BETINA TO BIOGRAD NA MORU : Cycling in a thunderstorm.

After another nightly battle with the mozzies ( which the mozzies largely won,suffering only a few fatalities), we pack up and head off with trepidation. The forecast for today is dire. It's dry when we set off but soon starts to rain. As we head over the little bridge at Tisno which links the island to the mainland there are grumblings of thunder directly overhead. We take shelter several times eventually under a road side fruit stall. The owner is very friendly and lets us stay under the precious cover whilst he unpacks large watermelons and pumpkins from his van, wearing a sou'wester and waterproof. He places small fig and olive trees out in the rain. We are obviously in his way, but he smiles and says ok a lot. Impressive lightning forks on the hill ahead. We head off and get soaked very quickly and pedal to the next town of Pirovac for a coffee. Invigorated we head off again and the rain lessens. We pass the large lake Vransko on our right and a flock of herons passes overhead. The sun comes out as we arrive at Biograd Na Moru. We eventually find our apartment in a back street worryingly near the church (6 a.m. bells), and are met by Ivana who lets us in. It's a beautiful apartment on the top with amazing views over to the island of Pasman. We have lunch on the terrace, just before it starts to rain very hard and persistently for a few hours ( see picture of Jadrolinja ferry coming into dock with its lights on!) After several hours of torrential rain it clears away and there's an amazing rainbow, as we wander around the harbour. For supper we go to the Kanoba Bazilica just next door and have octopus and chick peas, marinaded anchovies and then fish stew with polenta and tuna cipavcici - which are tuna sausages! We enjoy a glass of carob grappa to end with.