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 (8): trei ore in orasul-gazda.

Altfel spus, trei ore in orasul din care n-am vazut mai nimic; desi am stat in el o saptamana incheiata. Aceste trei ore, de dinaintea plecarii spre aeroport, ar fi trebuit sa compenseze tot ce n-am vazut/facut - o esenta concentrata, foarte concentrata, de Zagreb. Asa ca iata ce-am facut, pe repede inainte: m-am pozat cu Al Pacino, am pozat catedrala si copacii scrijeliti, m-am pozat cu Goran Karan (ascultati aici una dintre melodiile mele dragi; caci il stiu pe Goran Karan de la Eurovision, din 2000...)

...am fugit dupa porumbei, am luat la pas centrul orasului - caci baietii il stiau foarte bine dupa o saptamana, am trecut prin piata si prin magazinele de suvenire (ocazie cu care mi-am luat un ou din ceramica; ousorul colorat sta la noi in camera acum, pe un raft de la Ikea - si se potriveste perfect), am cumparat o punga mare de ceaiuri Frank (iubesc ceaiurile astea, mai cu seama pe cele de cirese; daca ajungeti in Zagreb nu uitati, va rog, amanuntul asta esential...), am inghetat un pic (mai mult), am identificat funicularul albastru (dar nu mai era timp de el), am ras, am povestit si.... si... si... am incercat sa ma satur de prajituri. Mama, mama, au croatii niste patiserii ge-ni-a-le! Daca regret ceva asta e: ca nu m-am ghiftuit cu pateuri, prajituri si altele asemenea o saptamana intreaga. Ge-ni-a-le! - va mai spun o data: intr-un sfert de ora am mancat doua prajituri divine, cu fructe de padure. Si-as fi luat si pentru acasa, daca puteam, o sacosa intreaga. Voi, cei nehotarati, merita sa vizitati Zagrebul fie si numai pentru asta. Intr-un cuvant: am petrecut trei ore foarte placute in Zagreb, cu baietii nostri; pe care - recunosc - i-am neglijat teribil toata saptamana. Dar, pentru noi, de-acum incolo si pana la sfarsitul vietii, Zagrebul inseamna, inainte de toate, Dom Sportova si patinaj. Dom Sportiva si patinaj - inca o data zic. Si-mi doresc sa mai cunosc orase care sa insemne asta. Zagreb, iarta-ne, te rog; promit ca ne intoarcem; fie si numai pentru prajituri, fie si numai pentru ca te-ai dovedit o gazda mi-nu-na-ta.

Si, ca sa-i invidiez un pic pe baieti: cu-o zi inainte, pe la statuia asta trecusera (si se pozasera...) Penny Coomes, Nicholas Buckland si dragul domn Platov, Evgeni Platov (sursa informatiei: baietii nostri :)).

Cuvantul-cheie: prajituri. Retineti :).