Our day began with a visit to a 5th generation olive oil production, a small family operation, Grubic, producing quality olive oil. They are recognized in a 2026 competition within the top 500 olive oil producers in the world!

After an explanation of their harvesting process and seeing the centrifuges they use, we did have a tasting. Interestingly centrifuges are now used rather than the old press method! The equipment is very expensive. They do have a cooperative spirit here in providing local olive growers to pay for the use of their equipment.

We had 3 tastings each of a monoculture and the 4th was a blend. We were to warm the cup holding our olive oil and then slowly sip it with some air. That is to be the correct way to taste the oil. Also, the tasters at competitions receive each oil tasting in a blue glass as the color of olive oil has nothing to do with its quality. The first tasting has a fresh grass sort of taste and the last did not.

After our tasting we had some snacks with the olive oil drizzled on it. The biggest surprise though was vanilla ice cream with fig and plum fruit on it and a drizzle of olive oil!

We walked through the small, very quiet town of Bale. Of course, had a coffee. Everything is quite relaxed! I met a couple on their honeymoon and enjoyed talking with them. They are from northern area of Croatia.

I did see bicyclists throughout this trip. This day they were part of VBT tour. While many towns in the Balkan area have very bicycle-friendly lanes/paths, the roads between the towns have no bike lanes or shoulders. The cyclists with front and rear lights and colorful clothing and helmets were easier to see. Motorists also seemed to provide some distance between their vehicle and cyclists which I was happy to see!

On our way back to Poreč, we stopped at Lim Fjord. Mussels and oysters are grown in the brackish water, but very beautiful area! Water was a bit cool so no swimmers! The area does look like a fjord.

Where we are staying in Poreč does have a place for bicycle storage:

Farewell dinner is tonight and I am off to Trieste, Italy tomorrow. Here is a map of the travel so far with the Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) group I have been with these past weeks! Tomorrow I am a solo traveler for a few weeks in Italy and Greece.