Riffs on Croatia

After an absence from several trip blogs, the riffs are back!  This post is not for the faint of heart, as I veer from topic to topic without any rhyme or reason.  Enjoy this rando observations on various Croatian idiosyncracies.

I have never seen as many tall men as there are in Croatia.  I’m 6'1"-ish, and men tower over me here.  And they are big, wide men, not just 6'1", but commonly 6'4" to 6'6".

The NFL needs to send scouts to Croatia to find strapping young men who could play offensive line, for instance.  Or, if they have basketball skills, tight end.  I’m telling you, as bad as the New York football Giants offensive line has been, I could have picked out four Croatian men to play better than the Giants O-line last year (with the exception of Andrew Thomas, who has more talent and ability than the rest of O-line combined!

(Editor: This isn’t Street and Smith’s.  Get back to off-beat observations about Croatia.  Writer: Just trying to help fix my team’s biggest problem.)

There are more random cats in Croatia than I’ve ever seen anywhere.  I don’t know for certain that the cats are strays, although since they do the stray cat strut, they may well be.  The cats do look well fed and groomed, although that could just be cat ladies taking care of them. 

Maddy was fascinated by all the cats.  I’m allergic, so I give them a respectful distance, but they seem pretty well-behaved and not desperate street cats.

I did not expect much out of Croatian food, but it turned out to be much tastier than I expected.  There were only two dinners out of the eight that I was underwhelmed by, and one of those was a well-regarded Bosnian restaurant in Dubrovnik.  Yes, we ate at some nice restaurants, but we also ate at holes in the wall and were quite happy with the meals.

Traveler tip: If you want to eat well without breaking the bank, don’t go to Michelin Star restaurants.  Instead, find Michelin Guide restaurants.  These restaurants are a cut below Michelin Star, but the price is much lower, the quality is just as good, and dining is not a 30 course, four hour experience (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

The Adriatic Sea is great to swim in.  Given the stunning blue water, there being over 1,000 islands, and the highlight of mountains near the shore, the beauty of the Dalmatian Coast is hard to beat.  It’s a bit like California, except there’s a lot fewer people and a much higher smoking rate among Croats.  

Be forewarned, however, that most of the beaches are pebbly or even rocky, and very few are sandy beaches.  So bring water shoes and be prepared to rent chaise lounges.  And, recognize that near Dubrovnik and Split the beaches can be quite crowded, by both foreigners and Croats.

(Editor: Is it “Croatians” and not “Croats.”  Writer: It appears either works, and “Croats” sound like they could be a make of sandals.  As in “Let me just strap on my Croats and we’ll go to the beach bar.”  Editor: I bet the Ottomans wish they could have stepped on some Croats but it didn’t work out for them.  Writer: This riffs post sure has taken a weird turn.  Editor: When even YOU think it’s weird, it’s definitely weird!).

On the Dalmatian Coast, it seems everyone speaks English.  We only went inland to Plitivice Lakes which, being a UNESCO World Heritage site, may draw people to work there who also speak English (could be a requirement).  I’m sure there are inland Croats who don't speak the English language.

Speaking of the Croatia language, I have not learned how to pronounce Croatian words, or learned simple words in Croatian for common phrases like "good morning," "thank you," or "I need some Croatian wine."

One of our neighbors, Lara, spent ten years growing up in Croatian and speak the language fluently.  I asked her for help, and she said, "Oh, Croatian is easy, because every letter in a word is pronounced."  

Except she didn't say how it is pronounced.  And, as I've mentioned before, there are words that don't include vowels, or words that string together four straight consonants before there is a vowel.  

In fact, I'm beginning to question whether Lara's first name is really her first name, because two of the four letters are vowels!  (That's 50% of the letters being vowels, for those readers who don't like to do math).

I would not be surprised if her name isn't Laraxjnmstmopnrqu, or something close to that.  I would not be surprised if Lara (if that's even her real name!) has not told her husband Jeff that her name is really Laraxjnmstmopnrqu.

I'm going to call her by her real name (Laraxjnmstmopnrqu) the next time I see her, although I probably won't pronounce it correctly.

By the way, Croatian wine is really good, especially from a value for money standpoint.  I just wish I could pronounce the wines.