Getting to Zagreb, and leaving Hungary

Leaving Budapest, we were on a limited access toll road going through flat farm land. Mostly green fields, a few vineyards, remarkably few herds of livestock and

a few small towns.  It was a pretty drive and easy.

We got off the highway to see Lake Balaton, the largest lake in central Europe. And it looked big, clear and like a resort.  

Trying the selfie thing again.

This is the Ban Jelalic Square or the main square in Zagreb.  Photo taken from our hotel room window on the 4th floor.

It is the City Center and crossroads of the tram system and at rush hour was really full of people.  

Ban Jelalic a famous General who fought with the Hapsburgs to help surpress the 1848 revolutions has his statue here.  After World War II the Russians/Soviets removed this statue and Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia (the country that Croatia used to be part of )kept it in storage.  After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, the statute was returned to this square.

That is Ban Jelalic Square in the background, and our hotel on the corner.  We are looking for a restaurant.

Just a sunset along the tram line.

That  is Hrvatska Postanska Banka.  "Hrvatska" is the Croat word for Croatia.  Kinda like the Thai word for Thailand is Pratetthai.  The Croat pronunciation for their Hrvatska is Hur(roll the "r") vat (say it like a German/Russian would like "what" — like "vut".)  This middle syllable gets the accent.  then ska with a short a sound.  So it is Hurvutska  ——  MAGIC almost just like it is spelled!!

I love Croat.  I will be getting Croatian magazine subscriptions for youall for Christmas.