Plitvice missed #2
When we first planned the trip, the idea was that on the third day we will depart Zagreb to head South to the Adriatic Sea, and will visit Plitvice lakes on the way. Then something changed. Few times. According to the latest version we got the car from the rent at noon, and then head south. At this point there was little time left for an excursion so Plitvice was left for Thursday, when we have to head to Zagreb, to get covid tests (early Friday morning), as the tests are to taken not more than 72h before entering subsequent country, but still allowing 24-48h for test to be delivered (f**ing complicated, if you ask my opinion; thus I congratulate European covid-certificate which makes things much more simple).
If someone wonders, why worry about these Plitvice lakes at all: if we allow ourselves to believe there is something to worry during vacation at all, all the possible worries should be directed towards visiting the places listed as must-see and, most definitely, the places/ things/ whatever that are unique to the place you are visiting. If there is something you cannot see and do in another country in another part of the world, you should spare the time and to do/see this thing here and now.
If someone wonders, why worry about these Plitvice lakes at all: if we allow ourselves to believe there is something to worry during vacation at all, all the possible worries should be directed towards visiting the places listed as must-see and, most definitely, the places/ things/ whatever that are unique to the place you are visiting. If there is something you cannot see and do in another country in another part of the world, you should spare the time and to do/see this thing here and now.
Plitvice lakes is something of a kind. Established back in 1949, to allow access to 16 lakes, arranged in cascades, with a turquoise water, and numerous waterfalls (and, actually, I should tell all this in the section corresponding to the day we actually got there). So less about this park now, except the very fact we wanted to visit it, and the fact it is located in a quite remote spot, close to the border of Slovakia. When it takes more than 2 hours to get there, is it always quite a problem of logistics. So, the idea to visit the park on the third day was postponed to the day we will go back to Zagreb. At that day we woke up early, but it was not until 10 am when we finally got out of Rovigno (To be absolutely frank with you, it was difficult for me until the last day not to stress about the fact that we are not very quick at every point, that we are having long breakfasts and lazy lunches, and we are not in a constant run, heading somewhere – yes, I have these issues).
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It was already noon when we were an hour drive away from Plitvice and Waze got us into a “goat trail” – imagine the small roads only goats can use … at this point I got quite stressed (and I cannot point, what the exact problem was at that moment), worrying that we will be at the entrance only at 2-3pm, I will be hungry (or hangry), and why we are doing this at all. Mr. M, spotting my mood, and seeing Waze taking us rounds-and-rounds, suggests we take a lunch at nearby café and then maybe head to Zagreb and postpone the Plitvice lakes to Saturday (idea abolished beforehand).
The lunch was uneventful, although the glass of local white together with a huge plate of grilled pork could improve any meat lover’s mood. After that we slowly and without any stress could head north to Zagreb, as the visit to the national park has been postponed and we had no other plans for the day. And, having no plans, when you have the best company, sometimes is exactly what the doctor ordered! When we decide to head to Zagreb, the roads slowly get less windy and we approach the motorway taking us to capital city without distractions (although, I confess, I had a feeling the road may end in the backyard of any of the houses we passed on the road). |
When we were looking for the apartment for the first two nights at Zagreb, there were two winners we could not choose between. Thus, at the point when it was clear we must return to Zagreb early for the tests, it was crystal clear we have to try the second apartment. It was located at the same neighborhood as the first one, only closer to Maksimir park.
The area the second apartment is located, is similar to the area I live in Riga – Teika. A suburban area with privately owned housed, looking nothing special on the outside, nice on the inside. Bet the backyards… yikes. When we later take the walk to Maksimir and back through the neighborhood, it is similar to Mezaparks in Riga, but then again there are more abandoned houses, more not maintained houses. Who knows the reasons? The house we live in also is strange: the backyard reminds a gypsy camp, the smell coming from the downstairs apartment is the same, stale, not clean smell… The very apartment that is leased is a good one, even better the one we spent the first night in (except an occasional cockroach finding his way around the traps), however the environment of the whole house has a room for growth.
The area the second apartment is located, is similar to the area I live in Riga – Teika. A suburban area with privately owned housed, looking nothing special on the outside, nice on the inside. Bet the backyards… yikes. When we later take the walk to Maksimir and back through the neighborhood, it is similar to Mezaparks in Riga, but then again there are more abandoned houses, more not maintained houses. Who knows the reasons? The house we live in also is strange: the backyard reminds a gypsy camp, the smell coming from the downstairs apartment is the same, stale, not clean smell… The very apartment that is leased is a good one, even better the one we spent the first night in (except an occasional cockroach finding his way around the traps), however the environment of the whole house has a room for growth.
At this evening I rediscovered a capricious woman in myself. We got home after 9 pm, having done a nice walk through Maksimir, when I could not shed a craving for a cocktail. Having my man besides was good, but the idea of cocktail … made my mouth water. So, willingly or not, we headed for a place called after jellyfish, to have that darned cocktail to calm me down. Shame, the place did not offer the sugar-bombs called pina colada, but, on the other hand, they had Texas mule, which was excellent. Exactly what I needed. A fact to mention – the place (sushi + cocktails bar) is crowded. We got the last table available. Covid is over?
Cocktails and sushi place: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294454-d19945257-Reviews-Jellyfish_In_Space-Zagreb_Central_Croatia.html
Apartment: https://www.airbnb.lv/rooms/29336864
Nowhere café: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g15247413-d10501130-Reviews-Bistro_Kosare-Tounj_Karlovac_County_Central_Croatia.htm
Apartment: https://www.airbnb.lv/rooms/29336864
Nowhere café: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g15247413-d10501130-Reviews-Bistro_Kosare-Tounj_Karlovac_County_Central_Croatia.htm
