Text: Peter Johansson
Editing: Christer Lundstedt
Photos: Christer Lundstedt, Peter Johansson
Videos: Christer Lundstedt, Roberth Nordin
Thursday 28th of March
16.08 As usual during our trips, I'm at Örnsköldsvik's travel center with packed backpacks. I am about to take the train to Arlanda airport to join Christer and Roberth.
16.40 This journey's first mode of transport, Norrtåg, has started. The destination is Sundsvall. There I change to the train that Christer is also going with. Roberth's train from Jämtland is delayed and the three of us will unfortunately not arrive in Arlanda at the same time as we had planned.
17.45 I roll towards the first meeting and change without any problems.
18.59 I have arrived in Sundsvall. Here I have met Christer and we have boarded SJ's train to destinations further south. I have been asked to switch seats with a girl, she wanted to sit with her friend. It suits me well, now I sit next to Christer instead.
20.17 Roberth has submitted a status report from his horizon. At least now all three of us are on board a train. Moreover, within a few hours we should be united, slightly delayed.
21.08 The rain falls on our train as it rolls into Gävle. Some are getting ready to disembark. They are going out in the rain, including the girl I switched places with and her friend.
Friday 29th of March
Peter leaves Örnsköldsvik.
Christer starts his walk towards the train in Sundsvall.
Arlanda airport during evening time.
Peter takes notes and waits for the bus.
The inside of Forenom Aparthotel Arlanda.
Evening coffee in room 229.
A view towards the parking lot P3.
00.30 Christer has just informed Roberth how to get from the airport to the accommodation once he reaches Arlanda.
01.50 The trinity is now complete. Roberth is finally here. Will he be the father, Christ the son and I the holy spirit? Who knows? No matter what, we are now going to sleep for a few hours. 05.04 Well, it feels exactly as if I just went to bed. Other news, it's raining. Now it will be home-made breakfast here in our small apartment. It consists of baguettes we brought with us and coffee that we prepare here in the apartment's kitchen. 05.36 The rain continues to fall outside and I think I managed to turn off the stove. It doesn't light up anyway. 06.05 There was a short wait for the bus back to the airport. Once there, Roberth and Christer arranged luggage tags for our check-in. 06.44 There was a personal check-in and a luggage drop. However, it is yet another manned security check. Now we are at gate D13. It's not our gate but here there were free seats. 07.27 Via gate D14 we connected to Lufthansa's A321. It's time for the first flight abroad for this year. Behind us there is talk about skiing in the real Alps. Are there fake Alps? 08.52 A little nap and a coffee have replenished my energy. The annoying turbulence makes it difficult to write. 09.11 The lady in the row behind us complains that there is no bag in case the turbulence makes her nauseous. 09.39 We have broken through the clouds. An agrarian landscape can be seen far down there. The approach to Munich has begun.GERMANY
10.24 The plane has landed at Munich Airport. We are now sitting/semi-lying in something that can be compared to wooden deckchairs. There is plenty of time so we can rest and feel good for a while.
11.45 We took a short train ride to another terminal. Here we have sat down at the restaurant Dallmayr Bistro. We recently ordered various lunch dishes and drinks. Roberth, who had stomach problems during the week, has to think about what he eats and drinks, just like during the trip to Iceland exactly ten years ago. Years pass! 12.49 It was good and above all much needed. Especially welcome was the large ice-cold German beer. If we add another trip, dinner and a good night's sleep, we are probably back on track in really good shape again. The night's lack of sleep is like a dark shadow hanging over this Good Friday. 13.21 We have not heard anything from Forenom Hotel about a fire or the like. Then I probably turned off the stove as one should.
Early in the morning we leave the Forenom Aparthotel.
Here we slept for a few hours.
On the way on board.
At rest at München Flughafen.
We treat ourselves to a good meal at Dallmayr Bistro.
Christer's German lunch.
13.57 While waiting for the flight to Zagreb, Christer and I drink coffee from a coffee machine.
14.27 Our plane is apparently delayed. The question is how long we have to wait. 14.46 At the gate we were each asked if it was OK to sit by the emergency exit at 16A-C. We said OK and got on board. At our seats, however, there were three girls sitting. We asked one of the cabin crew if something had gone wrong and were moved on to 10A-C, which by the way is the emergency exit. We will fly Lufthansa's City Line A-319 from Munich to Zagreb, a fairly short trip. 15.27 It is only fine to sit by the emergency exit. The only difference is that we put our carry on luggage on the shelf above us.CROATIA
16.00 The plane has just landed at Zagreb airport. The man across the aisle opened our hatch and pulled out his jacket. This caused another man's hat and later my small backpack to fall out. Why this panic to get the jacket out?
16.16 We stand at the luggage belt and wait for our bags. On a monitor it is informed that the city's football team, Dinamo Zagreb, holds the current record for having the most players (14) in a World Cup final. 16.27 So we walked out of Zagreb airport Franjo Tuđman, It's a premiere in Croatia for Roberth and a comeback for Christer and me. I firmly believe that it has been 20 years since we were last in the country. We are greeted by a lovely summer heat here. How we have longed for this. The winter has been cold, tough and long. 16.55 In an airport bus (Pleso Prijevoz) we are now on our way from the airport and on our way to the central parts of Zagreb. It was quiet at the airport and few passengers boarded our bus.
Ready for the second flight of the day.
Information about Dinamo Zagreb at the luggage belt.
We aim for the bus that takes us from the airport.
Peter takes notes on board the bus from Pleso Prijevoz.
We have reached the Zagreb bus terminal.
Towards the hotel!
17.34 The airport bus dropped us off at the bus terminal Autobusni kolodvor Zagreb and we then walked in the pleasant afternoon heat to Hotel Orient Zagreb (https://hotelorientzagreb.com). At check-in we agreed to pay extra for two future breakfasts. After riding the lift in a 2+1 combination, we are now in room 303. The lift is too small for three men with luggage, but it has windows and two doors.
18.11 It's almost time to go out to do some exploring around the home quarters. Where can we buy something for the evening? Where shall we have dinner? 19.06 We went to a newly built area near the bus station. There, among gyms and cafés, we also found a Konzum supermarket. In there we bought something to eat and drink tonight and also for tomorrow night. 19.54 The dinner restaurant, Restoran Trnjanka was closing when we got there. We will have to look for something else and possibly eat there tomorrow instead. 20.19 It was a longer evening walk than we had expected. To find a restaurant we needed to walk north of the railroad tracks to more central streets. The railway station was passed and we found what we were looking for. At MS Grill they are open. At MS Grill, they also have seating. We will have today's dinner at MS Grill at Draškovićeva 57.
Hotel Orient Zagreb.
Roberth is happy at MS Grill.
Pljeskavica and good beer.
The hostel from the 2000 and 2001 trips was found.
Zagreb Central Station, Glavni kolodvor.
21.03 The food is served to the three gentlemen and is now enjoyed in peace and quiet. With the meal we drink Velebitsko, a Croatian beer brewed near the town of Gospić in the Velebit mountains, which gave the beer its name.
21.20 I had to visit an ATM because the payment here at MS Grill was to be made in cash. We are so used to always paying by card that we hadn't even thought about the fact that we should have some cash as well. 21.35 Before we return to the hotel, Christer and I have passed by where we stayed in the summers of 2000 and 2001. The hostel at Petrinjska 77 is still there. 22.06 Now we are back in our hotel room again. Now there will be peace and quiet before the long-awaited sleep. 22.30 It's time for the first time for Roberth and for the first time in almost 20 years for me and Christer to sleep in Croatia. Tomorrow we won't wake up as early as this morning. Now we will make up for lost sleep.
Saturday 30th of March
08.32 It is Easter Eve and morning. The hours of sleep we borrowed last night have been repaid. We really needed sleep after a short rest last night and an intense Good Friday with two flights and arrival here in the capital of Croatia. Today we will see as much as we can of Zagreb, a city with 684,142 inhabitants that before 1918 was known as Agram.
09.53 At the basement of the hotel, on floor 0, we have now enjoyed a small buffet breakfast. There was quite a bit to choose from. Now we have to arrange tomorrow's trip and plan for this day. Here in the country, breakfast is called doručak. 10.21 Despite frenzy and stubbornness, Christer has not managed to book three bus tickets online for tomorrow's journey. Technical problems on the website was the cause. 10.46 Shame on the one who surrenders. A few new attempts were made and now we have bus tickets both to and from Rijeka. 10.56 We have left the hotel and walked along a footpath surrounded by lush green grass, spring flowers and cherry trees. It is a wonderful warmth for us pale and chilled Scandinavians. 11.18 God damned, what lovely weather!, said Roberth as he sat down next to me on the bench where we had taken a break. We are at Trg Kralja Tomislava, the park opposite the railway station. A little further away is the statue of King Tomislav sitting on his horse. He was crowned the first king of the medieval Croatian kingdom in 925. A new nation must always find its heroes from history. On the way here, we also saw the city's eternal flame. It burns in memory of those who died for the cause of Croatia in the Yugoslav civil war.
Breakfast at Hotel Orient Zagreb.
We are staying next door to the Croatian Railway Museum.
A fantastic cherry tree.
Zagreb, Croatia, European Union.
The eternal flame in Zagreb.
King Tomislav outside the railway station.
11.46 At the other end of the vast park is the yellow art pavilion. We continued past it and reached Park Zrinjevac. Here we have seen a tourist group that has temporarily split up. Is it private time for the tourists who were most likely students in some form? We also found a meteorological measuring station which stated that it is currently +27°C. Is it really that hot in the shade?
12.06 We have reached what can be considered Zagreb's most central place, Trg Josipa Jelačića square. Here the trams pass frequently and there are a lot of people on the move. Josip Jelačić, whose statue is here and gave his name to the square, was a prominent general in the Austrian army during the 19th century. He abolished serfdom in Croatia and is therefore seen as a national hero. 12.15 We have seen a model over the city and I have been looking for some souvenirs in some shops. Now we are thinking about whether we should go for a coffee break, a beer, or a lunch. 12.22 We have now ended up at Tržnica Dolac, a large outdoor market with lots of people on the move. Now it's time to move on to some streets that may have cafes or restaurants. 12.33 In our search for a place to drink a beer, we found a place that feels perfect for lunch. We are sitting at some outdoor tables belonging to Pivnica Mali Medo (https://pivovara-medvedgrad.hr), a restaurant belonging to Croatia's largest microbrewery, Pivovara Medvedgrad. The street we are sitting on is called Tkalčićeva and is the main street in the oldest part of Zagreb. 12.45 We have received our beers and are enjoying life. At a table nearby, two older ladies have done the same thing as us, ordered some cold beers. With the beer, we have decided to eat sausages, more specifically cheese-filled sausages from Kranj in the Slovenian Alps. 13.43 It was the best lunch ever, at least on the trip and yes, at least today. A waiter just passed by with a tray of beer in one hand and two beer trays on top of each other in the other.
Umjetnički paviljon u Zagrebu (Art Pavilion in Zagreb).
Peter in a tree.
Meteorološki stup, here we see current weather statistics.
Trg Josipa Jelačića, Zagreb.
Zagreb in a smaller format.
Spomenik Kumici Barici, a sculpture depicting a woman in the market.
14.02 We are waiting to pay. On the street, bicycle messengers pass with food from Bolt and Wolt, as well as women and men with bouquets of flowers, some unwrapped.
14.06 Now we have paid. It's time to see more of Zagreb before the next stop. 14.22 We take a bench break to balance costs and to determine the direction towards new and old attractions. The bench where we are sitting is outside a primary school, OŠ Miroslava Krleže. We thought for a while about what it would be like to work here and be able to take lunches at the beer place where we were just now. However, we realized that we are far too bad at Croatian to be able to teach here. 14.50 With tears in his voice, a child calls out for his father. It splashes in the fountain in front of Zagreb's cathedral, which is under renovation and therefore not much to look at. The area around the cathedral is called Kaptol. 15.18 We have made it to the next attraction on our list of what we should see today. It is cool and gloomy inside Tunel Grič (Grič Tunnel). It was added during the Second World War and was also used during the Yugoslav civil war in the 1990s. It´s good acoustics in this tunnel, which also served as a shelter. Today it is used as a shortcut for people moving through the center of Zagreb.
The wait for food at Pivnica Mali Medo.
Beer-hungry older ladies at Pivnica Mali Medo.
Perfect drink on a hot day like this.
Tkalčićeva, a street in the oldest part of Zagreb. There are plenty of restaurants here.
Zagreb Cathedral is getting a makeover.
Peter and Christer at Rotor Kaptol.
16.17 We came out of the tunnel near Josip Jelačić square and calmly and quietly went home. After buying some drinks and ice cream at the railway station, we came home to the hotel and the room. Outside it is +25˚C. Now our own private time is approaching. This means that you can do what you want without it affecting the rest of the traveling party.
17.47 Seeing and experiencing countries and cities is great. Mostly taking it easy and summarizing and planning for the future is also pleasant. It was not easy to find a suitable accommodation here in Zagreb. Our hotel is perfectly fine, but the location is not the best when you want to go out for dinner. The only thing we have nearby is the restaurant we tried to visit yesterday. We are not in the mood for a long walk, so we will probably make another attempt there eventually. 19.04 It's almost time to see if we succeed better today in visiting Restoran Trnjanka. Yes, visiting went well yesterday as well, but we would like them to have time to serve us food as well. 19.29 Today we were allowed to come in and sit down at the table, but apparently they close already at 20.00, not 21.00 as they informed us yesterday. It was a quick order. What is offered is lamb, which we divide among three. Lamb is the specialty of this restaurant. Restoran Trnjanka (http://www.restoran-trnjanka.hr) has been in business for 50 years and they recently celebrated this fact. 19.35 We have just received our beer from the Osječko brand and now the food is also being brought in. The beer is from Osijek and is the country's oldest beer dating back to 1697.
Easter chickens outside Zagreb Cathedral.
Time to go underground.
Rest in Tunel Grič.
Peter at Restoran Trnjanka.
Tonight's dinner is shared between three.
Franjo Tuđman looks out over the Croatian capital.
19.40 The grilled lamb has been placed on the table together with potatoes, tomatoes and leeks. Now we'll take care of what was served. There seems to be a lot of bones on the plate, but the edibles should probably be enough for three.
20.05 It was good and not too filling. Now it's time to leave the restaurant before we get locked in here. They have actually closed for the evening. 20.24 On the way home we passed a statue we saw when we arrived with the airport bus yesterday. It turned out to represent the first president of free Croatia, Franjo Tuđman. He was president from 1990 until his death in 1999. In addition to this statue, the city's international airport has his name. 20.44 We have strolled around the park where the statue stands. Here there are beautifully lit fountains and the viaducts also shine in beautiful colours. 22.47 The day is coming to an end. Now the night is approaching when we switch to summer time. A bus trip to the coast awaits tomorrow.
Evening at Zagrebačke Fontane.
Sunday 31st of March
08.40 Daylight saving time has started to apply from today, both here in Croatia and at home in Sweden. Today we will travel on towards Rijeka. It's time to leave our nice room at Hotel Orient Zagreb. We had originally intended to go by train, but we changed to the bus in order to have time to eat breakfast in peace and quiet before departure.
09.54 During breakfast, the hosts of the accommodation in Rijeka called. They wanted us to scan and send the passports. Christer has now photographed our passports and emailed over the pictures. By doing so, we avoid visiting their office. Instead, Christer gets door codes and instructions sent to him as soon as they have finished cleaning. We can then go straight to our apartment. 11.00 After we checked out and Christer paid for two nights and six breakfasts, we now sat down on a park bench. Now we have to clear the debt, in other words make sure that everyone pays the right amount to the right person. It's quiet in Zagreb this Sunday and the birds are singing so happily. 11.55 We went to the bus station. Once there, Roberth and I decided to visit the toilet before departure. The machine didn't want our coins. A gentleman coming out of the toilets let us in, thank you. When loading the backpacks we also had to pay. Luckily mine and Roberth's coins didn't go to waste at the toilets. This thing about paying for the luggage on the buses is something we remember from Croatia when we were here 20 years ago. They still persist with this hassle. It is extra complicated in these times when you rarely have coins with you. Today we are bussed by Arriva, a bus company that we traveled with a lot when we were in England two years ago. 12.20 After passing a toll we are now on the E65, the last time we were on it was in Ystad on our trip to Sweden in 2020. We are now, as I said, on our way to Rijeka. On the summer trips in 2000 and 2001, the trips were made by train on this route.
A short break in the park after checking out from the hotel.
Arriving at Autobusni Kolodvor Zagreb.
Toilet problems at the bus station.
The bus from Arriva Hrvatska is waiting for us.
In Vrbovsko you learn how to act in a bear area.
We have arrived in Rijeka.
13.09 Our bus has left the motorway. We seem to be headed for the next stop on this journey. Are people to be replaced?
13.13 The bus stopped at a stop on the street Ulica Hrvatskih Branitelja. One has stepped down but nothing has been added. We are in Vrbovsko. Next to the bus is a sign on how to behave in areas where there are bears. 13.23 We are on our way again and just passed the Čardak tunnel. It is around 600 meters long. Christer has not yet received any check-in details for this afternoon's check-in. 13.50 We met the rain when we arrived at the small tourist town of Fužine, which is beautifully situated by a lake. It was, to say the least, cramped for the bus to get between the houses here. 14.39 We were met by a drizzle even when we reached the final destination Rijeka. After a short walk from the bus station, we are now at one of the few open restaurants this Easter, Conca D'Oro at Kružna Ulica 12 and now the menus arrived. 14.51 We sit at some outdoor tables in a small passage with beautiful art on the walls. One pictured here is our friend Josip Jelačić who gave his name to the square in the center of Zagreb. 15.51 It was small portions with very good pasta and good beer, San Servolo. Now while waiting for the check-in notification, we walk around the marina. Very close to us is the Hotel Continental where Christer and I stayed when we visited here in 2000. Rijeka (which means river) has 141,172 inhabitants and is an important port city in Croatia but also a city you pass through if you are going west to the Istrian peninsula or to some of the popular islands nearby. In Italian, the city is called Fiume.
The ferry company Jadrolinija is housed in a magnificent building.
Empty and rainy on Easter Sunday in Rijeka.
Christer and Roberth are waiting for lunch.
Delicious pasta at Conca D´Oro.
Christer has finished his lunch.
The main street Korzo in the center of Rijeka.
16.13 We got tired of waiting and are now at the real estate agency Molo Longo's office. Here we have received the message that they are not quite finished with our apartment yet. They will contact you when they are ready. It should happen shortly.
16.26 Now we have sat down on a bench right near the accommodation. We don't want to trot around anymore. We want to know. 17.10 Dear readers, we have accommodation in the Main View Apartment. The address is Korzo 27. The keys were requisitioned from a small box with a numerical code, numbers that were spun forward. We went up three flights of stairs and into the apartment, which has a nice view down to the Korzo pedestrian street. Here in Croatia, there are not so many cheaper hotels, it is private rooms and apartments that apply. 17.15 A quick inspection has taught us that in the apartment we have two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room with TV and a French balcony. There will be no balcony wine tonight. 17.30. No sooner had we settled in and had coffee and tea than we're going out to do some sightseeing and see how it goes with breakfast. We must have time to see the city seriously. So far, we've mostly been hanging around while waiting to move into the apartment.
This is where we will stay.
Mrtvi Canal, Rijeka.
The accommodation from the 2000 trip remains.
The war monument Spomenik Oslobođenja Riječana.
Molo Longo is preparing our apartment.
We will stay one night in the Main View Apartment.
17.36 We start with the most important thing, finding food. Basic needs come before pleasures. Now we hope to find an open shop where we can buy a breakfast for our apartment and maybe something good for the evening.
17.45 The supermarket Tommy was closed even though Google Maps tricked us by saying it was open. So were some of the smaller shops we saw. We try our luck at the train station instead. 18.00 No luck here either. Of course it is Easter Sunday, but at least some small shop could be open. All we found is another closed store in the Studenac chain. 18.20 We leisurely strolled back towards the center and the harbor area where there was a fairground and luxury boats. Unfortunately the SPAR supermarket was also closed. 18.31 We have now found the Croatian National Theater here in Rijeka. It is a beautiful building by the Kazališni Park. 18.45 There is a shortage of people in Rijeka, even worse with open shops. However, we have found the cathedral, Katedrala svetog Vida. It is a round building dating from the 17th century. Next to it is the entrance to Riječki tunel, a tunnel similar to the one we visited in Zagreb. Unfortunately, it is currently closed.
View from our apartment.
Hopeless hunt for open grocery stores.
The Croatian National Theater in Rijeka is named after local composer and conductor Ivan Zajc.
Rijeka Cathedral, Katedrala svetog Vida (Cattedrale di San Vito).
Wall art in Rijeka. The artist is Miron Milic.
Dinner at Fine Grill Municipium.
Christer's dinner, Punjena vješalica.
18.58 The restaurant Fine Grill Municipium (https://finegrillmunicipium.com) was open and we had to order both food and drinks. Now comes our beers. It is important to get food when something is open.
20.34 It was very good. Each a good dish and two good beers each. One Croatian beer (Ožujsko) and one from Montenegro (Nikšićko). Now a quiet evening is approaching at home in our apartment. 21.10 Now we have eaten cookies that Roberth arranged and drank instant coffee that I had with me. It's time to see if we can get any TV channels in. 22.05 The only thing we got on the TV was Youtube and an episode of "Back to school Mr Bean" from 1993 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgDGUb2TjyM). Roberth has decided to sleep, but me and Christer had a comical end to the evening, which otherwise mostly consisted of frustration over everything that is closed. It is typical that we cannot buy any groceries when we have an apartment with a perfect kitchen.
You can see 12 photos from March 28 in this photoalbum.
You can see 59 photos from March 29 in this photoalbum.
You can see 115 photos from March 30 in this photoalbum.
You can see 68 photos from March 31 in this photoalbum.