Gastography

Today’s adventure took us from Zagreb to Split, with a few-hour detour in Plitvice Lakes for some light hiking and waterfall viewing.

The drive was really cool and I’m glad we rented a car instead of trying to take public transportation (which would have also been easy) or going with an organized tour bus (which sounds like hell).

The Croatian countryside is nuts – you’ve got everything from rolling hills and corn fields that reminds me of Ohio, to craggy mountains that look almost like the moon if not for the crazy little scrub trees (maybe cedar?) clinging on for dear life, to the clearest bluest water you’ve ever seen, to lush vineyards and olive orchards(?). The scenery truly runs the gamut.

If you ever have the chance to come to this part of the world, rent a car and take the old highways. You’ll see more in the next travel day post, but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn it’s pretty. All of it.

Today’s travel was mostly on the luxurious new highway – but it’s not always clear when you’re on that (the old highway is freaking nice as well), and it’s pretty too – just with more overtly convenient to an American potty options.

Corn fields like Central Ohio

Fields and distant mountains like NC

Roads + townships

scrubby grass

Does this not look like Cupcake Mountain?

Could be West Virginia

Could totally be West Virginia

Looking weird – but kind of like Nevada

Whoo hoo, water!

Weird but pretty

Holy poop

Plitvice 

This is one of those must-see spots in Croatia, and there’s hot debate as to which National Park is better – Plitivce or Krka. Krka you can swim in, but I’d heard the waterfall viewing was even better in Plitvice – and we were driving right past it (turns out we drove past both).

So, Plitvice it was.

We sailed past Entrance 1 and my pre-planned route, and ended up at Entrance 2. Which turned out really cool because we got to take a short boat ride + a longer tram/bus thing ride at the end that looped us almost right back to the parking lot.

Pro tip: when you enter the park, there will more than likely be a hella long line of people waiting to get in. Don’t be one of those people – either hop out of that line and find the money changing/ticket counter, or – better yet – pay at the trailheads further on down. Much shorter line. Like an hour shorter.

Screw this mess

Our trailhead for path E – a 2-3 hour easy loop involving a boat + tram/bus thing

On to the pretty:

Baby falls

Bob Ross, eat your heart out

So. Many. Falls.

They were everywhere

Obligatory selfie

Look how clear this water is!!

Our ride back to the trailhead.

Pretty. Just: pretty.

From our little boat trip

You could see each tiny fish and every leaf that has fallen in the water

Just some falls – hanging out

This was of course a popular Insta selfie spot

More of this water. Love.

❤

A second perspective: the landscape photographer in his element, but tortured by people and a lack of tripod.

Next time, we’re renting kayaks

And that was Plitvice. We could have spent hours more there happily (especially in a lower season that wasn’t so crowded), but this trip gave us a feel for what we would like to come back to see – definitely low season, and a longer hike. This was a great starting point trek and there were spots when the crowds thinned a bit, so we could take more time in (moderate) silence to shoot what we wanted to shoot without getting jostled on the wooden walkways or crowded around if it was a particularly Insta-friendly vista.

Split took another hour or two to get to, and then we were rewarded with this seafront:

Croatia Part 1 – Zagreb

Stay tuned for our exploration of Split + then some!

At the airport

Goodbye, Desert!

Hello, Europe!

Part One – Zagreb

This trip was different. DH and I both needed an escape from the “sandpit” (if you don’t know, we live in Doha, Qatar), and it’s oppressive over 100 degree (F) temperatures with random days of high humidity and/or sandy crunchy air thrown in for good measure, hectic work schedule (for him), and the overwhelming beige-ness that living in a desert brings. We wanted to visit somewhere that had a bit of city, a bit of (some form of) democracy, some pretty water, and some hiking amongst greenery.

Europe it was – despite July being peak season.

So, we packed off to Croatia for a week knowing absolutely zero about it. For me, I knew nothing other than Pinterest said it was pretty, the Dalmatian Coast is known for seafood, and it’s close to Greece. DH has been really busy with work lately and flew in blind. We both *thought* it was part of former Yugoslavia but didn’t *quite* know if our world history was correct – spoiler: it is, go public school.

I also purposely failed in planning this vacation aside from picking towns and procuring most of our accommodation, hence the different-ness of this vacation from all others where I’ve got the fun scheduled in.

I read a crap-ton of blogs, came up with bullet points for each town + a couple restaurant and cafe options for each + an alternate plan for each area, and let the winds take us where they may (in a structured guidepath).

And you know what?

I didn’t die.

I didn’t hyperventilate about not being able to see everything X city could possibly have to offer while DH throws a hissy about being pressured to see too much once. This has happened – most notably, when my A list plan for Scotland got changed and we didn’t get to see Skye (which I’m still unhappy about, even though we had a great time poking around Loch Ness).

I was fine.

And we did most things on the list, I think. Could have dealt with a bit more history and culture lesson, but that’s what the internet is for.

We stayed busy while shuttling off to bed at 8 or 9 each night. And we ate fantastic food, drank some killer local beer – and found some really neat spots along the way, with enough time spent in traffic one afternoon that we got to learn a little about the history of the place whose sheer abundance of beauty we’d been goggling at all week. Go, us! We weren’t rushed, we I didn’t over-plan, we weren’t stuffing food in our faces to eatitall, and although DH still needed a vacation from his vacation, we had a relaxed but still physically demanding (from walking) time.

Success!

On to the pics!

Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, and one of those really cool old European cities. You can see in spots it’s former communist past, but more than that – the buildings are beautiful, the streets are bustling, and the arts scene is vibrant. The food is also delicious, as it was absolutely everywhere we went while in Croatia – even the touristy areas.

Wandering Zagreb

A rather nice use of this Hipstamatic combo

Street art, how I missed thee ❤

This type of cool alleyway was the norm

Just a small selection of the great stuff we ate:

Traditional Croatian textile design

Hunter stew, pig and breads ❤

Beers and pink gin

This was our favorite beer brand

Most was definitely not paleo ;x.

The plan for exploring Zagreb was loose. Walk around, see some shit, hit a market or two, make sure to make it to old town. Eat food. Drink beer.

Luckily, that’s easy to accomplish here – the streets are all pretty, the city is safe, and Google Maps works great everywhere.

This roadworks sux0red and necessitated a long detour around a hillside neighborhood featuring hairpin turns just to get to our B&B – was kind of cool, though 🙂

Streetscape

If you’ve been with me for awhile, you will remember my love of doors in NYC. This continues.

From atop the funicular

Moar doors

Moar doors

This is what happens when you have two photographers in the family:

The funicular railway connecting old town to the city center

In old town

I think this was inside St. Mark’s Church

I think this one was the Zagreb Cathedral – Edit: Nope. St. Mark’s

DH’s take on the underbridge shrine

From atop the Lotrscak Tower, where we heard the cannon bang at Noon

Climbing the tower

Zagreb Cathedral

These two were definitely that cathedral

Definitely the cathedral

They capture different and sometimes better angles on the things you see. Which is perhaps the best part about having a dual-camera family.

Our home away from home in Zagreb, Lobagola B&B:

Climbing ropes with Buddhist prayer-style thanks

Our comfy room – could easily fit 4

Lobagola logo – bonus: this is an art piece hidden in the midst of a busy bookcase

The vinyl listening lounge

You had me at homemade

Lobagola was our favorite place we stayed during this trip. It’s clear that travel is important to the owners and they really know what amenities are appreciated while on the road. That, comboed with really cool art taste + a killer local guide/art history lesson, really comfy beds, and a focus on local and fresh foods for breakfast and you’ve got a great base from which to explore.

And that was Zagreb Pass 1 – we briefly visited Zagreb at the tail end of our trip, and stayed in a (slightly) different part of town – you’ll see a few more shots at the end of this trip.

Stay tuned for the next leg of our Croatia journey!