I’m not the summer type of a person. Nor the kind of man who plans his summer vacation during the whole year, looking where to spend great amount of money I didn’t even earned jet, and than strangling all the people I know with thousands of photos of sunrises and sunsets. O, no, not me. And I usually travel alone. I can’t agree with myself sometimes, not to mention situations with friends when we quarreled over everything: settling, tours, food, booze, everything!

So, I came in Zagreb alone. It is big business and student center of Croatia so it has all kinds of settling: hotels for comfortable ones, apartments for those in company, hostels and rooms for adventurous like myself. I’ve managed to find one in the center, a bit old fashion, but clean and comfortable, even to comfortable since I didn’t plan to spend much time in it.

I came by plane and I was surprised how close the airport to city is. Later, I was pleased to find out that Zagreb, although the capital of the state, isn’t colossal and crowdie. It counts about 800.000 residents. That number increased over 70% in past century, but the city somehow managed to keep humanity in his fibers. Zagreb has lots of class; long streets trimmed with greenness and tall facades with soft lines smiling at passers by. I’ve wondered around with my head filled with plans; wanted to see all of its museums so I found out that there are sixteen of them in the centre of the city. In a way the old city is the museum it self like many towns in Europe; milky windows ticked around shady courtyards, stiff stairs to historical entity with small stoned squares and lighted towers. Friendly bars in great sellers or on the street terraces were I could sit for hours watching the vivacious crowd passing by. I enjoyed the food, vine and bear especially. The women are gorgeous there.

I even fell in love one evening. I met her over the glass of a good bear. She was in company of her two friends, a guy and a girl I don’t remember the names. We spent the evening together, they were curious about me and my way of life and they took me from one bar to another. All people I meet in Zagreb were gently and friendly. They tried to make this evening special for me, but they didn’t suspect that it is already special as I looked in her mysterious big eyes. The rest of my days in Zagreb I spent tracking those magical eyes; suddenly it seemed to me all the people waving from the windows of houses, cars, buses and trams. Every museum, theater, restaurant or a nightclub I remember perfectly, not only because of their good offer or staff, but for the anticipation I was experiencing waiting to spot her once again. I started to think I have lost my mind, so I packed my things and moved on with a great hesitation in my heart. I’ve left many things unseen, but I don’t regret about it.

Watch me, Zagreb, I’m coming back!

Source: http://www.direct-croatia.com/news-archive