Today, the long-threatened bad weather finally arrived. We counted ourselves VERY lucky that the torrential rain wasn’t falling when we were walking on the limestone streets of Kotor, and Dubrovnik. We would have been slipping and sliding all over the place.
As it was, today was a city called Zadar, and then a 7 km walk through the National Park of Plitvice, where Jake spends lots of time when he isn’t working.
Poor Jake! He was looking forward to showing us his happy place in all its glory, but the rain was almost biblical.
Zadar is known for its Sea Organ. We jumped off the bus, layered up for the 9C weather, and we scurried after him like soggy ducklings as he led us to it.
As we drew closer, we could hear it over the rain.
I took a video so you could hear it too, but unfortunately when I played it back later, the only audible sound was the rain hitting my umbrella.
I tried embedding a vid from YouTube, but the hotel’s internet isn’t letting me do it. So, go ahead and google Zadar Sea Organ. It’s a lovely sound.
“The Sea Organ in Zadar, Croatia, is a massive, wave-powered musical instrument. Architect Nikola Bašić built a series of hollow marble steps along the coastline. Beneath the steps are 35 organ pipes of varying lengths, sizes, and tilts that use the kinetic energy of ocean waves and wind to generate continuous, harmonized chimes.”
After that, we had an hour to view the town. To be honest, it wasn’t very enticing. If the weather was good, a walk along the harbour would be nice, but the wind whipping in from the sea put paid to that idea.
I walked into the town square to view the Roman ruins.
Fun fact: nobody knew that Zadar was built on the remains of a Roman town. It wasn’t discovered until the city was bombed by the Allies in WW2.
When they were clearing up, people started finding limestone and artifacts that didn’t belong.
The more they dug, the more they found.
I liked this story, so I headed towards the square. One moments inattention, and I stepped into a very deep puddle.
Wet feet.
The ruins were nowhere near as good as in Sofia, so I kept wandering.
This statue looks as disgusted with the weather as I was.
Finally, after buying lunch to eat on the bus, I conceded defeat and found a coffee place with a welcoming open fire.
We drove through the countryside for 2 hours until we reached Plitvice National Park.
I was sitting up near the front of the bus. I looked out through the windscreen. Rain was still bucketing down… if anything, it was even heavier than before.
If I’ve learned anything about myself in the last 62 years, it’s that I HATE getting rained on. I love a good storm if I’m sitting in a warm room looking out, or if I’m under the tin roof on my verandah.
But when I’m walking in it? No.
I would have been miserable every step of the way.
I was one of the 5 sensible people who went back to the hotel with the bus. One couple got all layered up, hopped off the bus into the pouring rain, locked eyes with each other and without words, jumped back in the bus again.
I was able to use the hairdryer to dry my shoes, socks and jeans while Blogless Sandy was out battling the elements.
She’ll have open slather when she gets back.
I’m going to wander out and find a bar in the hotel, where no doubt I’ll find the others who came back with the bus.
A warming glass of red wine sounds like just the thing.
Dad joke of the day:
Wise decision. I’m with you, I hate getting rained on too.
What a pity! Plitvice is really wonderful with the sun! But on a rainy day, no meaning. I think you chose wisely.
Blogless Sandy said she’d come back here again in a heartbeat if she could be guaranteed a sunny day.