Croatia is amazing
Jun 15th, 2006, 11:07 PM
#61
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Hey barkinpark.. here's my 2cents.. spent 1week+ in Croatia earlier this month.. never once felt taken advantage of/ cheated/ nervous / unsafe. No dishonest merchants. Most everyone seemed very gracious and pleased to host the tourists. Happy travels to you!
Jun 16th, 2006, 10:32 AM
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zwho..........Air France is fine. There are "quirks" with every airline, and judgement often depends on an unusual or "off" experience. This could happen anytime, with anyone.
Air FRance has good food, they are as comfortable as any airline,
(occasionally they schedule too tight a connection ,etc. also,, We boarded once, sat a hour, they found something wrong with the plane, all got off, had to put us up overnight in a hotel (which was handle too efficiently. Charles de Gaulle airport is not the most efficient etc.......however I would fly Air France again in a heartbeat. Nothing major wrong as far as I can see, or they wouldn't stay in business.
I wouldn't worry one bit about your flight in Sept. Going to beautiful, interesting France is the main draw...and even if you are passing through I'm sure you will be fine.
Air FRance has good food, they are as comfortable as any airline,
(occasionally they schedule too tight a connection ,etc. also,, We boarded once, sat a hour, they found something wrong with the plane, all got off, had to put us up overnight in a hotel (which was handle too efficiently. Charles de Gaulle airport is not the most efficient etc.......however I would fly Air France again in a heartbeat. Nothing major wrong as far as I can see, or they wouldn't stay in business.
I wouldn't worry one bit about your flight in Sept. Going to beautiful, interesting France is the main draw...and even if you are passing through I'm sure you will be fine.
Jun 16th, 2006, 10:39 AM
#63
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re: reply to "zwho"...
oops! error: "hotel" which was".....SHOULD have read "put us up in Hotel,which was NOT handled too efficiently!
(but of course we survived and did fine!)
oops! error: "hotel" which was".....SHOULD have read "put us up in Hotel,which was NOT handled too efficiently!
(but of course we survived and did fine!)
Jun 16th, 2006, 10:46 AM
#64
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I agree--Croatia is terrific !
Here are photos to prove it.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3882
Here are photos to prove it.
http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=3882
Jun 19th, 2006, 01:38 PM
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Perhaps I missed it, but how did you get to Croatia? We are looking to go from Paris and cannot determine the best city to fly in to. I also understand Americans need visas and must register with the police dept within 24 hours of entering--maybe this is when arriving by car vs. air?
thanks
thanks
Jun 19th, 2006, 01:52 PM
#69
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Nancy, great report! My husband and I have just returned from Croatia after an amazing 16 day trip. We loved it and I will post a report! The people, the food the scenery were all incredible! We spent the first week with a car (Zagreb to Istria, dropping off at Split) and the remainder ferry hopping and checking out the islands and then Dubrovnik.
Will write a report soon!
Will write a report soon!
Jun 19th, 2006, 07:24 PM
#71
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Trying to think of all the questions to answer:
Yes, there are two roads on the island of Hvar to use to get back and forth. One on the "spine" of the island, with the amazing yet scary road, and the other, with the tunnel.
if you are leaving Split at 7 am in late September, you should be at the ferry terminal by 6:00 am. It takes about 30 minutes tops to drive from Trogir to Split.
The island of Ciovo is connected to Trogir by a little bridge. It's a two minute walk across the bridge.
Driving in Croatia is a breeze - - right side of the car, right side of the road for most of us (we've driven in UK and that's much more stressful in terms of having to be on your game every minute) the new highway from Zagreb to the coast is fabulous.
Yes, there are two roads on the island of Hvar to use to get back and forth. One on the "spine" of the island, with the amazing yet scary road, and the other, with the tunnel.
if you are leaving Split at 7 am in late September, you should be at the ferry terminal by 6:00 am. It takes about 30 minutes tops to drive from Trogir to Split.
The island of Ciovo is connected to Trogir by a little bridge. It's a two minute walk across the bridge.
Driving in Croatia is a breeze - - right side of the car, right side of the road for most of us (we've driven in UK and that's much more stressful in terms of having to be on your game every minute) the new highway from Zagreb to the coast is fabulous.
Jun 19th, 2006, 07:25 PM
#72
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Yes, I'd keep your car an extra day in Dubrovnik, because 4 days there is too long. Get out and see the surroundings!
I disagree that 2.5 days is too long in Trogir. and yes, the market goes every morning. it was the best market of all of the coastal towns. (Zagreb's market is great, too)
the drive from Orebic to Dubrovnik is about...2 hours, if you stop and shoot photos.
The drive from Stari Grad to Sucaraj was about 1.5 hours, stopping to take photos (it's a lovely drive!)
CarolP mentions a restaurant - - and it may be Kapetanova Kuca - - in Mali Ston - - considered by many to be the finest restaurant in Croatia. Famous for their black risotto (squid ink). we ate there. it was our one splurg. it was very, very good (about $100 US for dinner and wine) I took a photo of my black risotto, and yes, it kind of looks like somebody ate a big bowl of risotto, a bunch of shellfish, and a whole giant bag of Nibs, then threw up, but it tasted GREAT.
also CarolP mentions a few other great places, but if you're having trouble fnding them, her spelling of the peninsula is a bit off -- the peninsula is called Peljesac. That's where you'll be wanting to look on the map.
I disagree that 2.5 days is too long in Trogir. and yes, the market goes every morning. it was the best market of all of the coastal towns. (Zagreb's market is great, too)
the drive from Orebic to Dubrovnik is about...2 hours, if you stop and shoot photos.
The drive from Stari Grad to Sucaraj was about 1.5 hours, stopping to take photos (it's a lovely drive!)
CarolP mentions a restaurant - - and it may be Kapetanova Kuca - - in Mali Ston - - considered by many to be the finest restaurant in Croatia. Famous for their black risotto (squid ink). we ate there. it was our one splurg. it was very, very good (about $100 US for dinner and wine) I took a photo of my black risotto, and yes, it kind of looks like somebody ate a big bowl of risotto, a bunch of shellfish, and a whole giant bag of Nibs, then threw up, but it tasted GREAT.
also CarolP mentions a few other great places, but if you're having trouble fnding them, her spelling of the peninsula is a bit off -- the peninsula is called Peljesac. That's where you'll be wanting to look on the map.
Jun 19th, 2006, 07:25 PM
#73
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Re: driving on the road from Stari Grad to Sucaraj - - you are on the inside lane on that trip - - not on the scary side where the steep drops are. It was uneventful!
We had no concerns at all about crime. The people were friendly, the hosts of each and every apt we rented were TRUSTING (no deposits required, one place said "if you are happy with your stay, just leave the money in the mail slot with the key when you leave", it is SO clean - - like someone vaccuums the streets every day, etc. it was GREAT. Just be a common sense tourist, and do the right things - - keep your valuables out of sight in the car, lock your apt doors, etc., etc. All will be well.
We got to Croatia via Paris - - flew in and out of Zagreb on Air France. Did I mention they suck? oh yes, maybe I did. Especially after being on KLM from the US to Amsterdam for the first leg - - KLM is exceptional.
We had no concerns at all about crime. The people were friendly, the hosts of each and every apt we rented were TRUSTING (no deposits required, one place said "if you are happy with your stay, just leave the money in the mail slot with the key when you leave", it is SO clean - - like someone vaccuums the streets every day, etc. it was GREAT. Just be a common sense tourist, and do the right things - - keep your valuables out of sight in the car, lock your apt doors, etc., etc. All will be well.
We got to Croatia via Paris - - flew in and out of Zagreb on Air France. Did I mention they suck? oh yes, maybe I did. Especially after being on KLM from the US to Amsterdam for the first leg - - KLM is exceptional.
Jun 19th, 2006, 07:26 PM
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Air France - - took it on two legs - - to and from Zagreb. Planes were hot, didn't smell so great, and on one flight (from Zagreb to Paris) they told us at the terminal as they loaded us on the plane "if you have to go to the bathroom, go now, the bathrooms on the plane are both out of order". Someone said "how can you fly it with all of us in that condition?" She said in her French accent - - "oh, it's only two hours, everyone will be just fine - - we do this a lot" Jeeezus!! So, then they loaded us on the plane and we sat on the runway for an hour, THEN took off. We then got to DeGaulle (I hate that place) and when you get off of your plane, they have to BUS you to the terminal, which takes 10 minutes or so, and I can tell you that everybody on that bus looked like they were going to cry - - and all got to the terminal and went running for the bathroooms. (many were shaking their heads and saying "never again".) Air France is not great. But hey, they saved a lot of money on that flight, because NOBODY was accepting their offer of beverages! LOL
Jun 19th, 2006, 08:15 PM
#75
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Hi Nancy - lets go back to that road from Sucaraj to Stari Grad. We will be coming the OTHER, scary way. What time of day did you do it, and how many cars did you meet on that road? If it is not a busy road maybe we can just take our half from the middle 
Would you tell someone driving from Sucaraj to Stari Grad to NOT do that drive? Was the road in decent shape?
Are you going to be posting your pictures anywhere? I would love to see them!
Would you tell someone driving from Sucaraj to Stari Grad to NOT do that drive? Was the road in decent shape?Are you going to be posting your pictures anywhere? I would love to see them!
Jun 19th, 2006, 08:45 PM
#76
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Happy Cheesehead -- I'm not sure I know how to post my pictures somewhere....if I figure it out...
okay - - TO Stari Grad FROM Sucaraj - - gotcha....
then now and again you will be on the scary side of the road - - but we probably saw...8 or 10 cars on the drive. there are blind corners though, so only hog the middle when you have lots of clearance ahead. We found that the best way to handle it was to just slow down and let the locals be the maniacs. if they wanted to pass or do whatever, let them do it. you'll never see them again, and if you hack them off because you chose to stop or slow down to let them by, then so be it!
okay - - TO Stari Grad FROM Sucaraj - - gotcha....
then now and again you will be on the scary side of the road - - but we probably saw...8 or 10 cars on the drive. there are blind corners though, so only hog the middle when you have lots of clearance ahead. We found that the best way to handle it was to just slow down and let the locals be the maniacs. if they wanted to pass or do whatever, let them do it. you'll never see them again, and if you hack them off because you chose to stop or slow down to let them by, then so be it!
Jun 23rd, 2006, 06:20 PM
#78
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Gorgeous photos, Bob! I'll lay off on asking you for a more detailed trip report, because those pictures do indeed say 1000 words! However, I don't think your new (motionless) friend can hold a candle to Susan!
BC
BC
