Zadar to Plitivice Lakes National Park

We get up early to catch the local bus to the bus station for our journey to Plitivice National Park and all goes smoothly and we arrive in ample time for breakfast. We get busy on our IPads as we have Wifi until I  see that it is nearly nine and there is no bus. I mind the luggage while Jan checks and we have been sitting in front of it! The bus is the Zadar to Zagreb! We hurry to get on and we are the last passengers.We had been waiting for the Plitivice Lakes signed bus. We have a pit stop about halfway along at this amazing place with stuffed bears and a refuge for injured animals.

As it turns out we are at the stop past the lakes and I have to pay extra to the conductor. He drops us off at the little place called Seliste Dreznicko and then we go searching for our guest house. The road is lined with them. Jan starts her commentary about paying extra through Booking.com when we could have just arrived and got a place cheaper. She may be correct but when you are hauling a suitcase looking for accommodation isn't so easy. I start asking where our place is and horror it is about 300 metres back along the road and there is no footpath. I tell Jan to wait in the shade while I locate our place which is not so hard but it is hot and when I ask if Jan can get some help( thinking there is a car as one is parked in the shade) , the woman marches down the street to help Jan. I am mortified. It turns out that the husband has had a stroke and can no longer drive. The car may not have been theirs! We get settled and they are lovely people and the room is very nice and large this time. We explain that we want to cancel the extra day we had booked because we think three nights will be too long here and Jan is anxious to return to Zadar. She loves every place and hates to leave! The owners tell us about a swimming hole opposite so after exploring the area we go down and discover this immaculate deep aquamarine ceek with very refreshing water. It is quite bracing but good for Jan's heat rash which has flared up again. They advise us to leave early for the park tomorrow. We ask if any other guests are going and would be able to give us a lift. What luck when a young French couple, Ellen and Jeremy offer to take us at 7:30 am. The only restaurant in town is packed so we get in early, play some cards and eat. It is pretty good food. 

We arrive as scheduled at the Plitivice Lakes National Park at 7:45 and there is a short queue. We grab a quick coffee and donut and set off. We are impressed with the falls and there are lots of them. 

 There are boardwalks over the cascades and across the lakes. The water is so clear you can see the fish.

  

The falls are very high in places or there are a myriad of cascades. It takes us until 3:30pm to go around all the lakes and by lunch time the park is choked with people shuffling! It is peak tourist season after all and we can hear lots of French and Italian, German and Japanese as well as Croatian. I long for the quiet outback and some breathing space. We exit the park after some trouble finding the path and get a bus back to our lodgings. A beer, a shower and a rest are required, in that order. It was an amazing place. The colour and clarity of the water is breathtaking. Highly recommended in the off season.