Tam & co the great winter escape

[The Lord Squid]

Thons a renault 4 ....but its fecin ugly

I'm no good at maths. Added one rather than took one away.

 

[Northernraider]

One thing jackie and i have agreed on ..the croats or Croatians ... whatever they are called sure arent the friendliest or the happiest ...no one says hello or smiles ...or replies when you say hello or thanks etc . And they all walk around like someone stole their candy floss.

 

[Lenny HB]

One thing jackie and i have agreed on ..the croats or Croatians ... whatever they are called sure arent the friendliest or the happiest ...no one says hello or smiles ...or replies when you say hello or thanks etc . And they all walk around like someone stole their candy floss.

Years of repression under the Russians, Hungarians are like it to.

 

[Figaro]

One thing jackie and i have agreed on ..the croats or Croatians ... whatever they are called sure arent the friendliest or the happiest ...no one says hello or smiles ...or replies when you say hello or thanks etc . And they all walk around like someone stole their candy floss.

That's interesting, I'd heard that before I first went to Croatia but I never found that to be the case.
I always found them quite friendly and engaging for the most part
On one evening I went in a bar full of locals and it was like being in an Irish bar with lots of banter.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Hardly likely that all the people of any one country are all the same. Maybe it's the gloomy weather and you've had bad luck with who you've met.

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[Offagain]

a normal tide in Venice is around 1m however twice a year on the spring tides it is much more than that hence you get wet feet in St Marks sq

Spring tides happen in tidal areas once a month with each full moon. Some are higher than others.
Aqua Alta is the phenomenon that happens in Venice and is caused during the winter by a high spring tide combined with low pressure and the scirocco pushing the water into the lagoon

Acqua alta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

One thing jackie and i have agreed on ..the croats or Croatians ... whatever they are called sure arent the friendliest or the happiest ...no one says hello or smiles ...or replies when you say hello or thanks etc . And they all walk around like someone stole their candy floss.

That's interesting, I'd heard that before I first went to Croatia but I never found that to be the case.
I always found them quite friendly and engaging for the most part
On one evening I went in a bar full of locals and it was like being in an Irish bar with lots of banter.

We chartered a boat in Croatia about fifteen years ago. They rarely spoke English then as most of their tourists were German speakers, or so we were told at the time. Also appeared generally unfriendly.
We were in a harbour on a small island one night, assured by the charter staff that it’s very peaceful etc. During the afternoon I watched a stage and sound system being erected on the quay and gradually the harbour filled with small boats and lots of people. The “music“ started around 10pm and went on until the early hours at which point they had a mass brawl - there were broken bottles everywhere the following day - got into their little boats and headed off into the night, mostly drunk with no lights or life jackets.

 

[Podney]

Tam,maybe they find you scary. If you’d never come across a giant in a kilt,playing the bagpipes till 2 in the morning…..you’d be scared wouldn’t you?

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Tam,maybe they find you scary. If you’d never come across a giant in a kilt,playing the bagpipes till 2 in the morning…..you’d be scared wouldn’t you?

No room for the bagpipes in the new van, kilts however ...........

 

[nicholsong]

A bit of operator trouble and finger malfunction. However as I have your attention I’ll Ask the query that crossed my mind at the time. If the Adriatic is not tidal, why does Venice have predicted flood times along with height estimates. When we were last there it was shoes and socks off to paddle home to the hotel.

I have no experience of the N .Adriatic but do know the French Italian and Greek coastlines and there are no tides there.

Pressure and wind-blown surges, which may cause water height differences, should not be confused with tides as such.

Geoff

 

[Northernraider]

Hardly likely that all the people of any one country are all the same. Maybe it's the gloomy weather and you've had bad luck with who you've met.

Of course not and the same could be said when i say the Spanish Portuguese and greeks all seem friendly and happy ....im only going on what ive encountered but it was jackie who first said to me yesterday she thought they were all miserable and shes been a few holidays to Croatia in hotels before . And it matched with what my experience has been up till now. Who knows ...i can only comment on my own findings and my honest reaction to them and im a little underwhelmed with Croatia as a whole. Not as nice as i thought it would be and im not sure id rush back.

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[Northernraider]

Parked up for to night at a small harbour on the outskirts of medici .... this was the 3rd attenpt at a parkup and still not the best but i was fed up driving by this point so it will do for tonight.

Will probably be in Dubrovnik tomorrow night....got to pass through a slither of bosnia to do that by the looks of things ....

 

[Lenny HB]

im a little underwhelmed with Croatia as a whole. Not as nice as i thought it would be and im not sure id rush back.

I told you so, my thoughts exactly.

 

[Lenny HB]

Will probably be in Dubrovnik tomorrow night....got to pass through a slither of bosnia to do that by the looks of things ..

If you want to avoid the insurance problem you can take a cheap ferry to Trpanj.

Have you bypassed Split as that's worth a visit, and how did the pouches like the Sea Organ in Zadar?

 

[bobandjanie]

im a little underwhelmed with Croatia as a whole. Not as nice as i thought it would be and im not sure id rush back.

That was our thoughts when we went, and the other thing was all the cruise and coach tours it was really busy, we wouldn't rush back. Bob.

 

[Northernraider]

I told you so, my thoughts exactly.

I wanted to see it for myself as its good to explore new places and id often seen package holidays for Croatia that looked interesting....of course ive only been down the coastal areas but nowhere has given me that wow! Factor that ive had visiting other places... I was told about the beaches so i expected them not to be as nice but i did think there would be a bit more architecture but really apart from the odd roman item and a few Venetian buildings that ive seen in most other countries there hasn't really been much to photograph ....sure in summertime it might have a more party atmosphere if thats your thing but im not a clubber ...or even a big drinker so it doesn't have that charm that appeals to me...horses for courses and i wouldn't advise anyone to dismiss it as others might like what it has to offer .. but for me ive just been a little dissapointed with it.

Seems a cheap place to visit though from what ive seen ....diesel works out about £1.25l , lpg is around 60p a litre , a pint in a bar is about €2 , food looks reasonable although most places are closed this time of year. Weather isnt the greatest ...its been dull and overcast the last 2 days ...lot of rain this morning which is why i didn't walk in to zadar as it was 45 mins each way . Average 14-16° daytime and around 11° overnight. Landscape is quite strange ...i wouldnt say it was lush and green like more northern countries but it also doesn't have the same desert type terrain you get in greece or in spain ...its just quite baren in places and there was literally miles of nothing coming down the coast.

My sister says she really liked Dubrovnik and part of game of thrones was fimed there too so im interested to see that but tomorrow will likely be my last day/night in Croatia then its on to Montenegro.

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[Northernraider]

If you want to avoid the insurance problem you can take a cheap ferry to Trpanj.

Have you bypassed Split as that's worth a visit, and how did the pouches like the Sea Organ in Zadar?

I won't be stopping in Bosnia just driving straight through it and on to Dubrovnik. Probably cross that slither in less than an hour.

Stopped outside split but it just looked like a massive city so kept going.

Didn't walk in to zadar as it was really heavy rain this morning ...took 90 minutes to drive out of it

 

[Lenny HB]

I won't be stopping in Bosnia just driving straight through it and on to Dubrovnik. Probably cross that slither in less than an hour.

What about Jackie will she want to risk her posh wagon on only 3rd party insurance?

 

[Northernraider]

What about Jakie will she want to risk her posh wagon on only 3rd party insurance?

I think she's planning to do the same ...she just wants to push on too.


Will have to buy insurance at border for Montenegro but then i planned to spend a few days there anyway

 

[dpsuk999]

I won't be stopping in Bosnia just driving straight through it and on to Dubrovnik. Probably cross that slither in less than an hour.

Stopped outside split but it just looked like a massive city so kept going.

Didn't walk in to zadar as it was really heavy rain this morning ...took 90 minutes to drive out of it

There is no need to go into Bosnia anymore as the new bridge has been constructed:

The bridge spans the sea channel between Komarna on the northern mainland and the peninsula of Pelješac, thereby passing entirely through Croatian territory and avoiding any border crossings with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum. Construction started on 30 July 2018, and the bridge was connected on 28 July 2021

 

[Northernraider]

That was our thoughts when we went, and the other thing was all the cruise and coach tours it was really busy, we wouldn't rush back. Bob.

Yeah i think thats its main tourist flow ... certainly theres loads of cruise boats etc all rammed in to every harbour at the minute tied up for winter. Place we stopped earlier they were 5 deep and a line of about a dozen in one harbour. No one was getting out in a hurry thats for sure

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[Northernraider]

There is no need to go into Bosnia anymore as the new bridge has been constructed:

The bridge spans the sea channel between Komarna on the northern mainland and the peninsula of Pelješac, thereby passing entirely through Croatian territory and avoiding any border crossings with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum. Construction started on 30 July 2018, and the bridge was connected on 28 July 2021

I cant see that on map

 

[Northernraider]

There is no need to go into Bosnia anymore as the new bridge has been constructed:

The bridge spans the sea channel between Komarna on the northern mainland and the peninsula of Pelješac, thereby passing entirely through Croatian territory and avoiding any border crossings with Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum. Construction started on 30 July 2018, and the bridge was connected on 28 July 2021

Having a google and they say its not open to traffic till june 2022

 

[Helen Ariel]

Of course not and the same could be said when i say the Spanish Portuguese and greeks all seem friendly and happy ....im only going on what ive encountered but it was jackie who first said to me yesterday she thought they were all miserable and shes been a few holidays to Croatia in hotels before . And it matched with what my experience has been up till now. Who knows ...i can only comment on my own findings and my honest reaction to them and im a little underwhelmed with Croatia as a whole. Not as nice as i thought it would be and im not sure id rush back.

I love Croatia but would only ever go in summer.

 

[busby]

I love Croatia but would only ever go in summer.

Too far East BUSBY.

 

[Lenny HB]

I think she's planning to do the same ...she just wants to push on too.


Will have to buy insurance at border for Montenegro but then i planned to spend a few days there anyway

That will only be 3rd party I know that won't bother you.

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[KiwiKampers]

Personally, we enjoyed Bosnia more than Croatia, especially Mostar and Sarajevo.

 

[TM59]

I wanted to see it for myself as its good to explore new places and id often seen package holidays for Croatia that looked interesting....of course ive only been down the coastal areas but nowhere has given me that wow! Factor that ive had visiting other places... I was told about the beaches so i expected them not to be as nice but i did think there would be a bit more architecture but really apart from the odd roman item and a few Venetian buildings that ive seen in most other countries there hasn't really been much to photograph ....sure in summertime it might have a more party atmosphere if thats your thing but im not a clubber ...or even a big drinker so it doesn't have that charm that appeals to me...horses for courses and i wouldn't advise anyone to dismiss it as others might like what it has to offer .. but for me ive just been a little dissapointed with it.

Seems a cheap place to visit though from what ive seen ....diesel works out about £1.25l , lpg is around 60p a litre , a pint in a bar is about €2 , food looks reasonable although most places are closed this time of year. Weather isnt the greatest ...its been dull and overcast the last 2 days ...lot of rain this morning which is why i didn't walk in to zadar as it was 45 mins each way . Average 14-16° daytime and around 11° overnight. Landscape is quite strange ...i wouldnt say it was lush and green like more northern countries but it also doesn't have the same desert type terrain you get in greece or in spain ...its just quite baren in places and there was literally miles of nothing coming down the coast.

My sister says she really liked Dubrovnik and part of game of thrones was fimed there too so im interested to see that but tomorrow will likely be my last day/night in Croatia then its on to Montenegro.

The expression, “The grass is always greener comes to mind”. Scotland as a country is beautiful and scenery wise hard to beat, only let down by its weather. Keep going south to Greece.

 

[namwaldog]

There is no need to go into Bosnia anymore as the new bridge has been constructed:

Tam, Northernraider , will feel at home there......

Looks similar to the Queensferry Crossing

Doesn't look like it's open yet though....

 

[Figaro]

im a little underwhelmed with Croatia as a whole. Not as nice as i thought it would be and im not sure id rush back.

You've just driven straight past the best bits, the national parks etc. Zadar and Split are both worth exploring.
I too love Croatia and disagree with your conclusion, but as Helen Ariel said, I'd only go when the weather is warmer.
Dubrovnik is pretty, and you should be lucky in no cruise ships in November.

 

[Minxy]

Info on the new bridge:

Pelješac Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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