Zagreb to Split

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April 19th 2008

Published: April 19th 2008

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mightymouse

Zagreb

Spring Flowers

The first task of the day in Zagreb was to extract some money from a cashpoint, so we headed off from the youth hostel in the direction of some local shops! This was no more than a 5 minute walk which took us through typical east european housing blocks. One quite understood during the war how easily the people living here were picked out and targeted by snipers. Although we appreciate it maybe less of the case here than in Sarajevo, it does bring it home to you. So after our first attempt of getting some money out and failing on our second attempt we were a little bit more lucky! We walked to the end of the road and caught the tram back into town. We were very naughty at this stage and didn't buy any tickets, not that we knew where to buy any from, and had a free ride into town. We went past people selling basically junk (to us) on the pavements ie bits of carpet, chairs, wood, anything that they thought they could get some money for they sold, and why not. So we exited the tram at Trg Jelacica which is a lovely big square

Zagreb

My I have aged!

with cafes around the one side. We decided to have pastries for breakfast and also bought a cup of coffee each, which David managed to promptly drop on the floor!!! He did go and get another one, I hasten to add!!! We took in our surroundings and headed upwards to the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (previously known as St Stephens). There used to be a medieval church on this site, which was unfortunatley destroyed by an earthquake, although there are elements of it remaining. A most magnificient cathedral greets you with renaissance pews and marble altars. We wandered round the outside (I don't think we were supposed to, but then again no-one stopped us!), where the Archiepiscopal Palace surrounds the cathedral, and we spotted Nuns on mobile phones in the doorways (I decided a photo was not a good move!). We carried on our wanderings and came across the Dolac Fruit and Vegetable Market. You can reach this from the other side of the square which means walking up steps to it, but from the side we came from, you actually look down on it, and we feel this is certainley the better viewing option.

Zagreb

Yes it may sell fruit and veg, but it also sells wickerware, souveniers, honey, traditional wooden toys, oils etc etc. The parasols used to cover some of the market stalls, were very much part of tradition in Zagreb but are starting to die out. They are used in and on traditional folk days. We carried on walking enjoying a lovely sunny spring day, and walked past endless cafes with almost every seat taken by people also enjoying the lovely sunny weather. There is some most wonderful medieval architecture here and again we found ourselves in awe.

We walked upto Gradec - the citys hilly old town, which contained more wonderful buildings. I spied in a garage forecourt area fallen masonary of knights and gargoyles just simply stacked in a corner. St Marks Church is currently having its roof restored and will look mighty splendid when it is finished - its quite magnificent now!!! By this stage we were intrigued by then number of very serious black suited officials walking around and in groups. The penny dropped - President Bush was visiting in a few days - and this was the not so secret service, taking in the surroundings. We

Zagreb

Dolac Market

surveyed them and they much to our amusement surveyed us. It was at this point we decided not to mention in the same sentence (are at all infact) Bush, Terrorist or Bomb Plot, although it could have been quite amusing to see the reaction. We caught the funiclar railway back down to the lower town and wandered back to the tramstop. However this time we did buy a ticket just in case!!!

We got back to our car to start the next leg. We called in at a local supermarket for provisions en route - please take note - we bought tinned goulash, it will reappear later on in the blog!!!

Our destination was Plitvice Lakes. We went through Karlovach and took minor roads over to Plitvice. David was first to notice the bullet holes in some of the houses. Some houses had them filled in, some were repainted completley and some just totaly abandoned. Our naivety shone through, because we both never thought it would be something that would still be visible, but then the war was only fifteen years ago. As we got closer to the lakes we noticed alot of cafes and restaraunts called Slap.

Zagreb

Dolac Market

Slap in croatian means waterfall! Well it amused us for a while!!! We found a room just the other side of the Jezzera Lakes, and once more we were up in lovely white snow!! There was hardly anyone else around and the area and roads were so quiet it was wonderful! Our room had a balconly (imagine typical alpine chalet), and we sat watching the sun set enjoying a hot drink.

When I say we found a room, I must point out that this is not in a hotel. It is very typical in central and mediterranean europe for homeowners to rent a room out for however long a stay you want - similar to our B & B's, except that literally every home does it. This means you can get varying quality and cost. The room on this occasion had an ensuite, whereas with others you may have to share the homeowners bathroom. They did offer us an evening meal and breakfast for an additional cost. We did have breakfast but ventured out for an evening meal. This is an exceptional alternative to expensive hotels and brings you more of an experience than an anonymous hotel.

The

Zagreb

Dolac Market

next day took us back upto Plitvice. There are two entrances to the park but entrance two was still closed due to the snowy conditions. We opted for Route B which is a three to four hour walk, and includes a boat and bus trip!. Two minutes (literally) from the start of our walk, the 'wows' started and the cameras started clicking! The waterfall to our right is the biggest in Croatia, and boy is it big!!! There are photos of it completley frozen in the winter - wow! The footpath down to the lakes switchbacks and is concreted. It makes for easy walking and accessible for nearly all (if it was in the UK, Health and Safety would have the whole place condemned and closed, but a little common sense in the right places doesn't hurt anyone). Once off the path you take wooden walkways across the lakes and smaller waterfalls following your designated route. The lakes are the most fantastic colour, mineral greens, turquoise and blues, which I can only liken to Lake Louise in The Rockies. There are carniverous plants growing and the water is quite high. As you are walking along the wooden walkways the water

Zagreb

Dolac market

is bubbling up (quite ferociously at times) under your feet! Yet again round every corner we were met with wonderful vistas, the like we haven't seen before. We saw not a ripple on the water, ravens and frogspawn! We caught the boat back over to the other side of the lake and then a bus (loose description!) back to entrance one where we came in. However, there was still a good ten minute walk from the drop off point, which gave us some more magnificent views! Although the walk was advertised at three to four hours we did it in two and half - that includes more stops than I care to remember!

All too soon we were back on the road and heading for Split. We dropped out of the snow and the Plitvice region quite quickly and although we weren't that far from the coast there was a huge snow capped mountain range in front of us. Strangely and we never quite got our heads round this, when we turned off the road to head for the coast the mountains ended up on our right, we were both convinced until we saw the adriatic that we were

Zagreb

Dolac Market

going in the wrong direction!

And our first view of the adriatic on the way to Zadar left us yet again both going wow (we will have to think of a different word!). A guy we had met in the youth hostel in Zagreb said you will never forget your first view of the Adriatic and he was so right! We stopped at the otherside of Zadar at a little fishing village called Bibje. We sat by the old harbour, in glorious hot sunshine, having lunch. Blue skies, swallows overhead, a sleepy fishing harbour - perfection!

We carried on down to Split on the coast road - don't ever take the motorway you will miss so much. We saw many villages and harbours with very expensive yachts in them! Now Split isn't the easiest of places to drive round and having driven round it numerous times we did find it easier!!! There are some (well actually a lot) of ugly tower block on the outside of the town, but then find me a city that doesn't have them. We headed down towards the bus and train station, which is on the harbour front and by Diocletians Palace. It

Zagreb

Dolac Market

looks from the road maps that you can drive in front of the palace, when in actual fact you can't, it is pedestrianised. There is a carpark at the entrance, which is extremley expensive. If you take the side roads by the bus and train station you can find free street parking for as long as you want! Finally we found ourselves a room, which was clean but extremely cold - we got our own duvet out of the car in the end!

We had our first evening exploring Diocletians Palace and what a surprise it is. Put away all your thoughts and images of everything Roman you have ever seen before. This is live and kicking history in front of you. The Palace is lived in and has shops everywhere in it. The roman ruins exist but their use have travelled through medieval times to modern times and are used in todays modern world. The floors are marble and polished from all the millions of people walking over them. There are narrow alleyways twisting and turning, dark corners (you can imagine the intrigue and plots), people living in the buildings with washing hanging from the windows and day

Zagreb

Dolac Market

to day life continuing and developing in front of you.

The harbour was gearing itself up for the Croatian Boatshow, so you can imagine the size of some of the boats and yachts that were in!

The next day saw us catching the ferry over to Hvar. Hvar is becoming the playground of the rich and famous (not that we saw anyone!) and has the highest amount of sun hours in the whole of Croatia. The crossing took a couple of hours and you come in at Stari Grad. You then catch a coach over to Hvar Town itself. Warning the drivers are mad - stark raving mad!!!! The journey takes approximatley twenty minutes and has spectacular views, that is when you are not holding onto the seat or person in front of you or to your side!!! Hvar Town is medieval again and has lots of narrow alleyways and steps and invites you to explore. There is a castle on the hill and the buildings have a most definate venetian infuence. The island is renowned for its Lavender, which this early on was something we didn't see. On our journey back to Stari Grad we took a

Zagreb

These guys were hiding in a garage!

different route which takes us up high and over the island. We saw endless terraces, for which we are unsure of their original use. There are very few in use now, but those that are in use have Olive Trees in them. We are thoroughly enjoying the lovely warm sunny weather that is coming our way - lets hope it holds!

On our return to Split we explored some more of Diocletians Palace before returning to our cold little room! Tomorrow we head for Dubrovnik!!

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