Up at 6 am today to catch the bus from Daruvar a d then train to Zagreb, this is where I met Melanie, a retired tourism pro who kindly gave me a two-hour guided commentary along the way. She pointed out Remetinec Prison—apparently the “privileged” spot for short sentences under six months, complete with three meals a day and no scary bars.
We trundled past “Bambi’s mum’s farm,” with the train crawling at 20 km/h in places while workers replaced old wooden sleepers with concrete ones.
Zagreb itself is a treat—stunning architecture, though the main cathedral is closed for repairs. The fruit and veg market was buzzing, chestnuts I didn’t know they came in their spiky shells, and pastry/shops tempt from every corner. I even found fresh licorice allsorts in the lolly stores. Lucky I’m only here one night, or I’d need a pastry detox!