Time to move on to Slovenia. I still had too many kuna. They couldn't change my kuna into € at the station but told me to go to a money changer in an underground arcade. I got 150€ from the exchange with 25 kuna left over. With 4 kuna I bought a bun as a snack and had a 20 kuna note as a keepsake.
The information board said that the train to Ljubljana was actually a bus in front of the station. So I wouldn't get to ride a Croatian train after all, sigh. Was it because of trackwork or all the time? The bus took us to the last railway station in Croatia and then Croatian customs frog-marched us over the border. No no, just kidding. Actually they put an exit stamp on our passports and then loaded us on the train. So it looked like a regular arrangement.
We travelled a few km to Dobrava station where Slovenian officials stamped us in. Slovenia looked neater, and they proudly flew the EU flag. Time to swap guide books.
Showing posts with label Zagreb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zagreb. Show all posts
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Medvednica
When I awoke it was pouring outside. Would I be able to go up Medvednica today? At about 1030 it was clear enough to catch a tram to the head of the trail. Tram 15 didn't seem to have been running for a while. The replacement seemed to be bus 233 so I hopped on that. I missed the stop for the cable car station and got off at the next one. A Croatian lady seemed to be indicating to me to follow her. We arrived at a house where a young Croatian woman spoke some English. She said I could just walk up the road we were on or take the "wire". I took that to mean the cable car. I thanked them and started up the road.
After a while I reached the park entrance where there were some nature exhibits on boardwalks but captioned only in Croatian. Then I arrived at a sign reading "10km" followed by a upward zigzag symbol. I should have taken the warning and gone back for the cable car but I thought: normal walking pace is 4 km/h, so allowing for the gradient, maybe 3 hours, and there might be some views.
Well, it turned out to be a long and unrewarding uphill trudge with few views because of the forest. When my mind is faced with unrelenting boredom it escapes into the vast regions of linguistic wordplay. If somebody had been able to hear my mind as I was slogging uphill, they would have heard my brain chuckling to itself over invented spoonerisms. At some point I probably contemplated the huge poster outside Zagreb bus station installed by the local chapter of transparency.org, which exposes corruption. (Note from the future: I recently looked at a map of corruption indexes, and Croatia was about the same as Italy, that is to say, not good for Europe, though ahead of third world countries. Transitioning from an authoritarian system to democracy seems to hit this problem.)
By the 5 km mark I had eaten all the peanuts I had with me. Finally the road passed under the cable. Then houses! But that was false hope, it was just a children's camp. Then a bit further on the junction with a bus stop hove into view. The summit was just a short walk up from the junction. I noted that the next bus down was 1530. I had enough time to have a thirst quenching drink at the restaurant.
The bus took only 30 minutes to undo all the distance I had covered going up, but down the other side of the hill, as the road is a loop. What a waste of several hours. There were no good views from the top, as it was a hazy day. I suppose I got a great workout. I did meet a huge Croatian bunny which warily allowed me to get close enough to take a picture of it, the very last one I took in Croatia, before ambling off.
Back at the hostel, I napped soundly until 1900, then collected my laundry. In the city I found a restaurant serving Croatian cuisine. The 4 sausages were too salty and too many for me. I tried some famous cheese from the island of Pag which was in the part of Croatia I had skipped. I'm no cheese connoisseur and it tasted to me like Pecorino. The Belgian beer was good though. Then, to burn up more kuna I had a premium gelato but it was too sweet. I hoped Slovenian food is better.
I slept very well that night.
After a while I reached the park entrance where there were some nature exhibits on boardwalks but captioned only in Croatian. Then I arrived at a sign reading "10km" followed by a upward zigzag symbol. I should have taken the warning and gone back for the cable car but I thought: normal walking pace is 4 km/h, so allowing for the gradient, maybe 3 hours, and there might be some views.
Well, it turned out to be a long and unrewarding uphill trudge with few views because of the forest. When my mind is faced with unrelenting boredom it escapes into the vast regions of linguistic wordplay. If somebody had been able to hear my mind as I was slogging uphill, they would have heard my brain chuckling to itself over invented spoonerisms. At some point I probably contemplated the huge poster outside Zagreb bus station installed by the local chapter of transparency.org, which exposes corruption. (Note from the future: I recently looked at a map of corruption indexes, and Croatia was about the same as Italy, that is to say, not good for Europe, though ahead of third world countries. Transitioning from an authoritarian system to democracy seems to hit this problem.)
By the 5 km mark I had eaten all the peanuts I had with me. Finally the road passed under the cable. Then houses! But that was false hope, it was just a children's camp. Then a bit further on the junction with a bus stop hove into view. The summit was just a short walk up from the junction. I noted that the next bus down was 1530. I had enough time to have a thirst quenching drink at the restaurant.
Back at the hostel, I napped soundly until 1900, then collected my laundry. In the city I found a restaurant serving Croatian cuisine. The 4 sausages were too salty and too many for me. I tried some famous cheese from the island of Pag which was in the part of Croatia I had skipped. I'm no cheese connoisseur and it tasted to me like Pecorino. The Belgian beer was good though. Then, to burn up more kuna I had a premium gelato but it was too sweet. I hoped Slovenian food is better.
I slept very well that night.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Zagreb
Last night the other occupant of my room packed up his belongings and then set his mobile phone's alarm. I suspected what was going to happen. Sure enough, at 0400, his alarm went off, he trundled his suitcase downstairs and was last seen through the window heading towards the main road. Probably an early flight out. At least it was peaceful after that and I got the shelf space that he vacated.
I had a DIY breakfast of cereal and fruit. The landlady confirmed that I could have my laundry done.
It's a cloudy and cold day. Might as well sightsee the city and do Samobor tomorrow. I started in Ban Jelačić Square where there is an equestrian statue of Josip Jelačić, who fought for the Austrians against the Hungarians. During the communist years the statue was taken away as he was regarded as a traitor. After 1990, his statue was rehabilitated. This square is a pedestrian-only area and a popular meeting spot.
From there I walked towards the upper city where most of the historic buildings are. Here you see Zagreb Cathedral. As you can see restorations are being done on it. That was also the case with many buildings around Ban Jelačić Square; they were sporting advertising posters to cover the construction. No doubt to rectify communist era neglect.
I was more interested in the markets.
I'm always curious about what people are selling and buying.
From there it was a short walk to the historic district.
St. Marks Church is close by the Croatian Parliament and has coats-of-arms on the roof tiles.
From there I followed the steps around the funicular down the hill. It's supposedly the shortest funicular in the world.
After lunch I explored the modern city. The fine building on the right is the Croatian National Theatre.
In front is the fountain The Source of Life by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović.
From there I walked towards to south end of the park, where the train station is. This fountain and the statue of King Tomislav are near there.
Here is one of the modern trams of Zagreb going past the station. There are older rattlers.
It seemed that there was a big soccer game that night: Croaia versus Russia; I saw fans in the streets wearing scarves in the Croatian colours. That would explain the packed tram going back, which passes Maksimir Stadium. There were quite a few people at the hostel. Not sure if they were guests or just attending a BBQ held on the grounds. Nonetheless it was a pleasant midsummer evening sitting outside. Later that evening, after dinner, I found out from some people watching the large screen TV that the game had ended in draw. Imagine all the time I save not bothering to watch TV sports, heh heh.
I had a DIY breakfast of cereal and fruit. The landlady confirmed that I could have my laundry done.
It seemed that there was a big soccer game that night: Croaia versus Russia; I saw fans in the streets wearing scarves in the Croatian colours. That would explain the packed tram going back, which passes Maksimir Stadium. There were quite a few people at the hostel. Not sure if they were guests or just attending a BBQ held on the grounds. Nonetheless it was a pleasant midsummer evening sitting outside. Later that evening, after dinner, I found out from some people watching the large screen TV that the game had ended in draw. Imagine all the time I save not bothering to watch TV sports, heh heh.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Stubičke Toplice
No photos for today's blog unfortunately. The reason is I went to the spa town of Stubičke Toplice and didn't take along my camera because I wasn't sure where I would store it while soaking. Also not sure if it would be polite to take pictures of people bathing. As it turned out there were changing rooms and lockers. I think that in future I will not worry so much about losing digital cameras as they are so cheap, and take more photos.
I saw quite a few Chinese variety shops in Zagreb. The Croatian term is Kineski Dučan. In tourist areas, they revert to the English term. Ivo had said that they are run by Chinese, not Croatians. They're a sign of economic health, he said. I also saw an Indian one. Variety shop wars?
The bus station is quite hi-tech. There are barcode controlled entrances to the platforms which are beneath the station. But not all of it works.
The bus took about a hour to reach the spa, running along the foothills outside Zagreb. I thought about yesterday's film crew. Most mystifying was a chap who kept carrying things in and out of the set in a plastic bag. Was he what's called a runner?
Stubičke Toplice tourism page
I found the spa hotel about 300m walk out of the town. There are changing rooms with lockers, saunas, one indoor and one outdoor pool. I liked the outdoor one better, because in the warm water I didn't mind that it was drizzling.
The soak in the mineral water was very relaxing and I dozed off in the returning bus. When the bus reached Čmomerec, at the western edge of the city, I hopped off. There is a huge Konzum supermarket there selling besides groceries, whitegoods and electricals. I also picked up some treats to burn up more kuna.
Something that occurred to me in the bus. You can ask: where am I, but you can never ask: when am I. You are always in the present.
I saw quite a few Chinese variety shops in Zagreb. The Croatian term is Kineski Dučan. In tourist areas, they revert to the English term. Ivo had said that they are run by Chinese, not Croatians. They're a sign of economic health, he said. I also saw an Indian one. Variety shop wars?
The bus station is quite hi-tech. There are barcode controlled entrances to the platforms which are beneath the station. But not all of it works.
The bus took about a hour to reach the spa, running along the foothills outside Zagreb. I thought about yesterday's film crew. Most mystifying was a chap who kept carrying things in and out of the set in a plastic bag. Was he what's called a runner?
Stubičke Toplice tourism page
I found the spa hotel about 300m walk out of the town. There are changing rooms with lockers, saunas, one indoor and one outdoor pool. I liked the outdoor one better, because in the warm water I didn't mind that it was drizzling.
The soak in the mineral water was very relaxing and I dozed off in the returning bus. When the bus reached Čmomerec, at the western edge of the city, I hopped off. There is a huge Konzum supermarket there selling besides groceries, whitegoods and electricals. I also picked up some treats to burn up more kuna.
Something that occurred to me in the bus. You can ask: where am I, but you can never ask: when am I. You are always in the present.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Rijeka and Zagreb
Ivo is going back to work in Rijeka and has offered me a lift to Krk Town which I passed on the way to Punat. He has to stop off there to deliver some documents to the bank or something like that. I sat at a nearby cafe and had a coffee. When he turned up he said that he was running late and couldn't join me for a cuppa. So we said our goodbyes there.
I took a walk around the old town and found the youth hostel. It's closed and looked like it had been for quite a while. I moseyed around for a while. The town is mildly attractive. It's drizzling slightly. Perhaps the inclement weather was a factor but something snapped in me. I didn't doubt that I could find some other accommodation if I wanted but I decided there and then that I didn't feel like spending another night in small-town Croatia. I longed for the bright lights.
I took a few pictures of the harbour for keepsakes and headed for the bus station. At Rijeka I had time for a haircut and lunch. I had spotted an old-fashioned barber shop in the way in. The old barber understood Italian and gave me a nice cut.
Rijeka has tall buildings, probably the tallest since Zadar or perhaps Split, testifying to its mercantile history. But I didn't want to tarry because it doesn't have much in the way of tourist attractions. It has good transport connections, it's the largest port of Croatia, and it had a strong shipbuilding industry before many jobs went to lower cost countries. Recall that Rijeka was the ultimate destination of the ferry Marco Polo from Bari via Dubrovnik. In fact that ferry might very well have been born here.
The bus made one stop in Karlovac, which was already known to me via the Croatian beer brewed there, but otherwise stuck to the main highway. At Zagreb I called a hotel in the spa town of Stubičke Toplice and asked if they had room. It would cost a bit more, but it would save me from having to make a separate day trip. Bad luck, they were full. Well that's the end of that idea. I rang the Ravnice hostel, which is run by a Croatian lady returned from Australia, and got some tram directions. When I checked in she was horrified when I mentioned that I didn't see any ticket seller on the tram. Apparently you are supposed to buy tickets from kiosks before boarding. Innocent me, I figured that I could explain if asked.
The hostel is full of strange people, some talking into walkie-talkies, some carrying clipboards, some working on sound or camera equipment. Apparently the lounge has been rented out for the day to a film crew shooting an episode of a TV soapie.
I had spotted a Chinese restaurant in the city on the way to the hostel so I headed back there for dinner. It was just a simple meal of Kung Pao Gai Ding with steamed rice, but I had not had a Chinese meal for over a month and missed the cuisine badly. I noticed what would be a recurring pattern in Croatia and Slovenia—the waiter would be a Croat or Slovene to be able to better communicate with the customers, but the owners and kitchen staff would be Chinese.
After dinner, I walked to the train station to check departure times for Ljubijana. It was a beautiful cool Middle European evening in the low 20s. For a capital, Zagreb seems poorly lit. There were a few seedy looking characters at the tram stops outside the station, but I didn't feel threatened as there were many ordinary people waiting for trams even at that late hour.
The film crew was still in the lounge when I got back. I'll have to access the Internet tomorrow.
The bus made one stop in Karlovac, which was already known to me via the Croatian beer brewed there, but otherwise stuck to the main highway. At Zagreb I called a hotel in the spa town of Stubičke Toplice and asked if they had room. It would cost a bit more, but it would save me from having to make a separate day trip. Bad luck, they were full. Well that's the end of that idea. I rang the Ravnice hostel, which is run by a Croatian lady returned from Australia, and got some tram directions. When I checked in she was horrified when I mentioned that I didn't see any ticket seller on the tram. Apparently you are supposed to buy tickets from kiosks before boarding. Innocent me, I figured that I could explain if asked.
The hostel is full of strange people, some talking into walkie-talkies, some carrying clipboards, some working on sound or camera equipment. Apparently the lounge has been rented out for the day to a film crew shooting an episode of a TV soapie.
I had spotted a Chinese restaurant in the city on the way to the hostel so I headed back there for dinner. It was just a simple meal of Kung Pao Gai Ding with steamed rice, but I had not had a Chinese meal for over a month and missed the cuisine badly. I noticed what would be a recurring pattern in Croatia and Slovenia—the waiter would be a Croat or Slovene to be able to better communicate with the customers, but the owners and kitchen staff would be Chinese.
After dinner, I walked to the train station to check departure times for Ljubijana. It was a beautiful cool Middle European evening in the low 20s. For a capital, Zagreb seems poorly lit. There were a few seedy looking characters at the tram stops outside the station, but I didn't feel threatened as there were many ordinary people waiting for trams even at that late hour.
The film crew was still in the lounge when I got back. I'll have to access the Internet tomorrow.
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