Writer’s note to readers: First, there are photos but the internet capabilities will not let me pull them off my phone. Photos will come and I will mark the places where they should go.
Three weeks in Zagreb with 12 students and a program assistant was busy, overwhelming at times, but productive. I got amazing hugs from every one of the 12 women students after the closing dinner. To see what we did visit the website: traveljournalismcroatia@wordpress.com.
Each guest to the class brought a new insight to understanding Croatia: history, tourism, green visions for the tourism industry, travel writing pro, and restaurateur. I traveled about the city on trams and on foot. I ate mostly Croatian food and fell in love with Štruklji, a pastry with cottage cheese baked. There were many bakeries about and Dulac market had every imaginable fresh vegetables, fruits, local honey and cheeses. Food was always fresh and plentiful. Could buy a quart of huge, ripe off the vine strawberries for 12 kuna (approximately $1.50). We would wash them at the market and eat them out of the container. They were so good. Risotto was served with fresh zucchini or asparagus. Delish. We ate well. Breakfast was a buffet in the Westin hotel dining room. I got there early, I have food issues when it comes to others using a buffet and this time it was justified, in that many, many tour buses would come into the hotel in the evening, they would spend the night, eat breakfast and leave. Most of these groups were Asian (specifically Korean), who were very aggressive at the buffet in order to meet their schedule, plus the hotel processed 500 breakfasts every morning. It was a mad house. So…I would get there at 6:30 when it opened, get my few things and start my day with two cups of bad coffee. Though people drink a lot of it here, and the wine is excellent (a glass of wine from 8-15 kunas, $1.25 to $2.00) and decent table wine, the coffee is terrible. One must bury it in milk to drink it. The fact that Croatians are known for sitting at a coffee bar in the city for several hours sipping coffee says a lot, it takes that long to get a cup down and it really makes no difference if it is hot or cold. That said, the wine is worth it. Many vineyards, many really quality white wines, fewer choices in red wines, and really superior sparking wines. The region reminds me of Northern Italy. I attended a wine tasting at Bornsteins Wine Bar and Shop for a sampling of Croatian wines. This shop is in a 200 year old cellar just up from the Cathedral in upper town of Zagreb. The owners Doris and Ivan, were delightful teachers about the wine and the region. The wine tasting came with a cheese and meat tray of local foods (to include olives, olive oil, and fresh baked bread, oh, and thin bread sticks). Two hours later we left with two wonderful bottles of wine intended for our picnic on the Thursday before we completed the course. Lovely time.
When one goes to Croatia, one must experience the food and wine.
Leara Rhodes 