891-892 – Friday 10th & Saturday 11th November 2017:  Plitvice Lakes – WOW!

We arrived at the Plitvice National park at 1100 hrs and talked to the info office – not terribly helpful… best she could do was sell us a map with suggestions for Kuna 20!  90 Kuna (Euro9) each for a 2 day pass is good value.  Armed with our map, we set off – not sure what to expect – good as it happened.  Really good.  Well, around each corner – we had a slap. No! It wasn’t a boxing match – “Slap” is Croatian for waterfall.  Now then – if you say to a Croatian lady – “Bog – how’s your slap?” – you won’t get a handbag in your face – you’ve just said “Good morning – how’s your waterfall?”  We had the most ‘slapping’ day for years – the waterfalls are amazing – just incredible – the photos are a selection of 150+ taken over 2 days – small wonder it’s one of the very top attractions in the country!  5 hours walking on Day 1- with loads of photo stops and a picnic lunch – small wonder we averaged 3km per hour. 

We are staying overnight in the car park – motorhomes have stayed here – but only out of season….very quiet and dark – which meant excellent stars.  Another amazing walk to look forward to – tomorrow – with more slaps!!!  A slaphappy time, indeed.

After Oscar’s Diary blog yesterday, he’s been invited to join the Iceland cricket team – they have ambitions – to join the K-Nations championship. He is thinking about it – but we reckon he will continue to play “silly mid wicket” and “slip” for Wales. He’s also quite adroit at ’sledging’ – those non-Wisdeners, ask Stephen Jater…..  

 

Day 2 in the big ‘slapper’ house…..let’s forget the Big Brother connection – is it still on tv?  With Kavina McDoll?  Shall I avoid any more ‘slap’ puns?  maybe…. Anyway, more of the same as we started our walk at 10:00 this time – we walked some of the same paths and new ones too – the earlier light was different.  But – what more can we say about this Park? Phenomenal…  

Walk finished – and back to Jez – motored to that lovely free aire at Otoacac…. Van cleaning from head to toe – relaxing – and Ireland beat South Africa by a record score – 38-3 – wow!  Last pun, I promise – what did Thomas Crapper invent?  The ’slappercrappercracker’, of course…with firecrappers or crackers.  

Oscar’s tail is down – Australia beat Wales – sorry, Bronwen and Kay.     

Our initial views of the lakes and we already thought the entry fee good value.

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As well as a road train between, there are small electric boats.  Cleverly, they do not duplicate routes, but you still need to be able to walk a bit to get around.

Oscar camouflaged with his prize stick amongst the Beech leaves.

Lots of ancient trees.

Some in the water.

And some with most unusual mushrooms growing out of them.

Adoring and waiting on my every command …. NOT.  Just looking for food!

The water just pours over and through … everywhere.

For a dog that does not like water, Oscar was most uncomfortable on the open parts of the boardwalk … water both side and sometimes gushing underneath.  He stayed very close to my heels.

Some of the pools were so still and calm compared the the falls.

The Karst limestone rock has been eroded to form caves.

Our overnight illegal parking spot – in the Lakes carpark … no chance in the season as paying and with staff on duty.

The Big Slap!

Receiving a big slap!

My suggested route took us up lots of nearly impassable broken steps by the Big Waterfall, and I commented to J about how old they must be.  This hand hewn out tunnel was at the top.

We came from across there.

With the sun shinning, the water colour had more WOW factor.

More water streaming over, out and through. 

Poor Oscar; thought he’d done with boardwalks and water gushing under.