Friday, June 6, 2008
Beach Bums (06/05/08)
So today we finally had a day off and it was much needed! We have been traveling NONSTOP! On our day of we took a chance to lounge on the beautiful beaches of Makarska. While we were out sun bathing I thought of how amazing it would be to live here year round and be perpetually tan...and then I thought about what that would do to my skin. Lifestyles are a big factor to your over all health and sun exposure can have some serious side effects...malignant melanoma anyone?! Yea we´re talking serious stuff here, and the beach is definitely a part of the Dalmatian lifestyle. Rates of skin cancer in Croatia are hard to find, but the CDC has estimated that rates back home have been on the rise since 1970, and I don´t think it would be a stretch to assume that Croatian rates have been increasing too. The best way to protect yourself from this form of cancer is to avoid over exposure to harmful UVB and UVA rays. This can be hard when you are also trying to get a tan on the beach which you will see A LOT of locals doing throughout the day. So your next best bet to protecting yourself is sunscreen and lots of it! We are hoping that the schools, who are doing a lot of health education, are also including information about skin cancer protection. This way local children will grow up knowing the harmful affects the sun can have on ones skin. It´s also important that area stores keep a plentiful stock of sun block in an obvious location within the store. Hopefully the locals are getting smart about sun protection, as for us we`ve been slathering on the Coppertone and keeping our youthful skin beautiful! ;) -Maggie
June 4, 2008
Today we were lucky enough to get to visit the communal dump on the island of Hvar! There are no incinerators available to burn the trash, so they take it all to the top of a mountain to dump it. As the amount of tourism in the area grows, so does the amount of trash produced. So the best way to deal with the waste is to prevent making it!
Guest Writer: Lejla Marijam
˝One of the largest and most luxurious hotels on the island informed us that they try to recycle as much as they can. Their waste, however, seems to be in the hands of the Croatian government. At the hotel, many tourists were sun-bathing and it looked like they were good candidates for skin cancerč however, the beach they use seems to be the best in Hvar.˝
- Leeann
Guest Writer: Lejla Marijam
˝One of the largest and most luxurious hotels on the island informed us that they try to recycle as much as they can. Their waste, however, seems to be in the hands of the Croatian government. At the hotel, many tourists were sun-bathing and it looked like they were good candidates for skin cancerč however, the beach they use seems to be the best in Hvar.˝
- Leeann
Hvar - One of the TOP TEN most beautiful islands! (6.3.08)
For everyone who doesn´t know - keeping up with a daily blog while studying abroad in Croatia can be very stressful. We were hoping to set up massages at one of the day spas while in Makarska, but our budgets are pretty tight by this point in the trip. The next alternative would be a hot bath, but unfortunately bathtubs are not a common amenity with Croatian hotel rooms and apartments. So, in lieu of massages and hot baths, we take an overnight excursion to a place that is known to be one of the top ten most beautiful islands in the world with never-ending fields of lavender -- on the the island of Hvar!!
Once on the island, we stop at the town of Jelsa which is mostly remnants of 300-400 year old stone houses, except for a relatively new little cafe that has been opened by a few locals. We can tell a lot of work has gone into the place because in the early 1900s much of the island was abandoned after the vine disease phyloxera killed most of the vineyards. The island´s big wine industry really suffered and many inhabitants moved to New York. The view and drinks are wonderful, but we couldn´t help but notice the other buildings around that are still in ruins. Like many other areas of the island, Jelsa has good intentions to build up small towns like this again. Local restaurants, craft shops and residential spots are trying to renovate old buildings. More and more people from the mainland are moving offshore as an appreciation for island life and the tourism industry continue to grow. With this change, the locals can anticipate increased problems with waste management and trying to reestablish a sense of community identity, post-war and post-privatization. Another issue to keep in mind is the big-scale tourist industry trying to mesh with the small-scale lifestyle of the island. As tourist traffic picks up, it will be impossible to fit opposing lanes of traffic onto narrow roads. There have already been too many moments to count where I have looked out the bus window and straight down the edge of the island cliff. If you are considering a trip to Hvar in the future, keep the following in MasterCard moments in mind:
Once on the island, we stop at the town of Jelsa which is mostly remnants of 300-400 year old stone houses, except for a relatively new little cafe that has been opened by a few locals. We can tell a lot of work has gone into the place because in the early 1900s much of the island was abandoned after the vine disease phyloxera killed most of the vineyards. The island´s big wine industry really suffered and many inhabitants moved to New York. The view and drinks are wonderful, but we couldn´t help but notice the other buildings around that are still in ruins. Like many other areas of the island, Jelsa has good intentions to build up small towns like this again. Local restaurants, craft shops and residential spots are trying to renovate old buildings. More and more people from the mainland are moving offshore as an appreciation for island life and the tourism industry continue to grow. With this change, the locals can anticipate increased problems with waste management and trying to reestablish a sense of community identity, post-war and post-privatization. Another issue to keep in mind is the big-scale tourist industry trying to mesh with the small-scale lifestyle of the island. As tourist traffic picks up, it will be impossible to fit opposing lanes of traffic onto narrow roads. There have already been too many moments to count where I have looked out the bus window and straight down the edge of the island cliff. If you are considering a trip to Hvar in the future, keep the following in MasterCard moments in mind:
- A large scoop of your favorite sladoled (ice cream) flavor enjoy as you watch the sun set into the harbor: 6 kuna
- Croatia's best insect repellent so you can run carefree through the lavender fields: 45 kuna
- The smug sense of satisfaction that comes from witnessing that grossly chic primadonna totally bust it in her Dolce stilettos as you stand solid in your double-strap Chacos: Priceless.
June 1
Today we hiked from the ocean up to the mountain area of Biokovo. We saw a lot of small stone houses that have been abandoned for years. The local people that were living in the mountains moved down to the seaside after an earthquake hit the area. Tourism also started to pick up during this time, which gave the locals many job opportunities. We tried to think of healthy ways that tourism could bring people back to Biokovo. We decided that it would be a good idea to create better hiking trails to attract tourists and locals. The views of the ocean are stunning from the mountains, so it´s a good way to get people to exercise!
- Leeann
- Leeann
Pharmecija - (06/02/08)
So our trip through Croatia has passed the 2 week mark. We´ve all been learning a lot, including how to get by day to day in Croatia. This includes what to do when you´re sick. From stomach viruses to colds we´ve experienced it all. So what do you do when you´re feeling under the weather in Hravatska? Take a trip to the pharmacy of course!
Croatian pharmacies are a lot more inviting than the hospitals, so if you have to grab a quick remedy for your ailments its not so bad. Pharmacists here go through 5 to 6 years of extensive schooling (similar to the U.S.) and are vary knowledgeable about a variety of remedies. Set up and location of pharmacies here in Croatia is very different from the U.S. however. Unlike Eckards and CVS back home, which offer a plethora of products besides those with a medical background, Croatian pharmacies just deal with the basics. So don´t go looking for a photo-center or a pack of gum at the pharmacies here. Pharmacies in Croatia are also stand-alone establishments so you won´t find them attached to any grocery stores. But don´t worry they´re all over the place and easy to find with their blazing green cross hanging out front (check out the pic!).
Since so many students have visited these fine establishments we asked some of them to comment on their experiences.
- ˝The pharmacists over here were really approachable, and were able to give me advise on how to treat my problems, I don´t feel like you get that in America, you usually just hand them a slip and thats that˝ - Kellie
- ˝I really appreciated how they take a holistic approach to medicine here. When I asked for cold medicine they gave me herbal remedies before even mentioning normal ´western medicines´ you might get back home˝ - Heather
- ˝I feel more comfortable going to pharmacies over here because the staff seems more informed and I´m not just staring at a wall of medicines.˝ - Christine
- ˝I like going to pharmacies here because they help you with advise on how to treat what ever is wrong and they use more natural approaches˝ - Lejla (Croatian native)
So there you have it, if you´re ever in the area don´t be afraid to stop in when you see that green cross! - Maggie
Croatian pharmacies are a lot more inviting than the hospitals, so if you have to grab a quick remedy for your ailments its not so bad. Pharmacists here go through 5 to 6 years of extensive schooling (similar to the U.S.) and are vary knowledgeable about a variety of remedies. Set up and location of pharmacies here in Croatia is very different from the U.S. however. Unlike Eckards and CVS back home, which offer a plethora of products besides those with a medical background, Croatian pharmacies just deal with the basics. So don´t go looking for a photo-center or a pack of gum at the pharmacies here. Pharmacies in Croatia are also stand-alone establishments so you won´t find them attached to any grocery stores. But don´t worry they´re all over the place and easy to find with their blazing green cross hanging out front (check out the pic!).
Since so many students have visited these fine establishments we asked some of them to comment on their experiences.
- ˝The pharmacists over here were really approachable, and were able to give me advise on how to treat my problems, I don´t feel like you get that in America, you usually just hand them a slip and thats that˝ - Kellie
- ˝I really appreciated how they take a holistic approach to medicine here. When I asked for cold medicine they gave me herbal remedies before even mentioning normal ´western medicines´ you might get back home˝ - Heather
- ˝I feel more comfortable going to pharmacies over here because the staff seems more informed and I´m not just staring at a wall of medicines.˝ - Christine
- ˝I like going to pharmacies here because they help you with advise on how to treat what ever is wrong and they use more natural approaches˝ - Lejla (Croatian native)
So there you have it, if you´re ever in the area don´t be afraid to stop in when you see that green cross! - Maggie
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