We crossed the border from Hungary to Croatia - Hrvatska - on 28 July and spent two days in the capital city, Zagreb, and immediately the weather was hotter. Just what we had been looking for.
Zagreb has an upper town and a lower town, connected by the smallest funicular railway I've ever seen. On our first morning we wandered Zagreb's Dolac Market - it's a huge open air fresh food market and it operates every day of the week. Early each morning the entire square is set up with tables, stalls and umbrellas and by 1.00pm it is all packed away, the square is cleaned; tomorrow morning they will begin again.
The upper town has retained gas street lights and Zagreb has retained a charming tradition - everyday at sunset the 'lamp lighters' walk around the light the lamps by hand.
We strolled along colourful Tkalca, lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and boutiques and arranged to meet with Tina, a young Zagrebian dentist whose beach home on the island of Ciovo we will be renting for the coming week.
Senor tried for the first time Croatian pivo and we were warned that the local brew Tomislav kicks like a donkey! 'Drink it carefully' was the warning. Ozujsko and Karlovacko were other names we got to know well - seemingly Croatia's pivo of choice. Croatia is a nation of natural socialisers. Cafes, bars, beach clubs everywhere, anytime, full of families and groups of friends. Curiously though the bars and cafes sell only alcohol or coffee; not food. People don't seem to 'snack' or nibble while they drink. Cafes and bars are for drinking and that is all they serve - drinks not food. If you want a snack or a meal, well there are probably as many restaurants and taverns in Croatia as there are bars and cafes.
Tina told us that the day we were driving the four hour journey from Zagreb to her apartment on Otok Ciovo was the first day of the summer break. She warned us that the roads would be very busy and that we should set out early and expect delays.
Tina was right! We left Zagreb at 7.00am and we hadn't travelled more than 5 kilometers before we were bumper to bumper trying to enter the motorway. The expected four hour journey took 7.5 hours! There were periods when the motorway traffic moved along smoothly......and periods where we inched along. The cars around us displayed number plates from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, Romania, Italy, Austria, Switzerland.....seems everyone in Europe, as well as Croatians themselves are heading to the Adriatic today. Let the month of August begin!
Zagreb has an upper town and a lower town, connected by the smallest funicular railway I've ever seen. On our first morning we wandered Zagreb's Dolac Market - it's a huge open air fresh food market and it operates every day of the week. Early each morning the entire square is set up with tables, stalls and umbrellas and by 1.00pm it is all packed away, the square is cleaned; tomorrow morning they will begin again.
The upper town has retained gas street lights and Zagreb has retained a charming tradition - everyday at sunset the 'lamp lighters' walk around the light the lamps by hand.
We strolled along colourful Tkalca, lined with outdoor cafes, restaurants and boutiques and arranged to meet with Tina, a young Zagrebian dentist whose beach home on the island of Ciovo we will be renting for the coming week.
Senor tried for the first time Croatian pivo and we were warned that the local brew Tomislav kicks like a donkey! 'Drink it carefully' was the warning. Ozujsko and Karlovacko were other names we got to know well - seemingly Croatia's pivo of choice. Croatia is a nation of natural socialisers. Cafes, bars, beach clubs everywhere, anytime, full of families and groups of friends. Curiously though the bars and cafes sell only alcohol or coffee; not food. People don't seem to 'snack' or nibble while they drink. Cafes and bars are for drinking and that is all they serve - drinks not food. If you want a snack or a meal, well there are probably as many restaurants and taverns in Croatia as there are bars and cafes.
Tina told us that the day we were driving the four hour journey from Zagreb to her apartment on Otok Ciovo was the first day of the summer break. She warned us that the roads would be very busy and that we should set out early and expect delays.
Tina was right! We left Zagreb at 7.00am and we hadn't travelled more than 5 kilometers before we were bumper to bumper trying to enter the motorway. The expected four hour journey took 7.5 hours! There were periods when the motorway traffic moved along smoothly......and periods where we inched along. The cars around us displayed number plates from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, Romania, Italy, Austria, Switzerland.....seems everyone in Europe, as well as Croatians themselves are heading to the Adriatic today. Let the month of August begin!
 |
| Dolac market |
 |
| Tiled roof of 13th century St Mark's church in Zagreb's old town |
 |
| It's worth looking up as you walk around Zagred - so many beautiful facades, roofs, balconies, windows and lights |
 |
| Zagreb's cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a glimpse of the defensive walls built to keep out the Ottoman Turks in the 1500s. |
 |
| Zagreb's blue liveried trams run through the pedestrian zone of the lower town main shopping area, Llica. Beautiful shopping in Zagreb. |
 |
| We left Zagreb and drove to the sea, via the UNESCO- protected walled city of Trogir. This is the Riva at Trogir. |
No comments:
Post a Comment