticket entry, as there's plenty of views to the inside from the edges.  And there's nothing really inspiring from within, as the theater is so intact that it regularly serves as a modern concert venue.

Pula Cathedral - built and re-built between the 5th and 15th centuries.  The base of the tower contains stones removed from the amphitheater.

We're surrounded by lots of Roman (700 BC - 300 AD) and Venetian (700-1800 AD) culture.  (these timelines aren't neccessairly when these peoples dominated Istria, but generally the period of their world cultural dominance)

The Temple of Augustus  is a well-preserved Roman temple dedicated to the first Roman emperor, Augustus, built during the emperor's lifetime at some point between 27 BC and his death in 14 AD

Big crane from the Pula shipyard construction site in the harbor.

There's apparently a lot of Roman cultural leftovers below the city, much un-re-discovered.  This nearly 2,000 year old mosaic from a villa was found during clean-up activities after WWII bombing.

Back to Ravinj, our tour there begins...

The fish market, after the day is done, and the fish have moved on closer to dinner tables.

Ravinj was originally an island, but now a peninsula after the water crossed by the bridge was filled in.

Rocky beach, rocky walk....