Back to Zagreb

We took the bus (at 7AM!) from the small town of Grabovac where we stayed near the Lakes park to the Croatian capital city of Zagreb. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, but I have to say that I liked everywhere else I have been on this trip much better (sorry zagreb-sad but true-you can't love every place). The ladies here are too fancy and ordinary people are very much "too cool for school." I never like that anywhere in the world from anyone and every other place I have been here the people are much more friendly and open (Toshi said it reminds him of Downtown Crossing in Boston and I agree).

One highlight of the day was that we visited inside the beautiful and incredible Catholic Cathedral, which was built in 1200-something.


Outside there is a very nice fountain with this tall pillar with angels around the base and Mary at the top.

We lit 2 prayer candles. I don't know what Toshi prayed for, but all I felt today was gratitude, so I gave a pyrayer of thanks for everything we have in our very blessed lives. Inside they have a lot of small altars and one of them had a really nice fresco of the last supper.

There is also a ceremonial "statue" (for lack of a better word) of the late Pope (who visited Croatia before passing away and literally everywhere he went they have his photo up-- even the ferries we took had a picture of the Pope riding the ferry!). Anyway, in the Cathedral, this replication of the Pope is laying in state and there is a bit of a coffin-looking thing under him and nice canopy over his "body." He is wearing some kind of fantastic bishop-looking hat. Very stylish.

The best part of the Cathedral was the organ which was simply massive. I wished we could have heard it playing, because it must sound incredible in that space with its high vaulted ceilings (painted with stars- very celestial).

The Cathedral ("Katedrala" in Croatian) has two tall bell towers rising up so high that it was hard to get a photo with the whole church in the shot! One of them was damaged by shelling during the war (in 1994), and it is still under construction now.

These former occupants of the tower are currently awaiting their return to former glory. (I imagine it is expensive to restore it to its former condition, especially because there were a lot of full-size statues and also detailed frescoes carved in to the walls that need to be fixed or resculpted before reattaching them). There is a small gift shop where you can buy tiny pieces of the tower, but we didn't think that was necessary. (I am happy with my little piece of the Berlin Wall).

The best part of Zagreb is the farmer's market which is open everyday and features everything from kitchy stuff to fresh lavendar from the islands to the most tender carrots to tiny tart cherries that only grow in Croatia (and they don't export them either, so you have to come here to try this treat!). We bought some medicinal honey with herbal tincture for sore throats (apparently Croatian honey is some of the best in the world!) from a guy who said he could not speak English well enough to explain to us about the different types of honey. He then proceeded to answer all of my questions in perfect English with a nice lilting accent.

I have noticed that many people criticize their Engligh as a second language when I think it is great, and they won't listen to me when I try to tell them they really do sound great and they are making sense. I guess everyone is a bit self-depricating in this way when trying to use a language that is not natural to them (I always say I only speak a little Spanish and I always insult my skills despite the fact that I have actually been studying and using the language for over 15 years).

Dobrodošli! (Welcome)

So I am in one piece after my first full day here.

I am feeling more settled, getting to know the city, and enjoying its many parks and green areas. I read that Zagreb is one of the world's cities with the most parks and greenery. I don't doubt it. They also have part of the city that is purely pedestrian traffic (with cobblestone streets and everything). Outdoor cafes proliferate and everyone flocks to them.

The women here are very stylish, and pretty much all women under 70 years look very chic, with the pointiest shoes and matching expensive handbags. The older women, by contrast, are often dressed in long black skirts, with a black scarf covering their hair except for a small mess of grey-white bangs that stick out over very sun-experienced skin. I saw many older people today, walking around the main square slowly, collecting cans and bottles for the deposit money. I felt very sad to see this, because the young people seem to be in a different world-very stylish and seemingly unaware or undisturbed by the situation of their elders. These women, dressed all in black, deeply wrinkled faces that have seen a life of intense sun and more intense worries, seem like they belong to another time.

Today there was a big party in the main square near the hostel, to celebrate the high school students' last day of school (yesterday) and it was PACKED with jubilant teens, dressed in matching T-shirts from each school. They all had whistles, and were tooting away in time with very loud techno music and dancing all around. It was truly a spectacle (this is the same square where yesterday they had the wheelchair sports and concert; tonight it seems that they are showcasing these racecars for some big European rally/race, which will be the first of these events to be held in Croatia).

It is VERY hot (about 27 degrees C) and sunny here (much warmer and sunnier than Amsterdam for sure), so I am enjoying not having to wear a jacket, even at night. I wore sunscreen and my "cover-up" shirt (white shirt, long sleeves... my father always used to make me wear a cover-up shirt at the beach when I was a kid) today and managed not to get burned! I am sure all of you who are intensely protective of my alabaster skin will be pleased and proud. I am nagging myself about sun/skin stuff in your absence.

Speaking of absence.... it does make the heart grow fonder. I am missing family, friends, and Toshi so much, and I am finding myself suprised by the level of longing for each of you who is dear to me, because many of you live a million miles away from me normally.... But that feeling is there, wishing I could show my mom certain things or laugh with my Dad about something that I know he would find amusing. And Zagreb is a very romantic city, so of course I am missing Toshi. I can't begrudge the natives and other travellers their right to be affectionate with their partners, but I am jealous of their proximity to loved ones.

Today I wandered around Zagreb; I wasn't feeling very "high energy," so I stuck to the local attractions and really mostly spent the day doing little walking trips in the neighborhood then returning to the hostel and lying on the couch.I did see the incredible cathedral that I mentioned in yesterday's post during the day, and it was spectacular in the sunlight.


I also walked to the Croatian National Theatre, which is in a very impressive and fancy-looking building near the botanical gardens (which I didn't make it to yet, but hopefully tomorrow or Saturday).

Also, I swear I saw Friar Tuck come out of a little church in town. Spitting image!