Kamenita Vrata in Zagreb: Stone Gate - Street Passage - Chapel and a bit of History

There were many things that stood out during my visit in Zagreb and one of these that sent me back in time was the Kamenita Vrata in the Gradec Gornji Grad (this is the Upper Town) of the Old Town Centre. The area is the original fortified town of Zagreb and Kamenita Vrata which means Stone Gate is the last surviving 5 stone gates of the town walls dating back to the 13th century.

Kamenita Vrata | Stone Gate naturally with an Asian tourist posing in front.

The stone gate is also a chapel and the pews are located on the left corner behind the candles.

Stone Gate – Passage – Chapel

The stone gate serves as a street passage but history detailed that in 1731 a fire destroyed this area of town, burning everything down. However the said stone gate which had a painting of Mary and Jesus was miraculously saved, undamaged from the fire.

In order to protect the painting and its miraculous religious symbol the locals built a metal grill and converted the stone gate passage into a chapel as well.

Technically, the stone gate is a passage and a chapel. There are not many open-air public places such as a working street where people stop and pay their respects to their god. They commune together in worship and offer their prayers in silence whilst other people are going about their normal daily lives passing through the stone gate - street passage - chapel en-route to their destination.

It’s like the whole scenario just froze back in time during the medieval ages.

Croatians (in fact, most Eastern Europeans) are staunch Catholic followers. If not for the European fortification medieval surroundings, I would have probably been brought back to the Philippines.

The painting of Mary and Jesus that miraculously survived the fire in 1731 is protected behind this metal grill.

 Nuns man the chapel passage and people often stop to light a candle, sit on the chapel pews, pray in the corner or kneel in front of the painting.

View from the other side of the gate - passage - chapel.

This is the view when you enter the stone gate - passage - chapel. Those doors lead to the office of the nuns and on the right are a few pews and candle container.

I am not sure what these plaques on the walls of the stone gate chapel but if my Croatian is correct, they are tokens of appreciation to Mary the mother of Christ. Hvala ti Majko means Thank You Mother. Hvala is pronounced as 'Quala/Kwala'.

A step back into history

When Yugoslavia split up in 1991, the whole region was marred with political, religion and tribal differences that resulted into mayhem, massacres and ethnic cleansings. It was one of those bloody years and depending on where you live, your race and what your religion is, these will be the determining factor of your survival.

And if you step back 60 years before that during the World War II, a Croat fascist organisation rose to fame called Ustase. Interestingly they were fanatically Catholics, as well a puppet arm of Nazi Germany. This terrorist organisation was responsible in annihilating Serbs, Jews and Romas on the base of ethnic and religious cleansing.

It makes you wonder what really is the point of organised religion.

It’s been 20+ something years ago since the Yoguslavian split and 70 years since the World War II. I wish peace has finally come to this region (although neighbouring Ukraine is going through its own struggle). I hope the wounds have healed and people have learned that absolute fanaticism on a certain ideology and religion can be detrimental.

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Zagreb, Croatia

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Croatia & Slovenia: Stories about Travel Logistics, Airports, Immigration and Pre Solo Travel Jitters

I am a seasoned traveller but I always have pre travel jitters, everytime, especially when I am travelling on my own. I worry about many things! The plane going down, getting sick, having a flat tire and meeting the wrong people on the road. There’s more actually to that. But this doesn’t stop me from going and doing my passion: Travelling.

When I heard about the missing Malaysian jet, I was at Zurich Airport, Switzerland waiting for my transfer to Amsterdam. I am not very fond of airports, moreover, I actually hate flying. It is the most undesired aspect of travelling for me. I get butterflies in my stomach during takeoff and landing, as well as when there is turbulence activity, my mind is automatically launched into doomsday scenario. The more I get older, the more wacky the scenarios are, and the heart palpitations, they become wilder too.

I just made a confession didn’t I?

Anyway, I have a multitude of experiences to share from this recent and first solo trip for 2014 but I would like to share first my travel logistics. This could be helpful to those travelling into Croatia and Slovenia in the near future.

Fly In: Amsterdam to Zagreb

I usually book my flights through an online ticket service or directly with the airline company. For this trip, I booked my flight via cheaptickets.nl. Croatia Airlines had the best flight combinations among the sea of choices.

Croatia Airlines is part of the Star Alliance network. An Airbus with the Star Alliance livery design.

I normally fly with KLM or with their partner airlines but none had the best flying times and comfortable connections. These are the reasons why I chose Croatian Airlines:

1) Direct non-stop flight Amsterdam to Zagreb – I normally would fork out a little bit more if it’s a direct non-stop flight. It really saves you from a lot of hassles. The Zagreb destination is a difficult one and expensive as well because the city is not your everyday destination. It's not like London, Paris or Rome. Only Croatia Airlines and KLM have direct non-stop flights on the dates I am travelling.
2) Croatia Airlines however had the best flying time leaving at 11 in the morning (I hate going to the airport really early).
3) The flight back had a stopover in Zurich which I do not really have a choice because all airlines have a stopover going back anyway, but this flight had the best schedule flying out at 16:45 allowing me to have extra time for my holiday.

Time and convenience are critical to me.

Snacks for a 2-hour flight: Olive Pate with toasted bread sticks and Dried Figs. LOVE IT. This snack is really making me look forward to a gourmandic experience in the country.

My Croatian gourmet experience started in the airplane. I seriously think that other airlines should emulate Croatian Airlines' food service and style. Serving their own gastronomic flavours to its passengers! And in very impressive packaging to boot. Well done!

Figs, olives and lavender are export products of Croatia.

Flying above the Alps.

A close up view of the Alps. It feels like a long time ago since I was in the Alps skiing last January. It is not even 2 months ago yet.

Immigration in Zagreb was quick. I cannot even recall the experience. The bags were offloaded quickly as well. The next thing I know I am strolling out the hallway looking for the rental car office.

Renting a Car in Zagreb

Since I will be exploring the northern part of Croatia and Slovenia I decided to rent a car. I love driving and having a car of my own when travelling is my ideal way of getting to know the places in my destination. This allows ultimate freedom and ease of moving around in both countries, especially in Croatia where it does not have a vast public transportation infrastructure. If you want to see national parks, lovely coastal towns and medieval mountain villages, then renting a car is the best advice there is.

I booked the rental car with cheaptickets.nl as well and it turned out Sixt was the rental car company they gave me. Sixt informed me onsite that if I am crossing the border there is a fixed extra charge and I need to have winter tires as well since it is March, officially still in the winter season although the weather has been terribly mild. So that’s two additional charges in there: border crossing charge + winter tires. If I only decided to stay in Croatia, no extra charges would have been applicable.

Zagreb Airport, rental car area.

I got myself an Italian FIAT. Drives fine.

The car I booked was the smallest one but I got a nice looking compact sedan. I do not believe in getting the biggest and coolest car. A car to me is simply a means of transport, no less or more than bringing me from point A to B. The cheapest, the better. I always drive stick, I actually prefer it, and in Europe stick is king. If you are used to driving automatic, good luck.

Tip: If image (some people are car fanatics or just image fanatics) is not important to you, always try to get the cheapest/smallest car. Most of the times the car rentals do not have them and you end up getting a much bigger car.

Road Trip Overview: Croatia & Slovenia

So this is my route below. The map does not count the side trips because the new Google Maps only allows a certain maximum number of next destination added on the route.

Zagreb (start Croatia) > Opatija > Rovinj > Pula > Hum/Buzet > Motovun > Rovinj > Piran (enter Slovenia) > Izola > Ljubljana > Postojna > Bled > Ljubjlana > Zagreb (back to Croatia)

My base points were: Zagreb and Rovinj in Croatia and Ljubljana in Slovenia

Things to take note in Croatia:

(1) Croatia has a manual toll highway system similar to France, machine operated or person behind the counter. You can pay in cash (Kuna currency) or with a credit card. Interestingly Amex is widely accepted.

(2) Parking garages and street parking meters in Croatia only allows Kuna currency. No cards (well not that I have encountered). Street parking on blue marked areas. Free street parking in the evening though. As for me, my hotel which is located in the center offered free parking nearby.

(3) Croatian roads and highways are quite okay. The highways were almost empty in Istria County and many national roads only have two-lanes with no overtaking signs. The highway to Pula is brand new.

(4) Croatian countryside is still hard up so you will see both beautiful and less desirable sceneries (i.e. derelict houses and properties and uncultivated and undeveloped land).

(5) In the city centre, one must pay attention to where the road is leading to because they do not give you ample warning if the street is going left or right. I always try to stay in the middle just in case.

(6) Maximum speed on highways is 110 km/ph. There are no speed cameras but I saw one time a police car patrolling on the national roads in the Istrian mountains.

(7) There are many mountain tunnels between Zagreb County and Istria County and the mountains can get very misty with just a few metres visibility.

(8) Croatia is a non EU Schengen country and has its own Croatian currency: Kuna/HRK.

Entering Zagreb City. Traffic in the city is doable.

Croatia has many tunnels in the mountains. 

Renting a GPS is also a must but I have my very own, my old and trusted Nokia Mini telephone with GPS using OVI Maps. I just download the country's map online into my phone. Very handy, I am very happy with this phone/GPS. Perfect for my travels.

The Croatian highway.

Things to take note in Slovenia:

(1) Slovenia has an automated toll highway system which means every vehicle using the highway must purchase the toll highway sticker and stick it on the upper dashboard window. There are unmanned toll gates scanning every passing vehicle.

(2) Which means upon entering Slovenian highway, stop at the first gas station and buy the toll highway sticker. The shortest is 1 week for 15 Euros. Pretty much after a few kilometres from the first gas station is the first toll gate scanner.

(3) Street parking is a challenge in Ljubljana so make sure you research in advance the parking garage addresses online. As for me, I took the valet service of my hotel that is located right in the smack of the city.

(4) Slovenian highways are very nice and well maintained, similar to other EU countries.

(5) The countryside reminds me of Austria and Switzerland. Very scenic, some rolling hills here and there, prosperous looking neighbourhoods and orderly.

(6) Maximum speed on highways is 130 km/ph. I have not seen a speed camera.

(7) Slovenia is an EU Schengen member country and a Euro currency country as well. Thus when entering Slovenia from Croatia, there is back to back immigration control.

Entering Slovenia along the Adriatic coast border. I just passed immigration control here. The Croatian immigration officer asked if the car was a rental one while the Slovenian immigration officer asked me to open the trunk.

The Slovenian toll highway sticker.

The Slovenian highway toll scanner. You approach slow as the scanner above the gate scans the toll sticker on your dashboard. These gates I am sure were manually operated toll gates, before they migrated to an automated toll sticker/scanner technology system.

The Slovenian highway.

Entering Croatia from Slovenia, the highway between Ljubljana and Zagreb. Back to back immigration control for both countries.

Zagreb Airport | Fly Out Zagreb to Zurich

For my return trip, I flew from Zagreb to Zurich with Croatian Airlines. The Zagreb Airport is small fitted with only a few boarding gates in the international part.

But before arriving at the airport I had a little challenge. I thought I had the street address of the airport but upon checking I do not have it. So I thought hard and long where to ask for help. Everyone would know how to get to the airport but I doubt if they know the street address. Then a light bulb goes off in my head.

I approached a cabbie taking a little break who luckily had a tablet connected to the internet. He does not speak English and I do not speak Croatian but I do know a few critical words. Luckily he is friendly and helpful. So I spoke to him in words: Hello. Airport? Address? Ulica! Ulica is the key word here because it is Croatian for street. I wrote down the address, smiled and gave my Hvala to him and walked back to my car.

When you are using my Nokia OVI GPS, the system can only locate a street address.

Leaving Zagreb City en route to Zagreb Pleso Airport. I finally have the street address.

Nevertheless, I had a another challenge, although a funny experience I think here at Zagreb Pleso Airport.

After having a little snack in the bar area, boarding to Zurich has been called so I started gathering my things and I realised that I am missing my Alpaca wool shawl. I went around checking at the Duty Free and thought maybe I left it at security so I dashed back to immigration and spoke to the officers. The security control is just less than 50 metres away from the immigration counters so they let me pass.

Then I heard an airport employee calling out, ‘Any Zurich passengers?!’

‘Me!’ I said. ‘But I am still searching for my shawl. ’

He looked at me slightly confused but asked anyway where I might have left my it. I told him that I might have left it here at the security control because I could not find it at the Duty Free area.

He is now really confused because the Duty Free is past immigration so he asked, ‘You were at the Duty Free? How did you get here then?’

I told him I have been past immigration and came back to the security control searching for my shawl. The security officer confirmed this as well.

‘Those immigration guys must have liked you huh!’ was all he said, haha.

Then I heard my name in the intercom being called so I ran back in, the immigration officer waving an approving hand at me to pass by. As I dashed across the hallway where the Duty Free, bar area and gates were all located in one big hall, I saw from out the corner of my eye my shawl hanging on a bar stool. Oh there you are!!! I quickly grabbed it and ran to the boarding gate.

The personnel at the gate was relieved to see me but he was more concerned about his diction, ‘Did I pronounce your name correctly? I told him, ‘Yes you did! Thanks.’ He smiled and was pleased at himself.

A huge bus was waiting for me to bring me to the plane. I was the lone passenger =)

I flew with a Bombardier airplane and I could see its propeller turning. 

And  the wheels as well when we hit the ground.

Welcome to Zurich International Airport.

The Bombardier airplane in Zurich Airport.

Zurich Layover

Upon arrival in Zurich I had to go through security control and immigration again. The female security control officer said that since it is a Saturday I only have to take off my boots otherwise on Sundays they usually ask for more. Laughter from the other security officers can be heard across the hall, haha.

Zurich Airport is beautiful. It’s my second time in this airport. I went to the transfer desk of Swiss Airways (partner of Croatian Airlines) to secure a boarding pass for my Zurich – Amsterdam final leg which was a breeze.

Then I had dinner at Marche because I saw they were selling some noodle soup. After all the Croatian and Slovenian gastronomic high, I need to touch back down to earth. The chicken noodle soup wasn’t that great but it did the job. For some reason I was not in the mood to take pictures in Zurich.

This was also the time when I heard about the missing Malaysian Airline flight. The airport offers 60 minutes free internet time which was just enough to catch up on news and stuff online for my 2-hour layover.

Final Fly Out: Zurich  to Amsterdam

For my Zurich to Amsterdam leg, I flew with Swiss Airways. The purser spoke in three languages: Swiss German, English and Dutch, although his Dutch sounded more German I thought, which was quite cute.

I am also glad I had the noodle soup dinner because they were offering sandwiches. I DO NOT LIKE SANDWICHES so I politely declined and thanked the steward. However, true to being a Swiss company, another steward came strutting down the aisle distributing small Swiss chocolate bars which I saved for the Dutchman.

As we approach Amsterdam Schiphol Airport this is what I see from my window but I have no idea which city this is.

Train Ride: Schiphol Airport to Utrecht Centraal

Dutchman is picking me up with the car in Utrecht Centraal train station. It is much easier this way since the train terminal is just below the airport and the service goes directly to Utrecht Centraal. So I made sure I reloaded money on my public transportation pass but unfortunately I forgot to check-in. Shit happens.

When the night conductor passed by I blurted out (in Dutch), ‘Oh my, I forgot to check in!’

The affable night conductor gave me an inquisitive look as he checks the balance of my pass with his machine, then he said he will do it for me at the next stop, but forgot to do so anyway as he was busy with a new set of passengers boarding. As the train chugs near Utrecht he saw me again and realised his shortcoming. Smiling, he handed back over my pass, ‘Do not forget to check-in next time okay?’

The man clearly had a good day at his job. Thank you so much.

Going down the lift and walking to the Jaarbeursplein beside the taxi area I saw the familiar car and a familiar face emerging out of it. Ah, I am home. It’s nice to be back again in Dutchman’s arms where I truly belong.

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Croatia and Slovenia

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Postcards from Slovenia: Ljubljana, Piran, Izola, Postojna, Bled

Hi! Zivjo! I am in Slovenia and enjoying this little country so much. It is so pretty =)

The amazing, hip and cultural capital of Slovenia: Ljubljana.

The scenic Lake Bled in the Julian Alps.

Pretty coastal town of Izola on the Adriatic Sea.

Stalactites and stalagmites inside the 20-kilometre long Postojna Cave.

Predjama Castle built into the cave rock in Postojna.

The lovely town peninsula on the Adriatic Sea, Piran.

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Slovenia

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Postcards from Croatia: Zagreb, Rovinj, Pula, Opatija and Motovun

Zdravo everyone! Welcome to stunning Croatia =)

Dolac Market in Zagreb.

Jelacic Square or Trg bana Josipa Jelačića in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.

Rovinj coastal town on the Adriatic Sea.

The Pula Arena, ruins of the Ancient Rome in Pula, Croatia.

One of the many lavish mansions in Opatija, the Croatian Riviera.

Motovun medieval mountain village in the Istrian wine country.

Hvala =)

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Croatia

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How to ask a woman for a date in Croatian

Hi everyone, I am in beautiful CROATIA!!!

While I was in Opatija for a stopover lunch I received a letter on my rental car's dashboard window. The piece of paper actually gave me a fright. I thought I have gotten a ticket but I know for sure that I paid my parking correctly and came back just in time. But when I flipped the note, I realised it was a handwritten letter in Croatian. I do not think the Croatian Policija would write handwritten tickets. So a bit relieved I left and drove away but kept the letter with me.

Tonight as I am back in my hotel room, I am reminded of the letter. I opened Google translate for some answers, and oh dear me, haha... I was initially worried that it could have been a blackmail letter of some sort, but it is not.

A local man wants to ask me out for a date? WTF.

It says that he thinks I am nice and beautiful, and if I am up for a drink with him, I can call his number (I blurred it). How forward! I am giving him a 10 for creativity and effort lol. Oh, and confidence as well.

Well my dear audacious admirer, I am not up for a drink but I might just know someone else who might be...

*ah, the struggles and challenges of a not available solo female traveller*

I will blog more about Opatija some other time, but for those curious about this Croatian town riviera, there is of course Google and Google Maps. Feel free =)

Travel Period: March 2014
Destination: Opatija, Croatia

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Stunning Sea Creatures at the Dubai Underwater Zoo

My point and click pocket camera is not bad at all in this shot.

Dubai Underwater Zoo

Website: Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo  |   Location: Dubai Mall

Our ticket to the Dubai Aquarium includes a visit to the Dubai Underwater Zoo so Miss Luster and I decided not to waste the opportunity and money, and we took a tour as well.

I never thought I will enjoy this little trip to the Underwater Zoo but I did. I especially loved the beautiful colours, shapes and faces of the fishes. Its like watching National Geographic and Discovery Channel - Underwater Life in an Aquarium LIVE version.

So I am sharing the pictures. Enjoy!

These are stunning... loved the colours.

Turtles and fishes living together in harmony.

Wow, look at the detail... the texture, those scales, the head... and how calm the thing is.

A school of fish with yellow tails.

People were lining up get into that glass bulb.

Face to face with the lion fish.

Finding Nemo! The clown fish.

Yes, I willingly offered myself to a crocodile but I was not tasty enough so he spit me back out.

A lizard aquarium.

Have no idea what this kind of mollusk is. It looks frightening with those writhing tentacle-like mouth and extremities can suck the life out of you.

I am not sure if these are penguins or some other type of bird. Duck perhaps?

The king crab looks like he is ready to get me. Those legs are so long and strong I am sure. They can prick and can hurt terribly. But I would rather have you in my plate. Steamed.

These are ickky looking worms that resemble little snakes. They continuously writhe their half-buried bodies in the pebble sand without ever getting out.

The Dubai Underwater Zoo is a great place if you are into this kind of thing. I was even surprised that I enjoyed the visit myself =)

Travel Period: July 2013
Destination: Dubai, UAE

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