Background: My friend Kaela found this trip on sale via Travelzoo. We originally talked ourselves out of it, but Melissa convinced us to do it. We may never have a chance to see the country my dad's family is from and it was a really great price. Off season!
9 AM
The Lyft driver arrived. David told him we were going to Croatia and my paranoid self told him we had a former student house sitting. I tried to disguise it as worry she would have a party, but David said it was pretty obvious. :/11:20
Flight delayed an hour11:30
While we're waiting for the flight, here are a few notes from my Cro Travel Guide, given to me as a secret Santa gift from Silvia - THANK YOU, Silvia! It still has my wishlist from last Christmas as a bookmark, stating all I wanted was a 2 week vacation. Ha!- Weather maps in Croatia come with a :) or a :(
- Cro music is considered the Mariachi music of Europe
- There's such a thing as the "Croatian Shrug," meaning "don't know, don't care." I DO THIS ALL THE TIME. I must tell Silvia. She tells me I shrug a lot...
- Medical Emergencies: 112
- To replace a passport - go in person to the embassy or consulate (Zagreb or Ljubliana)
- Money
- Croatia - Kuna (6.2 kn = $1)
- Montenegro & Slovenia (Euro, 1E = $1.10)
- Bosnia (konvertable mark - no idea)
- Tips: round up or 10%
- The 2nd floor is usually the ground level
Terms
Konoba - inn/restaurant
Meni, molim - menu please
Dobar tek - enjoy your meal
Racun (rAH-chon) - Bill
Minnows - small fried fish
Pasticada - braised beef ofer gnocchi
Mu'ckalica - stewed pork & veggies
Peka - veal or lamb (similar to tandoori)
Blitva - boiled potatoes and marigold
Sladoled - ice cream
Zozata - flan-like dessert
Voda - water
Kava - coffee
Phrases
Bok - hi
Dobro Utro - Good morning
Dobar dan - Good day
Dobro vecher - Good afternoon
Laku No'c - Good Night
Moze - can do
Ajde - go
Molim - please or you're welcome
Hvala / Fala - Thank you
1840
Finally in JFK!
I was looking for a taxi and this guy was asking everyone "cab?"
"Yeah, I need a cab," I said.
I thought it was like Philly when the taxi manager finds a taxi for you. No, this was a CADILLAC ESCALADE, unmarked, shady. What do I do? I get in.
About 5 minutes into the trip, I start thinking this is a bad idea and my paranoid self starts telling David "I called the hotel and told them we're on our way," "The GPS says we're only 10 minutes away," etc.
David says I appeared racist and embarrassed him. I'm not racist, just paranoid. We climbed into an unmarked care in NYC. I don't care what race you are, you're going to kill us. I'm sure I appeared racist to the "cab" driver, but I'll never see him again.
$150 private car - lesson learned. But, we made it to our hotel safe & sound.
_____
Grateful for
1. Not getting kidnapped and/or trafficked
2. David's sensibility
3. Blessed to even be able to take this trip in the first place.
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