Lavender Haze, in which I Wanna Stay

In the 18th century, lavender arrived on the Croatian island of Hvar from France. Due to the Mediterranean climate, it grows throughout Croatia. While the ancient Egyptians and Romans used its essential oils in rites and baths respectively, we are now consuming lavender for medical and cosmetic purposes. It is a frequent inhabitant in our gardens and parks too.

What is the history of the land of lavender? It was defeated by France in the World Cup 2018, yet the 4-2 was the highest final score since 1966. Today, tourism plays a pivotal role in its economy, which has constituted around 20% of national GDP. It has also adopted the euro and joined the Schengen Area a year later, making the over tourism a hot potato.

Ruled by the Empire of Roman & Austro-Hungarian previously, Croatia was one of the six constituent republics of the communist Tito-led Yugoslavia. The Croatian Spring of 1971, asking for greater autonomy by the protestors, ended up with the arrest of activists and the purge of the Croatian Communist Party. Only when Tito died could Croatia declare independence.

With the aid of the Yugoslav army, Croatian Serbs expelled the local Croats and controlled one-third of territory. During the 3-year Bosnian War, Croatia supported its people against the Serbs in Bosnia, then against the Bosniaks. Croatian Serbs fled to Bosnia and Serbia after Croat retook control. President Tudjman signed the Dayton peace accords to end the war. 

Stroll around the St. Mark’s Square in the upper town, where one can find its most important state institutions. Take the 55-second Zagreb Funicular. The shortest one globally. Several churches are located. Zagreb Cathedral is under reconstruction due to the earthquake of 2020. Past the Stone Gate. A chapel dedicated to the Mother of God with flickering candles.

The Grič Tunnel was an air raid shelter during WWII, yet became a pedestrian tunnel, or a shortcut connecting to some streets. One can enjoy a relaxing day in the Botanical Garden. The Ban Jelacic Square is in the heart of the capital. An outdoor cafe symbolizes the status of ritual, involving hours of people-watching, gossiping and soul-searching.