Tag / Zagreb

T

he morning skies were fittingly grey…par for the course for this trip. We had a nice breakfast in the hotel, with made-to-order eggs and a wide variety of fruits and pastries. A final coffee and cappuccino perked us up nicely.

Took a brisk walk to the cathedral to see some of the nooks and corners we couldn’t see last night while the service was in progress. Quite a beautiful cathedral, with beautiful altars and side chapels. Behind the main altar, a dramatic raised sarcophagus to Alojzije Stepinac. Gold stars in the blue ceiling above. Towering stained glass windows…far more impressive last night when there was sunlight! Still, the low light of a cloudy morning created a still, meditative atmosphere.

We checked out and took a taxi to the airport. Intermittent rain accompanied us on the quick, traffic-free ride. Jarring American and British pop music blared from the radio. Our check-in with Lufthansa was surprisingly confusing. Once again, having our Star Alliance Gold cards was critical to making it through the process. Lufthansa and United just don’t share information that well! And a confusing bag screening process where some bags checked immediately and some bags needed additional screening ten feet away. But we made it without incident to our waiting area, onto a shuttle to our mid-field plane, and on board. The rain even stopped for boarding.

Goodbye to Croatia. We would very much like to visit again…preferably with some warmer temps.

In our approach to Frankfurt, we could see the flood-swollen Rhine twisting through the countryside. It’s muddy-brown waters encircled groves of trees and low-lying buildings. Once we touched down, we began the maze-like walk that you ALWAYS take through Frankfurt. We have been through here more than a dozen times now, and each time we seem to take a different route, through different screenings. And of course, leave it to the US to make a process even more confusing. With very little direction, we were shuffled off to another gate to answer security questions, then to stand in a line to have our passports scanned (again), then back to our gate where our boarding passes and passports were checked yet again. And oddly we were asked if we bought anything at the airport…”no” was the answer…”who would have time”. Very, very time consuming and just downright odd.

Ah, but now from 34,000 feet over the North Atlantic we can sip wine and laugh. We are in the upper cabin of the 747 for the first time…and enjoying it. It is quiet and isolated and somehow relaxing. The upper level doesn’t have a middle row of seats, which makes the cabin seem more cozy. Bring on more wine please.

We passed Iceland and Greenland, arched over Hudson Bay and the Canadian heartland, and finally re-entered the US across Montana. We reminisced about all the things we would return and do again in a heartbeat. A fantastic trip, full of amazing sights, yummy meals, and (the best part) warm people.

We went to bed early and sunk into our bed. The one thing we certainly missed was our soft mattress…but I’m pretty sure we would forgo that comfort for one more drink on the rocks outside the walls of Dubrovnik, or one more moonlit stroll through the quiet streets of Venice, or even a few more raindrops on our faces as we strolled romantic Ljubljana. Ah, fond memories for sure.

A

rose with the 7:30 bells from the Franciscan Monastery. Time to repack for our quick flight today…a trial run for our trip home tomorrow. We had another energizing breakfast at Cele. We found a shaded corner table and sipped café Americanos. Jeff’s omelette was even better than yesterday. My ham and cheese crepe was warm with a pleasantly surprising dollop of sour cream inside.
 
With a bit of time to kill before our departure, we took in one last ‘tapas’ museum. Today the Sponza palace. The Venetian-style building was the true highlight, but the collection of old photos of the Dalmatian coast and a B&W reel of old Dubrovnik was also interesting. The building houses the State Archives for the Dubrovnik Republic, and the current exhibit highlight the best of the restored replicas for viewing. The originals were wisely kept in micro-climates storage in the rooms above…too fragile to allow out. The other exhibit showcased the many fortified castles littered over Bosnia Herzegovina…Mostar was the only we actually visited.
 
Passing thru our little neighbor shop at the foot of the stairs of our apartment, we could resist ‘buying’ (leaving money and a note since the artists hadn’t arrived for the day) a watercolor landscape of the Dubrovnik wall and harbor skyline. After packing up remaining items, we wheeled our luggage the short distance to a well-placed taxi stand just outside the Pile Gate. The taxi ride afforded spectacular views of the old city and coast from the high-winding, modern route to the airport as we said our goodbyes to the Dalmatian Coast.
 
The Dubrovnik airport was small and efficient…although our flight was delayed awaiting the inbound aircraft. Thank goodness Croatia Airlines is a Star Alliance partner…we were able to check our expanding collection of books and other souvenirs without charge. This is why we bring an extra duffle bag 🙂 Nearby, the check-in for BA to London was jam packed. Austrian Air to Vienna had quite a line too.
 
Approximately two hours late we lifted off the windy runway in our tiny Bombardier prop plane. We followed the coast for a bit over Dubrovnik and then tiny dotted islands, before turning inland over Bosnia. (No fake speeding tickets up here!!) We approached Zagreb over green patch-worked fields and forests. A wide river wound through the countryside.
 
Our bags arrived promptly and we were soon in a cab zipping into the center of Zagreb. Like most European cities, the airports are at least 30-45 min from their main city center. Our final hotel of the trip was the jewel of Zagreb…the luxurious Esplanade. Oddly, even though this is our most highly rated hotel of the trip, it is one of the best prices. Good to remember!
 
Since we arrived later than we had hoped, we set out quickly to explore the historic center of the city. We traced a route along parks filled with slowly walking couples and sun-dappled fountains. Past the city’s core museum district. On to the Cathedral, gleaming in the afternoon sun. Two soaring towers, one covered in healing scaffolding, one restored and proclaiming to the world. We entered the cathedral during a service, so we could explore, but the cathedral was impressive. It stands up with the other big gothic cathedrals in Europe.
 
We wandered the charming pedestrian streets of the old town. Stopped into comfy Caffe History Club for beers and some paprika chips. Yum! We returned to this same street for dinner. Žuja Je Zakon served up a fantastic platter of grilled meats. Wonderful sourdough-like bread. The rain started at the tail end of dinner (along with a noticeable 15 degree temperature drop), so we darted across the street to History again. Heat lamps and beer fends off rain and chill nicely.
 
The rain slowed to a light drizzle. The cathedral bells tolled midnight. Time to sleep.

Our wanderlust freshly energized by our just-finished photo show, Jeff and I set off on our next adventure. Our itinerary is packed with new places, but our first hop is well worn. Strong westerly winds added some bumps to an otherwise uneventful United flight to Frankfurt. A few glasses of wine took the edge off and encouraged a few zzzzzzzz’s.


In Frankfurt, we spent a couple of hours in Lufthansa’s Senators Lounge…quiet, but hotter than a greenhouse. Ice-cold sofa and easy wifi relaxed us as we watched carefully choreographed cargo loading…ginormous planes bound for exotic destinations around the world.


Our plane to Zagreb, Croatia was not ginormous. We lifted off as a light drizzle began to dot the windows. The lush green countryside surrounding Frankfurt was quickly hidden by persistent, low clouds. A few brief glimpses of the snowy Alps before descending below the clouds, across the fertile farmland of Croatia, and into the tiny airport of Zagreb. Good fortune placed us near the front of the line for Passport Control. We hit a bit of a bump picking up our rental car. Avis was…um…out of cars, but arranged an equivalent rental with a small local company. Time will tell if this is all a big scam, but it all felt legit and our Peugeot rides well. And frankly, the nice woman who patiently answered all of our driving, border crossing, tolls, etc. questions was comforting.


We are saving our day in Zagreb for the end of the trip, so today we hopped immediately on the highway and headed for the Slovenian border. Drizzle turned to rain and then back to drizzle. Tiny towns with church steeples whizzed by. Our new Emily GPS guided us quickly and with little fuss…through a Croatian toll, through Croatian border exit, to the Slovenia border entry, and finally to purchase a Slovenian toll pass (a vignette). (Croatian toll roads charge by the kilometer, where Slovenia requires the purchase of a weekly or monthly toll pass.).


About 90min after leaving the Zagreb airport, we arrived at the Hotel Cubo in Ljubljana, the cozy capital of Slovenia. Cubo is a stylish boutique hotel in the historic center, and our room felt inviting after a long day of travel.


We set out in the drizzle to catch a bit of the Old Town sights before they closed. Crossed the lazy Ljubljanca River via a wooden pedestrian bridge. Visited the town’s Baroque cathedral, every nook decorated with a painting or a gilded statue. The domed ceiling had colorful scenes. A few elderly locals prayed in the quiet corners.


We strolled the Old Town…a few winding streets with cute alleyways. Local shops with chocolates and art were interspersed with coffee shops. The rain seemed to keep people away. We felt like the entire display was for our amusement. As the rain fell harder and dusk settled, we strolled along the quiet river. Steep walls along the river were broken up with occasional walkways. A long, solitary river boat carried a dinner group.


Returned to the room with cold squishy feet for a brief respite. The friendly front desk made a dinner recommendation in the Old Town…perfect. The drizzle ended. We took a leisurely walk to cozy Julij…clearly popular, since the rest of the Old Town seemed desolate at this hour. With no reservation, we waited about 20min…no worries…we were able to eye all the steaming food coming from the tucked-away kitchen. The decor was French, but the food was hearty Slovenian. My beef dish was rich and served with sweet cheesy dumplings. Jeff’s turkey medallions had a rich mushroom sauce and crispy polenta. A bottle of Slovenian Pinot Noir. And a delicious apple strudel drizzled with fresh honey to finish. Pure delight!


The rain was holding off, so we strolled the quiet Old Town. We found a quiet river side bar with cushy chairs and soothing lounge music. A couple more glasses of wine to discuss the day and plan tomorrow.


Hot showers rinsed away the grime of a long, long day. Fell into a big bed with an inviting duvet. Sleep…deep sleep…satisfying sleep…came quickly.