A bit of a wild bus ride from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes National Park. A manual transmission bus...driver's left hand holding a cell phone, while the right is either shifting on the twisty road or gesticulating as he talks...the steering wheel un-minded. Living dangerously but we made it to this beautiful park...2 nights to enjoy nature. We are staying in a hotel right in the park.
At one of our bus stops this BMW with this different looking sidecar pulls out:
From Wikipedia:
The national park is world-famous for its lakes arranged in cascades. Currently, 16 lakes can be seen from the surface.[6] These lakes are a result of the confluence of several small rivers and subterranean karst rivers. The lakes are all interconnected and follow the water flow. They are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is deposited by the action of moss, algae, and bacteria. The particularly sensitive travertine barriers are the result of an interplay between water, air and plants. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm (0.4 in) per year.
The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.
Through different climatic influences and the large difference in elevation within the protected area, a multifaceted flora and fauna has been created. The national park area is home to many endemic species. Those species that prevailed at the lakes before the arrival of man still exist. (Citation needed)
Founded in 1949 it's one of the oldest parks in Europe, largest in Croatia and was entered onto the UNESCO registry in 1979. The lakes empty into the Korana River.
It is forbidden to swim in the lakes.
On day one we complete a hike of the upper lakes.
We treat ourselves the first night with a fine dinner in the park's best restaurant. I have pancetta-stuffed, grilled squid with grilled veggies. Very yummy. Paul enjoys his meal too.
On day two we hiked the lower lakes.
With time left in the afternoon we rent a wooden rowboat for an hour... woo wee, it feels like each oar weighs 50 pounds. These boats are definitely for pleasure and not transportation. We enjoy a picnic and get up close to one of the small waterfalls.
I have since seen drone photographs of the Lakes. Have a look at Google Images. This is truly the way to capture the beauty of this area.
Day 2 ends with dinner in the national restaurant in the park ... not as good as last night but comes with live Croatian music...two men, an accordion and keyboard and some very nice singing.
We're excited to be headed to the coast for 4 days. We need to get an update on the Dalmation coast forest fires as we want to head south soon.
We bus first to Karlovac and have a 4-hour layover before getting the bus to Rovinj. The bus station employee kindly recommends that we go to the river. It turns out this is the Koran River that the Plitvice Lakes flow into ... known for its clear waters and white water rafting.
What a great park. There are diving platforms everywhere, lots of swimming area, tennis courts, a playground, walking/biking paths and bridges as well as places to eat and drink, park benches, showers and washrooms.
This beautiful pontoon bridge was used to transport military supplies during the war...then destroyed so the enemy couldn't follow. After the war, it was rebuilt for pleasure ... and one might speculate as to a reminder of the war.
There are big floaties anchored out for kids to climb on. The iceberg is especially difficult and only a couple make it to the top.
Driving through Karlovac we notice that several buildings appear to be riddled with bullet holes (see next photo) and read that Karlovac did indeed sustain heavy damage between 1991 and 1995 during the Croatian War of Independence.
The next bus ride is fear-inducing. We roar through narrow winding roads along the coast with cliffs on one side and the sea below. The driver is in such a hurry that he forgets one stop so we turn around to let her off ... and the driving gets crazier as he tries to make up for the lost time.
We arrive in Rovinj, Croatia at dinner time. 2 blocks from our Airbnb is a mother-son run restaurant. The food is inexpensive, freshly made and delicious. The son speaks enough English to take our order. Mom really speaks no English but sits and chats with us anyway, then gifts us with a free dessert. A neighbour who looks like he is in his late 70s helps out when the place gets busy.
The neighbours all eat here and greet and toast each other and us. All are impressed when they learn we are from Canada. None speak English but the conversation flows around us and we occasionally participate.
The meal takes a few hours, then we waddle home, looking forward to what the next day brings.
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