Krk, Zagreb and the Plitvice Lakes

After the very scenic ride along the coastline from Opatja via Rijeka, we crossed the bridge to get to Krk, Croatiaˋs largest island.

Krk is called the “Golden Island” for its many “golden” sunsets and an average of 2500 sun hours per year.

We stopped in the towns of Njivice, Malinska and Krk, the main city of the island, where my human went for leisurely walks along the seaside and down the beach promenades.

This time of the year, there really isnˋt much else to do. It is notable, though, that the new season is not too far away. Everywhere people are working on the restaurants, beach shacks and general infrastructure, cleaning, tiling, pressure washing.

A week to go to Easter

They do like their statues here

Krk

We drove on to Baska, where my human went on a hike to the “Plateau of the Moon”. Sounded promising and somehow delivered.

Once she got up the steep path winding its way up the side of a steep hill, it really looked like one could imagine the moon.

Rocky, barren, endless. Unlike the moon, there were also good views down into the bay of Baska.

We spent the night in the prettiest town on the island, in our humble opinion, Vrbnik. A maze of tiny alleys, dead end streets and impossible houses. Every square meter was used here to put another house in between two existing ones or on top of one another.

A lot of this town is hobbit- rather than human-sized

Cats everywhere

Did not expect to find a banana tree in Croatia

One of the most narrow “streets” in the world can be found here - if you can find it.

At its most narrow, itˋs only 43cm wide.

Back on the mainland, we drove up into the range a bit. From the island we could see snow up there and were curious as to the landscape.

From one hairpin corner to the next, we were in winter wonderland. It was quite amazing, really.

Only thing missing were people on skis!

We came by a very pretty man-made lake, which my human used to go for a little swim.

Srednji jarak

Who would have guessed?

They called it a gorge, I call it a river. Still pretty, though.

While I chilled far outside the city, she took a bus into Zagreb, to check out the capital of the country.

Of the 3.8 million people living in Croatia, 800.000 call Zagreb their home.

Little note on the side, in 2023 over 22 million tourist visited the country! 22 million!

As per usual, my human went on a walking tour of the city center to get her bearings.

A few fun facts she learned from the highly entertaining tour guide:

The neck tie was “invented” in Croatia, as is recognized by the UNESCO
If you weighed more than 60 kilos, you couldn´t be a witch because you were too heavy to ride a broom
In Zagreb only former prostitutes over the age of 36 were allowed to run brothels; workers in the industry had free health care, a pension and free lunch every day
There are over 200 museums in the city, but not one of them deals with the relatively recent history of the country, meaning the war in the 1990s. According to the guide, this is a topic not to be talked about.
The shortest funicular in the world was built here in the 1890s; it is 66 meters long and the ride takes exactly 63 seconds. It was also the first means of public transport in the city.

The only preserved city gate. On itˋs roof is a witch
protector; it was meant to catch low flying witches on itˋs thorns.

The inside of the gate is a chapel to the Virgin Mary. A big fire swept the city in 1731, destroying everthing in itˋs way. Only...

...this painting of the Mother of God was spared.

A monument to all the ladies in the horizontal business. Yes, for real!

There used to be two parts to the town, each built on a little hill. Gradec, where the main cathedral stands to this day, and Kaptol, where the upper class lived. Both parts were connected by a small bridge, spanning over the river Medvescak.

There used to be many fights between the two settlements and after an especially fierce one, it is said that the river turned red with blood.

Henceforth, the bridge was called Krvavi Most, Bloody Bridge.

It has long been paved over, but the name still remains.

Krvavi Most, the former Bloody Bridge

Having walked the streets and parks of the city for eight hours straight, my human was quite taken with Zagreb. It seems to be a clean, friendly and innovative city,

Ben Jelacic Square; thatˋs him on the horse to the left

St. Markˋs Square with St. Markˋs church and government buildings

Zagreb Cathedral, Croatiaˋs largest sacral building; the guide compared it to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona - constantly under construction

The national theater

Tesla would have approved of this innovative Lego wheelchair ramp to the library

Easter is upon us

Gric Tunnel; built in WW II as an air raid shelter is now a convenient shortcut under the city

After a day in the capital we returned to the coast and drove on to Senj, a small fishing town on a stunning coastline.

It was time for me to go and see a mechanic because there seemed to be a problem with my brakes, indicated by a warning light on my dashboard.

Turns out, the sensor on one of the back brakes was broken and the brake shoe on the other side was pretty ridden down. So both sides got replaced, and we are ready for all the hills and mountains to come.

That afternoon all hell broke loose and it didnˋt stop raining and storming for the next 30 hours.

The planned trip to the Plitvice Lakes got pushed back a day in the hope of better weather.

In the end, it was still pretty windy and overcast, but with some patches of sunshine as well.

This is the oldest and largest national park in the country and since 1979 is listed as World Heritage by UNESCO.

Due to tufa formation, which then creates tufa barriers, a string of larger and smaller lakes and waterfalls has developed over time and now is a mesmerizing area of natural beauty.

There are over 20km of walking trails, and you guessed right, my human walked every single one, some of them twice.

Since the Easter holidays started here the day before our visit, she didnˋt expedt to be alone, but the amount of people still astonished her. To think what it looks like in summer when up to 13.000 people push through here...

There is a boat service to cross the biggest lake and also an electric vehicle that brings you from one end of the park to the other.

Once you get away from those "public transport stops", the masses thin out dramatically, and you get some peace and quiet to just enjoy this stunning scenery.