After a flight from Athens to Dubrovnik, we rented what should have been a mini van for the 6 of us to drive up the coast. We got to see some of my favorite things, waterfalls, and a super cool musical instrument played by nature. After a week of hopping between towns we made our way to the capital city of Zagreb where we said farewell to my parents as they ventured back home.
Dubrovnik
It was a pretty quick flight from Athens but before we left we were able to give our parents a little taste of a lounge for breakfast. Since we each have the Priority Pass through different travel credit cards, we are each able to bring two guests a piece. It was not a fancy lounge but at least it was a nice quiet place to relax a bit before our flight. After landing we had a short walk to our car rental. I swore when I rented it, I found one that was an actual minivan but the email doesn’t say what it is, just where there was supposed to be a picture and says “or similar” and I never realized. We got a hatchback vehicle that technically seats 7 but it’s really a “5+2” situation, where it doesn’t hold much for bags then, so we had to put a bunch in the back seat with one parent, three of them in the middle seats, and Mr. Wander as my navigator.
As it was a morning flight we did have time to kill before we could check in to our Airbnb so we got a bit of lunch on our way. We stopped at some place called a bistro pizzeria, but they had no pizza on their menu. We figured out later that pizza might only be available for dinner, but still very strange. The cordon bleu was quite delicious, though.
We were staying in the Old Town, just outside the walls so we couldn’t park near where we were staying for more than a few minutes. Mr. Wander took everyone with their bags to meet up with our host after I dropped them off as close as I could, and then I drove to the parking we had reserved that was a little over a kilometer away, and walked back with a couple of our smaller bags. It was quite a hot and sweaty walk back to the home. It was a really neat home as it was 500 years old, and our host was so passionate about the home and his city and was happy to share favorite places to go.
That afternoon we relaxed for awhile and then ventured inside the city walls to get some dinner, this time with actual pizzas, by the old port. I had a particularly delicious dessert of a poached pear with cream that was amazing. After dinner we boarded our sunset Cruise around the walls and islands near the old city.
The cruise was lovely, giving us a nice background of information about the city. The ship we boarded was a replica made from blueprints found in the Old city that wouldn’t have been much different from those that crossed the Atlantic to find the new world several centuries ago, just perhaps a bit larger, which is a bit crazy to think about! Another interesting fact was there are several outlets in the walls along the outer coast and many have now become spots for a bar or coffee shop on the rocks by the water, where we saw several jumping in for a swim.
The following morning we enjoyed a breakfast from the bakery down the street and then several of us got tickets to walk the city wall. If you go, the cost for the city walls is the same as a combo ticket that gets you into a fort and a few other museums, which is what we all got but I only did the wall. It was full of beautiful views and is just shy of two kilometers if you walk the full circumference.
We all ended up splitting up on the wall, Mr. Wander and his dad went a head quickly, I stayed with my parents for awhile until they were ready to get off the wall and then I cruised around the rest of the way. I made it back up through the heart of the city, and found many steps and cute alleyways to get me back outside the walls. I joined up with Mr. Wander’s mom and started trying to catch up on posts and writing notes for future ones.
That evening we went to a nearby restaurant with burgers and some other local foods. When the server delivered the first burger, we commented on how large the burgers are, and she goes “yes, they are not small”. Must have been the way she said it but I just found it funny.
Split
The following morning we all got packed up and I did a little walk into the morning to the car. It was nice that it was cooler in the morning so a much more pleasant walk! After picking everyone up and playing Tetris with our luggage, we were back on the road headed north to Split through some beautiful scenery.
Our first stop for the day was to pick up some beverages at this winery on the side of the road. It was a bit early to start drinking some wine, plus I was driving, so I opted for lemonade, but what a beautiful view, eh?
The next stop for the day was in this cute town for a break for those cozied up in the back, and to get some lunch. Mr. Wander tried another Croatian dish, a black risotto, colored and flavored with squid ink.
We once again were staying in the old town of Split, so I parked the car where our host said (but unfortunately not the closest) and dropped everyone else with their luggage and parked about a mile away. Thankfully our packs have hip belts so it makes it a bit easier to carry all my luggage back to our spot for the next two nights.
That evening we took things easy and found a pizza place to bring dinner back for everyone, playing cards and dice and just spending time together.
The following morning after a bakery breakfast we ventured into the old town to explore a bit. It really felt like we were in Venice again, except without so many canals and bridges. We found the fish market, an instrument shop, and the tiniest garbage truck!
We made our way out to the harbor and through a market looking for treasures and saw a few…interesting souvenirs. When it started to rain we headed back to the main square for a tasty lunch and relaxed inside until the evening. My mom went with me to pick up some dinner and we found a random Christmas shop!
After dinner Mr. Wander, his dad, and I decided to climb a bunch of stairs to see out over the city. Along the way there were several kitties hiding along the railing. On our way back we walked along the coast and saw several fancy yachts, some with people enjoying their dinner aboard.
Zadar
We got going a bit earlier the next day because we had a stop at a beautiful waterfall park along our way. I once again set out early and got the car, and managed to park in the closer spot so it wasn’t as far to carry the bags. After about an hour of driving we made it to the park entrance where we boarded a bus to the starting point of the boardwalk. The first half of it was lovely, winding through trees and between ponds that were so clear you could see all these fish!
The walk was a few kilometers long, but eventually we made it down to see from the bottom some pretty amazing waterfalls. The only downside was the number of people! I think most just skipped to this last part, because I don’t remember seeing that many people on the trail! After all the views we realized just how far we came down, as we had to climb several stories of stairs back up to catch the bus again. If you come in the shoulder or fall seasons, you are able to drive in farther because it just isn’t as busy.
We got lunch back near the park entrance and then made our way towards Zadar. This place was nice because our host actually had a parking spot for us so I didn’t have to walk miles with my luggage this time! We had another 2 bedroom apartment with the couch folded out to a bed. That evening we went to dinner at a restaurant we found nearby and my mom accidentally ordered 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of mussels! I wish I would have captured the look on her face when they first delivered it!
After sundown we headed into the old town. We didn’t spend a ton of time there, it was very busy and really didn’t seem much different than Split or Dubrovnik inside, but there was something I had been wanting to see for a loooong time, the Zadar Sea Organ!
The organ was created by Nikola Bašić and completed in 2005. It is designed to work at both high and low tide, and every level in between. Waves enter the lower end of pipes into a chamber, pushing air up another pipe to the surface. There are 35 total pipes of different lengths and diameters to create 7 chords of 5 tones each. We were there at high tide so we couldn’t see much of the steps, but watching the waves and hearing the sounds was truly magical!
A second installation uses the power of the sun to create a light show after the sun goes down.
Plitvice National Park and Zagreb
After breakfast the next day we said farewell to the coast and headed inland. We stopped somewhere for a break from sitting in the car that looked really cool in pictures, but ended up being full of people swimming, tanning, and BBQ-ing. It was amazing just how far the waist deep water went out, no wonder it was so popular! At least it was a good spot to stretch the legs.
Our next spot was a small Bed and Breakfast so we each had our own room in the town of Plitvička Jezera. The area was closer to the mountains so already it felt a bit cooler, and we had just a relaxing day, eating at a few spots with local cuisine to fuel up for the next day’s adventure.
The next morning we were served breakfast at our hotel and then packed the car for the short 3 minute drive to the Plitvice National Park. We had to purchase timed tickets and they say you cannot arrive early, however it takes awhile to walk from the parking lot to where they first scan your ticket, so we could have came about 30minutes or so early at least.
It’s a little confusing because they have all of these labeled routes but we opted just for the lower lakes since a few in our group didn’t want to walk too far and the trams they have are usually just one way. Once we figured out a path, we all hopped on the tram. They called it a “Panoramic train” but it was a tractor pulling 2 cars with large windows, but you really only see trees.
Once they dropped us off the group split into two. My parents and Mr. Wander’s mom opted for the shorter loop and walked down stairs from there and across a boardwalk to get to where you can board a boat. The rest of us three had about a 2 mile boardwalk with a fairly easy ramp down to get to the first lake and great views overlooking the beautiful colored lakes. There was one offshoot on the trail which points you to the big waterfall, perfect for a few photo ops.
It was fun to be on the boardwalks because in several spots they are suspended directly above some of the rapids as you slowly ascend from one lake to the next. Just like in KRKA, the water was so clear you could see so many fish!
It was definitely busy, with people going both directions, and by the time we got to the boat, we had to wait about 45 minutes. To get back you actually need to change boats, and even though we couldn’t see each other to get on the first boat, somehow we were able to all get on the same boat the second time, as most people were walking to the upper lakes.
After the second boat we were able to get a truck to take both of the moms up to the parking lot (which they appreciated) and the rest of us had several stories of stairs to get back up to the beginning. We all rested with some ice cream treats before we piled into the car and continued our journey.
We were told about a cute town just 30 minutes farther down the road, but parking was impossible so we ventured a bit farther to a spot that was highly rated but did take almost an hour get our food. Finally we got our food and got back on the road for the last journey in the car. There was some traffic coming into Zagreb because of an accident just beyond the toll booths, but once we got past that, the roads seemed strangely empty. After dropping everyone off I left to go turn in the car rental. I opted for the office near our hotel but they never told me that it would be an after hours rental or what to do. Thankfully I was able to call someone in split and they explained how to turn it in. The confusing part was where to park, as we were in the downtown and there didn’t seem to be a separate lot. I had to park it on the street and use WhatsApp to tell them where I parked it.
The next day we went to a bakery nearby for breakfast, and I had this really delicious blueberry cheesecake cruffin, which is a cross between a croissant and muffin,
We had this be an easier day so everyone could get packed, including my mom managing to Tetris all of the extras I was trying to shed from my suitcase into hers (thanks mom!). More details on that when we do this elusive packing post I’ve talked about a few times. Mr. Wander and his dad went out on a walk to explore a few places nearby.
When he came back he told me they saw the “whole city”, which given the 3D model of the city, I suppose they had. I took the time to walk to a nearby outdoor store for some supplies for future adventures and in the afternoon my mom and I played several rounds of the new dice game they taught me. It took me several days but finally I actually won a game! I’m much better at cribbage, that’s for sure. That night we had one last meal with all six of us, which we found a nearby ramen restaurant! It was pretty tasty, mine did remind me of the ramens we had in Japan. I must have missed this dish so much I forgot to take any pictures! At least I got a picture of the cocktail back in the bar, a chocolate Manhattan.
As my parents had a very early flight the next day, we said our goodbyes to them before we all headed up to bed.
I am so glad my parents were able to take the time and make the trip to Europe and hang out with us these last few weeks. It was fun showing them some new places and experiencing some new things together as well. We had plenty of games of cribbage and dice (although far too few that I managed to win…) and some great conversation with everyone. I hope they enjoyed a peek into what has been our life the last 8 months, and before they know it, we’ll be back home to spend the holidays together!
Next Time
As my parents make it home safely over the next few days of travel, Mr. Wander’s parents joined us for a train adventure. We stopped for the day in Ljubliana, Slovenia, and then took the night train through Austria and into Switzerland. We journeyed to the highest train station in the world to eat some delicious chocolate before continuing onto Geneva to gorge ourselves with melted cheese and to say our goodbyes. Mr. Wander and I spent an extra few days in Switzerland visiting CERN and venturing across Lake Geneva to a gorgeous town called Montreux. Until next time, Doviđenja!