Day 4 (July 15, 2017): Croatia's Amazing Capital

Today was an up-at-4:30AM, to-bed-at-1:30AM day: 21 of hours of go-go-go, and I wonder why I never seem rested after vacations!

Our taxi driver was waiting at 5:30 sharp to take us to Zadar’s Airport.  (By the way, she worked for awhile with Carnival Cruises, and had visited St. John’s and Halifax!  Small world.)  Our Croatian Airlines Bombardier Dash-8 left at 7:00 and got us to Zagreb’s brand new airport less than an hour later.  We got a bus to the train station, where we left our things in a locker, got a McD sandwich, day passes for the tram, and set out to explore Croatia’s capital city.  It was supposed to be cold and rainy, but we lucked out with low-20s and partially sunny skies.

Zagreb is a clean, organized, easy-to-navigate city that, architecturally, is a mix of Austro-Hungarian styles and rough-around-the-edges Communist styles.  But somehow it all comes off nicely.  The core is divided into Upper Town, featuring the 18th-19th century churches and landmarks, and Lower Town, featuring a plethora of fine museums, theatres and galleries.

It was just after 9AM when we got really moving, and move we did until 7pm, when we got a bus back to the airport for our flight to Bosnia.

We were impressed by Zagreb.  But it was sure a long day.  Our flight to Sarajevo got us in at 11PM, so it was well after 1AM by the time we got settled and drifted off.  Sarajevo has a very bloody recent past, so we are eager to learn more about all that in the morning.

Our Canadian-made Croatian Airlines Dash 8-400, from Zadar to Zagreb

The Zagreb Train Station hearkens back to a time when the Orient Express made a stop here.  Hence, it was built in the grand old style of train stations, befitting such a train service.

Bana Jelacica Square (named for the guy on the horse) is the central heart-beat of Zagreb.

Kaptol Square in Upper Town contains this gleaming monument

The piece-de-resistance of Kaptol Square is the 13th-century Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which suffered much neglect by the Communists.

On the right is what a cathedral should look like with a bit of TLC.  On the left is the net effect of Communist neglect.

Zagreb even has some Medieval flare, very much like one would find in places like Talin, Estonia.

Dolac Market contains fresh everything!

Lotrscak Tower (13th century) provides sweeping views of Zagreb and even has a funiculaire to get you to its base in comfort.

This is Croatia's political heartbeat:  its Parliament, adjacent to St. Mark's Church.

St. Mark's Church, with its tiled colourful roof, is the emblematic symbol of Zagreb.

Changing of the Guard in St. Mark's Square at noon

Wait -- is that PAM driving that Love Bus?!

City Gate

Busy Ilica Street is for serious shoppers.  Note that Pam is not carrying any shopping bags!

National Theatre and Opera House

Old and new:  cool modern art

Botanical Garden

Giant lily pads at the Botanical Garden

Goofin' around at the Museum of Illusions

Goofin' around at the Museum of Illusions

Goofin' around at the Museum of Illusions

Kralja Tomislava Square and the Art Pavilion, where we took in a quirky exhibition about trees: from paintings to sculpture to furniture.

Zagreb features many of those ubiquitous Communist-era apartment blocks that one still finds throughout the former USSR (and countries under the USSR's influence).

Not sure what this graffit sign is getting at, but we LOVE Croatia and could survive here quite nicely!