Plitvice

To all of my friends in Bjelovar:  There is entirely too much to write about your awesome town before I leave to go back to the States.   So I have decided to use what time I have left talking about my experience in Plitvice yesterday and spend proper time on your story when I get home.  Sorry it will be out of order.

Throughout my interviews I have asked the same question, "What is the most beautiful place in Croatia?"  Over and over I am told Split, Dubrovnik or some other Adriatic coastal town.  Of course these places are amazing and I think most Americans would be very surprised to learn of their existence.

Dubrovnik

Split, Croatia

Beach in Dubrovnik

 But one young beautiful Bjelovar woman said, "Plitvice".  I said, "Where??"  Slavica, her English teacher jumped out of her chair and whole heartedly agreed.  This is a gem of Croatia she explained.  Well, maybe someone has mentioned this to me before but my head has been swimming with so much information that I don't remember it.

To say it is a gem is accurate in more ways than one.    This protected national park contains an amazing collection of waterfalls, caves, and 16 lakes surrounded by a thick green forest. The park is known for its lakes the color of sapphires or emeralds depending on the sunlight and the minerals in the water. But what grabs your attention immediately are the breathtaking waterfalls. 

On my last day in Croatia I had no more interviews or classes so I decided to squeeze in a trip to Plitvice.  Admittedly, this was just a sightseeing excursion without much consideration for cultural exploration as is the purpose of this project.  But I didn't much care. Because of the amazing stories told to me about this park I would have considered myself cheated if I had not made time to go.

Of course the weather didn't cooperate and we faced a cold and rainy day.  As we drove up into the mountains it got colder and wetter.  I tried to pack light for my trip to Croatia so I really had nothing appropriate to wear.  The weather has varied from very cold to warm since I've been here so I'm not sure I could have prepared properly anyway.  Thank goodness I had my running shoes and a waterproof windbreaker and a little miniature umbrella that folds up to about 4 inches in length.  I looked ridiculous.  But I must say not as ridiculous as some of the tourists I saw that day. Ballet slippers are not proper hiking shoes!! When we pulled up to the main entrance there were bus loads of children on field trips and groups of tourists, mostly German.   I decided it was a good idea to use the WC (bathroom) before we began a 4-6 hour hike but the load of children beat me to it and the line was crazy long.  So I went to the souvenir shop to wait it out and found a very nice and thick sweatshirt with Plitvice Lakes embossed on the front.  I didn't care how much it cost, that money was the single best purchase of the trip. For the next several hours I would greatly appreciate that sweatshirt.

We chose which route we would take (based on time) and we began our hike.  We walked mostly under a canopy of trees so I didn't feel it necessary to use my umbrella.  That would soon change.  After entering the park for only about a minute you are presented with your first set of majestic waterfalls that made me stop in my tracks like I hit a brick wall.  I couldn't get my camera out fast enough.  The rest of the tourists and myself are jockeying for position to get to the best vantage point to snap away.  I didn't yet realize how complicated taking photos and manipulating the pathways is going to be.  I will.

We walk the dirt paths around and around, up the mountain, around the lakes.  Then the paths become wooden and more difficult to walk on.  The slats of branches they are made from are not uniform and if you are not paying attention your foot can go in sideways.  This is made more difficult because the rain is making it slippery.  Also, as the paths descend you can't always see where the step goes down because it all looks like the same color.  So, snapping photos and walking becomes hazardous.  No one but me seems to have any trouble with it though.  (just like in America)

With each turn we see more and more breath taking beauty.  Then we come to probably the most amazing (and dangerous) part.  The pathway, made of slippery wooden branches, is at the top of a gorge winding around the side of the mountain with tourists going both ways.  Water is shooting from the mountain over the pathway and down into the gorge.  There is a rail to hold on while you snap photos.  So imagine...digging your camera out of your bag (you have to keep it protected because it's raining) trying to get the lens cap off with one hand and hold the umbrella with the other while tourists are bottlenecking behind you and all you can see is hundreds of feet down.  Beautiful and heart pounding at the same time.  When I got everything put away I'm staring at the back of a tourist with a stroller!!!  And a baby is in this stroller.  She's trying to maneuver it through the above described circumstance.  It was absurd.

I am holding on for dear life with one hand and snapping with the other.

The rain is really coming down now and I guess it's about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  It's becoming more and more difficult to take pictures.  For one thing, my fingers have stopped functioning.  For another, I have the whole open camera bag, remove lens cap, set aperture, hold umbrella and put it all back again before ruining my camera in the rain, all while creating a traffic jam in the line of tourists issue to deal with.

At one point in the hike you take a ferry across the lake.  I am very happy to sit down and take a rest for a bit and admire God's piece of artwork before me.  I'm not even bothered by the fact that I have to share the ferry with 50 loud middle schoolers and sit on a wet cold seat.  But I am glad I'm wearing my quick dry travel pants, though.

When we get to the other side of the lake we decide the route we want to take is whatever is the quickest way back to the car.  Knowing now that I will not have any more opportunities to take pictures after this I put forth my best effort to thaw the fingers and take my last series of photos.  As I am standing there trying to get my camera ready a woman hikes by in open toed high heeled wedges.  I have to laugh out loud at the complete ridiculousness of it.  So much rain is causing the pathways to practically wash away and most are underwater.  The rapids in some areas are either equal or higher than some of the walkways.  And this woman is in high heels.  And she is not the only one I have seen.   I often hear how Europeans think that Americans don't wear proper shoes for specific situations.   However, in this situation, the American wins.

We got back to the car and tried to peel off our wet clothes and crank up the heat as high as it would go.  There is no hope for my running shoes.  Right before I got in the car I stepped in a 6 inch puddle full of muddy leaves and water.  These shoes have now been downgraded from running shoes to Guadalupe River shoes. 

No matter the weather conditions on that day it was an amazing sight seeing tour and I feel very fortunate to have been there.  My Croatian experience is complete.  A big thanks to Sven for driving us and being my tour guide.  (Even if I did have to close my eyes for most of his driving, lol)

I love Croatia,
Chris