Chapter 2: Koprivnica – Plitvice National Park!
It’s still not really spectacular, but at least the word “amazing” is in place here – and I’m referring to Plitvice National Park.
Oh yes, it sounds good, 16 azure-blue lakes with hundreds of big and small waterfalls to connect them, but you have to see it to grasp the sheer beauty… I tried to catch part of that beauty in some pics, though.
Lakes, falls, and nature, that’s what you’ll get – after some pics of Koprivnica and around.
The Wonders of Plitvice
Koprivnica / Varazdin Toplice / Ludbreg / …
Koprivnica: Setting up a tobogan can be quite fun!
Meet Ratko and his family!
For those who don’t know: I met Ratko in November 2004 in Terelj National Park, Mongolia – check out this for pics and this page for the story (in dutch).
Had a short but great time there, so at the end of April this year, when I was in doubt between going to Schotland, Portugal or Croatia, I got an email from him just to say hello… and my decision was made 😎
They have a small (but growing 😉 company “Petar Pan“, which brings “big jumping&flying toys” to kids: tobogans, trampolines, bungee trampolines,… If you’d go to Croatia and see one of those toys on the beach, you can always go and check out if its them! – If so, say hello from me 🙂
From top to bottom, left to right: Unpacking the tobogan / Ratko and Andrea showing that it’s sometimes ok to be laid back while working / Ratko and Vesna, his wife.
You need a lot of wind to get that tobogan up, but unfortunately, it’s not quite enough to make the clouds go away…
…yet, you don’t need the sun to have fun, do you?
Varazdin Toplice
Varazdin Toplice: Lonely Hot Springs
Did you ever wish to have a whole swimming pool, with nice&warm water from the nearby hot springs, all for yourself?
I can tell you: it’s not that much fun. Ok, there were a few other people there, and I had a nice swim followed by a refreshing nap, but in the end it was a bit boring…:-/ Liked the Nantian Hot Springs on Hainan Dao better, check this page.
But ok, nobody every said you should really go&see Northern Croatia 😉
Medo! – you just gotta love him…
…if you don’t get scared…
Medo (Croatian for “bear”) is Ratko’s dog, and what a dog!
He’s not that big, but as you can see on this pic, yet pretty impressive… Only one small problem: due to his short descendence tree from his predator ancestory, he tends to attack any other male animal that dares to come too close, including cats… but who cares about cats, as long as he’s sweet to people and children that’s ok right? ;o)
Ratko, if you read this: there’s a few cats bothering me here at home, so…. 8-P
Ludbreg: Center of the Earth
Not very special – in a way, it’s because it’s not special at all, that I found it quite amusing: the story goes that “Ludbreg is in the very center of the world because Earth’s circles were delineated from that place in ancient times, and European capital cities were placed on their peripheries. Ludberga and Saint Florian watch over the center of the world. They unite four elements, water and fire, soil and air. The fifth is added to them, “the Ludbreg’s sparkling wine”, always used to celebrate the anniversary of the centre of the world on the first of April.”
Isn’t that just deliciously absurd? If I wouldn’t know better, I’d think I was in France, seeing so much “egocentrism” 😉
Yet, if you notice the date of the “anniversary of the centre of the world”, you may wonder who’s laughing at who…
Ratko, Ready to Ride!
Ratko took us all horse riding near Koprivnica, which was unexpectedly enjoyable.
Ratko, galloping!
He’s really good on a horse – I’d heard stories about it, but it’s true! 🙂
Me, a bit slower, but having at least as much fun 🙂
Notice my motorbike boots… as you’ll see later, they’ve served lots of purposes on this journey…
I already showed you this funny puppy, didn’t I?
Welcome to this world!
Just the night before we were there, this [young horse] was born – sorry, forgot his name. Although everybody (?) knows (and though you can’t see it on this picture, of course), I still find it amazing to see a 1-day-old standing up as if it’s the simplest thing in the world…
By the way, I can’t seem to find the word for young horse in English?! My favourite online dictionary is failing, so could anybody help me?
And a really nice Croatian stew to conclude!
No, it wasn’t horse meat… 😉
Storks, just along the road back from Koprivnica, towards Zagreb.
Plitvice National Park: welcome to Slappy Country!
Ok, for “hungry” readers, the real fun is starting now…!
For those who wonder, slap is Croation for waterfall – easy to guess for onomatope-lovers 🙂
Just a tip if you’re planning to visit: there’s two entrances, and I advise you to take number 2.
The advantage is double: they take you on a sort of train to the highest lake, so you only have to walk downhill (not that we’re lazy, of course); and more importantly, I really had the impression that most of the buses with people on a day trip from Zagreb or Split go to entrance 1, and they probably start around 10am. So, if you start at the top quite early in the morning and walk down, you’ll get to see more falls and less people, I believe.
Everywhere you look, even if you’d try to look away: waterfalls, and… waterfalls!
Kwaaaak.
I know it probably sounds horrible and I should be punished just for having the thought, but it would be so funny to take a needle and…… $-]
Little fish, little fish, let me in!
[You do know this song, don’t you?!]
One of my favourite pics, for some reason – try watching it full screen, the colors are quite bizarre.
Why I sing “let me in”? Well, in a way, the pity about Plitvice is that there’s so many beautiful big and small lakes, so many waterfalls inviting you to give yo a refreshing shower, but… you’re not allowed to swim there… :-/
Probably the best from an environmental point of view, but still…
Fish in Formation
Did you ever notice fish swimming in formation? I didn’t, until I was taking a break and watching this small group.
The reason doesn’t seem to be the same as for birds (efficiency, conservation of energy), but rather it’s as if they would form a “maze”: facing upstream, this formation allows them to each get their part of whatever food it is they’re catching in the water. Just float there, and let the water run through there gills!
Mighty Plitvice, first big falls
I could impress you with all the names of those falls and lakes, but I’d have to look them up for that…
Why bother – just sit back and enjoy, I’d say.
Mini Plitvice, you could say…
Simply magnificent…
…and romantic…
…though that’s hard to say if you’re a guy alone there :-/
Also, remember I was there still in the low season – you’d have a hard time shooting this pic in August, I guess.
If I was that duck, I’d feel intimidated, I think…
…and yes, he’s checking for fish wanting to get airborne…?
Me and a Beer, Sun, Lakes and Falls: what else can you wish for?
Stunning view on the lower part of the lakes…
…with just one really big fall after that.
The same gigantic fall, but looking from above.
It’s also a great place to observe the people in admiration down there 😎
And just when you think you’ve seen ’em all…
…there’s just another one behind the corner…
Simply amazing, that’s all I should say.
Tags: z June 2006 - Croatia: Mountain Meets Marine
Frederik
July 10th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Thank’s Frederik, I was enjojing looking at this at 6am, nice way to start day…………..
July 10th, 2006 at 5:05 pm
a newborn horse, little one, is in English called foal, and little femail horse is filly
July 11th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Tnx!
I’ll buy you a Duvel for that 8-]
July 11th, 2006 at 3:50 pm
I hold you on that one thought we meet us when will be 70 years old. Brrrrrrrr