Day 7: Plitvice Lakes & More

13.03.23

Sea Baby! Here we go...

The day didn't start at the sea, but in the unique national park of Plitvice Lakes. The pictures actually speak for themselves. Since I stayed overnight right there, the opening hours worked out perfectly. For a 10 bucks, you can legally enter the realm of clear, blue-green lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. A small boat tour is included in the price, as well as a shuttle bus that takes you back to the entrance. You can argue about the entrance fee, but it's actually not necessary because what you get to see here is truly unique. Parking is free during this time of the year. Fair enough.

Impressed by the natural spectacle, I head south towards Zadar, a city with 70,000 inhabitants on the coast. On the Road again. The interior of Croatia surprises me once again. The steppe-like landscape, with snow-covered mountains in the distance, is really something. Really beautiful and impressive, especially because of the many 'lakes' fed by small rivers in the middle of the landscape. At this point, I did some minimal research to find out how high the highest mountain in Croatia actually is. In comparison to other European mountains, Sinjal, with its 1831 meters, is not that high.

In the last third of the approximately 140 km route to Zadar, Croatia, the popular holiday destination, slowly but surely reveals itself to me as I knew it before. Southern, Mediterranean, etc. Now the houses also have these typical warm colors, square layout with surrounding eaves and terracotta roofs.

It's already 20 degrees. This, along with the radiant blue sky, fills me with pure happiness. Windows down, elbows out, for the last kilometers to the sea.

Once again, a few words about the billboards. As soon as you approach the cities, they shoot up like mushrooms, the oversized, strangely placed billboards. I would have loved to count them all and buy and try out all the hotly advertised products... Is there any other country that has more billboards? Do people here even notice them anymore? Well, it's almost impossible to look away.

In Zadar, I find a good parking spot right on the street, by the sea. To enjoy the last rays of sun, I head straight down to the promenade, just a few meters below. More happiness. Finally by the sea. Yes. A very nice spot. Just a few steps into my stroll, a Frisbee flies past me. There are also two slacklines between the trees in the small park right by the shore. This is what my dream of paradise looks like. Sympathetic girls and guys who invite me to join them here. The first impression couldn't be better.