Markets, sunshine and friendly hosts

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Zagreb is a town of markets. They are everywhere. On our first day we wandered around the Old Town and fruit and flower markets of the city centre, and on the second day were whisked off to a huge flea market by our host, and then wandered around the clothes markets with our new Norwegian friend, Irene. We fell in love over and over with the amazing food of Croatia, including čevapčiči (ground meat patties served in a doughy greasy bread with raw onions on the side), burek and the gorgeous fresh fruit we bought in the markets.

On our first day we wandered around town taking in the sights of the old Cathedral of the Assumption, the Town Hall, St Mark's Church (with a colourful tiled roof), and lots of pretty parks. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we took some time to sit outside the Cathedral, and were entertained by a crazy old homeless lady who kept swearing and gesticulating at the normal homeless lady across the road. We bought lots of fruit and salad and went back to the hostel to feast. It was then that we got talking to the lady who shared our bedroom and realised that we had met her before as she had also been in our hostel in Budapest. This was Irene, and we were to spend lots of time with her and meet her again.

Next day we were woken early by Marko, the man who, along with his girlfriend Ilona, owns our hostel. He wanted to take us to the huge flea market just outside town where all the locals go every Wednesday and Sunday to buy their goodies. We spent hours wandering among all the different stalls, and ended up buying a copper frying pan, a big saucepan and a wallet for Michelle. It was a very successful morning. Marko seemed to buy out the whole market. He bought baskets upon baskets of souvenirs from around the world to decorate the common room, and a bike to hire out to guests, which the three of us squeezed in beside on the way home in the car. After lunch, the three of us, along with Irene, went to town, via all the camp shops along the way. We were looking for a tent and petrol stove so we could begin our camping adventure. We managed to get everything we needed, but when we got back to the hostel and tried to put the tent up it wouldn't go. All of the elastic connecting the poles was broken so we had to take it down and bring it back. I guess thats what you get for buying a forty quid tent! We swapped it for a complete forty quid tent and suffered the consequences (see The Ice Age in Vienna).

That evening three Finnish guys turned up in our hostel, and spoke to Irene while we rudely ignored them in favour of our game of chess! They decided to head out into town, and we tagged along! We went to a "junkie bar" where we got really cheap beer, but absolutely no atmosphere. Then we headed to a really nice place around the corner, where we had a couple of drinks in the bar upstairs, followed by a couple in the "club" downstairs. It was pretty much us, a sixty year old DJ, and a load of wicker furniture! We still had a really nice time, even though Christian (one of the Finnish) threw his beer all over himself and kept saying "Fuck" in a really funny accent! After this Claire and Michelle got the tram home, whilst Ciara joined the others to head to a proper club. It really was a proper club. The first thing I saw when I walked in to the toilets was a guy in the only girls cubicle snorting coke off the toilet roll holder! I swiftly left and held it for a couple of hours until I really had to go! It was a really good night though, apart from that, but was followed by a seriously early morning.

After three hours sleep, an amazing chocolate donut, and alot of really strong coffee, we headed into town to return the tent, eat really good ciabatta in the park, have a drink in a tiny bohemian style cafe, and generally mooch about town. Upon returning to the hostel we tried out the new tent, ably assisted by a strange smoking Bosnian who had previously cornered us and forcibly removed our shoes which we had been wearing inside the hostel. Oops! Anyway, he wasn't very helpful as we spent all our time watching his cigarette instead of watching the tent.

We left the hostel early on the last morning and got a tram to the market so we could stock up on fresh fruit for the journey. We then had to walk to the train station in a torrential downpour, only to find that the train we had planned on catching doesn't run in the winter, and the next one wasn't for another 4 hours. So we had to sit on the floor freezing our wet asses off and playing cards, until we realised there was a cafe in the station, where we were serenaded by a crazy drunk homeless Croatian, who insisted that Ciara must be Michelle and Claire's cousin, and couldn't possibly be just a friend!

Zagreb was a really great city, and it was nice to make a friend in Irene. The hostel was especially nice, Marko and Ilona were really lovely hosts and showed parts of Zagreb we wouldn't have seen on our own. Great food, great parks and great markets. We'll be back...

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Comments

[Lizzy]

Sounds like you are having an amazing time!!! Enjoy seeing Nicki. I shall email soon but keep having fun xxxx