Archive for October, 2007
Statistics belie plane truth in Croatia
Statistics tell us that flying is one of the safest modes of travel. Your chances of being killed in a plane hover around 1 in 11 million. The chances of being killed in a car are about 1 in 5,000. Maybe now we know why the disparity is so great.
On October 13th, as Tereza Batur, 21, was driving her Volkswagon Passat near Sinj, Croatia, a plane swooped out of the sky and struck the moving car. Reports differ as to whether the plane landed on top of the car or struck it from the …
Date: October 29th, 2007 |
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Are land mines still dangerous?
During the Croatian War of Independence, nearly two million land mines were laid down in the countryside by both sides in an effort to shore up their territory. Armies used land mines extensively throughout the former Yugoslavia during the 1990’s to compensate for their lack of infantry. With land mines placed along undefended front lines, fewer men were needed to defend and control territory. That tactic, however, left Croatia with one of the worst mine problems in Europe.
Mines are no longer much of a problem today. There has not been an injury caused by a mine in over a year. Although they do limit the places you can explore on their own, most mined areas have been identified and blockaded from tourists. Meanwhile, a massive education program with signs marking dangerous areas has led to a sharp drop in injuries and casualties over the last several years. The proliferation of signs has caused a bit of a struggle between the Croatian Mine Action Center and Zdenko Mcic, the Croatian minister of tourism, ensues over where to place the 13,000 signs warning of mines. Mcic would like the signs limited to only the places in which mines are present because the signs hurt Croatia’s image, but the program’s success is hard to argue with. Mines killed 101 people from 1998-2006, but there has not been a casualty caused by a mine in Croatia since April 2006.
Date: October 22nd, 2007 |
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RyanAir pulls a fast one
The blogs were abuzz last summer when RyanAir, the Irish no-frills, low-fare airline announced service to Istria from London’s Stansted Airport. This would not only allow travelers to get from the U.K. into northern Croatia for next to nothing, but it would also provide a link for Croatian businesses to establish relationships with London clients.
Recently however, RyanAir announced that it will be withdrawing its flights connecting Croatia with London at the end of October, and in fact canceling all flights out of Stansted Airport because of an increase in the travel tarif from 6 …
Date: October 15th, 2007 |
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Street collapses in downtown Zagreb
The bottom came out from under a house on Krupska street in downtown Zagreb recently, leaving nine people homeless, and forcing 61 to evacuate, but causing no casualties.
Excavation for the construction of an underground parking garage caused the collapse. Croatian news source Javno reports that the city company ran out of money during the project and left the garage incomplete.
Several days ago tenants noticed water running under the building and felt tremors, and alerted the city. They said technicians arrived to shut off the water but didn’t look into the cause …
Date: October 10th, 2007 |
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What’s this I hear about Tourist Tax?
Croatia recently began to enforce a little known “tourist tax,” so it seems it’s time to un-turn the blind eye this Logue has adopted and start letting travelers know that they are under a legal obligation to register and pay a euro per day for the duration of their stay.
Croatia still loves its tourists. The economy depends largely on the dollars that drive down from Europe and fly in from all over the world each summer. But there is a business side to this love-affair and in an effort to protect travelers from foul play, excessive rates and subpar accommodations, the tourism bureau requires hotels and other establishments to report that they are housing someone each night.
The thinking goes that requiring hotels, hostels and private renters to register their guests will keep the tourist business from slipping to the opportunistic renters: non-professionals with an extra bunk bed somewhere in their house that they would be happy to let you sleep in for some extra money. It may seem like Croatia is trying to squeeze every last dollar from you on your trip, but remember it’s for your own good. Wink.
Date: October 4th, 2007 |
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Reasons you should be in Croatia right now
The Zagreb Film Festival runs all this week, October 21-27, featuring the best films of 2007 from Russia, Serbia, New Zealand, Israel, and of course, Croatia.
Like Cannes and Sundance, the festival features primarily art films and cerebral comedies, unlike Cannes and Sundance, the festival’s mascot is a Superman clone with pink briefs and cape.
The film festival takes place every October at the Student Centre in downtown Zagreb, this year with 11 feature films, 15 short films and 12 to 14 documentaries. Audience voters decide the Audience VIP award to one film …
Date: October 24th, 2007 |
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10 Croatia “Fun Facts”
Everyone loves little bits of trivia. You can commit them to memory for small-talk at parties, or use them to bring up your upcoming vacation among friends and coworkers. (”Your dog likes chasing tennis balls? That’s interesting because I’m going to Croatia and Croatian Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001 playing tennis.”) Here are 10 little and not-so little known facts about Croatia. Use them wisely.
1. Dubrovnik, (an independent state at the time) was the very first nation to formally recognize the United States as a nation when it declared independence from Great Britain.
2. The White House was built out of Croatian stone, from the island of Brac. This same stone had been used to build Diocletian’s Palace in Split.
Date: October 17th, 2007 |
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Croatia Camping
Croatia has been called “Europe’s number one camping destination,” but what motivates people to forego the comforts of home during their warm weather vacation?
To understand the appeal of camping in Croatia, you have to know something about the pleasure that can come from self-sufficiency; or at least, the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Croatia’s campgrounds are not outback shanties or wilderness survival huts. For the most part they are recreation centers with tetherball, tennis, beaches, barbecues and swimming. But it still feels like you’re honing your survival skills when you sleep outside, cook for yourself and live off the land in between trips to the campground grocery store.
Date: October 10th, 2007 |
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Plitvice Lakes Photos
The beauty of Plitvice Lakes is hard to describe until you’ve been there. It’s like an adrenaline rush to your imagination. A “lushness” worthy of Eden. (Like “Fern Gully,” for any children of the 80’s out there.) Water pooling, rushing, sweeping down rock faces; a deluge of delight, gushing through lava tubes. I now give you my best attempt at inspiring you to make the trip to Plitvice. The real thing is ever so much better.
Date: October 8th, 2007 |
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