Day 36: Museums in Zagreb

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We got up late and headed to the art museums. We hiked up the hill to an area known as Gradec, or the old upper town. This area has museums as well as well as parliament (Sabor) and the government of Croatia (office ot the Prime Minister). There were lots of sleek black BMWs and Mercedes as well as flags and guards, and a TV reporter reporting, dressed in suit and tie and athletic shoes.



We saw the Burglars’ Tower, 13^th century guardian of the area; an orthodox church with the typical iconostasis, painted wall between heaven and earth; and the Church of St. Catherine, locked.



The first museum we saw was the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art. This museum was originally known at the “Peasant Art Gallery.” It features 80 expressionistic paintings by untrained artists. Most of the paintings were painted with oils on the back-side of glass, with details painted first! They reminded me of the work of John Stuart Curry and Thomas Hart Benton.



We stopped at the St. Mark church, with a fabulous colorful tile roof depicting two seals: one on the left for Croatia: the check-board and the three lion heads for the Dalmatian Coast; and Right: seal of Zagreb. We could get into the foyer to see the interior but the rest was locked.



The second museum we visited was the home of Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia’s most famous sculptor. He lived in Zagreb from 1920s until after WW2 , when he fled to the US. The house was a museum of his sculptures. It had beautiful oak woodwork, high ceilinged rooms, great light. We got to tour his studio as well. The studio had a main floor, balcony, skylights, and a garden… lots of glass and oak. It was beautiful as well as functional.



We had a drink at a nearby neighborhood bar. We bought a sandwich at a bread shop near the market and headed home for lunch…..a good sandwich and a rest and some reading.



We are running out of Kuna (Croatian currency). We took out $20 USD more and headed to the grocery. Our grocery here in Croatia is “Konzum” with the red awning. They are everywhere, and must have a monopoly in Croatia. We got sandwich stuff for our train trip to Hungary tomorrow, and dinner. We are using up what we have, and Gary googled a recipe with Tuna and Spinach (in our freezer). We found something similar to the ingreiants and will have supper at home, with a couple of beers and a bottle of Croatian wine. We should make it to the train, then out with the Hungarian money!



We stopped at McDonald’s (actually at the bar next door which gets the free WIFI signal, and posted blogs. I never feel guilty using the McD's hotspot or restroom... I must own half the company from the days of kids!!!



Dinner on the terrace steps again, reading, wine from Zagreb, pretty good… get up early tomorrow and drag the bags to the train. It leaves Zagreb at 9:50 am…. about 7 hours to Hungary.

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