Hrvatska prezimena u Argentini i Chile: 14000

Stavili smo na www.studiacroatica.com/ape4/ape.htm  cetvrtu verziju hrvatskih prezimena u Argentini i Chile. Ima 14000 hrvatskih prezimena ili kojih ima u Hrvatskoj sa svojim odnosnim frekvencijama. Uz Argentinu i Chile ima isto informacije -ali ne potpune- od Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay i Venezuela.

Sto se tice Argentine ima 123000 argentinskih drzavljana rodjeni do 1981. Ako projektiramo ovaj borj do 2004. ima oko 180000 osoba sa hrvatskim prezimenima u Argentini. U tom broju nisu ukljuceni hrvatski potomci koji nemaju hrvatsko (prvo) prezime.

Croatian Surnames in Argentina and Chile: 14000

We have posted at www.studiacroatica.com/ape4/ape.htm  fourth version of our work on Croatian last names in Argentina and Chile. There are 14000 Croatian surnames or surnames found in Croacia with their frequencies. Besides Argentina and Chile, we have partial information on Bolivia, Perú, Uruguay and Venezuela.

In the case of Argentina there are 123000 Argentinian citizens born until 1981. Projecting it to 2004, there are some 180000 persons bearing a Croatian surname in Argentina. This number does not include people of Croatian descent not having a Croatian last name.

Apellidos croatas en Argentina y Chile: 14000

Hemos puesto en www.studiacroatica.com/ape4/ape.htm la cuarta versión de los apellidos croatas en Argentina y Chile. Son 14000 apellidos croatas o con presencia en Croacia con sus respectivas frecuencias. Además de Argentina y Chile hay información parcial de Bolivia, Perú, Uruguay y Venezuela.

Para Argentina se trata de 123000 ciudadanos argentidos nacidos hasta 1981. Proyectando esta cifra hasta 2004 son unas 180000 personas con apellidos croatas en Argentina. No incluye a los descendientes de croatas que llevan un primer apellido no croata.

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This Bulletin is published by the journal Studia Croatica - Institute for Croatian Culture. The journal is published in Buenos Aires since 1960 - The Bulletin is distributed in two versions, Spanish and English, to some 2700 email adresses in 30 countries. New subscription are welcome. Please tell us if you do not want to receive more this kind of material. Studia Croatica is on the Web since 1996, -where it has some 18000 pages in Spanish, French, English and Croatian. It receives some 140000 hits per month.www.studiacroatica.com  -joza@velocom.com.ar .


Este Boletín es publicado por la revista Studia Croatica - Instituto de Cultura Croata, editada en Buenos Aires desde 1960 - El Boletín se distribuye en castellano e inglés a unas 2700 direcciones electrónicas en 30 países y retrasmitidos a varios miles de personas. Rogamos nos provean direcciones electrónicas de personas que podrían estar interesadas en recibir este boletín, y nos comuniquen si no desean recibir este tipo de información. Studia Croatica se encuentra en la Web desde 1996, -donde tiene unas 18000 páginas en castellano, francés, inglés y croata- y recibe unas 140000 visitas por mes.www.studiacroatica.com  -joza@velocom.com.ar

Croatian Extravaganza

The following announcement appeared in the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento is the capital of California. John Kraljic

The 22nd annual celebration will be from noon to midnight June 12 and noon to 11 p.m. June 13 at the Croatian American Cultural Center, 3730 Auburn Blvd. Admission is $7 general, free for children 12 and under. Food, beverages and souvenirs are extra. The cultural and social event will feature musicians from Croatia, performances by Croatian adult and children's dance groups, ethnic cuisine, cultural exhibits and children's games and activities. June 12 highlights include the opening ceremony at 3 p.m., kolo dance group at 3:30 p.m. and Croatia's Nenad Vetma concert at 4:30 p.m. On June 13, gates open at 10:30 a.m. for a Catholic Mass. The parade of national costumes will be at 2 p.m. June 13, with kolo dancers performing at 2:30 p.m., and Nenad Vetma at 3:30 p.m. Joining Nenad Vetma will be Tihomir of Toronto, the Mate Caric Band from Los Angeles and Sacramento's own DJ by Mario. Barbecue dinner will be available, along with Croatian specialties and pastries, fine wine, imported and domestic beers, espresso and coffee drinks. For more information: (916) 971-0663 or (916) 489-0339.
 

Euros 40 million for the Croatia Coastal Cities Pollution

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2004-The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors yesterday approved a loan of Euros 40 million for the Croatia Coastal Cities Pollution Control Project. The protection of Croatia's 1,780 km-long Adriatic Sea coastline and 1,185 islands is a priority for both ecological and economic reasons. The Project will improve coastal wastewater treatment, discharge infrastructure, and sewage expansion to address the problem of water pollution because of its negative effect on ecology, public health, tourism, fishing industries and aquaculture. Under existing conditions, wastewater management is deficient and water >pollution constitutes a problem in a number of Croatian coastal municipalities. Coverage of water supply services ranks high compared to other countries in the region. However, coverage for sewage is only around 40 percent, and less than 12 percent of all collected wastewater is being treated. The degradation of seawater quality in some parts of the coast due to discharges of raw sewage has resulted in visible problems, including localized eutrophication (water pollution caused by excessive plant nutrients) and phytoplankton bloom, as well as less-visible contamination of the marine life by organic and non-organic micro-polluting substances. The Coastal Cities Pollution Control Project is designed to improve the quality of Croatia's Adriatic coastal waters to meet European Union environmental requirements under the acquis communautaire. The project is also designed to preserve one of the country's natural resources and to enhance the potential for further growth in the tourism industry. The project's development objective will be achieved through support for the strengthening of the institutional arrangements for financing and management of wastewater management, wastewater collection, treatment and disposal infrastructure in selected coastal municipalities. The coastal municipalities that have been identified as candidates to participate in the project include Krk, Opatija, Biograd, Zadar, and Rijeka. The project will also provide technical assistance and financing for engineering services, improvements in the environmental monitoring system for the implementation and measurement of results financed under the project. The project supports the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP), which was recently completed by the Croatian Government with extensive public participation. The Government of Croatia has selected the Adaptable Program Loan (APL), the first time that this instrument is being used in the country. The APL provides a framework for the phased implementation of pollution control programs and implementing the medium-term investment program needed to comply with requirements for EU accession by helping Croatian Waters, the implementing agency for the project, to take a phased approach to planning and identifying funding sources, while building the necessary regulatory, monitoring, and control capacity. The World Bank loan is the first phase of a medium term investment program that is part of a wider 10-year investment program designed to bring Croatia in line with EU wastewater treatment requirements. Since Croatia joined the World Bank in 1993, the Bank has funded 24 projects totaling over US$1.2 billion, with disbursements of over $700 million. For more information on the World Bank's work in Croatia, visit
http://www.worldbank.hr

Uspjeh zagrebacke XV. gimnazije na informatickom natjecanju u SAD


2. lipnja 2004.
 

UCENICI zagrebacke XV gimnazije postigli su veliki uspjeh na medunarodnom informatickom natjecanju u Sjedinjenim Državama osvojivši prvo mjesto u starijoj skupini natjecatelja.
Tri skupine s ukupno 15 ucenika XV Prirodoslovno-matematicke gimnazije iz Zagreba osvojili su u subotu u Chicagu na medunarodnom informatickom natjecanju ACSL (American Computor Science League) prvo mjesto u seniorskoj skupini (cetvrti razred), drugo mjesto u juniorskoj skupini (prvi razred) i cetvrto mjesto u srednjoj skupini (drugi i treci razred).
U natjecanju su sudjelovali ucenici iz 30-tak americkih saveznih država, cetiri skupine iz Rumunjske i tri iz Hrvatske.
U Chicagu je održano finalno natjecanje nakon cetiri kola prednatjecanja koje se odvijalo putem interneta. Ovo elitno natjecanje najboljih ucenika iz najboljih škola u informaticki najrazvijenijoj zemlji svijeta održava se vec 26 godina, a Zagrebacka XV gimnazija sudjeluje osmi put u 10 godina. Posebno je znacajno da je cetvero ucenika postiglo maksimalan broj bodova u finalnom natjecanju, a pet njih u predfinalnom natjecanju. HINA

War Photography Museum in Dubrovnik

From today's NY Times. John Peter Kraljic, Esq.

June 3, 2004
Photographic Images of War in a Region That Knows the Subject
By NICHOLAS WOOD

UBROVNIK, Croatia, June 2 - With his back to the camera, a cigarette in one hand and a gun in the other, the soldier nonchalantly kicks the body of a middle-aged woman as she lies dying on the ground. It is one of the most famous photographs of war in Bosnia, and 21-year-old Katie Shierlaw is staring at it for the first time, transfixed.

The picture, taken by the American photographer Ron Haviv, is among 700 or so in an exhibition called "A Decade of War" that officially opened Tuesday in this port, a Croatian beauty spot on the Adriatic and the scene of fierce fighting from 1991 to 1995.

War Photo Limited, the gallery that has mounted the exhibition, claims to be the first in the world dedicated exclusively to war photography. Its organizers say they aim to expose people to details of war that they have not seen before. The exhibition, the gallery's first, covers the Balkans wars that gripped this region for close to 10 years.

The photographs, brilliantly lighted on dark walls, range from the violent to the absurd. They include pictures of dozens of bodies, victims of the shelling of a Croatian city; artillery fire painting bright orange lines in the night sky; and a Serbian policeman offering water to an elderly Kosovar Albanian as his colleagues burn the old man's village down.

"It's shocking," said Ms. Shierlaw, from Niagara Falls, Ontario, who stepped into the gallery with a friend while on vacation in the city. "I knew something went on, but not to this extent."

The reactions of other foreign visitors, no matter what their ages, are similar. "It's pretty hard to understand, pretty hard," one viewer commented in the visitors' book. Wrote another, "I am shocked at my ignorance and how little knowledge I had of what was happening here."

The exhibition features the work of 10 photographers who covered the wars, including Darko Bandic, Christopher Morris, Srdjan Ilic and Noel Quidu. All of the pictures on display have been selected by the photographers themselves, as opposed to being chosen by a curator or photo editor. That and the sheer range of photographs on display, War Photo Limited's organizers argue, exposes people to a more raw and vivid impression of the conflict than they are likely to have encountered before.

"I certainly believe that people get a much better idea of what happened than if they picked up a copy of a newsmagazine, even when the war was on," said Wade Goddard, the gallery's director and a photographer who also covered conflicts in the region.

The majority of visitors to the gallery through the summer are expected to be tourists, many of them brought by cruise ships that stop at Dubrovnik as they sail up the Adriatic. There are few visible scars of the war left in the city, and some visitors could be forgiven for not knowing that the spot they now walk through was under shell fire just nine years ago.

"I quite like the idea that you come here on holiday and it's very nice, and then suddenly you are back in reality," said War Photo Limited's owner, Frederic Hancez, a Belgian businessman who has invested close to $600,000 to convert the stone building where the gallery is housed. He visited Croatia repeatedly throughout the war, selling shoes, and struck up an interest in war photography after meeting members of the press corps. ("There was nobody else around to hang out with," apart from "arms dealers and members of the U.N.," he explained.")

But while this Western-financed show has perhaps had the desired effect on tourists unaware of what happened, the reaction from those who lived through or took part in the fighting has been mixed. The gallery was open free to residents of Dubrovnik throughout the winter. For some, the images are still too raw, even though nine years have passed since the fighting ended in this region.

Miljenko Popovic, 52, a former Croatian soldier and now owner of a snack bar opposite the gallery, said he did not want to see the photographs. "There are too many emotions, wounds that have not been healed," he said.

Mr. Goddard has also faced criticism from other former soldiers who say that not enough heroic pictures of the Croatian army are on display. And some resident of the city have said that more photographs of the war in Dubrovnik should have been used. Mr. Haviv's collection, titled "Blood and Honey," is the main show on display, and it encountered violent responses when it went on tour in Serbia in 2002. Nationalists there claimed the photographs presented a biased or anti-Serb view of the war. The exhibition was banned in two cities and was forced to close early in another.

Whether the reaction is hostility or shock, the exhibition has provided the photographers with an outlet for their work that some have said was lacking. Mr. Haviv used to believe his photographs could change the world, he said, but became frustrated when the world stood by impervious to what he saw.

"I now realize that this is part of a process," he said. "One image can no longer change the world. It is just not possible anymore." The dialogue provoked by the exhibition and the work of War Photo Limited, he said, "keeps me going."

Franicevic, Another Croatian-American Vinter in California

The following story appeared in the North Bay Bohemian concerning Frane Franicevic and his wines which have received good reviews. John Peter Kraljic, Esq.

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Swirl 'n' Spit
Tasting Room of the Week
Suncé Winery

By Heather Irwin

Lowdown: Frane Franicevic has fallen a little bit in love with his '03 Mistral. He describes the mix of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc with a combination of fatherly pride and creative accomplishment, all the while smiling a little quixotically at the unlabeled green bottle he's about to uncork. Though the wine has barely had time to miss its oak barrel incubator (it was bottled two weeks ago), Franicevic isn't afraid of giving his friends--or a nosy taster--a sneak peak at what's to come. As the sun streams into the tasting room from the windows behind him, he pours the wine and crosses his arms across his belly approvingly.

Vibe: Born to a Croatian winemaking family, sun, wine and grapes are part of Franicevic's blood despite the fact that he's actually a doctor of psychology with no formal winemaking education. He just kind of ended up in wine country while working on his dissertation. "I'm not a fan of the city. I like accessible parking," he says with a thick accent.

Taking a break from Freud and Jung, Franicevic decided to make a few bottles of wine "for fun" with friends, winning a number of amateur awards over the next few years. In 1991 he decided he had more wine than he knew what to do with and created his first winery, One World. Suncé, which means "sun" in Croatian, was founded in 1998 on a former horse farm.

A less than formal affair, Suncé's tasting room is fashioned from a detached studio in back, the Pinot Noir vineyards from former horse pastures and the barrel rooms from the barn. A tiny pink bicycle is parked behind the family's home, which is just a few feet away. New doors, carved in Romania, lean against the siding, waiting to be hung.

Despite the rustic charm, the wines hold up to more than just family appeal. Suncé's wines are consistent winners in major regional competitions--most recently the San Francisco Chronicle's winetasting competition held in March--with many sold-out before they ever reach the commercial distribution.


Mouth value: At first blush, reds seem to be the heavy hitters. Suncé's Pinot Noirs are consistently outstanding, each unique. The 2002 Russian River Rodella Vineyard ($34) comes from 50-year-old vines and reflects a softer, more European style. The 2002 Piner Ranch Pinot Noir ($34) is a more fruit-forward Californian-style Pinot, with more intense, grapey flavors. Franicevic's Zinfandels are also remarkable, with the 2001 Clear Lake Old Vines Zin ($24) winning a gold award from the Chronicle. We liked the dry fruit and floral notes of the 2002 Amador Old Vine Zin (Winzerhof Vineyard) for just $20. Franicevic's current batch of whites are young, but promising. Tasted side by side, the '02 Fumé Blanc is oaky and toasty, while the '03 Sauvignon Blanc (just bottled) hints at the bright floral to develop over the next several months.

Five-second snob: Know the difference between Fumé Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc? Both use Sauvignon Blanc grapes, but a fumé is traditionally aged in oak barrels, imparting an earthier, oakier flavor. The Sauvignon Blancs are often aged in steel tanks to give a crisper, lighter taste.

Spot: Suncé Winery, 1839 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. Open daily, 10:30am to 5pm. No tasting fee. 707.526.9463.

Croatian Chef Shines in Seattle
 

The following is a restaurant review from Seattle Weekly and highlights the work of chef Maro Gjurasic. John Peter Kraljic, Esq.

June 2 - 8, 2004

The Tastemaker

With roots in pre-boom Seattle, Il Bistro is still no relic.

by Neal Schindler
Reviewing a restaurant that's older than you can be daunting. Around since 1977 (I came along two years later), Il Bistro doesn't just epitomize Seattle fine dining today; it was one of a handful of ambitious restaurants that sparked the ascent of high-end eating in the city during the past 25 years. And to irreverent younglings like me, the place is proof that not everything hailing from a prior generation should be rejected out of hand.

Silver-haired manager Randy Brown was a bartender at Il Bistro when the place first opened its doors, and his experience shows: Brown's soft-spoken manner and steady gaze bespeak the confidence of a man unconcerned with the ebb and flow of industry hype. As recently as the late '70s, upscale dining seemed novel to many Seattleites. Brown remembers that era quite well. "People would come in [and say], 'Well, I thought this was Italian food,'" he recalls. "You know, people were used to the pizza and spaghetti. Well, yeah, it's Italian, but Italians eat chicken, they eat steak, they eat veal." Without condescension, Il Bistro staffers have long been educating customers, other restaurants, and even the state liquor board on the subject of fine dining. So while you may never have visited the cavelike dining room to the left of the Pike Place Market entrance, you've probably observed its influence on local restaurants ranging from Salty's to the Queen City Grill (opened by Il Bistro's original owner, Peter Lamb).

It all began with coffee. "We had the second commercial-grade espresso machine in the city of Seattle," Brown says. "Starbucks [in the Market] had the other one. They made our own mix of coffee, called the 'Bistro Blend,' just for this restaurant. People were coming in and going, 'God, what is that?' Well, it's an espresso machine."

Next came the Scotch collection. In the '70s, the Washington State Liquor Control Board showed little interest in sophisticated beverages-a vexing predicament for a restaurant hoping to introduce diners to a higher breed of drink. "At the time when we opened," Brown explains, "we could get some Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, a couple of the more popular single malts." Current owner Dale Abrams adds: "We've educated the liquor stores, and they've brought in Scotches for us. We've educated with grappas as well, and some single-barrel bourbons. Sometimes we'll be the only one in the state to have it, 'cause we're the ones who ordered it."

The restaurant's pioneering work has paid off: Il Bistro stocks four dozen single-malt and blended Scotches, along with two dozen bourbons and a hefty assortment of grappas, liqueurs, cognacs, whiskeys, et al. Though the dining room merits the bulk of a reviewer's attention, it's worthwhile to consider how assiduously Il Bistro has developed the more casual side of the establishment, turning a simple L-shaped lounge into a nearly unbeatable bar.

But on to the food. Despite Il Bistro's storied past-Lauren Bacall has eaten there, Pearl Jam have partied there, and comedian Red Skelton once sent back a plate of tortellini he claimed was "ice cold"-the kitchen isn't mired in nostalgia. Chef Maro Gjurasic runs a forward-thinking operation he characterizes as "what an Italian chef would do living here [in the Northwest]." Gjurasic grew up in a Croatian household, so his respect for Mediterranean flavors is great, but his and Abrams' vision for the restaurant gracefully accommodates local ingredients, as well.

While some Italian eateries around town produce traditional cuisine that evokes ancient nonne stirring sauce, Abrams and Gjurasic take risks, as with their endive and Dungeness crab salad ($8), which collides a trio of clean flavors: sweet crabmeat, bitter endive, and a cool mint dressing that catches you off guard. Compared to Il Bistro's antipasto plate ($12), their rigatoni bolognese ($14), and the tomato-bathed seafood opera that is their cioppino ($24), this salad is a risky, nouveau proposition, and the finished product is slightly overwhelming. The crab's ocean flavor never quite complements (or opposes) the endives' bitterness, and the mint, though a bold attempt at bridging the two, doesn't quite make the connection.

But slight misfires happen when a kitchen is truly alive, and there's a real sense of play at Il Bistro, which means Gjurasic is free to experiment and tinker. As a result, his kitchen brings an unusual boldness to traditional fare, including the menu's obvious showpiece, the caretto d'agnello ($38), a rack of lamb in rosemary -sangiovese sauce. The meat cuts beautifully, and the contrast between its sunrise-pink interior and lightly charred surface is lovely.

Equally effective, the black fettuccini con frutti di mare ($18) takes "shellfish" very literally; covered with clams and mussels, a bed of squid-ink pasta peeks shyly out from beneath the armada of shells. The dark, spicy, Sicilian-style sauce makes excellent use of the region's characteristic flavors, including anchovies, and all the seafood is bracingly fresh.

One mark of superb cooking is the use of rich flavors-not heavy textures or overlarge portions-to satisfy. After three sumptuous courses, my companion and I still had room for dessert, so we ordered strawberries with balsamico and mascarpone ($9). The vinegar, berries, and cheese were layered, parfait-style; the balsamic, we learned, had been aged for 25 years. No surprise there-its complex, slightly raisiny zing was an ideal accompaniment to both the sweetness and creaminess of the dessert. Add in the last tart sips of our 1999 Monsanto Chianti ($37/bottle), heady with cloves, and you have a painterly masterpiece, a meal that stands up to any Italian food (or chophouse fare) in town. And rest assured: This Seattle survivor still has plenty to teach us about fine food done right.

nschindler@seattleweekly.com
Il Bistro, 93A Pike St., 206-682-3049, PIKE PLACE MARKET. Dinner 5:30-10 p.m. daily; late-night menu until 1 a.m.
 

NENAD BACH, HRVATSKI GLAZBENIK S AMERICKOM ADRESOM,
POSJETIO HERCEGOVACKO SVETIŠTE KRALJICE MIRA

Pripremamo spektakl u Umagu i Medugorju

Nenad Bach se prvi ukljucio u glazbeni projekt pod pokroviteljstvom Jadranke Kosor, "Najbolje od nas", koji je potpora obiteljima s više djece. Bach ce nastupiti s Tonijem Cetinskim i klapom Sinj, a s klapama ima i velike planove za inozemno tržište
Glazbeno suradujem s klapama iz Hrvatske, što je projekt za kojeg želim da zaživi u cijelom svijetu. Klape su nesumnjivo hrvatski kulturni proizvod koji ce, nadam se, biti podržan od Ministarstva kulture i turizma, kao što se nadam da ce hrvatske klape zasjati na svjetskoj pozornici i kao autohtona glazba, znaci klapska, ali i kao dio jednog novog oblika kroz pop-rock glazbu", kazao nam je poznati suradnik najvecih svjetskih glazbenika Nenad Bach koji je proteklog tjedna po drugi put pohodio svetište Kraljice Mira u Medugorju i bio gost tamošnje radiopostaje Mir.
Kako nam je kazao, posjet medugorskom svetištu osobno mu je dobro došao, a dodatni povod Bachova dolaska u Hrvatsku je nastup u Umagu, na glazbenom spektaklu Najbolje od nas, koji ce se održati 16. srpnja, uoci pocetka velikog teniskog turnira ATP Croatia Open. Prije dolaska u Medugorje, Bach je bio u Dubrovniku na Festivalu filma, gdje se prezentirao film Sloboda iz ocaja, za koji je napisao glazbu. A onda je preko Medugorja i Gospina svetišta krenuo za Sinj, gdje ga ceka uvježbavanje s klapom Sinj za najavljeni nastup u Umagu. Nenad Bach ce u Umagu nastupiti zajedno s Tonijem Cetinskim i klapom Sinj, uz pratnju Simfonijskog orkestra HRT-a.
"Pjevat cemo pjesmu "Možemo li se uzvisiti." To ce biti prva integracija klapskog pjevanja i svega što ja radim", naglasio je svjetski poznati glazbenik.
Nenad Bach se prvi ukljucio u projekt potpredsjednice hrvatske Vlade Jadranke Kosor, Najbolje od nas, koji je zamišljen kao nacionalni projekt za potporu obiteljima s više djece:
"Tim projektom želimo potaknuti obitelji s više djece, buduci su upravo njima namijenjeni prihodi akcije. Rijec je o humanitarnoj akciji kojima se ljudima želi podici svijest koliko su djeca potrebna i blagoslov", kazuje Nenad Bach.
Glavni nositelj glazbenog spektakla na teniskom stadionu u Umagu bit ce Toni Cetinski, uz potporu brojnih imena hrvatske popularne glazbe: Nine Badric, grupe Divas, Radojke Šverko, klape Teuta i mnogih drugih, a svi ce se sudionici odreci prihoda od ulaznica i ekskluzivne naklade CD-a i DVD-a za program pomoci obiteljima s osmero i više djece, kao i izgradnju igrališta i vrtica u krajevima gdje je to prijeka potreba.
Projekt koji zapocinje u Umagu završit ce, pak, spektaklom u Medugorju, za koji Nenada Bacha, kako kaže, vežu mnogi lijepi dogadaji, ali i bliski suradnici.

piše i snimio Marijan SIVRIC

Source: http://arhiv.slobodnadalmacija.hr/20040606/mozaik03.asp

"The Adriatic Coast and all the islands alongCroatia, more beautiful than the French Riviera and the Italian Coast put together."

Travelers Drawn to Old World Feel of Eastern Europe
Wednesday May 25, 7:14 am ET
TripAdvisor User Survey Reveals Travelers Bypassing Traditional Western European Mainstays for Hidden Charms of the 'Other Europe'

NEEDHAM, Mass., May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Prague is the new Paris. According to a survey of nearly 700 TripAdvisor users, 91 percent consider Eastern Europe more appealing than Western Europe for leisure travel. Of that group, 39 percent said Eastern Europe was appealing because it is more "authentic," 25 percent because it is more affordable and 15 percent because it is more beautiful than Western Europe. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed have already visited Eastern Europe and 52 percent are currently planning a trip.
"It's pretty clear that smart travelers are looking eastward in Europe for value, authenticity and new experiences," said Michele Perry, TripAdvisor spokesperson. "The countries of Eastern Europe are more accessible than ever and present unique opportunities appealing to curious and adventurous travelers."

TripAdvisor offers travelers an honest guide to Eastern Europe with an insider's look at what's hot and what's not, based on the opinions of real travelers.

TOP DESTINATIONS - TripAdvisor's favorite Eastern European cities, based
on May 2005 user survey

1. Prague, Czech Republic
2. Budapest, Hungary
3. St. Petersburg, Russia
4. Krakow, Poland

TRAVEL BUZZ - TripAdvisor's tips on traveling to Eastern Europe, based on May 2005 user survey

1. Get religion - "I'm not religious, but I thought the Black Madonna in
Czestochowa, Poland was truly spiritual."
2. The French Riviera is so ... 20 minutes ago - "The Adriatic Coast and
all the islands along Croatia, more beautiful than the French Riviera
and the Italian Coast put together."
3. Lights out - "Prague at night from the St. Charles Bridge - like a
fairy tale."
4. Get real - "The neighborhood of 'Zizkov' in Prague. Including the
local bars and restaurants, Televizni tower and 'Infinity' nightclub
off Vinohradska Street. These are places where I could really feel
the authentic Prague over the touristic Prague."

MUST SEES - TripAdvisor's top picks for places to see in Eastern Europe, based on May 2005 user survey

1. Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg
2. The Charles Bridge, Prague

3. Old Town in Prague; Old City in Dubrovnik; Old Bohemia in Budapest; Old
Town in Tallin
4. Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland
5. Adriatic/Dalmatian Coastline, Croatia
6. Dracula Castle, Romania
7. Red Square, Moscow

HIDDEN GEMS - TripAdvisor users reveal "secret" spots that are sure to please, based on May 2005 user survey

1. Sand Dunes of Nida, Lithuania
2. Tatra Mountains, Poland
3. Salt Mines, Poland

RANTS & RAVES - Pearls of wisdom from experienced TripAdvisor travelers, based on May 2005 user survey and Forums

1. Be careful who you call Eastern - "The Czechs do not feel they are in
Eastern Europe, rather Central Europe!"
2. Prague or Budapest? - "No need to be torn, Prague wins hands down.
More beautiful, cheaper, more friendly, more interesting, just more
more more." (TripAdvisor User - UK, April 26, 2005)
3. Budapest or Prague? - "Having visited both Prague and Budapest within
weeks of each other two summers ago, I preferred Budapest. Prague was
beautiful but it was overrun with tourists and I truly felt like I was
in the Magic Kingdom. I would like to return in the off-season.
Budapest, on the other hand, felt like an actual 'getaway.' It was
picturesque and romantic with great restaurants, beautiful
architecture and wonderful people."
4. While in St. Pete ... - "I have been to St. Pete 3 times and going for
another week in June. The 'Must See' is Peterhof. Easily gotten to by
Hydrofoil at the Winter Palace. The other MUST see is the Catherine
Palace and the Amber Room there. The Hermitage is next (center of
city). Church on Spilled Blood is easy to get to also and quite
magnificent." (TripAdvisor User - Greenville, SC, May 8, 2005)

TOP HOTELS - TripAdvisor's best bets in top 4 Eastern European cities (top cities determined by May 2005 user survey)


Prague, Czech Republic
Andel's Design Hotel, Stroupeznickeho 21, Prague 5, Prague 15000
97 Reviews, most recent posted on May 22, 2005
Average Price: US$ 195

"Nice hotel in great location. Just across the river from old town (short walk or subway ride away), close to park and castle. Clean, friendly staff, free internet in lobby." (TripAdvisor User - Texas, May 19, 2005)


Budapest, Hungary
Le Meredien Budapest, Erzsebet Ter 9-10, Budapest 1051
37 Reviews, most recent posted on April 12, 2005
Average Price: US$ 260

"The location is great, the hotel is situated within a stones throw of the Chain Bridge and the Vaci Utca. We cannot praise this hotel highly enough; the room, the location and the staff." (TripAdvisor User - Manchester, UK, April 12, 2005)


St. Petersburg, Russia
Dostoevsky Hotel, Vladimirsky prospekt, 19, St. Petersburg 191002
7 Reviews, most recent posted on May 18, 2005
Average Price: US$ 244

"The staff were delightful, all young, speaking very good English and incredibly helpful. They made sure we had everything we needed, booked ballet tickets, taxis and found out details of tours, etc. The room, although small, had all that was required." (TripAdvisor User - Godalming, UK, May 12, 2005)


Krakow, Poland
Regent Hotel, 19 Bozego Ciala St, Krakow 31-059
7 Reviews, most recent posted on May 21, 2005
Average Price: US$ 66

"Hotel was excellent, the reception staff were very helpful. Nice big rooms, brilliant shower and very good breakfast. The Jewish district is peppered with brilliant bars, mainly for the youngsters but that didn't stop us from frequenting them till the wee small hours ... no loud music just cheap beer and top vodka ... " (TripAdvisor User - Lancashire, UK, May 21, 2005)

Note: TripAdvisor calculates an average price for each hotel, which is based on the rates of available rooms obtained from booking partners and other independent sources of pricing information. In addition, average hotel prices are updated nightly based on prevailing conversion rates. These are only estimates and not guarantees. Rates are subject to seasonal fluctuations.

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor.com is the most popular travel information and recommendation destination worldwide (according to comScore Media Metrix, January 2005), with more than 1.8 million unbiased reviews and opinions and covering nearly 200,000 hotels and attractions. A popular travel homebase with more than 13 million unique monthly visitors, TripAdvisor.com offers easy access to major worldwide online travel sites, including Expedia, Orbitz, hotels.com, American Airlines and Travelocity, for the best deals on the Web. TripAdvisor offers travel suppliers a cost-per-click marketing platform, guaranteeing the budgeted number of leads (not just impressions) with every campaign. Winner of dozens of awards, including PC Magazine's Top 100 Web Sites and Forbes Best of the Web, TripAdvisor is part of IAC/InterActiveCorp (Nasdaq: IACI - News).

CONTACT:
Kelly Burke, Mullen
(978) 468-8936
kelly.burke@mullen.com

Source: TripAdvisor

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050525/new013.html?.v=13

Tito's son named Croatian envoy to Indonesia

JAKARTA: A generation ago the leaders of Indonesia and Yugoslavia helped set up the Non-Aligned Movement -- a grouping meant to offer a middle path during the Cold War.

Now, in an echo of times gone by, the son of Yugoslavia's late strongman Josip Broz Tito has become Croatia's ambassador to an Indonesian government led by the daughter of its founder, Sukarno.

Aleksandar Broz, a former vice president of Croatia's state-owned oil company, arrived in Jakarta over the weekend after being named to the post late last year.

"I'm not sure what role the non-aligned connection can play nowadays, it certainly cannot hurt relations", Broz said on Monday. Tito and president Soekarno were instrumental in setting up the Non-Aligned Movement at the height of the Cold War in the late 1950s. --AP

http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20040525.C07&irec=13