Day 7

It’s Adam again! Today, we woke up around 6:30. I cooked up some eggs that we got from the grocery store the day before. This proved to be more tricky that I expected since there was no oil or butter at the place we were staying. After one failed batch, I was able to figure out the technique. We had the eggs with some meats and cheeses since we needed to get some energy for our full day of hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Park. The park was just a few miles from where we were staying, so we were able to get there shortly after they opened around 8 o’clock. This is one of the top destinations in the country because of the park’s many scenic lakes, rivers, and waterfalls. We wanted to beat the hoard of tour buses that unleash thousands of tourists into the park every day so that we could have a more enjoyable experience.  Additionally, there are two main entrances in to the park, so we opted to start at the second entrance and hike backwards to the first entrance instead of the more popular route beginning at the first entrance. We had planned to take the H route which is about a 6 mile walk/hike, and is expected to take 4-6 hours. From the 2^nd entrance, there was a tram that took us deep into the forest to the top of the upper lakes where we would begin. Despite all our efforts to avoid them, as soon as we got off the tram, a large group tour entered the trail just before us. A good majority of the hiking takes place on these wooden walking paths that are staked up above the lakes and rivers below. We quickly realized that it is crucial to be looking down constantly to see where you are stepping so that you don’t miss a step. Over the course of the first 15 minutes or so, we were able to creep past each member of the tour group one by one until the coast was clear. It is very tricky because the paths are fairly narrow with just enough room for two people to stand side by side.  All it would take is one person not paying attention while taking some pictures to take a step backwards and bump you right into the water. Speaking of the water, it is EXTREMELY clear, so you can see everything underneath from the fish to the vegetation. It also has a turquoise/teal color to it because of the limestone rocks that the water flows through. We walked across a few still lakes and ponds, and through the forest to see some nice waterfalls. Eventually, after hiking downhills for a ways, we came to a convergence of lakes and waterfalls which was amazing!  After taking it in, we walked further down to the ferry platform that would take us over to the lower lakes. The wait for the ferry was short, and it took us across the largest lake to the other side where we would continue our hike. While going across the lake, we could see that the ferries going in the opposite direction were absolutely full with people, so we knew we made the right choice by starting at entrance 2 and going in reverse. Over at the lower lakes, it was indeed much more crowded (large tour groups, school field trips), but most of them were going in the opposite direction. We misread a sign post which led us to accidentally climb up a huge hill that leads to the exit instead of the Veliki Slap (the largest waterfall). Naturally, we climbed back down and got back on track. The Veliki Slap was a huge waterfall with about 4 or 5 large streams pouring over the top. We climbed a bit higher up a staircase that was carved into the side of a cliff so that we could get some better views. We then retraced our steps so that we could get back to the exit. It was another long hike to get out, but we eventually made it to the tram stop that would take us back to our car at the second entrance. In total we ended up hiking 7.5 miles according to Jessica’s Fitbit, but it was definitely worth it. Once back at the car we made the short drive back to our Airbnb where we laid down and relaxed for the remainder of the afternoon. Come dinner time, we figured the place we went to last night was so good, and since we were out in the middle of the countryside, that we should go back once again. This time I ordered the trout, and Jessica had a local favorite – the minced meat sausages with French fries.  Once again, both meals were great. When we got back to our place, we were very exhausted and fell virtually straight to sleep!