Two Cities that begin with "Z" in one day! How often is that going to happen?
From "Z" to shining "Z", that was our travel plan. We had purchased bus tickets for our route from the city of Zagreb, Croatia, to the coastal town of Zadar. Shouldering the backpacks, we walked the wide boulevards from the homey Hotel Fala to the main bus station in Zagreb.
Consider the difference between "Nation" and "Country". A nation could be defined as a group of people united by a similar culture, religion, ethnic background, or a combination of these. A country, on the other hand, is a geographic area ruled by a single government. The two words may have very different meanings depending on what region of the world one is from. For a citizen of the United States, for example, Nation and Country may very well be synonymous. For well over two centuries, the USA has been a single country, continuously ruled by a single governmental system. Contrast this with a Croatian person born in Zadar in 1900. By the time this person had lived to be fifty-five years of age, he would have been ruled by five different "Countries" depending on how you slice it. While he or she would consider themselves a Croat, our friend would have been under the governmental control of the Habsburgs (The Austro-Hungarian Empire), the first Republic of Yugoslavia, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Italian Fascists (during WWII) and, finally, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under Tito. "Busy, busy, busy!" whispers the good Bokononist.
Our bus rolled through river valleys and tilled fields, then began edging along the coastal mountains that separate the northern Adriatic Coast from the interior lands of Croatia. The hills became steeper and the tunnels along the autobahn became longer. Small patches of snow were visible on the upper crags of the mountains to our right. After several hours of watching the countryside, our route veered west. We began climbing and tunneling over and through the mountains. The Adriatic Sea came into view as we swept down a series of twisting switchbacks protected by avalanche fences. Winters bring serious snow to these mountains. Three and a half hours of travel brought us into the city of Zadar.
The Main Gate to the Old City, Guarded by the Venetian Lion of St. Mark
With a bit of help from our electronic devices and saved screenshot maps (traveler's tip there, Mate!) we managed to navigate the twisty labyrinth of tiny lanes to our diminutive studio apartment south of the old city. Stowing the bags, it was time to find a cafe', recharge the caffeine levels, and head out to explore the walled city.
As long as one stays along the waterfront promenade, or inside the Old City, Zadar is an easy place to navigate. Wander away from the water outside the center, however, and the twisting lanes and passageways are bewildering. We found the first set of Venetian fortifications and let them guide us to the main entrance of the old city.
Love amongst the ruins
The Old Town is a walking paradise. There are Roman ruins, Venetian fortifications, churches, monuments, and monasteries, all chockablock on top of one another. The pile of stone is ringed by water on three sides and by walls on the fourth. One may wander in circles, and very much enjoy the experience, but one cannot get lost.
Church of St. Donatus and the Tower
Walking northwest on any of the narrow streets will bring you to the forum, the ancient plaza of the Romans. This is the center of the walled city. Here there are ruins of Roman shop buildings, almost directly alongside modern kiosks that sell souvenirs to the tourists. Some things never change. I'm sure the Roman merchants of the day sold the equivalent of refrigerator magnets to the travelers of the time.
A word of caution about Zadar: it is the new darling of the Dalmatia Coast. It has become A Destination. A recent shining star in many travel journals, Zadar is a busy little place on the tour bus route. We are here during the shoulder season, as is our wont. High Season, in whatever locale you care to mention, is not our cup of tea. At this time of year, the tour buses deposit their load of camera-toting tour members, each frantically following the flag of their guide. They run about in the confines of the walled city, snapping pictures of all the important sites. Four hours later, in the late afternoon, they are back on the bus and rolling away from the city. The lesson is that evenings are much more peaceful here, and the shoulder and off-season are lovely. If, however, you come to Zadar during the high season, don't say I didn't warn you.
Old. Really Old.
Exploring is all fine and well, but we were really after a fish dinner. We found the place we were looking for and had a lovely repast. This despite My Heart being slightly irked by the "pesky" host, a very (overly?) effusive host who kept up a steady patter of smarmy cheeriness. For me, I counted it better than surly. Besides, the fish was a lovely change from the meaty platters of Zagreb.
The Gloaming of the Day
The miles of the day began to take their toll as we topped off the fish dinner with huge ice creams. While Zagreb and Zadar are not the gelato paradise of Napoli, they are not too far off. We were fading with the day and began the return walk to our new home.
Nightfall on the Adriatic
Night on the Promenade
Another great day in Croatia had run its course. Zadar was going to be our base of operations for the next five days. We were very excited with what we had seen so far. There would be day trips to the nearby islands, ferries to ride, and more exploring in Zadar itself. For this evening, however, we were done.
There will be much more about Zadar to come, including inflicting a bit more history upon you, my long-suffering readers. It is truly a fascinating place and I hope you will bear with me. Remember to travel well, be happy, and be kind. From Zadar, Croatia, Ciao for Now!
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