Edelweiss, edelweiss

---

The wrap on Croatia



I'm writing on our flight to Toronto, so if you are reading this it means that



a) we have arrived in Canada safely, and

b) you have stuck with this blog. Thanks for reading it!



The flight attendants on Austria Airlines seem really nice, but I doubt that they want to know that I've seen the Sound of Music 15 times. Still, I want to tell them so badly.



Not a whole lot to report. Yesterday's drive from Dubrovnik to Zagreb was uneventful. Fortunately, we allowed extra time. The combination of the GPS and Croatia's superb roads made driving there pretty manageable. We only got mxed up when I tried to drive in the city as fast as the locals, and missed some turns.



For a wrap on Croatia as a travel destination, you won't be surprised to hear me say that it has lots to offer. Picturesque locations, lots of history, great warm clear water for swimming, good food and warm weather make it easy to recommend. The fact that English is in widespread use in Croatia also helps.



As mentioned, driving was surprisingly straightforward but bus and train are also good, depending on how much you want to move around. Our trip involved a lot of travel in-country, and we wouldn't change a thing. But it would also be attractive to spend a week or two in one spot, making day trips from there. The big centres of Rovinj, Pula, Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik all have unique attractions and lots of capacity for tourists, but almost every small comunity in between, and many of the islands seem ideal for a one-week stay. Even though our trip was during Croatia's busy tourist season, we saw a lot of signs advertising apartments for rent all along the coast.





We didn't go for a cheap vacation, but we understand that the cost of meals and accommodations are more affordable than other european destinations. Having said that, it was clear that prices were higher in tourist areas. Last night, the eight of us had a very good supper at a local Zagreb restaurant, including beer for the adults for the equivalent of CDN$100, so that's what I call crazy cheap. A similar quality meal in Dubrovnik's old town two days ago cost twice that. Not killer expensive, but noticeably more than in the restaurants in non-touristy areas. Of course, renting a self-contained accommodation can really reduce meal costs. The food at local stores is very inexpensive.





That's all I got. Hoping to post more info on food later.





Cheers,

---