Granny's Got a Bike: Crotia here we come

Blue skies and warm breezes - I had to shed layers today! First step, crossing the Border into Croatia. So off we went! I saw a control tower sticking out a field of corn - makes you think how life was back when there were armed guards in that tower. We have lookout towers in Australia - they are for spotting a puff of smoke from a potential dangerous bush fire... Ahead was a sign - trucks this way, cars that way... I chose the car track and for about a km, was passing a line of trucks, just parked in their lane - drivers out chatting with each other, or staring forlornly into space. Some gave me a cheery wave, others just didn't seem me..... scary thought! but here we go - The Border! Why, there's even a bike lane! sweet! Hand over passport to smiling lady, wait about 2 mins and a smiling young man comes back with nicely stamped passport and off into Croatia we go!
What?? head wind? where did that come from? I think the km of trucks had sheltered me but it was a bit weird! anyways, we soon turned off the main road and headed off with the wind behind us, briefly.
Once away from the main road, the small country road led me through little country towns and WHAT???? a HILL!!! not possible?? but yes and I am sure that I have ridden up bigger hills than this one, but I was so amazed, that I ended up walking the last bit! Once on top of the ridge there were vineyards, a paddock of canola with sunflowers poking their heads out amongst the other flowers and the scenery was quite different. Do you know that I hate more than grinding up a hill??? Is trying to ride down a rough cobblestoned hill!!! Brakes screeching and bouncing from stone to stone!! but made it down into Batina without falling off! needed a break after that... but not a lot to see so raided my food bag and then on my way.
Just after Batina, the bike path appeared and for the next 30km I was almost on my own. This path ran on top of the flood dyke, but the Danube was not to be seen - too much forest. The guide book tells me that this area was heavily land-mined during the Yugoslavian war of the 90s, and can not be guaranteed to be completely free from mines. stay on the path! I did!! tho, I did follow a little road into the forest, just to find some shade and have some lunch... but I didn't dare step off that road!!
there was an occasional car in the first sealed section, but it turned to gravel, which was ok in most places, just bone-shattering in others.
87km was a bit of a shock to the system that was getting used to days under 50! but we eventually made to Bilje, where I stopped for an ice-cream and a very kind lady showed me where the ATM was and so for I had a blackberry and lemon sorbet ice-cream in a glass - very delicious and really just what I needed after a hot ride. There was only another 5km into Osijek, mostly on a bike way, so I cruised into Osijek... a tad dusty and smelly as all cyclists are at the end of a long hot day!
Somehow, Croatia feels a bit different! I can't really say why - autumn felt far away yesterday and the trees weren't showing the colours as much either. But rain is forecast for tomorrow, so it might feel a bit more autumy then!
BTW - here in Croatia the tv channels don't dub over the English programs (mostly USA crap!) they just use subtitles - which is a tad nicer!