It can be difficult to understand Croatian temper while communicating with locals. On the one hand, Cres is filled with a peaceful atmosphere of relaxation and even sloveliness. A hairdresser can chat on the phone during the working process. A shop assistant can talk with her friend in the workplace. However, even if a manicure specialist is talking on the phone during the procedure, you will get a perfect manicure. A relaxed hairdresser will make a perfect hair cut and a shop assistant will sell you the most suitable clothes. Nobody knows why Croats are people of contradictions but it is their main peculiarity.
Cres is Croatia's second largest island, which is known as a major center of ecotourism and a location of incredibly beautiful beach resorts. The beautiful island managed to preserve its …
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Some of the contradictions are connected with tourists who come to the island. European hospitality and global service standards reached Cres. Locals are friendly because tourists bring enough money to the local population. However, it is obvious for everybody that affability is just a formality for locals. Despite the fact that local inhabitants are not always polite with foreigners, they don’t like to tell tourists about any restrictions. Are you going to visit a reserved territory and fish there? In most cases, nobody will hint at the need for getting permission to enter there. That’s why you can be caught unawares when an angry owner of the private property will find you at his territory. But sometimes you can visit different places without being noticed.
Local inhabitants don’t like when anybody enters their private territory. If you have occasionally come to someone’s private land, a nice and polite local can be rude with you. Remember that it is not customed in Croatia to say «no». But don’t be so happy if you have agreed upon something with local inhabitants. There is a chance that your agreement won’t be fulfilled. The sense of duty is not an important virtue here even if locals always say «yes». One more national Croatian feature is love to the word «tomorrow». However, it is very profitable for them. Croats don’t like to give a direct refusal, so their favourite «tomorrow» drifts into «never». Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Cres will be an ideal place for curious and active children who are not dependent on gadgets and who are ready for long walks. Young ornithologists should definitely come here and visit …
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Remember that Croats are religious and even conservative people. You can sunbathe naked only on some particular beaches here. If a tourist decided to visit the capital or a large settlement wearing a bikini, he will get a fine. You can visit small villages in a bikini, but you will be condemned by locals. Croats still follow some of the old traditions. During a wedding, relatives of the groom take off the bride’s veil and clothe her in an apron and a scarf. A typical evening in a local Croatian village is filled with traditional songs and ballads. Classical music concerts are held in the parish church in Lubenice. Some of the inhabitants still have traditional costumes. They wear costumes on different holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Independence Day.
However, don’t think that locals live according to medieval customs and traditions. Most of the women dominate in their families, but men can hardly accept that. Local men often flirt with girls and women. They are even not embarrassed by the presence of their girlfriend. However, they will just pay a couple of compliments, nothing serious. At night small streets of local settlements are full of nicely dressed families, couples and happy people, who spend their time chatting and enjoying wonderful Croatian evenings. This time spending is a local tradition, called «Corzo» and it has roots in Italian culture.
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National traditions of Croatia
One of the main sources of income in Croatia, especially in coastal regions, is tourism. Local residents manage hostels and private hotels. Therefore, people are extremely polite with foreigners. Even the most unexpected or complex request is met with a consent and a smile. However, this does not mean that they immediately rush to work. On the contrary, Croats are very slow. They like to postpone everything for later and do not rush to do their job. They are pretty unpunctual, but utterly polite and correct. Although, politeness can often be insincere. In Croatia, it is customary to bargain and discuss the cost of goods or services, especially in shops and even cafes in coastal areas.
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