Finally, A Train

There is always an exception to the rule, and the bus driver from the Plitvice Lakes to Zagreb was delightful.  He grabbed my bag without needing to be asked, confirmed we were going to Zagreb and even smiled a little bit.  I climbed on, drank half a bottle of water and fell asleep against the window for an hour.  I woke up just in time to see an old ruin on the hill go by.  Yet another bit of orphaned history in this part of the world.

The last place I saw my sunglasses

Zagreb was always just supposed to be a transit center for me, and try as I might, I could never find something in the travel books that interested me.  I decided to give the town half a day to change my mind, but then I was moving on.  

I had booked in the Buzz Hostel on the east side of town.  The bus dropped me off at the main bus station, and I walked across the tram tracks and jumped on the number 8.  I knew I was supposed to get a ticket, but from where was completely beyond me.  I elected to stand next to the door and make a break for it if anyone started to ask others.  The tram wound through blocks and blocks of exactly the type of buildings one would expect in an ex-Communist, Eastern European country.  Poured concrete and  sheet metal as far as the eye could see.  Things began to get a little better as I neared the Hostel, but not much.  

I ended up on the top floor, in a seven person dorm to myself.  I immediately set about airing everything out and walking everything down to the laundry.  When I returned, my room, as had thought of it had been invaded by an angry German couple.  As far as I could make out, she was sick of hitchhiking and wanted to buy a train ticket home, and he wanted to keep going.  I organized my stuff, plugged in my iPod and beat a hasty retreat to the TV room.  

From there on, my night consisted of watching Judo and Friends with an Australian guy.  Around nine we decided we were hungry and wandered out in search of food.  We tried the local kabob stand, but it had already closed for the night.  So we ended up at the only place open, McDonalds.  I ordered a Big Mac and fries :)

With that, we tried to find something open, anything.  Bar, restaurant, club, store.  Nope, nothing.  We headed back in sadness.  

The next morning I pulled my cloths off the line and headed into downtown.  As I was packing I realized all of my cloths had a very slight funk.  And as Kate can attest, it lingered through a few more washings and nearly a month of travel.  

After getting my train ticket validated, I dumped my bag in a locker and headed out into the main part of Zagreb.  Its time for the Zagreb Dozen! (again, thanks Mark)

A few of the buildings along the main park 

Main Square

Luckily, the poured concrete had stayed back near the hostel, but the people never showed up.  I just found Zagreb to be dead all the way around.  I don't know if that was because the whole population was on the coast for the summer, but it was quite.  

A nun shopping for crosses. I would just give it to her

Mary's got a brand new sword 

Translation: EU, No Thanks! Croatia Only 

Croatia is joining the Euro Zone starting Jan. 1st and there is a great debate going on in the country weather this is a good idea or not.  In light of the recent turmoil in Europe, I am in more agreement with the sign then not.

Main National Park Office.  Of course, they only have one.

The Blue Trams

By far the best, prettiest things in Croatia are the Blue trams.  Just be really careful, they run on electricity and are completely silent.  They are also plastered on the inside with advertisements for the upcoming Britney Spears concert.

In general, I found Zagreb so meh and a real let down from the wonderful, culturally rich, and vibrant coasts.  But, for the first time, I was getting on train and starting the next major portion of my trip.