Distance travelled: 101 miles
Inside the Mushroom Museum!
After an early night having eschewed the notion of finishing the evening in the dodgy casino (to which we had been acquainted some years ago) we woke to the toll of church bells – we adored that! So much kinder on the ear than the offset triplicate call to prayer we used to have just before sunrise in Islamabad.
The rain had stopped as forecast and we set off for a morning stroll around Zagreb. The centre of the city has an attractive European look, with part bricked paved streets and blue trams that whizz silently through the mix of traffic and pedestrians – quite alarming if one doesn’t concentrate! We walked through Park Josipa Jurja Strossmayera where the smart of Zagreb walk their dogs. It was a lovely sight. With the autumn leaves falling about chicly dressed people – and dogs – we felt we had truly reached Europe. There was a flutter of interest as a very tall man passed us with an gleamingly well groomed, white fluffy hound. Murray declared it was the unseeded Croatian Wimbledon winner, Goran Ivanišević. It took me a heartbeat to realised that he was talking about the man, not the dog!
With bright blue skies overhead and only a light breeze when out of the wind tunnelled streets, we ventured into to Zagreb Cathdral and marvelled at the Baroque décor. The fruit and vegetable market on the Dolac was in full swing and a delight to see. We stocked up on some much needed vitamin C in the form of tangerines and pomegranates and, low and behold, discovered that the Mushroom Museum – Muzej gljiva – was now open! It was not to be missed. This tiny museum tucked away in amongst a block of apartments above the central plaza was testament to the passion of one very enthusiastic man, a professor of mycology, Prof. dr. sc. Romano Božac.
We returned to our hotel at midday ready to check out with armfuls of bags carrying Croatian speciality chocolates from Krus, fruit and some small gifts in readiness for our next stop. Right from the outset of planning our trip home we had configured the route so that we might visit our special Hungarian friends, the Papps. Tibi had been the head chef at Gordon’s Wine Bar (still my place of work) for 10 years before he and his wife Aliz (who had also worked at Gordon’s before having children) left earlier this year to start a new life back in their homeland with their young family. They have done a remarkable thing. Taking some 8 years in total, they have gradually built their own eco-home on the edge of the beautiful Őrségi Nemzeti national park in southwest Hungary, just across the Solvenian border. We were all really excited to see each other and this was a fabulous opportunity we could not miss.
Passing swiftly through Slovenia we had to take note of our briefest of stops in this country
Tibi had sent us superb instructions, and photos, to find his home, tucked away in the tiny village of Kercaszomor. Arriving mid afternoon after a straightforward drive out of Zagreb, into Slovenia and on to Hungary (without being challenged by anyone in uniform, in fact the booths were completely unmanned – we were loving being in Europe!) we were met with a wonderful reception from Bati and Edi, the Papp kinder. What a happy time we had. The Papps have built a remarkable home, self sufficient with well-drawn and filtered water, heat from a central wood burner and self generated electricity. Tibi and Aliz spoiled us with the most delicious venison and pork, lashings of palinka with toasts to all our health and happiness, and vats of rosé. The children were utterly delightful, full of affection and fun and with the aid of the dog (!) I learnt my first and only Hungarian phrase, “Mit csinálsz?” – “What are you doing?” (and I am sorry, I accidentally took the ‘dog deterrent’ water bottle!). We had a very jolly time. We crashed out after seeing the most wonderful night sky, filled with stars in a pure, dark midnight blue.
Arriving in Kercaszomor to see the Papps
Placing of the Hungarian flag!
Whitesides on the Road 