8-17-19 - Wrapping up Zagreb and onto Plitvice Lakes National Park
/Day 62.
We finish up our short visit to Zagreb today and then drive to Plitvice Lakes National Park. For the morning, John takes Leanne and Ashley to see some of the sights they missed yesterday while Justin, Corey, Ashlynn and I go to the Museum of Illusions. I was thinking it would be a museum dedicated to magicians such as Houdini but it turned out to be more akin to the TV show Brian Games. The exhibits were all illusions that “trick” your mind into seeing something that isn’t really the case. There is one were you sit at a table with a corner mirror and it creates five other images of you. I take a picture of Corey and Justin and text them to Leanne saying, “I accidentally cloned 5 copies of Corey and Justin so now we have to manage 15 kids.” I’m not sure if her lack of response indicated she didn’t see the text or if some topics (like taking on additional kids during the trip) shouldn’t be joked about.
We meet back up as a group and go to Zagreb 360. It turns out to be the top floor of a 16 story high-rise building. As were waiting online to buy tickets, I turn and look out the 4 windows. Seems like I’ve already seen what it has to offer but the groups wants to stay. Since they don’t provide any info on the landmarks and buildings, I find a couch on the outside deck and start to look it up myself on Google. After a little while, we decide to move on and as I’m standing up from the couch, I smash my head into the railing on the outer wall. I’m not even sure myself how I managed that feat but I saw starts and suffice it to say that Zagreb 360 isn’t making any of my top 10 lists (except the Top 10 things to skip in Zagreb list).
After lunch, we walk to the National Theater of Zagreb which is quite a hike. When we arrive, the building is locked up tight so we have to settle for a few photos and head back. We’ve saved the grand Cathedral of Zagreb for last. As we approach, we all collectively groan. We’ve been Big Ben’d. The Cathedral is under renovation and covered with scaffolding (as Big Ben was in London). At least the church is open and we are able to explore the inside which is quite magnificent.
Having wrapped up a quick but jam packed 24 hours in Zagreb, we are off for a two hour drive to Plitvice Lakes National Park. Shout out to my friend Lynn who was in Croatia last summer and was the one that recommended we come here and also helped me with the planning. Plitvice Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that boasts 12 lakes and 400 waterfalls. We are excited to explore this nature of wonder the next day.
When we check in to the hotel, the woman helping us was incredibly helpful. She spent twenty minutes walking us through how to the park, getting us our park tickets and explaining the hotel. When we were getting on our flight here, the woman in front of us turned around and told us, “the people in Croatia are soooo nice.” So far, we are certainly in agreement.
