We have driven through Karlovac many times but have never explored this place. We chose to stay here this time because it is close to the village where we planned to go next to see a cousin who lives on the land where my paternal grandmother’s grandmother grew up, ie, my great great grandma, Kata Ivošević.
Karlovac is about an hour or less southwest of Zagreb. Passing by it we have always felt it looked rough and beat up. But on this visit we discovered that while it is true there are many old buildings in various states of disrepair, there are quite a lot of old buildings from the 18th and 19th century that have been recently renovated or are in process. It’s far from being a tourist destination but has potential.
This city was hit hard in the 90’s war and there are still bullet holes pocking many houses and buildings. There are also many small buildings that look 100% uninhabitable that are being lived in as can be seen by lace curtains, flowers in the windows, and lights on at night.
We arrived Thursday early afternoon. Our generous hosts let us check in early which we deeply appreciated. As usual I did my best to find a place away from the center of town. Our apartment was on the ground floor below the owner’s place. The woman that checked us in was friendlier than most in Croatia but clearly not interested in hanging out and chatting for long. That is ok with us. We don’t expect it here. When i asked if we could drink the tap water (Google said it was ok) she said, ‘please dont’. She said the pipes in that part of town were replaced a couple years ago and ever since the water is sometimes brown. It looked fine during out stay but we chose to drink bottled spring water just in case. I’m always a little bit puzzled and annoyed when hosts don’t post a sign saying not to drink the water.
The comfortable two bedroom apartment was built in 1975 but sat unoccupied until the current owners bought it 5 years ago. They obviously updated it. The living-dining-kitchen area was huge- big enough to have a dance or to roller skate around the room. We did neither.
That first afternoon we walked about 20 minutes up a very steep road to a renovated castle (visible from the apartment) that now houses a museum and a restaurant. It was built in the 13th century and remodeled in the 14th and 15th centuries, and again in the 18th, and restored in the 1950s. It’s attractive but as I have written on past trips, I have mixed feelings about restoring old buildings. I am not against it but they don’t enchant me as much as ruins do.
From there we walked steeply down through woods, past a big church under renovation, and down to a path along the Kupa River, fairly wide and not very deep. Google says the upper reaches of the river are clear and clean, and in general it is clean in Karlovac except after heavy rains or industrial accidents. We did see ducks, a grey heron and some fish jumping.
Jim was feeling unusually tired and suspected he might be fighting off a cold. We went home and rested a bit before setting off in a different direction toward a restaurant suggested by our host. Along the way we passed a cemetery set on a hill at the edge of a forest. At the top of the graveyard is a large impressive structure with arches that runs from one side of the cemetery to the other. We were unsure if it was a monument to a group of people or dedicated to just one person. We wanted to check it out but didn’t have time.
The restaurant food was fine. The waiter pleasant. Prices in Croatia are higher than in Serbia bit still considerably less than in the US.
The next morning Jim was still feeling tired and his chest a bit tight but he wanted to go walk and explore the city anyway, so we walked along the river path into the photogenic old part of the city. I find the old dilapidated structures and the renovated structures equally satisfying to look at. There’s a long pedestrian mall with a few cafes and businesses but when we were there not many people were about. We suspect it might one day become a popular spot and I’m sure those investing in redoing the buildings are hoping so too. Past this area is very large park bordered on one side by another river, supposedly clean enough to swim in in the summer. Part of the park is built on the site of a 16th century star- shaped fort where the original city stood, a fortress created to keep out the Turks.
We stopped at a bakery to get a few pastries, then happened in upon a donut shop where I had coffee and Jim had tea. We bought a couple small water color paintings, one for a friend and one for ourselves. We assumed the artist was local but we discovered later that although her dad is Croatian and she has been here many times, she is actually Canadian.
We walked back home, Jim rested, then set out again for dinner. The first place we stopped at, right by the river and known for its fish entrees, did not have anything on the menu that appealed to us, and Jim felt uncomfortable because a guy at a nearby table kept staring at him in a way that made him uncomfortable. So even though Jim was not feeling great we walked further into the city and ate at Tiffany’s, another place suggested by our host. The food was good and waiter, from Macedonia, friendly. He hopes to visit America some day, particularly Chicago. We were intrigued by an untended baby in a baby buggy outside in the courtyard. We have seen this before over here. Leaving a baby alone outside is not something one would ever do in Seattle, or any U.S. city. By the time we arrived home we had walked nearly 7 miles that day, probably not the wisest thing to do on a day when Jim felt he might be getting a cold.
We were due to drive to Kolarić the next day but wrote our cousin there letting him know about Jim’s mild symptoms. We told him we would absolutely understand if he’d rather us not come. We didn’t want to risk getting him, or especially his mom (who is almost 80) sick. At that point Jim’s symptoms were mild- he was tired and ever so slightly congested. Ljubo asked us to check in the next morning. Jim felt about the same so Ljubo said to go ahead and come as planned. We offered for Jim to wear a mask but Ljubo did not ask that of him. So the next morning we drove about 35 minutes to Kolarić. It was the first time in nearly 6 weeks of travel that we actually had to drive in the rain.
pix: our place on right; across alley from our place; old castle; old houses; Orthodox Church (redone after war); Catholic Church and square under renovation; falling apart house yet lived in (notice the man); notice baby buggy in the last photo.
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