Plitvice Lakes National Park

 What a change in weather from yesterday!  Overcast skies and very cool, it only reached 53 degrees today!  We had a leisurely breakfast, extensive options compared with our last hotel, and sat talking while hoping the sky might clear.  By 10:30am we realized that was unlikely to happen and decided to start searching for warm layers to wear.  I had brought none (anticipating humid, 80-90 degree days), so the best I could manage was capri leggings and 2 long sleeve shirts - no poncho and no umbrella.

We rode the "Panoramic Vehicle" to Station 3 on the upper lakes where we got out to chat with the information booth personnel.  They suggested Hike H so that when we made it down to the boat dock we could decide to cross over that lake (and go back to the hotel) or take the long boat ride over to Hike F (which was the route I'd taken the day before).  Today's hike, despite the damp, chilly weather, was spectacular!  Less crowded and more waterfalls to be seen; a new stunning vista around every bend.  

I was cold the entire walk and the last 1/3 of our hike was through the rain.  Seeing how there was no other day for us to do the walk, we definitely made the best of it.  Cold and wet, my Aunt was done by the time we finished, no more walking for her today.  Since it was about 1:30pm we dried off, hopped in the car, and hit the road in search of food, which isn't as easy as it sounds when you're inside a National Park.  We stumbled upon Winnetou Pansion (Bistro Winnetou).  Winnetou is a fictional Native American hero of several novels written in German by Karl May (one of the best-selling German writers of all time). In the 1960s several Winnetou movies were coproduced by German–Yugoslav producers and became part of their Pop Culture.  A warm hot chocolate, delicious grilled chicken and potatoes - they really hit the spot.  

It was still raining when we returned to the hotel, so we decided to try out the whirlpool.  It was large, but only had two jets; we were thankful it was warm enough that we could spend a long time in it without being too hot or too cold.  After exiting the whirlpool we watched TV and chatted in our room until we decided we needed another food run.  We ended up back at Bistro Vučnica for dinner, since we'd enjoyed it for lunch the day before.  Since my Aunt brought her Uno deck all the way to Croatia, we decided tonight was the night to play!  We enjoyed a few rounds while waiting for our food - they serve excellent pizza (perks of Croatia having Italian neighbors perhaps).