The crowded idylls of August

04/08/2006

A Croatian blogger asks: is it still paradise if half the planet's there with you? Also this week: Sighisoara's medieval festival, Albania's ban on public smoking, and customs confusion along the Serbian-Montenegrin border.

By Balkanblogs for Southeast European Times – 04/08/06

Better in autumn? [Getty Images]

In August, most people are either at the beach or wishing they were at the beach. Croatian blogger Runngun, though, says he'd rather be in the highlands. "I like the fresh air of Gorski Kotar, its golden pastures and wilderness," he writes. The Adriatic coast and the islands, in his view, are best saved for early autumn, because there are too many tourists there during the summer.

Croatia has been pulling out all the stops to boost Adriatic tourism, but too much too fast could spell disaster, according to Runngun. "A large influx of guests could hurt tourism, sooner or later. Not in financial sense, of course, but it would harm the beauty and that romantic feeling our coast -- and our country -- is famous for. Everything has its own capacity, doesn't it? If, for example, water demand surpasses the capacity of a water supply system, you know what would happen then. Same goes for tourism."

"There should always be some room left for us to rest in a beautiful environment, not fearing somebody will walk over us," he writes.

If Croatia has its coast and islands, Romania has its Transylvanian citadels and folklore. One of the country's top summer attractions, the medieval festival in Sighisoara, took place in late July. Gabi Nistorian says the atmosphere at the three-day festival is unmatched -- a "unique spirit one must experience once a year!" But why, he wonders, were those mobile phone company banners festooning the medieval buildings? Should we picture Vlad Tepes taking a break from the carnage to type out an SMS?

Gabi's also not thrilled with the crackdown on public drinking at the festival. "After the concerts the tourists gather in the streets or camping sites and sing. In this atmosphere I do not understand the role of the gendarmes and their fines for beer drinkers. Isn't the idea for people to have a good time?"

Public smoking, meanwhile, is no longer tolerated in Albania, as the government there tries to trim rates of tobacco consumption -- among the highest in Europe. Bars that fail to comply with the ban could pay fines equal to hundreds of euros. As the discussion on peshkupauje shows, opinions are mixed.

One commenter calls it "a very good initiative" and suggests another step: raising cigarette taxes as a disincentive. Another disagrees. "You can't stop people from smoking. It is their right. You can forbid it in public places and etc, but not the total privation of it," she writes.

Elsewhere:

The former union of Serbia-Montenegro is history, but tell that to some border control officials. Travelling from Serbia, Mark Pullen says he couldn't get anyone to stamp his passport while entering or exiting the newly independent Republic of Montenegro. One "confused-looking" customs officer told him he couldn't get the stamp because he hadn't left any country.

"You haven't been abroad now. You've just been to the seaside," the official told him.

But didn't that involve crossing an international border?

"Forget about that. That doesn't mean anything. You haven't been abroad. Goodbye," the official insisted, handing Pullen's passport back to him and sending him on his way.