Exploring the city of Zagreb

These two days have been fun.We have explored the city on foot and found many quirky and interesting things to do as well as sitting drinking coffee and watching the local sights unfold around us.
Firstly the day starts at the Dolac, or local market spread over several levels and selling all varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables,flowers and plants, cheeses and meats,fish and a variety of crafts.
You grab a table,order a coffee and buy your bread from another shop then sit outside and enjoy the ambience of the place.
The market traditionally has been the work of women and at the entrance to the market there is a bronze statue commemorating their contribution to feeding the city.
We took a bus up to the Mirogoj  Cemetery on the slopes of the Medvednica Mountain behind the city to view what is called the most beautiful example of a cemetery in all of Europe.It is a park, an art gallery and a place of rest for the city father's. The exterior is amazing,big arcades front the entrance to the cemetery which were built in 1897 and now covered in ivy and clothed from top to bottom in green making an impressive entrance way.
We had a great wander around this place, many statues and memorials too to the soldiers of major world wars and city father's.
Later we visited the Croatian Naive Art gallery and found the bronze sun at the heart of a solar system arranged around parts of the city to accurately reflect the dimensions of the solar system.
We had lunch at a local restaurant serving local dishes.We tried the sour cream and clotted cheese dish,famous here and there is lots of it sold at the market, which is served with paprika and rocket and home made bread.This was a taste treat and great service.
Later we found the statue of Pats and took our photos alongside him as he gazed over the city from the old part of the town.
We were too late to get tickets to the concert tonight it was booked out but we did go to the Museum of Broken Relationships which was the most quirky place of all.Amazing stories told of loss,heartbreak,grief in all guises and yet funny and agonizingly real.Loved the artifacts chosen to tell their stories too,like the toaster that a spouse took so the other would not be able to make toast!!!
We visited a sculpture museum of one of the leading Croatian sculptures in his home,so a living museum of his work.Most impressive works on show there.
Later we ate at a wonderful  fish restaurant where I tried a raw fish pate and scampi risotto.Great food and service here.
Today we had an explore of the botanic gardens and some of the other buildings of note before setting off to the railway station for our trip to Slovenia.

Photographs of Zagreb

Out and about in Zagreb on a warm and sunny day.

Plitvice National Park

Today was an early start.We had to walk to the bus station and catch the bus to Plitvice Lakes at 8.30am and find some breakfast on the way. The day was particularly notable because it was raining,the first time since leaving home so our raincoats got an airing.
The bus trip takes about two and a half hours through quite rural countryside.Lots of forest and some rivers and wetlands along the way.Farming is the way of life in this area,some quite small and a number of abandoned houses in the villages.We actually saw a small flock of sheep,a couple of cows and some goats.
Antway the arrival time was eleven and we arrived on time.Lots of tour groups gathering and buying up raincoats because of the rain.However the rain was shortlived and we were able to revert to our shorts and a  t-shirt as we walked around the waterfalls on wooden walkways with large numbers of sightseers cramming the way.
The waterfalls had been replenished by the overnight rain so they were quite spectacular.I have to say as New Zealanders we have to have something pretty amazing to match our own parks.
We walked up and around the smaller lakes brimming with fish until we came to a larger lake where you catch a boat and ride along to the end of the lake where you transfer to a bus which returns you to your exit gate or you can go further up the lake system.The colours of the water are spectacular.It is karst country,Colin will know all about this and the water forms through tufa  to create this rich blue shade. Very striking against the green foliage.
Bird and animals were unseen by us but brown bears,wolves and lynx are present along with many butterflies and species plants native to Croatia.
Eventually we arrived back to where we would catch the bus back to Zagreb.Time for an ice cream and some lunch before heading back to the city.
We spent a few hours glamming up before walking into the old town to listen to a concert near St Catherine. It was in a museum outdoor courtyard so we were sitting under the stars.
It was stunning.The first half was a formal choir singing classical music,spine tingling in the harmony and chorus followed by another choir who sang and played a range of classical folk music.Very melodic and lively but great tempo and in harmony.Magic music.
The night was spoiled by me losing Brad's purse.We think it was picked out of my bag,no idea how but we retraced our steps and could not find anything so we treked around looking for the police station which we eventually found.We have to go back tomorrow!
The night was late so we ended up getting pizza at the railway station and eating in our room.
Such a shame as we had had a memorable day apart from the purse mystery.

Appealing Zagreb

We arrived before six this morning and emerged out onto the station without any real idea of our location or where the hotel was in relation to us but a quick inquiry of a nearby taxi driver who told us our hotel was about 500 metres along the road in front of us.
We found our way without difficulty to the Arcotal Hotel and found we could not check into until 2.00 pm but they were happy to store our bags for us until we could check in. This was a relief so we were able to head off into town and explore the place before most people were up!!!
Our first impressions were very favourable. It is very European in its appearance but it has its own charm and sense of grandure befitting such an old city.
We wandered around with a map the hotel gave us and found the market which was a very large one with a huge range of very fresh produce, fish,meat,crafts,plants and anything else you expect at a market. We enjoyed looking around here and we bought some bread and had a coffee for our breakfast and ate it at a little cafe.
Later we wandered up and down little streets bordered by eating places and cafes for just a drink or coffee.It is a vibrant and busy place.
I think we will enjoy this place.Lots of gardens with roses and hydrangeas, green spaces and bigger parks to explore during our three days here.
We managed to fill in our time quite easily before heading off to the bus station to get our tickets to go to Lake Piltvce tomorrow. By the time we had done this the hotel beckoned and we were able to check in and have a shower and a break from the heat. Thirty degrees again today so it is good to have a siesta time.
Tonight we plan to go to a free concert featuring Mozart and classical music in a local church.