Own a little, see a lot.

On the way to Zagreb in Croatia, I quickly visited Vienna in Austria because it was only two hours from Bratislava by train. It really amazed me how close these countries were physically and yet they have totally different vibes and cultures. I rented Lime, which is a small electric scooter that was quite popular on the streets in Europe and you could rent it on your mobile app with a few taps, and I quickly moved around Vienna. After a few hours of roaming around, I realized that to my own surprise I didn’t like Vienna very much. Maybe it was because I felt it was more expensive and crowded compared to Bratislava and Budapest, or perhaps because it had been overrated and over romanticised by the old me. It was probably also because I was expecting to see my Taiwanese friend Christine again, who happened to have a tour around town, however she couldn’t meet up with me because of  some issues with her group. I was a bit disappointed.

I was very happy to hop on my train to get to my next city, Zagreb in Croatia. It’s about a 6-hour train ride to Zagreb and the seat was very comfortable. I had received news that my original host, Alex, couldn’t receive me due to a high fever. However, at that point, I still couldn’t find any host. So I asked if Alex was feeling better and suggested that we could take care of each other if I stayed there. Alex heard about my situation and agreed to host me even though he was still a bit under the weather.

Alex was from France and was working in Zagreb on the construction of and design of luxurious cars. He had been staying at home for a few days so was happy to greet me. His home was very modern and cozy. He used to live in Japan for many years, so when he heard I was going to make some gyoza and soup for him, his face lit up.

The next day I went to buy groceries for gyoza and soup. It was lovely to shop in the local supermarket because you had a taste of how locals live. The weather in the Balkans was sunnier and the people seemed more friendly compared to the last few cities I visited in central and Eastern Europe. You should see how people were still welcoming when allowing me to use toilets in their restaurants, stores and even at an evening gala which I wasn’t invited to and only passed by. This was different from my experiences in cities like Budapest where you had to pay or become a customer to use it, which I totally respect. However, they just smiled a lot more.

I booked a history and photography tour in downtown Zagreb on Airbnb Experience, a service which I grew to like over the years.  I often found quality trips and deals over there. When I arrived downtown, there was a Christmas market going on. It was the most beautiful Christmas market I’d seen so far during my trip. Mirna showed up with her bike and we found another traveler, Rachel, who was a journalist from the US and had been traveling in the Balkans for a while.

Mirna took us off the beaten trail in Zagreb and shared many interesting anecdotes about Zagreb. I had already fallen in love with this colorful city! I couldn’t remember much detail about the history but I remember how cozy and relaxed I felt when I was wandering along the streets. The Christmas market also seemed quite endless, continuing up to the hill and many delicate decorations, sculptures and wall paintings along the way. We hung out together until it was dark and the sunset was breathtakingly beautiful under the Christmas lights. Although I only stayed in Zagreb for two nights, I would highly recommend Zagreb as a must-visit city in Europe.

Stay tuned...there’s much more to come!

In the next episode I’ll be sharing a story that happened in Split, Croatia.

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