| You know that the mainstream tourist industry | | | | and good, if what we experienced is |
| isn't pushing a particular country when you | | | | indicative of all eating establishments. |
| can't find the language in the multi-lingual | | | | Ironically, one of the meals was Indian, of |
| European phrase book. "And what language do | | | | the sun continent variety. One of the best |
| you speak in Croatia?", I ask the friendly | | | | Indian meals I have ever had, with a few |
| information helper in Zagreb. "Croatian" she | | | | drinks thrown in, all for under 200 kone or |
| replies.That simple eh?You can also tell, | | | | under $AU50 for my wife, Brenda and I. Our |
| when all the trains in Italy going to Italian | | | | lunch today was more Croatian food - grilled |
| destinations are full, yet getting a ride on | | | | veal with Croatian salad, bread, chips (not |
| the Budapest Special is as easy as falling | | | | Croatian, I know) and mineral water - all for |
| off a log, or in this case, a web log.For a | | | | 99 kone. We couldn't eat another thing, well, |
| large part of my life, I has this impression | | | | not for another half hour at |
| that people in the old Eastern Bloc countries | | | | least.Admittedly, this was after Brenda |
| of which Croatia as part, were dour people | | | | insisted on buying half a kilo of |
| who dressed in grey and went round with sour | | | | strawberries, when I thought half of that |
| looking faces. I suppose that came with | | | | would suffice. She then forced me to eat the |
| working 15 hours a day in a salt mine or | | | | bloody things. And this was not to mention |
| building nuclear weapons guarded by secret | | | | the apple that each of us had purchased from |
| service agents packing kaleshnakovs or the | | | | the very same produce market that the |
| 1970's equivalent whilst taking notes on the | | | | aforementioned strawberries were purchased |
| performance of each of the workers.While that | | | | and duly eaten.Good food aside, the other |
| might well have been the case then, (it must | | | | things that struck me about Croatia was the |
| have been, our government told us so), it is | | | | friendliness of the people (even the |
| certainly not the case now. Fashion retailing | | | | immigration officials !!) and the fact that |
| seems to be the main industry, and by what is | | | | most of them spoke English.And I thought I |
| to be seen on the Zagreb city streets, it is | | | | was going to have to make myself understood |
| a great success story. Fashion and shoe shops | | | | by people who had just been working 15 hours |
| line the streets with neither nuclear | | | | in a salt mine. I am very glad that was not |
| contaminated overalls nor salt encrusted work | | | | the case. Our only regret was that our |
| boots in sight.The young people are right | | | | schedule only allowed for a single day visit. |
| into fashion with many dressed to the nines | | | | I'm sure I could have found a salt mine, |
| whilst sipping a drink in the many cafes and | | | | given the time.Raymond Strachan loves life |
| pubs that line the city streets. This is | | | | and tries to give it 110% at least 91% of the |
| especially true in "Upper Town" where there | | | | time. A quick look at the calculator will |
| are dozens of such establishments with | | | | comfirm a 100% total. He has an off centre |
| patrons enjoying the alfresco atmosphere | | | | view on just about anything as can be seen in |
| adjacent to historic buildings.Whilst the | | | | his travel blog, You can create your own |
| accommodation was extremely expensive for | | | | travel blog there as well.View the Original |
| what you get, the food is relatively cheap - | | | | Blog and the photos here... |