Zadar

We started our day in Zadar with a walking tour with Tonka, our guide. She started off with a bit of history of Croatia and we know it quite well now. The new thing was looking at the outline of Crotia as a dragon on the map, once you see it it’s quite obvious. 

We began on the Roman forum and the remains that are present. The column of shame and the canal for the blood of sacrificial lambs had the children most intrigued. I enjoyed seeing the recycling of materials in the newer ages like the columns used both horizontally and upside down in the cathedrals. 

Next stop was the Sea Organ, it’s an instalment of 35 pipes placed under the promenade with holes opening upwards. The waves make the pipes play a tune so depending on the weather you might get a gentle song or a thunderous one. I loved the soothing sound we heard. 

We then walked around town hearing about the four saints of Zadar and saw their churches. Sad endings for the saints where they got burned or heads chopped off. 

We passed a park with statues of the men through the centuries who have worked hard to ensure Croatian stays strong as a language with all the changing of empires. 

We ended at the gardens where we got to see the gate to Zadar old town. It was placed in the Venetian times so the Griffin repressing them is overpowering, while St. Chrysogonous on his horse (the symbol of Zadar) is drab and tiny. 

As promised to the kids we spent the rest of the day after lunch at the beach. It was pebbly but the water was perfect. Once Savik got over his fear he was jumping and cartwheeling off the ledge into the water along with multiple boys. Aanya had no fear but did a few and was done. We used the opportunity to do Aanya’s stick shadow experiment for her science class. Schooling on the beach, what a year for us all.

Then swam the furthest we ever have into the sea, where Savik suddenly started worrying about sharks so it was a quick trip back.

Once done with the beach we went back to the city for the sunset. We sat near the organ and watched the most gorgeous sunset. People clapped as the sun disappeared, then everyone flocked to the solar powered lit up solar system. It is well designed with a large sun which lights up like a dance floor and has kids of all ages doing tricks on it. 

But they weren’t the only attractions that evening, as there was an elaborate wedding proposal taking place. There was an area cordoned off with the a lit up heart asking “will you marry me?”, music blasting and a red carpet. As the couple arrived there was blue powder blasted into the sky and everyone had turned into paparazzi.

As we were heading back, Aanya commented on how at 10pm the place is buzzing with families. Life is different on holidays.