Balkans Trip

[ColoSwiss]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Checked a half-dozen knife shops in four countries. A couple of shops in Vienna had the Stephansdom and Mozart Spartans. Otherwise nothing out of the ordinary; no flag Classics or Scenic knives. Several shops listed on the Victorinox web site no longer exist. One interesting point; a shop in Frankfurt airport was selling Vic Classics. This inside the security zone.

Overall a great trip. Numerous high points. The low point was probably Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. The park was so mobbed I spent more time worrying about being knocked off the boardwalks than I did looking at scenery.

[styx]

Yup, Plitvice has become a real sore spot. Building inside the national park and selling so many tickets that the nature is really in danger at this point. Dubrovnik, while not a national park, has the same problem. My suggestion would have been to go to Krka or Paklenica instead.

As far as knives go, to my knowledge a lot of people used something similar to the Hungarian folding knife in the parts closer to Hungary. In the mountain region I've come across 3 blade shapes that were supposedly most common - a spear point (Kephart like), an upswept tip like a BK-5 and something that was between a French trade knife and a fillet knife. But that is going by the descriptions from my grandfather and his siblings, so it could have been more localized or misidentification.

Now my great gandfather in Moslavina (different region) used a folder very similar in design to the Queen Mountain man or a GEC #42. And when you look at those designs closely, side by side with the Hungarian folder they seem very similar so again could be misidentification.

[Peter1960]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

[lister]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

We are the Balkans. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. 

[Etherealicer]

One interesting point; a shop in Frankfurt airport was selling Vic Classics. This inside the security zone.

In Zurich, Basel and Antalya (Turkey) you can buy 91mm. Those are legal to take aboard. In fact you can take any knife that has a non-locking blade of less than 6cm.

[styx]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

We are the Balkans. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. 

Few years ago everyone was up at arms in Croatia about being counted as the Balkans. Later same thing went on with every Slovenian I've met. In a decade or two entire Europe will be the Balkans

[lister]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

We are the Balkans. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile. 

Few years ago everyone was up at arms in Croatia about being counted as the Balkans. Later same thing went on with every Slovenian I've met. In a decade or two entire Europe will be the Balkans

Same here. 

[Smashie]

I really must go back there, I haven't been since the early 90's and the sight seeing wasn't up to much at the time. 

[lister]

I really must go back there, I haven't been since the early 90's and the sight seeing wasn't up to much at the time. 

That was indeed not the best of times for most of Balkans...

[Smashie]

I really must go back there, I haven't been since the early 90's and the sight seeing wasn't up to much at the time. 

That was indeed not the best of times for most of Balkans...

No it wasn't, it was an incredibly sad and dangerous time

[kkokkolis]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

I support that. Very true. Austrians had a strong influence and overlordship on the North of the Balcan and Italian peninsulas for centuries, but never belonged to either.

The Balcans have been the epicenter of western civilization for about 3000 years, with about 500 years of it under Italian influence and rule. The North flourished fairly recently, after the 4th Crusade, the fall of Constantinople, Luther and Gutenberg, all combined. Everyone had his historical opportunities, few had much stamina.

[Ron Who]

Just back from a 17 day trip to the Balkans - Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

Austria does not belong to the Balkans ...

I support that. Very true. Austrians had a strong influence and overlordship on the North of the Balcan and Italian peninsulas for centuries, but never belonged to either.

The Balcans have been the epicenter of western civilization for about 3000 years, with about 500 years of it under Italian influence and rule. The North flourished fairly recently, after the 4th Crusade, the fall of Constantinople, Luther and Gutenberg, all combined. Everyone had his historical opportunities,m few had much stamina.

Nothing lasts forever.

[kkokkolis]

Not even forever lasts forever. Some say that time itself wont last forever and it didn't always exist either.


Being Balkanian isn't derogatory for me. Or Dutch, New Guinean, Inuit, Khoisan, whatever.

[ColoSwiss]

I know Austria normally isn't included in the Balkans, but it was easier to group everything together.

Prior to the trip I mentioned I was going to the Balkans to a dozen or so people. Only a couple had any idea what I was talking about. Not sure if the term has fallen out of usage here in the US, or if its just general lack of geographic knowledge. Most did recognize 'former Yugoslavia'.

[Top-Gear-24]

 

 

You know I like pics, right ? 

[Syncop8r]

Many people don't know exactly where in Europe New Zealand is.... 

[ironraven]

Many people don't know exactly where in Europe New Zealand is.... 

 

Quit it,  you trouble making hobbit, or we'll shave your feet!

[Syncop8r]

Noooooo, not the feetses precious! 

[Etherealicer]

Many people don't know exactly where in Europe New Zealand is.... 

It's right next to the one with the kangaroos... Austria, right?

[Syncop8r]

 

[styx]

Not even forever lasts forever. Some say that time itself wont last forever and it didn't always exist either.


Being Balkanian isn't derogatory for me. Or Dutch, New Guinean, Inuit, Khoisan, whatever.

It was more about the mindset of he people opposed to it. Kinda like the term hillbilly in the US. But those things exist everywhere. Hell I had the pleasure of listening to a 3 hour rant from a guy how he isn't Italian, he is Sicilian. A year later he claimed to not be a Sicilian but rather a Saracen.

Many people don't know exactly where in Europe New Zealand is.... 

You might joke but some years back we had the brilliant idea to try and relocate Slovenia. Basically we were thinking of exchanging Slovenia for New Zealand.
For those that don't understand the context just watch Grumpy old men. That is pretty much Slovenia and Croatia in a nutshell

[Syncop8r]

You might joke but some years back we had the brilliant idea to try and relocate Slovenia. Basically we were thinking of exchanging Slovenia for New Zealand.

Let me guess....  we said "No deal"?

[lister]

It's more grumpy old politicians trying to bolster their ratings with squabbling over a few square feet of territory... 

[styx]

You might joke but some years back we had the brilliant idea to try and relocate Slovenia. Basically we were thinking of exchanging Slovenia for New Zealand.

Let me guess....  we said "No deal"?

Because you didn't look at the benefits of it - No one would mistake you for Australians, much easier competition in rugby, seeing Europe wouldn't cost an arm and a leg, some very peculiar neighbors...

It's more grumpy old politicians trying to bolster their ratings with squabbling over a few square feet of territory... 

I say we institute the Thunderdome solution. They walk in, only one leaves. And while they are at it, we let common sense and cooler heads prevail, make a few mutually beneficial decisions that ofc no one else near by will like and start with the most important debate our peoples should have - teletina ispod peke, janjetina na žaru ili odojak?

[lister]

Do we really need to let any leave? It does not sound like a good idea. 

As for the food I propose this: We simply eat all of it. No more problems with what to eat. 

 

[EMZ]

The country called 'Holland' doesn't exist. It's 'the Netherlands', or in Dutch 'Nederland'. Official name however is "Koninkrijk der Nederlanden" (Kingdom of the Netherlands). This Kingdom of the Netherlands is made up of 4 countries: Nederland, Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten (last 3 are small Caribean islands), plus the two municipalities St. Eustatius and Saba (also in the Caribic).
The Netherlands consist of 12 provinces, of which one is called Noord-Holland and another one Zuid-Holland (North-Holland and South-Holland). There are very, very few foreigners aware of this.

On a very hot and sunny day my wife and I were driving in California on Highway 395, somewhere between Yosemite and Death Valley, when in a very small town in the middle of nowhere we saw an 'antique shop'. Of course we knew that there is little of 'antiques' to be found in the US, but we decided to stop and pay a visit to the shop. The shop owner was a very friendly lady who immediately asked "Hi, we're you come from?" We told her we came from 'Holland', and she replied "Oh how nice, North or South Holland?" With eyes wide open we stared at her and she told us that not all Americans are stupid (that were her own words, sorry!) and that she knew a lot of the Netherlands. Actually she and her husband traveled a lot to Europe. In fact every two years they went to Europe on 4-weeks vacation. Their favorite countries were Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia. "Have you ever been to Greece, or the Balkans? " she asked. We had to admit we visited northern Italy a long time ago, and that we've never been to Greece (except the isle of Rhodos), nor the Balkans. Now it was her turn to stare at us. After a few seconds she said "You have never been to Greece... but what are you doing here?? You traveled all the way to here and here's nothing!". In fact she was right, and we all had a good laugh!

BTW: One of our provinces is 'Zeeland'. Now you now where the name 'New-Zealand' comes from.

[styx]

Do we really need to let any leave? It does not sound like a good idea. 

As for the food I propose this: We simply eat all of it. No more problems with what to eat. 

 

Well tat is a solution too

[kkokkolis]

So, the plural form "The Netherlands", is it about the 4 countires or the 12 counties?


There's no such country as "Greece" also. It was always called Hellas. But Romans first met one of the many Hellenic tribes, the Graekoi, and that's why you  call this place with that name. From the other side, the East, Persians, Arabs and Turks first met the greatest Hellenic tribe, the Iones, and they still call us Yunani (Indonesians call as Yunani too). I think that only in Norway and Cyprus they use the proper name.
For similar reasons, we call the French Galloi, the Swiss Helvetoi and the Dutch Hollandoi and many of you call the Deutch Germans. We talked about that before.


Balkans is a Turkish word. In Greek we sometimes call it with the classical name, Haemus Chersonissos (Peninsula). Haemus is a mountain and its name means blood.

[lister]

So, the plural form "The Netherlands", is it about the 4 countires or the 12 counties?


There's no such country as "Greece" also. It was always called Hellas. But Romans first met one of the many Hellenic tribes, the Graekoi, and that's why you  call this place with that name. From the other side, the East, Persians, Arabs and Turks first met the greatest Hellenic tribe, the Iones, and they still call us Yunani (Indonesians call as Yunani too). I think that only in Norway and Cyprus they use the proper name.
For similar reasons, we call the French Galloi, the Swiss Helvetoi and the Dutch Hollandoi and many of you call the Deutch Germans. We talked about that before.


Balkans is a Turkish word. In Greek we sometimes call it with the classical name, Haemus Chersonissos (Peninsula). Haemus is a mountain and its name means blood.

We call Germans mutes (as in those who can not speak / are mute (nemci)) and it is possible we basically call ourselves speakers, as on one of the possible etymologies of slav- is to speak. 

[firiki]

Hellenes initially were a small tribe in Thessaly. An good Wikipedia article on the matter of Greece/Hellas can be found here.

Do we really need to let any leave? It does not sound like a good idea. 

Well, there's Basil II's approach...

Having crushed the Bulgarians, Basil exerted his vengeance by cruelty - he was said to have captured 15,000 prisoners and blinded 99 of every 100 men, leaving one one-eyed man in each cohort to lead the rest back to their ruler. Samuel was physically struck down by the dreadful apparition of his blinded army and died two days later, on 6 October 1014, after suffering a stroke. Although the mistreatment of the Bulgarian prisoners may have been exaggerated, this incident helped give rise to Basil's Greek epithet of Boulgaroktonos, meaning "the Bulgar-slayer"

And, @OP