Can you say “I’m buying” in 12 languages? Embark on this international drinking tour with comedian Zane Lamprey who takes you around the world to master the local drinking customs.
Croatia
Posted On: March 14, 2007 1:47 PM
After a 14-hour train ride from Germany, we arrive to the city of Zagreb, where we were greeted by several members of the Croatia tourism board. They were very excited to share their country with us, and for us to share our experiences, with you, back in the states. So they said that they had a great visit planned for us.
But first, they got us checked into the Zagreb Regency, which was a short walk from the train station. The hotel turned out to be one of the nicest hotels I've stayed in.... ever. It had a great restaurant and bar, a casino the size of my living room, and palatial rooms. So, while the crew bellied up to the bar, I got settled in my room and zonked out. The bed made the train ride from Germany, smoky cabin and all, well worth it.
Then, the next morning we headed out to Samobor, which was only an hour drive from Zagreb. There we met Tony, who makes the Bermet (as you'll see in the show). The tourism board also arranged for us to eat at a local restaurant. The food was delicious. I got stuffed, and slightly buzzed. Samobor was great. The trip to Samobor was definitely worth it.
From Samobor, we set out to our next destination, the city of Zadar. Here's where I point out that, in our journeys, it is often difficult to find out how far away places really are. The mileage (or in this case, "kilometerage") is not a good indication, because windy roads and traffic can make 60 miles take three hours (like it did in Manila and Costa Rica). And asking someone the time that it takes to get somewhere, is not a good indication either, because one person may say three hours, while someone else says six... Which was the case as we headed for Zadar. Our driver zipped along like he was in a scene from "The Bourne Supremacy", and we got to Zadar, in one piece, at midnight, in a record-breaking four hours. But, when I woke up and looked out my hotel window and saw how beautiful the Zadar was, I was happy to have made the trek. So, the journey to Zadar was worth it.
After visiting the birthplace of Marachino liqueur, inside the walled city of Zadar (which ultimately didn't make it to the show), we then set out to the city of Dubrovnik. On the map, it didn't look too far. But, because of the curvy roads (the new highway only went as far as Zadar), I was told it was an 8-hour drive.... Wow. The van, packed with seven people, was a little cramped last night on the "short" drive to Zadar. So, Eric, the sound guy (aka: the "Sound Monkey"), and I rented a car and drove on our own. So, we took off on the windy roads heading for the city of Dubrovnik, with one warning: There was a war here that only ended in 1997, so if you have to pull over and pee, don't go far off the road-- there are land mines... So, I head it in. A run in with a land mine, just to relieve my bladder, would not be worth it...
Eric and I took off to Dubrovnik, stopping a few times along the way. The countryside is beautiful, but the further south you get, especially driving along the massive mountains on the coast, the more stunning it gets. But, by the time we got to Dubrovnik, it was dark... All we knew was that the hotel, which was used as a refugee camp during their recent civil war, was on the side of a mountain, overlooked the Adriatic Sea, and was supposed to be even nicer than the Regency in Zagreb. It was-- although my room wasn't quite as large (I know, cry me a river). When I woke up the next morning, saw my view, and ultimately saw the city, I was amazed. Dubrovnik, and the walled city of "Old Dubrovnik", were incredible. That is why, in the episode, most of what you see was shot in Dubrovnik... So, needless to say, it was worth the trip.
We arrived in Croatia knowing very little about the country. When we arrived, I remarked to Mike, our producer, that if you were to show me photos of the 10 most popular landmarks in Croatia, and asked me what country they were from, I would not have been able to tell you.
But, as I departed, I left with strong affinity for the Croatian people and an appreciation for their country and it's rich history. The people were amazing, the country was beautiful, and coastline was breathtaking. It was well worth the trip...
But, the journey didn't end there. There was still a six hour drive back to the city of Split, where we took an 11-hour ferry ride to Ancona (Italy), a 3-hour train ride to Venice, and a 20-minute water taxi to my hotel. Yes, it was all worth the trip.
But, for my first day in Venice... I slept.
Post je objavljen 19.09.2007. u 02:10 sati.