CE de la Zagreb (The End): Mansarda apartment in the middle of the city.

We're absolutely lucky: we spent our week in Zagreb in this amazing apartment (called Mansarda because it is, in fact, an attic-apartment). After our arrival, I wrote the following (so-called) review; and I meant every word of it. Here it is (and trust my words: this is the place to book if you're planning a trip to Zagreb):

"This is not a review, this a (real) story :). I’ll start with that: I’ll pack my bags and move tomorrow in this beautiful apartment, Mansarda in Zagreb. For good. There, I’ve said it! And, please, take into consideration the fact that I’m very picky; I kinda troubled Dina with a lot of questions prior to our visit to Zagreb (given our previous experiments with rented apartments in Europe; I’ll give you only one of these scary stories: picture us, a group of four, having troubles with the shower in Turin, Italy; and trying to explain the owner, by phone, which was the issue; in Italian: Abbiamo un problema con la doccia… Lo scarica non functiona). So, this time I wanted to be something else; and it was! And Dina – the owner – was amazingly nice; and answered to all our questions.

And let’s say that this particular apartment just in the middle of Zagreb is everything you want from an apartment: it’s spacious, warm, beautifully decorated and – most importantly – breathes a familiar air. You feel like home from the beginning (and by beginning I mean fresh coffee and Croatian pastry on the table, at our arrival) till the very end. For me, having returned from Zagreb a week ago, this city means two things: figure skating (the town hosted the European Championships) and Mansarda – this apartment on Gajeva 40. I didn’t get to see anything in the city, but I got to live for a week in this apartment; and I’ll come back tomorrow; that much I liked it. And I usually don’t connect with rented apartments; they’re impersonal, cold and empty, even during summer. This one is not; it had a life before us, the guests, and you feel that.

So much for the poetry, let’s get to the administrative details. Bedrooms: three; and lovely. Living room: my favorite part of the house; I’ve stood and stood on the couch in the living room, drinking tea in the night and writing the stories of the championships on my blog. The kitchen: had everything. The bathroom: a room with a tub, on one hand, and a toilet with two sinks (you gotta love the light entering in the morning in these rooms…). The apartment has it’s own heating system, don’t you worry (you can stay in a T-shirt). What else? Yes, Mansarda is on the third floor of an old building (but the building is very safe; no worries). It has no elevator; so you have to carry your bags until the end of the stairs; but if it had an elevator, we never have noticed the sledges of the children living in the building, outside every door, and the flowers; and of course, the – almost – imperial stairs. So, I can tell you that: you’ll love this apartment; I’m sure you will.

(Trust me, this is not a commercial; I haven’t been paid by Dina to write the review :)). I’m here for any questions you might have).

Florentina,
Bucharest
Romania
January 2013".

I have nothing to add. Just book Mansarda :).

CE de patinaj de la Zagreb (The end): despre prima zi la Dom Sportova, cu bucurie.

Sa ne intoarcem la prima zi in Zagreb, shall we? Nu de alta, dar avem bunul obicei de-a ne poza (de-a ne lasa pozate) imediat dupa ce ne ridicam biletele/abonamentele, fericite nevoie mare. Amintiti-va, va rog, de Torino si de Nisa si de moacele noastre zambarete...

La Zagreb era insa o vreme numai buna de stat in casa cand am ajuns noi la Dom Sportova. Ningea cu fulgi mari in tot orasul si noi eram deja terci dupa - v-am povestit asta - o noapte neplanificata in Viena. Insa, cu toata oboseala, cu toata moleseala, dupa ce ne-am lasat bagajele in minunatul nostru apartament din centrul Zagrebului, fuga-fuga la arena. La Dom Sportova. Si intram sa ne revendicam abonamentele fix in spatele lui Plushenko, care intra si el, cu trupa (Misin si coregraful), la sesiunea de antrenamente din patinoarul oficial. Coate-coate si iesim. Si ne pozam cu gura pana la urechi. Si ne mai dam o data niste coate, ca pluteste Brezina pe langa noi, intr-o mare de fulgi. Si gata, repede-repede, in arena, ca-i frig; si-avem o zi lunga in fata.

Despre prima zi in Dom Sportova v-am mai povestit. Aici si-aici. Ma simt insa mai generoasa cat priveste pozele, asa ca, uite, revin. Cu minime observatii. Si cu accent mai mult pe noi; pe noi, acolo, in Dom Sportova, la primul European din "cariera" noastra de fane. Poftim:

V-am dezinformat la un moment da, va amintiti? V-am spus ca Javi n-a binevoit sa intre pe gheata (iar Plushenko, pregatit sa-si vada concurenta la antrenamente, a parasit patinaoarul fara sa vada nimic :)). Dar, vedeti voi, lui Fernandez i se pierduse bagajul intre avioane; bagajul, cu tot cu patine. Asa ca si-a repetat sariturile pe loc, pe langa Orser...

...iar Orser l-a prezentat la un moment dat Tarasovei. Iar Javi a stat cuminte, cu mainile la spate, in timp ce antrenorul l-a laudat (nu, nu, n-am stat langa ei; dar fotografiile astea nu spun altceva :)).