“LADO” Us Tour

World famous National Folk Dance Ensemble of Croatia “Lado” is celebrating 60th anniversary and coming to US for a 5 city tour.

Performances will take place in Washington DC, October 9-10, New York October 13-14, Pittsburgh October 18, Cleveland October 20 and Chicago October 21. Some performances are free of charge.

For more information please visit www.peer97.com

Green Istria increasingly attractive to visitors

The Istrian interior is increasingly attractive to tourists, especially those whose ideal vacation is a stay in nature and the tranquillity provided by authentic Istrian houses, combining effectively the traditional way of life with the needs of the
contemporary visitor. However, green Istria is also perfect for excursions to its medieval city-castles located on hills, which truly have a mystic atmosphere about them. A walk around these “acropolic” towns, Motovun, Labin, Vodnjan, Grožnjan,
Hum and Oprtalj, and a tour of their castles, old churches and squares, will provide visitors with an insight into their history. These locations, however, also serve as a stage for many a cultural event, attracting visitors with both their content and ambience. The best preserved urban core is harboured in Motovun, an old city on the edge of the river Mirna valley. It is surrounded by tall city walls and three layers of defence walls, from which all four sides of the world can be seen,with good reason. The entire city is like a museum, with almost every house a cultural monument, from the Renaissance city hall and the parochial church to private villas from various historical and artistic eras. This beautiful city, attracting visitors every year, is host to the annual international Motovun Film Festival.

Tourists also find the medieval cities Oprtalj and Grožnjan attractive. Once derelict, Grožnjan is today revived by the sounds of the instruments of musicians from around the world. With its many monuments and palaces, the medieval town of Vodnjan in southern Istria also attracts vistors with its unusually large Baroque parochial church, the church of St Blaise, the town’s patron saint, with its 65-metre tall bell tower. The church has a capacity of an astounding 5,000 people and boasts a valuable collection of sacral art. Vodnjan is a centre of the Istrian ‘casites’ (kažun) and there are more than 2,500 of them in its surroundings. The church of St Blaise exhibits miraculous mummies of saints.

In Labin, on top of a hill, the old city core is located, the traditional host of the autumn Mediterranean Stone Sculptors’ Symposium. Beneath the hill, in Dubrova,there is a park of stone sculptures, sculpted by invited sculptors every year. Labin boasts a museum featuring an archaeological and ethnological collection,a model of a mine, unique in this part of Europe, the memorial collection of Matija Vlačić Ilirik, the eminent protestant and philosopher, associate of Martin Luther, as well as a number of palaces. The city is a protected architectural and historical
core, home to many artistic studios of Labin painters and sculptors.
The Mediterranean Sculptors’ Symposium has been held for the past 30 years,every August. Invited sculptors make their sculptures in stone, which remain in the sculpture park. Over the last couple of years, the “White Road” has been worked on, a unique sculpting project in which a series of eminent sculptors have participated.

Among the series of Istrian “acropolic” cities, a special place
belongs to the tiny city of Hum, known as the world’s smallest city. Though small in size and population, Hum has earned its status as a city with the fact that all of its city institutions are functional.

The Istrian interior is also known for its excellent wines and olive oil, the recipients of many awards from around the world, as well as its culinary offering, particularly truffles, a delicacy found in the Istrian forests, excellently prepared in local restaurants.

Karlovac - Meet the City on four rivers

The city of Karlovac has recently introduced an interactive guide,available to visitors on their mobile phones. Touring around this city on four rivers, visitors can find out everything about its cultural and culinary offering, events, accommodation possibilities, entertainment and get around the city with the help of an interactive map. Thanks to the mobiExplore, you will literally have in the palm of your hand all information about the history of Karlovac, its eminent figures, and its cultural and historical monuments.

Karlovac is located around 50 km from the capital Zagreb. It is situated on four rivers – Korana, Kupa, Mrežnica and Dobra – which
certainly contributes to its special atmosphere. The renaissance
city core is formed like a six-pointed star and would later develop
into a baroque city. Out of the many monuments – historical buildings,museums and cultural institutions, a special place belongs
to the old city of Dubovac, ruled by the counts Frankopan and
Zrinski in the 15th and 16th century, and later by Karlovac generals.

The tallest tower of the old city, located above the river Kupa,
functions as a lookout spot and harbours an exhibition.
The four rivers and surrounding forests have contributed to the
development of active vacationing: visitors can enjoy hunting, fishing,biking trails, rafting, canoeing or the educational hiking trail Kozjača, along which visitors can get to know the rich flora of this region.

In this, the mobiExplore application will certainly be useful, as it
informs visitors to Karlovac about its beauties and monuments
through their mobile phones. MobilExplore, for which the experts
of the Split-based company Gideon have received many international
awards, has already conquered many European and world cities. Visitors to destinations in Great Britain, Italy and many other
countries are getting around with the help of mobilExplore now.

More information about Karlovac:

Karlovac County Tourist Board - www.tzkz.hr

City of Karlovac Tourist Board - www.karlovac-touristinfo.hr

Zlatni Rat ( Golden Horn ) - The Most Beautiful Beach in the World

According to the British Daily Telegraph, the beach Zlatni rat in Bol on the Island of Brač is the most beautiful beach in Europe.

Also, the tourist guide publisher Lonely Planet has ranked Zlatni rat among the ten most beautiful beaches in the world.

Zlatni rat is located on the west side of Bol on the mid Dalmatian
island of Brač, positioned beneath the Vid’s Mountain, the highest
Adriatic insular mountain. It is half a kilometre long and is one
of the biggest natural attractions of the Croatian Adriatic coast.
The beach is spectacular on account of its triangle shape, and its
specificity is that it changes shape depending on the direction of
the wind. This makes it perfect for surfing and other water sports,
which is why many international sports competitions are organized
here. The beach is surrounded by a pine tree and oak tree forest,
and offers numerous possibilities for the organization of various
entertainment events. Numerous high quality hotels, suite resorts,
restaurants, cafes, taverns and nightclubs, as well as sports facilities
for both children and adults are located in close proximity to
the beach.

Split Dalmatia County Tourist Board: www.dalmatia.hr

Bol Tourist Board: www.bol.hr

Seasonal flights from Madrid to Zagreb

Beginning on July 4th, the Spanish airline Iberia will introduce two weekly flights between Madrid and Zagreb. These seasonal flights will greatly contribute to the movement of tourists between the two countries. Iberia will also continue with its seasonal flights connecting Madrid and Dubrovnik three times a week. Over the last couple of years, the movement of tourists between the two countries has greatly increased. The number of Spanish visitors to Croatia jumped 10 % last year, with 13 % more overnight stays.

Zadar - New air connections with Stockholm and Edinburgh

Beginning on April 1st, the City of Zadar will be connected by air
with Stockholm. Ryanair will offer flights twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, until October 24th. In January, Ryanair also announced a new air connection between Zadar and Edinburgh,
which will also begin its operations on April 1st. Ryanair already
connects Zadar with London and Dublin.

Croatia in the top 35 countries in competitive tourism

Croatia remains in 34th place this year among 133 countries in tourism competitiveness.

The new World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report, called "Managing in a Time of Turbulence," provides the country rankings.

This year’s report summarises the difficulties the industry currently faces, as well as the effect of energy prices on tourism and price competitiveness.

Croatia is still on the same level as Italy and Malta and ahead of some European countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.

The most-competitive tourism countries are again Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

The rankings are based on the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), which measures the different regulatory and business-related issues that have been identified as levers for improving travel and tourism competitiveness in countries around the world.

Croatia received low ratings for price competitiveness, air-price competitiveness, air-travel infrastructure and the education and availability of professional staff but extremely good marks for tourism infrastructure.

Commenting on the report, National Competitiveness Council head Darko Marinac said Croatia needed more than ever to think carefully about its price competitiveness in tourism in order to keep its returning guests and to attract new ones.

Marinac added: "On the other hand, Croatia needs to raise the quality of the domestic tourism product in order to balance value and price."


Article Source: http://www.croatiantimes.com/index.php?id=2972

Restaurant Review: Mondo Konoba in Croatia

Mondo Konoba may be the best little restaurant that you may never reach. It is what eating in the Old World should feel like. Just be warned that you’ll have to work for it.

Istria, the part of Croatia that’s closest to Italy, was under its neighbor’s rule until the end of World War II and was previously occupied by the mighty Venetians. It’s beautiful, cheap and largely free of the hordes of tourists that spoil so many postcard-worthy views in Italy. Think of it as Tuscany 50 years ago.

Mondo Konoba sits on a slope just outside the large gate to the beautiful medieval village of Motovun, which is on a hilltop deep in the Croatian countryside almost an hour from the nearest train station. Visitors can drive up the narrow winding road almost to the top, though they must leave their cars and make their way along the final stretch of narrow cobbled streets with misshapen and brightly colored houses on foot. Otherwise, it’s a stunning, but tiring, half-hour trek to Motovun.

Where does a weary traveler rest? In a tavern, which is the translation of konoba. The vibe is as relaxed as the word suggests, with an airy dining room and a few simple wooden tables outside. The menu relies heavily on local ingredients particular to the surrounding area.

Among the highlights are beef carpaccio with shavings of black truffle, a rich and creamy polenta with truffles and a delicious dish of tagliatelle — in a truffle sauce, of course. Truffles are abundant there, and are dug up by hunters and their dogs (or more traditionally with pigs) fresh in the mornings.

Nikola, the friendly and multilingual waiter, is great with helping to choose a glass of one of the crisp local white wines to pair with the food. Main courses range from 65 to 140 kuna (about $11 to $25 at 5.8 kuna to the dollar), a tremendous bargain when compared with the expensive dishes on tourist menus in Italy.

Before the sun sets, there should be enough time to enter the gate to the village, built in the 1400s, and soak in the breathtaking views. No surprise, then, that many Italians say the best place for a dream holiday is Croatia.

Mondo Konoba, 1 Barbacan, Motovun, Croatia; (385-52) 681-791.

By KABIR CHIBBER
Published: February 1, 2009

Article Source: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/travel/01bites.html?ref=travel

Rail passes - the economical way to see Europe

By George Pandi, CanWest News Service

Rail Europe, the European railways' agency that distributes go-as-you-please passes, has just announced its new products and prices. The good news is prices remain close to last year's level, with the Eurail Global and Select passes going up just one per cent, French and Swiss passes about five per cent.

Four new passes came on line. The two-country, first-class Eurail Austria-Hungary Pass for four days of travel in two months costs $263. The two-class Italy-Spain pass for four to 10 days starts at $337 on second class; ferries between Italy and Spain offer reductions to pass holders. Two new national passes cover Ireland, five days of travel in one month for $218, and Croatia, three to eight days in one month, starting at $127.

Veteran travellers -- who had turned Eurailpass into a verb, as in "we will be eurailpassing this summer" -- panicked when they didn't see the word on the 2007 list. But the classic pass that took millions on summer-long explorations changed in name only, to Eurail Global Pass, in a minor branding exercise.

For those not familiar with the concept: Rail Europe's passes are valid on all trains -- often on buses and ships as well -- with unlimited mileage. With a consecutive pass you can travel daily from four days to three months; flexi passes let you choose the days of travel within a period, one or two months. The price varies with the number of travel days, the countries covered, and the class. For example, the single-country Czech Flexipass costs $98 for three days in 15, second class; the 18-country Eurail Global Flexi offers 10 days in two months, first class, for $880.

The favourite of nomads under 26 is the second-class Eurail Global Pass Youth: $1,361 buys three months of daily travel through 18 countries. The flexi version offers 10 days in two months for $572, 15 days for $751. Less peripatetic adults prefer the Eurail Select Pass that lets them choose three to five bordering countries and five to 15 days in two months. Prices start at $473 for for five days in three countries.

There are 22 more multi-country passes that combine from two to six countries and 19 national passes. Some are open-ended: you can buy additional travel days. The cost drops by about 15 per cent for two or more people travelling together if the pass has a Saver versions; as well, there are youth and senior discounts.

Passes include supplements, but not seat reservations, which cost about $5. However, on the French TGV the compulsory reservation increases with distance and is, in effect, a high-speed surcharge. Note that you can't reserve aboard the train and may have to pay the full fare as a fine. "Premier" trains (Artesia, AVE, Thalys, etc) are not free with passes, but those with a pass get considerable discounts, for example, on the Madrid-Seville AVE the first-class fare is $207, but pass holders pay $53.

See raileurope.ca or 1-800-361-7245.

Article Source: http://www.leaderpost.com

Lessons From Flight 1549

LAST Thursday evening, as Kevin Leibel settled into his seat on an American Airlines regional plane about to take off from St. Louis to Raleigh, N.C., he did something he had rarely done in the past: He actually paid close attention to the safety procedures being recited by the flight attendant.

It was less than four hours after US Airways Flight 1549 had splashed down in the Hudson River, with all passengers and flight crew eventually rescued, and which Mr. Leibel had watched with some amazement on the large-screen televisions in the Admirals Club at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. “The conversation in the room centered on how we all wanted to know if the passengers sitting in the emergency exit really knew what they were doing,” Mr. Leibel, a frequent flier from Chapel Hill, N.C., recalled.

So when his flight to Raleigh boarded for its 6:30 p.m. Central time takeoff, Mr. Leibel took his seat, 11C, in an emergency exit row and scanned his surroundings closely. “I did look at my row mates — one solo seat across the aisle and another seat next to mine — and briefly considered how they might perform,” he said.

Mr. Leibel was not alone. Interviews with several passengers and flight attendants who flew in the hours and days after the Hudson River crash suggest that passengers’ awareness of their surroundings, and what to do in a possible emergency of their own, was at a height few had ever experienced before.

“It was the first time I can remember when everyone paid attention to the safety announcement,” said Matt Davidson, an executive at a plastic injection molding company from Lake Forest, Ill., who flew from Chicago to Denver on Saturday. “Also, I and others around me checked for the red life-vest tab under the seat. The United attendant announced that infant life vests were available. I’ve never heard that before.”

Kidsflysafe.com, which sells a child safety harness for use on planes as an alternative to a car seat, reported a spike in visits to the site. “Apparently a lot of folks took a look at the crash and perhaps have travel coming up with their child and thought, ‘I need that,’ ” Lisa Orman, a spokeswoman for the site, wrote in an email message.

It wasn’t just the passengers who were on increased alert. Flight attendants also found themselves reliving the details of the US Airways crash, and reminding one another of what they had learned in training programs of their own.

“After the miracle-on-the-Hudson incident occurred, I started trying to imagine what I would have done,” said Debby Gravitt, a veteran flight attendant with American Airlines. “The first thing I did was get out my in-flight manual and study the ditching portion of the 757, which I am currently flying. Those flight attendants had to immediately pull everything from memory while maintaining calm.

“We have a 30-second review we are supposed to do in our heads before every takeoff, and we are supposed to pick out which two passengers we would choose to use to aid us in our emergency landing,” she added. “Without a doubt, I plan to do this every time from here on.”

And for passengers and flight crew members alike, the important role of people who sit in the exit rows was reinforced. Mr. Leibel, for one, found himself questioning the long-standing policy that those exit-row seats, with their extra legroom, often go to frequent fliers, as a perk, or are even sold by airlines like Virgin, Northwest and JetBlue, to passengers who are willing to pay a bit more for the extra space. “The competence of the passenger is never considered, and the screening questions online are a joke,” Mr. Leibel said.

Accounts of the evacuation of Flight 1549 indicate that one of the key reasons the passengers were able to escape was that a man, only identified in previous reports as Josh, followed the instructions printed on the laminated cards in the emergency exit rows.

Josh apparently had read the card and knew how to open the emergency door. When someone tried to pull the door in, The New York Times reported last week, Josh stepped in and, according to one of the thankful survivors, said: "‘No, you’ve got to throw it out.’ He twisted it and threw it out.”

Not everyone was as clear-thinking during what some passengers described as the “controlled chaos” of the evacuation, stopping to snatch bags from the overhead bins.

“That’s one of the things you constantly hear about,” said Lonny Glover, safety and security coordinator for the flight attendants union at American Airlines, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, who has debriefed passengers involved in accidents. “How things were slowed down because a passenger is reaching up to take a suitcase or laptop out of the overhead bin.”

Flight crews are trained to guide passengers in an emergency with calm but direct commands: Unfasten seat belts! Come this way! Don’t take anything with you!

In the case of Flight 1549, it appears the pilot expertly handled the emergency river landing, and flight attendants did their best to keep passengers calm while quickly evacuating the aircraft.

In a water landing, flight attendants are taught never to open the rear door because it could sink the plane. Indeed, some passengers who were at the back of Flight 1549 reported flooding nearly up to their necks. The flooding would have been much worse if one of the flight attendants onboard had not stopped a passenger from opening a rear door and letting in a gush of water, according to a report by The Associated Press.

The Federal Aviation Administration mandates that every crew member receive training in so-called ditching, or emergency water landings. Instruction must be specific to the aircraft and safety equipment onboard.

But the number of hours dedicated to training and the type of drills can vary from airline to airline. For example, some flight attendants are trained to fly both domestic and international routes. American Airlines flight attendants review ditching procedures each year during recurrent training at the company’s headquarters in Fort Worth, Tex., including use of flotation devices and what to say and do to evacuate the plane safely. But only American’s international flight attendants, who typically fly on aircraft outfitted with life rafts, flares and other emergency equipment designed for survival in large bodies of water, get into a pool and practice inflating and boarding a raft.

For passengers, Mr. Glover recommends the following safety tips:

Pull out the emergency briefing card in the seat back pocket and review it. “Most passengers unfortunately feel they know their own surroundings and have been on the planes frequently. This time the plane may be changed to a different type. The exits may be located in a different area and may operate differently than the ones you are used to.”

When you sit down, count the number of rows or seats to your nearest emergency exit — in front and behind. “If the plane is damaged or filled with smoke and you need to get out, it could be a very chaotic environment in the cabin. It is best to know how many rows you may need to go in the dark cabin to get out. Also, the exit closest to you or the one you boarded through could be blocked. Know where the next available one is and how close it is. It could be right behind you.”

In a smoke-filled cabin, breathe through a piece of your clothing. “Cover your nose and mouth with a piece of your clothing to filter out the smoke.”

During an emergency evacuation, leave your carry-on luggage behind. “Passengers trying to remove luggage from the bins in an emergency are taking up precious time to evacuate. You are blocking the aisle and delaying others trying to evacuate. Studies show everyone has approximately 90 seconds to get out. Key here: Which is more important — your laptop, your suitcase or your life? It’s an easy choice.”

By MICHELLE HIGGINS
Published: January 20, 2009

Article source: The New York Times