The Cube

Pre-travel
Here's some Yugoslavia history in small bite to get you into the mood.
And breakdown of travel days and links to accommodation.


Qatar: Doha
Day 0 - transit on the way to Zagreb and back from Warsaw, because I travelled with Qatar Airways.


Croatia: Zagreb
Day 1 - Half day in Zagreb before taking another flight to Sarajevo at night


BiH: Sarajevo
Day 2 - Walk around Sarajevo city
Day 3 - Historical Museum of BiH and Tunnel of Hope


BiH: Mostar
Day 4 - around Mostar


BiH: Blagaj, Pocitelj, Kravice, Hum Hill
Day 5 - Day trip from Mostar


Croatia: Split
Day 6 - A day in Split


Hungary: Budapest
Day 7 - Travel / Rest day
Day 8, 9 and 10 - Things to do in Budapest


Czech Republic: Prague
Day 11 - Travel / Rest day
Day 12, 14 and 15 - Things to do in Prague
Day 13- Day trip to Kutna Hora


Poland: Krakow and Warsaw
Day 16 - Wieliczka Salt Mine
Day 17 - Around Krakow including Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
Day 18 - Auschwitz-Birkenau
Day 19 - Wawel Hill


Day 20 and 22 - Around Warsaw
Day 21 - Warsaw Uprising Museum and Centrum Nauki Kopernik


Till then Europe, I shall return!


Side note: Do you feel ticklish when had a massage?

Early morning in Zagreb Station

Day 7 was technically our travel or rest day. After all, we had a long day on Day 6, with an early bus from Mostar to Split, then overnight train out from Split. It was also at this day that I wished I brought along that thick book 3b of A Song of Ice and Fire that I was reading then. Instead I brought along Rick Steve's Eastern Europe book. It was definitely a more practical decision and of course, I was worried that I would be tempted to leave the book after I have finished reading. I can't because it is my friend's book.

Anyway, we reached Zagreb train station on a Friday morning and freshen ourselves in the toilet. Whilst I have been made aware that the older generation are a little on the grumpy side due to the communist era, this lady who manned the female toilet takes the cake. I have accidentally pushed the wrong side of the door to enter the toilet and was greeted with a long, loud scolding.

While K continued on her book, I reread bits here and there on the one I brought and decided to wander about.




Soon after, we boarded another train, towards Budapest. The train ride took about 6 hours. Then comes another round of border check as we entered Hungary.

Gyékényes - village in Hungary, border to Croatia

My Malaysian passport took a longer glance but it was K's passport that took even longer. They were calculating on how long she has been in Europe till she brought out her working permit. This train ride felt really long as the train made rather long stop at many stations. By the time we reached Budapest, all we did was checked in, rest and dinner!


Side note: If I have brought along that book, I might have finished the whole series by now!

Hello Kitty has invaded Split

We took an early bus out to Split, I paid with euro this round as I was running out of Bosnian Mark and it didn't seem feasible to get more Bosnian Mark currency as we were travelling out. The bus ticket was €14 and luggage storage cost 8Kn (approximately 2KM or  €1). They accept Bosnian Mark, Euro as well as Croatian Kuna. The journey took about 3 to 4 hours. It wasn't any express bus but very much local with many stops.

Crossing the border from BiH to Croatia, the bus stopped for immigration check. Everybody in the bus handed over their passports or ID to the immigration officer, he had a look and returned back to them except for one lady. Then it was our turn. K and I passed him our passport. He had a very, very long look and held on to it, together with the other lady's ID. He then left the bus for the longest time. Despite I was confident it should not be an issue as my first flight was to Zagreb. The officer in Zagreb airport stamped my passport and let me in without a blink.

After a long wait, he came back and returned us our passport and the lady her ID. We were relieved but at this time the bus driver was away doing other paper work. Then the officer came back again and asked for our passports again. Even with language barrier, there was no mistake that he was asking for our passport again. Then he left the bus again with our passports after saying something to the rest of the passengers. At that time, I assumed he probably told them to tell the bus driver that he still had our passports. Anyway, the bus driver came back and thankfully the passengers who understood what the officer said make a lot of noise and relayed some messages to him. Everybody continued to sit and wait for our Malaysian passports. The officer finally came back and returned the passport to us. This time, we were allowed to leave holding on to our passports and entered Croatia by land. Phew~

One of the first view which greeted us in Split

After sorting out our train tickets departing Split the same night and safe locking our luggage in the coin locker, we were off to have our first meal of the day. One of the girls we met in Hostel Miran, T joined us for a bit.

Split is very touristy, after all it is a stop for cruises along the Adriatic Sea and much more expensive comparatively. T wanted to have breakfast at a place with wifi as she needs to look for an accommodation for the night. We settled outside a cafe, definitely not the most economical option. A simple omelette and coke set me back by 53Kn (~ €7). One of the cheapest in the menu.



By the time we were ready to leave and wander about, it started to pour.


So we sat back down and had a beer. It was then that I realised the hole in my shoe soles will give me trouble every time it rain. I was in the shade at all times but rain water on the floor actually seeped through and my socks were soaked wet. = ="

I seem to have shoes issues in Europe...

So the balance of the day was spent walking around Split, in wet socks. Not the most comfortable but if that's how it is....
T left us to hunt for her accommodation. K and I decided to continue with our sightseeing with the main attraction being Diocletian's Palace.
We paid €6 for entrance to cathedral, crypt, baptistery, bell tower and treasury. Let's just say it was not the best €6 I spent.


Diocletian was a Roman Emperor and Split was his retirement palace. The ruins are now integrated with the city's street plan, so Split is a bit like old Roman city in modern seaside city. The current day Cathedral of St. Dominus was Diocletian's mausoleum, built in the fourth century. After the fall of Rome, it was converted into the town's cathedral. Photography is not permitted in the cathedral and treasury as well from memory, but there isn't much to shoot in the treasury.

The only one of slightly more exciting was the Bell Tower. This construction of Bell Tower began in the 13th century and it took 300 years to complete. One have to queue and pass through a small entrance before climbing up to the Bell Tower. The good thing was they do try to restrict the number of people going up at one time to avoid too big of a crowd.



From here, there's more steps to go but rest assured, promised the view was great. However, these 183 steps are not for the faint hearted, part of the steps are quite narrow.






After visiting the Bell Tower, we circled over to check out the Crypt since it was included in the entrance fees we paid. It was dark and musty, said originally used to level the foundation of Diocletian's mausoleum. This was later turned into a chapel.




The last monument included in our entrance ticket was Jupiter's Temple/St. John's Baptistery. Diocletian believed himself to be Jovius, therefore there was this temple. At about the same time his mausoleum was converted to a cathedral, this temple was also converted to a baptistery.

According to Rick Steve's Eastern Europe guide book, the engraving on this baptismal font inside this temple showed a bishop on the left and the king on his throne on the right. Under the feet of the bishop represent a submissive commoner. This was to illustrate the social structure of the Middle Ages. Standing above the font is a statue of St. John the Baptist counting to four.



Not included in the entrance fee (because it is free entrance) was Diocletian's Cellars (Podromi). These underground chambers is free to enter because it is now used for art exhibits and has a nice little strip of souvenir stands.


Other things to do in Split including strolling the Riva which is the town's promenade and around the People's Square. (Psst, by the way there are free wifi spots scattered around the square in Split ;)





We took the overnight train out from Split, which I fell asleep in no time, waking up the next morning in Zagreb.


Side note: What do you usually buy for Secret Santa for work?

I reached Zagreb, queued up for the toilet, came out to find only one luggage rotating on the conveyor belt...and it wasn't mine. After quickly asked one of the workers there where to find the lost & found counter, I went on my way. I passed by the Qatar Air counter on my way to find the Lost & Found counter, so I stopped and asked to check. Upon seeing me, the staff behind the counter told me my luggage was left in Doha.

Long story short, lodged a report and request for them to forward it to Sarajevo, nothing else could be done, so I took a bus and went out to see Zagreb city. Before the trip, I was checking for luggage locker to deposit my backpack and found out online that there isn't any in the airport due to some regulations. The plan was to lug the bag and deposit it at the bus station in the city. The positive outcome of this delayed baggage? It eliminated the need to hunt for luggage deposit. ;)


There was a Tourist Info office at the airport but it was closed when I was there, but getting a bus to the city wasn't difficult. The airport bus is parked outside of the main arrival terminal. The trip with the airport bus to the main bus station takes about 30 minutes. Once you reached the main bus station, there will be tram connection to the city centre and train station. One way ticket costs 30Kn but return ticket costs only 40Kn. I had a blond moment and bought a one way ticket :( but as fate has it, I found 20Kn in the city ;)

Tram Network Map

Tram lines 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 run by the bus station and you can buy tram ticket (tramvajska karta), single ticket (10Kn) or a pack of tens at a Tisak (newspaper kiosk). If you take the airport bus to the bus station (Autobusni Kolodvor), there is a Tourist Info nearby, as well as a Tisak. If you want to get to Trg Bana J. Jelacica, take tram number 6 (towards Crnomerec) and exit at the fifth station (Trg Bana J. Jelacica). From memory, it was the one further away the bus station. You would need to validate your ticket on the tram, the validate machine is usually on the first carriage. The rest are mostly for the tap cards.

Zagreb City Map

Ok, now back to why do I specifically write about Trg Bana Jelacica? Because... if I only have time to see one thing in Zagreb, I wanted to see this.


Yes - St Mark's Church (Trg svetog Marka). Church of St Mark is a 13th century three-aisled Romanesque church. The roof tiles were decorated with the coats of arms of the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia on the left, and the emblem of Zagreb on the right.

I actually have enough time for more than St Mark's Church and followed the route suggested on the map. I've cropped the above map for a bigger picture.


Once the tram reached Trg bana Jelacica, you won't miss it. The status is really quite noticeable.


Trg bana Jelacica or Ban Jelacic Square was the city's commercial heart since 1641. The square was officially renamed to honour Ban ("Governor") Josip Jelacic. Ban Josip Jelacic was a general in the Austrian army and governor of Croatia from 1848 to 1859. He abolished serfdom and held the first ever elections for the Croatian Sabor or Parliament. Jelacic also helped Austrian forces put down the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 in the hope that this would lead to greater autonomy for Croatia. Aside from this statue and a square to his name, his portrait currently graces one side of the 20Kn banknote.

Going up the road on the right of the statue, one would see the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 



This church is characterized by its soaring twin towers (somewhat), the other one was under restoration. :P
I met up with K after she made her way here too and we entered the cathedral together and lighted a candle. I didn't go in when I walked by earlier.


Next up was Dolac Market. I would love to walk and poke my nose around this market, unfortunately we were there on a Saturday where the market finished at 2 pm. My flight touched down passed 2 pm and by the time I reached the square, this was the only stall that was still opened.



I only found about this Stone Gate after reading up on Zagreb. This Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata) was the only old town gate that has remained intact. It was built in the Middle Ages and assumed its final form after being rebuilt in the 18th century.

Under the arch of the gateway is a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It holds a painting of the Virgin that was miraculously saved from a devastating fire in the 1731. There were quite a few patrons praying at the time of my visit, so I didn't take any closed up photos as it felt kind of intruding given the smallish space.

St Mark's Church was the next monument according to the route but I have jumped the gun and put it up earlier.

The final monument on map was this Lotrscak Tower.


Lotrscak Tower is the only preserved medieval tower from the 13th century fortifications and undergone slight modification in the 19th century. It was said that the bells of the Lotrscak tower were used to summon the townsfolk to return to the town at sunset when the gates were locked for the night. Nowadays Lotrscak housed a cannon which is fired every day at noon. Needless to say, I didn't hear that either.

From here, there are a few steps options all leading back to the Trg bana Jelacica. There was also some food and souvenir stalls nearby. After taking some photos from the top of the hill, I walked back down.



While I was waiting for friend to reach the square, I went to shop for some emergency clothing for the next day. I must say I was fairly optimistic that my luggage would reach Sarajevo the next day though friend was totally apprehensive. She was worried that we would end up chasing the luggage all the way till Poland :P

We left Zagreb the same night, taking a flight to Sarajevo.


Side note: Have you ever had experience when you move things to a safer or another place only to forget where the safer place is? :P