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25 April 2015 Saturday. We had to return our rental car in Croatia to avoid excessive drop off charges. Zagreb was the nearest town in Croatia where a rental car agency was located, and Ljubljana was on the way there. We left Lake Bled early as this was to be a long day. We wanted to drop off our bags at our sobes in Ljubljana so we wouldn’t have to carry them with us around Zagreb and then back to Ljubljana on the train. This we did with dispatch, and were soon on our way to Zagreb.
We arrived at the rental car agency about noon to find it closed on Saturdays and Sundays so we dropped the keys and contract into a slot as directed. Fortunately we weren't charged for any damages to the car; not that we caused any, but who knows what could have happened between Saturday noon and Monday morning. We then caught a bus into town.
Rick Steves describes activities that can occur in Zagreb, and in particular Jelacic Square at the town center, to include “from concerts and sporting events, to folk festivals, to protests and rallies.” Although he probably meant that these
events could occur over a period of time, we experienced all of these in the afternoon we were there. In the walk for the bus/train station to Jalacic Square we passed a park where a concert was in progress. A band was playing and people were dancing. Next in the park, we stopped to see a women’s’ volleyball game which was underway. We also passed a folk group who was singing traditional songs as part of a folk festival. And as we entered Jalacic Square, every square inch was covered with various sporting events from basketball to a version of soccer played in a walled in area the size of a tennis court. It turns out that it was Sports Day for students, which is observed in many countries towards the end of the school year. As we ate lunch on the square we noted, with little difficulty, a large protest underway across the square.
The protesters were holding banners high and chanting something along the lines of "Down with Frank." I thought they might be referring to a politician. I asked the waiter what they were protesting and he replied “the Swiss Franc.” I thought I misunderstood…why would
Croatians protest another country’s currency? Everyone I asked said the same thing. Well, it turns out that many people got mortgages in Swiss Francs because the interest rate was lower. They were having to buy Swiss Francs with Croatian kuna so when the exchange rate between the Swiss Franc and kuna changed it cost them a lot more. They should have thought about that when they incurred a Swiss Franc debt!
After lunch we took the self guided walking tour of old Zagreb, taking the shortest funicular in the world up to Gornji Grad (the Upper Town) to St Marks Church with its colorful roof including the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia and Zagreb. This was the end point for the protesters where representatives talked to the media. Then we walked through the Stone Gate with its alter to Mary to the medieval red light district.
We also found more sporting venues. A couple girls had organized a bocce game so we decided to stop to watch. We eventually entered into a conversation with them. It turned out that one of the girls was the Womens World Bocce Champion, having won recently in Columbia. I challenged
her to a game and let her go first. Her steel ball landed within an inch of the target ball. Needless to say, she won. I don't mind losing to a World Champion!
We ended our walking tour at the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, then returned to Jalascic Square, where we had gelato and watched people until it was time to go to the train station. On the way there we bought drinks and sandwich to eat on the train.
The train journey lasted about two and a half hours, arriving back in Ljubljana about 9 pm. I caught a taxi to my sobe where the friend of the hostess gave me my bags and collected my money. I never did meet the hostess during my stay.
I mentioned earlier that Zagreb was my close second favorite town on this trip after Split. Zagreb is full of life; vibrant with many activities in which the entire population takes joy in participating. The people are friendly and helpful. I felt no fear in witnessing the demonstration even though the riot police were taking no chances. And there are no tourists…well, not many. It feels
like you are visiting a place for those who live there, and not one that caters to tourists for their livelihood. Don't miss Zagreb!
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Dancing Dave
David Hooper
Where's Bocce Bob?
Couldn't find a pic of Bocce Bob anywhere. Surely his match with the World Champion was filmed by foreign press...or was it recorded in stone?