Transit Inn: Rijeka

"Like Opatija, much of Rijeka's architecture is reminiscent of the glory days of the Hapsburgs. But unlike Opatija, most of Rijeka's buildings haven't been renovated in the last century or so, giving it a seedy, gritty, past-its-prime feel. Avoid Rijeka if you can. However, since it's a major transportation hub, there's a good chance you'll pass through."

The advice was to 'avoid Rijeka if (we) can'. But we couldn't. It was late in the afternoon and we were hurrying to the bus stop to catch the (last?) bus. We had been walking the whole afternoon, taking in the beauty of the Plitvice lakes. Now, carrying our backpacks, we were making haste as the rain drummed down on our weary bodies.

As our trusty travel bible explains, Rijeka is a transportation hub which we need to get to in order to get to other towns. Zagreb is much further east, Pula and Rovinj are on the western coast, and Rijeka is somewhere in the middle. Time is not on our side, so we decided we shall spend the night in Rijeka before continuing our journey the next morning. In any case, we plan our journey by the day, so pretty much anything goes.

Arrival

It was 8 plus at night, and we finally arrived at Rijeka, but with a slight apprehension. I mean, the book's advice is 'to avoid Rijeka if you can'. That says something, doesn't it? As the bus navigates the fringe towards the city centre, I could feel the words of the guidebook coming alive. 'Past-its-prime', 'gritty' - these words were reverberating through the lifeless buildings, inanimate rail tracks, dilapidated houses and pitch-black streets that passed us by.

The echo of the words continued after we alighted the bus, but it was the 'seedy' part this time that rang through. Hungry and tired from a full day of journey, we wanted to find accommodation quickly. But the tourist information center was closed, and the computer directory (if I remember there was one) wasn't very helpful. As we stood pondering our options, the young girl sitting at the pub beside us accosted us. She had streaks of highlighted hair, and her company at the pub was a man many years her senior and probably old enough to be her father.

She came to us and offered us her parent's place for accommodation. We had concerns, and it was later that I realised my companions weren't comfortable with her, given her dubious credentials. Still, we followed her to her apartment to check out the place. I think before we reached her place though, we had already made up our mind that we would try other places. For we walked through a desolate street that was dimly lit (to be fair, most of the streets were like that), giving us the creeps and imagination to think of all reasons to flee the place. We were after all in a city that the travel bible advises its disciples to avoid.

Dodgy Fugitive Hideout

Suffice to say that we were very blessed to subsequently meet with a wonderful soul. Hungry, tired and faced with the prospect of not being able to find lodging, we finally managed to get a room of affordable price at a somewhat dodgy-looking motel which JG described as a 'dodgy fugitive hideout'. This was solely the result of a kind lady who is the staff of a hotel which we did not stay at because we could not afford it. Despite not becoming her customers, she helped us call the dodgy motel and reserved what later seemed to be the last available room (a family had arrived at the motel the same time as us but was turned away). Not only that, but she also helped us flag a taxi and gave the driver directions. We were totally impressed and grateful to the lady, who had tirelessly assisted us three Asians whom she could have ignored.

Highlights of staying at the dodgy fugitive hideout include a claustrophobic old-fashioned elevator that contributed to the dodgy vibes; JG using his limited polish vocabulary and colourful sign language to communicate with the matronly caretaker, who speaks not a word of English; boiling hot water using glasses heated in a mirowave; and eating whatever leftovers from the day to fill our stomachs. If it all sounds as if we were in a rather pathetic state, I guess we were to some extent. Even then i relished the experience and knew that I would remember that day for a long time. Five months down the road, I am writing this as if all the things had taken place only yesterday.

Check-out was early the following morning. Somehow, at the end of our trip, we all remarked that our holiday was shiong. We wanted to nuah and slack, but the trip was anything but. It was irony that I didn't mind though.

The next day

Having had a rough day yesterday, we agreed last night to have a proper breakfast, enjoy a cup of latte before we start the new day's journey. We so badly needed to recharge and pamper ourselves. Breakfast time was also when I could steal some time to take some quick snapshots of Rijeka. In the day, Rijeka looks just like other cities that we have been to or passed through. The buildings' architecture was reminiscent of an earlier era, and the scores of cafes injected much life and bustle into the city. This was after all the city centre, so it has much character and zest compared to the desolation and run-down images of other parts of the city.

We never planned to visit Rijeka, and indeed we only stayed for a night there. But boy, did it turn out to be an unforgettable experience. There's the uncertainty that inevitably accompanies a lack of planning for any trip, but this is also what provides the thrills and fun that would ultimately combine into making a lasting impression.

To the kind lady from the hotel whose name I now can't recall, THANK YOU so much. I hope you get promoted and take over the hotel and earn lots of money!