Balkans Day 18 - Zagreb

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We have reached the farthest point of our journey. Now to start the 1000 km drive southeast to Skopje. Today is our third and final visit to Croatia, to the capital city of Zagreb. It’s all motorway so progress is rapid but dull. After days of yearning for a decent motorway as we picked our way along Bosnian goat tracks and Albanian roadworks, I’m bored of motorways now. The old man alleviates the the boredom briefly by taking a wrong turn and accidentally heading for Austria.

We find our way back onto the Zagreb road, cross the border and reach our destination by 10.30. Lonely Planet doesn’t have much to say about Zagreb, which is fine as I am out of clean underwear. So, first port of call is the laundrette.

Armed with clean pants, we check in to our B&B; 4CityWindows, which is run by a lovely couple. We are in the Cartoon Room which features hand drawn cartoons from war time animated films.

Our hosts plan a route for us to visit the old city and we set forth to peruse the various churches, notable buildings and parks. It’s a pleasant walk as most of the roads are pedestrian and there are plenty of parks and squares. After visiting the cathedral and the market, we take the funicular to the upper town, where we accidentally get caught up in the filming of a documentary.

Next we head for the intriguingly named Museum of Broken Relationships (somewhat ironically in Dverce street). People donate items which remind them of the end of a relationship, together with an explanation. There’s quite a range on display from the moving (a mother’s suicide letter, a court document from a child raped by someone she trusted) to the humorous (a Divorce Day mad dwarf thrown at an ex’s new car). My guide book describes the museum as ‘quirky and innovative’. While some of it is interesting and poignant, there are many long winded self indulgent explanations of failed love affairs. Frankly, I can think of better ways to spend £5.

After another gourmet dinner (calzones sitting on a fountain) we return to our B&B to shower and repack ready for tomorrow’s drive to our 8th and final country; Serbia.

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