Arrival in Zagreb

Zagreb was a surprise.  We were expecting this drab Soviet-era, crowded, inland city with dowdy old buildings.  It hadn't been recommended very highly in the tour guides; "if you have time" sort of a ranking.  What we found was a vibrant, beautiful city with many parks-trees-flowers.  Many outdoor restaurants and being the capital and a university town added to the high activity level.  We witnessed a large protest gathering from people demanding more bicycle paths.  The university doesn't have separate campus; its buildings are scattered throughout the city.  Our hotel had the perfect central location across from a big park.  We enjoyed several different scenic walking routes.  A mountain with ski lodge and hiking trails is north of the city, and a substantial river defines the southern border.  South of the river is somewhat ugly; that is where the Soviet-style concrete apartment houses are located.  The countryside in northern Croatia is scenic: mixed crops, vineyards, orchards, pastures, forests, rivers all in good proportion.  Old castles are somewhat common.  Long-ago, the Christian crusaders passed through this area.  At one castle, an antique sports car show was held outside while people inside with medieval costumes were hosting a festival.  We ate at a recommended outdoor restaurant sited alone on top of a hill; the scenery was great; the food, disappointing.