landing in Zagreb

I’ve been in Zagreb. It was the first time I’d been in Croatia and I’m a new kid. Gulping in the Austro-Hungarian architecture with time crumbling facades and kind of heavy sounding softness of the language. First moment on the street and two old men walk by deep in conversation and its musical. Built over two hills in 12th century, Zagreb met a turbulent history gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 but at local war until 1999. I’m taken round the city centre by a dynamic guide who not only manages to clarify that terrible war we were so confused about over in UK in the 90’s, but also fills every second with information so that even the contrasts within all this architecture begin to make sense. Also curious additions like the different animals etched onto the coins and the kuna (currency) meaning pine marten. This kind of explains something about this place. It’s Mediterranean slow and friendly and green things are everywhere.