Blog Z2

Spent Sunday across the border in Zagreb; for years I've heard jokes about cities in the South Pacific being 'closed' or 'put your watch back ten years', but on the fringes of Europe, Sunday, not a decent cafe/snackbar open; a petrol station offers as much as is available in the rest of Zagreb on a Sunday. I always wondered why the incredible supply of Catholic churches in this region had so little patronage on a Sunday, yet the rules of the land decree everything be closed. The region is brimming with modern cars; why not some modern life? We found an unmemorable cafe with a couple of yesterday's pastries for sale, the tables wobbled, and the other tables were occupied by chainsmokers; we were clipped about ten percent on the change, which my partner , always accurate, corrected them on, but this land is queueing up to be let into the EU. Slovenia, already in, has a bit more on offer, at least the very low priced restaurants are open Sundays, but it doesn't take long to exhaust the possibilities culinarily around here; we've got a couple of favourite places, but they test us regularly with poor quality; regulars deserve a bit extra I reckon, but we get the opposite. So we dine in; treat ourselves when we can to the good comestibles, which are NEVER regularly stocked, and keep our treats for the odd trip to Italy or France. But if you are in the Balkans, cancel sunday; unless you enjoy spending time in a church sharing the incomprehensible with the incomprehensible. Nuff said.