Sunday 7 July – Monday 8 July 2024
Arrival Sunday night
After a long three and a half hour flight from Rome via Split, we finally arrived in Zagreb. The Croatian Airlines landing introduced us to a particularly unique style of braking that we were to experience many times in the coming days. On arrival in Zagreb, we jumped in a taxi and headed to our apartment in the middle of the ‘Old Town’.
There was very limited Cabin Service on the two flights (water and biscuits) so we were pretty peckish. We headed out after 10pm on a Sunday night in search of anything! At last, we found Sour Cream Crisps and Tonic Water to go with our duty-free gin and so equipped scurried home for a night cap.
Our little place at 34 Mesnicka Road
Our little apartment was eclectic! We had pre-booked three nights to be certain that we had somewhere to sleep and were within walking distance of most attractions – but it was more than we could have imagined. It was small, with confusing plumbing, and filled with someone’s Grandmother’s belongings. Crazy but spacious in a tiny houses in tiny streets kind of a way.
We didn’t really get a good look at our surroundings until the next morning. We were located inside the Centar-August Senoa building, which seemed to house about four or five small apartments.
The street was very narrow, and the houses front straight onto the pavement. All the apartments mingle and rooms from one poke into another. Very small but quiet. We rarely saw anyone.
Breakfast in the square
Gin is OK but it is not very filling! Early the next morning we set off in search of food. Bread, cheese and coffee. Surprisingly good tinned coffee can be had from the supermarket.
Why didn’t we sit in a cafe to have a long leisurely breakfast? Too much to do. We also had to be efficient because the mercury was a about to rise.
A heatwave is coming
We expected temperatures to be around the 29-30C mark while we were in Zagreb, and maybe a little lower at the coast when we got there. Instead, the warning came through. We were about to hit a week of mid to high 30’s. It has been very hot. Very hot. Debbie hasn’t yet snapped me with my umbrella – but I’m using it like a parasol.
We regroup at the apartment frequently to drink tea and lie down.
Gric Tunnels – a shortcut to the shops.
Just a few doors down our hill is the entrance to the Gric Tunnels. Today, they provide a cooler link for pedestrians between two parts of the town and obviously appeal to tourists, but in the past, they were used for protection; first in WW2 and, more recently, during the conflict in the 1990’s.
We found the structure amazing – and the temperature was considerably lower than outside. After our experiences in Vietnam and the Cu Chi Tunnel, we weren’t taking any chances with escape routes and made sure we had a copy of the escape hatches before we started.
What to do next?
The city of Zagreb is divided into three sections. Upper Town, where we were staying is the oldest original part of town, mostly residential, with some buildings dating to 1300’s. Lower-town, still old but with more open areas, wider straighter streets and the social and commercial heart of the city and then modern Zagreb further south with highrise apartments and some brutalist national buildings and shopping centres.
Our plan is to explore them all!
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