Zagreb Series - Croatian National Theatre

The Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb

The Croatian National Theatre, Zagreb

The Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Zagrebu, commonly referred to as HNK Zagreb, is a grand building located in the middle of Marshall Tito Square in the Lower Town of Zagreb.  It offers theatre, opera and ballet programmes. Completed in the late 19th century, the theatre and the surrounding buildings are elegant representations of the neo-baroque style of that period.  

Thankfully, it does not have the stuffiness of Convent Garden, and a ticket to a ballet is priced at 130 HRK (equivalent to £14).  

On 25th April, I went with three colleagues after work to sample a trio of ballet programmes- George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, and Derek Deane.  There was minimal stage sets, as one would expect from the price of the ticket, but there was some outstanding ballet, performed by a multinational troupe. Sitting at the front row, the rib cages of the girls looked painfully exposed, and a number of dancers were so thin that they appeared to be anorexic. Sitting next to me was a big burly man who was extremely discriminating with his applause. At the end of some acts he would be mute with disapproval, and then he would burst into life with exclamations of "Bravo" for some other feats of dexterity. 

The dancers taking the stage at the end of the show
to thunderous applause

Eisenstadt, Austria

What prompted me to visit Eisenstadt, the state capital of Burgenland in Austria? Schloss   Esterházy, and a new experience outside Vienna.


Eisenstadt is about 1.5 hours away from Bratislava, reachable by train.  Or so I thought. From Bratislava-Petržalka station, according to the ZSR timetable, it was one change at Ort Parndorf , and then a direct train would take me to Eisenstadt.  Everything went to plan at Ort Parndorf; the train arrived, with Eisenstadt clearly displayed as the destination. Then things quickly unraveled. When the train stopped at  Neusiedl am See, and a new crew came on board, the guard duly informed me in German - a language that I do not speak or understand - that I had to get off at the next stop because the train was not going to Eisenstadt after all. When I did get off at the next stop, in the middle of nowhere, I had no clue how to continue with the journey. Then a fellow passenger who also fell foul of this change of route trick, offered a lift in his friend's car.  



Travelling along the foothills of the Leitha Mountains towards Eisenstadt, the route was lined with vineyards, more family than industrial production.  It was a beautiful spring day: the blue sky and the open country side could not but lift the spirit after a spell of wet and cold weather in Bratislava.

The Palace Park at Schloss Esterhazy

Schloss Esterhazy, Eisenstadt

An ornately crafted lamp stand
inside the apartment of Schloss Esterhazy

Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt is indeed a beautiful baroque palace and presents a fascinating view of the resplendent life once lived at the court of the Princes Esterházy, who originally hailed from Hungary, but maintained their primary residence at Eisenstadt to be near the imperial Hapsburg family at Vienna. The Palace is imposing from the outside, all honey colored stone, cleaned and glowing in the warm spring sunshine.  To visit the apartments, one has to join a tour, conducted entirely in German. There were a few jokes about the strictures of the court, which someone kindly translated for me, but in translation, the jokes were lost. The servants quarters were also open, their starkly austere interiors illustrated the upstairs, downstairs way of life in the 18th century.  

The sumptuous Haydnsaal

The showpiece of the Palace is undoubtedly the Haydnsaal.  Its size, interior design and appointments are a manifestation of the political, economic and cultural significance of the Esterházy princes. Today it is hailed as one of the most beautiful and outstanding concert halls in the world, above all because of its acoustics. Its name goes back to the renowned composer Joseph Haydn, who was in the Esterházy family’s service for almost forty years and composed many of his works in Eisenstadt.  The unique frescoes of the hall originate from the 17th century, and the splendid murals and ceiling paintings depict scenes from Greek mythology.  On the day of visit, the Shanghai Quartet was due to give a performance at 19:30 and the musicians were tuning up.

Bergkirche, Einsenstadt

Another destination is the Bergkirche, with its curiously shaped roof. On the day, a wedding was taking place and the bride, wearing a beautiful bridal gown, was calling for her mama to have the family photo taken.  Interestingly, the bride wore no make up and boasted a bed-hair hairstyle. 

Haydn's tomb, Bergkirche, Einstenstadt

Bergkirche houses Haydn's tomb, for which the tourists are charged €1 to view. It was strangely underwhelming to come face to face with the mausoleum of a composer whose music I enjoy, and it was disappointing that Haydn did not have a more fitting place to rest, hidden instead behind a pair of ugly doors. 


In the town centre is the Town Hall, situated at the end of a pedestrian precinct lined with cafes and boutiques.   Here, I met a delightful woman who teaches at an elementary school in a small village nearby, and she took me in her car to the Eisenstadt train station, where another story of missed connections back to Bratislava enfolded.  This woman, whose name I did not ask, bestowed on me kindness and generosity, and when she talked about her own three children and the other 14 in her class, I was touched by her smile and her kindness.

Rathaus, Eisenstadt

Zagreb Series - Spring blooms

Such a delight!  Spring blooms are carefully planted to give a stunning visual effect.

Zagreb Series - First Impressions

Vienna International Airport

Today I left Vienna for Zagreb.  It was the first time that I flew with Croatia Airlines and the fleet, operated by Tyrolean Airways, was parked quite a distance from the terminal.  Whilst waiting on the bus for other passengers to board, I saw the front of the terminal for the first time and was able to take a picture of it.  


Perhaps the bigger surprise was the sight of the fleet of De Havilland Canada DHC-8 airplanes with the Croatia Airlines livery. A further surprise came when all hand luggage had to go into the hold before boarding the plane. 


The journey from the airport to city centre only took 20 minutes.  High rise apartment blocks line the way.  Even the hotel looks utilitarian.  Despite its five star status, everything looks tired and used.  The worst feature of all is that only the public areas have wi fi. The lobby is dark and dingy, with leather armchairs that have been sat on by too many heavy customers.  The price of a la carte dining is frightening - two pieces of sea bream fillet with a cup of tea came to over £29.  As I am posting this blog, the handyman in the hotel finally gave up trying to fix the curtains that had come tumbling down in the sitting area of my hotel room.


There are some very impressive buildings in the city centre. There simply was not enough time to explore to give this charming city her justice.  

The Croatian National Theatre

The Mimara Museum

St Mark's Church

A statue near the Stone Gate

Devout Christian praying before the Virgin and the Child at the Stone Gate

St George slaying the dragon, in front of the National Theatre

A sculpture surrounding a water feature

View from the hotel room, probably the best feature

Easter decorations - Slovakia

All over Slovakia, there were a lot of Easter decorations on display.  Some of the eggs are  so beautifully painted that they are worth collecting.

Bojnický zámok, Central Slovakia

The fairy tale look of Bojnice Castle

Bojnice Castle is probably one of the most romantic castles in Slovakia.  From the outside, it  looks like a fairy tale castle in the Walt Disney tradition, standing on a rock above the city. Inside, there are treasures not often seen in other parts of Europe.  


Bojnice is off the highway and is accessible on a single carriageway either from Nitra or Trenčín.  It is not a destination to be rushed to or rushed off from, as there are strict speed limits on these single carriageways.  The car park next to the castle charges €4, a modest sum compared to car parking charges in other parts of the country.


What sets the Castle apart is that entry is with a guide only, and on the day of the visit, the guide spoke only one language: Slovakian.  No apologies to foreigners who do not understand a word of it.  In our group was a woman in a wheelchair, and she was man handled by her three friends up down a lot of steep staircases, all of which was done in good humour. I could not but admire such positive attitude. Another thing of note was that the locals hardly took any pictures at all, it was as if photography not was a hobby of the nation. 

Beautifully crafted carved wall in the Great Hall, Bojnice Castle

Exquisite leather wall covering, Oriental Room, Bojnice Castle

A stunningly magnificent ceiling in the Golden Hall, Bojnice Castel

View of Bojnice town from the Castle

On the approach to the Castle, a small magnolia tree proudly displayed its blooms.  But the beauty of nature was drowned by the surrounding cheap food stalls.  A hamburger could be had for €4, but it would be hard to tell that it was a hamburger were not sold as one.

Spišský Hrad, East Slovakia

The ruins of Spiš Castle are a sight to behold from a distance, towering on top of a limestone cliff over 600m above sea level.

To reach the Castle, the tourists are directed to a car park which requires a climb up a steep hill that can last thirty minutes, often battling a sharp biting wind on a very cold April day.  Other more knowing Slovakians find their way to a car park on the other side of the hill, and it was just a skip and a hop to the main gate.  

The castle hill, encircled by a huge wall, was once the political, administrative and economic centre of East Spiš. One can't imagine how huge this structure is; seeing is believing!  The Castle now serves as a museum and the lower part is open to the public who can admire the preserved ramparts and towers.  From the top of the Castle, there are magnificent views to the surrounding countryside.

The magnificent Spis Castle, 600m above sea level

Views from the Spis Castle

Ramparts of the Spis Castle

Lower Gate to the Castle

Vlkolínec, Central Slovakia

Lying to the north of Ružomberok, an ugly industrial town belching with smoke from the paper mill, is Vlkolínec, a preserved folk village now listed as an UNESCO World Heritage site.  It is reached by a dirt track, with limited passing places, and the entry is controlled by a woman who did not speak a word of English.  The entry fee is €2, plus €1 for car parking (with a ticket provided for the dashboard!)


Vlkolínec is a remarkably well preserved mountain settlement below the Sidorovo mountain, on the inner slopes of the West Carpathians.  According to literature, it is a typical Central Slovakian settlement that can be found in the mountain and foothills in the northern part of Central Slovakia.  The village has a single street with houses arranged on both its sides.  The basic building material is timber: the walls of the houses are made of logs or timber, and the roofs of the houses are covered with shingle, ended in half-circles and a peg. In the central square is a belfry and at the eastern edge of the village is a baroque classical Church of the Virgin Mary, which was closed on the day.


Not the entire village is cut off from the "real" world: there are cars parked outside the houses. Some villagers, perhaps tired of prying tourists, have erected "Private Property" signs outside their doors.  The key to the toilet is controlled by the shop keeper next to the Museum, who charged 30 cents for the privilege.  A small bottle of Kofola here is €1,20, whereas the normal price is €1. 

Wooden sculptures at the entry to Vlkolínec

The belfry in the centre of the village, Vlkolínec

Two of the brightly painted cottages at Vlkolínec

Walls constructed from logs

Storage of logs widely seen at Vlkolínec

Štrbské Pleso, Grand Hotel Kempinksi

The Grand Hotel Kempinski put on a good show at Easter: food and entertainment.  The traditional Slovak dinner had all the familiar elements: Bryndzové halušky, duck with pancakes, red cabbage, ham, and other rich food packed with cholesterol. 

For entertainment, Marian Čekovský and his band of merry men took over the main lobby on Saturday night.  The star of the night was the saxophonist, whose vocal range dominated. On Sunday, the Folk Group Magura, all pretty girls and macho young men danced, stomped, whistled (men) and shrieked (girls) to the accompaniment of a small band (two violins, one cello and one accordion).  

Traditional Slovak fare : duck, pancake, red cabbage

Easter eggs, with compliments of hotel

Marain Cekovsky & band
The saxophonist giving his all, and some

Folk Group Magura
at the main lobby Kempinsk Hotel

Štrbské Pleso, East Slovakia

Market at Štrbské Pleso

Štrbské Pleso lies on the southern shore of Lake Štrbské, at an altitude of 1,346m. At Easter time, this resort was packed with families, mostly in their ski wear.  At the small market just below the ski slopes, merchants were selling soft toys, slippers and other tourist tack made from sheep skin.  Disappointingly, mostly all the stalls obtained their goods from the same warehouse.  At the medovina stall, there was no marked price, suggesting that the prices may fluctuate to suit the audience. These kind of tourist stalls seem such a distraction from the true pleasures of a mountain resort.

From the veranda of our first room, we could see the beautiful glacial Lake Pleso.  Later, we were moved to a quieter part of the hotel complex, and from the turret, reached by a spiral staircase from the main bedroom, we had a pleasant view of the High Tatras and the hotel.

View of the frozen Štrbské Pleso,
from the veranda of our first room

The Grand Hotel Kempinski,
seen from the turret of our second room