When OK isn’t Good Enough

Wherever you go in South Africa, you will find a great place to eat. There are restaurants literally everywhere. One of the mountains that many tourists and locals enjoy climbing has a restaurant located on the peak where you can sit down and have a wholesome South African cup of tea. This restaurant is found at the top of Table Mountain . South Africans share many of the same customs as the British like drinking tea with every meal. Since tea is served often, South Africans definitely know how delicious tea taste. I suggest you try a few cups while in the country.

If you’re closer to the ocean, there are many seafood restaurants on the coast with fresh fish coming directly off the boats. One of the most popular is Cape to Cairo. This has some of the best seafood you’ll ever taste.

If you are looking for a fine dining restaurant for a romantic evening, go to the Brass Bell which is also right on the coast. This is an expensive place, but it’s worth the cost. If you’re visiting the country with your family and have small children with you, I suggest you go to Diffi’s . This is a cute little pizza parlor that has a great family environment.

Paris is a beautiful city with lots of culture and history. Yet, there are a few things to be aware of while roaming the streets. First of all, keep all of your belongings extremely close. Paris has many pickpockets wandering around looking for careless tourists. Please remember to not let yourself look vulnerable and out of place. If a local French person is talking to you and asking you many questions, be aware! He or she could be trying to keep your attention while his or her friend is stealing your wallet without you even noticing.

Another thing to watch out for are the drivers. Paris is a large city with constant traffic, and I’m pretty sure the pedestrians don’t have the right-of-way. I can’t even count how many times I was almost hit by a French driver with road rage.

Besides the beauty the country of Croatia holds, another big shocker that will grab your attention is the mannerisms of the workers. When eating at a restaurant or shopping at a store, don’t expect an employee to greet you as you enter or ask you for help. They seem to be irritated when bothered at work (even though their job is to help you). Also, be prepared to hear some words you wouldn’t dare say in front of your mother. Waiters and waitresses are paid with a much higher pay than in America, therefore they don’t rely on tips. So if the service isn’t up to your standards, don’t worry about leaving a tip because it’s not a custom.

Another feature that is different from America is you are not allowed to drive under ANY influence of alcohol. Since there were so many automobile accidents in the past, Croatia completely outlawed driving under any amount of alcohol. But don’t worry if you had a few drinks, decided to drive, and get pulled over. The cops there are pretty lenient if you have money to spare. In almost any situation, you are able to pay your way out of trouble, so keep a few cunas (Croatian currency) in your pocket at all times!

Croatia consists of 1,000 different islands! You can travel to the islands by a ferry and many of them contain a little city that you can visit. The two most popular ones are Brac and Hvar. Both of these islands have their own city and beach. I suggest you go to these little islands because the beaches there are spectacular. Plus, the beaches by the resorts are not made of soft sand but of small pebbles so it is not very comfortable to walk on.  But, the beaches on the mainland are full of large rock cliffs, which is beautiful, and they’re great for cliff diving, which many tourists and locals find very enjoyable.

The best nightlife in Croatia can be found in the city of Split . The most popular club there is called Aurora. This is where all the excitement takes place and most your memorable experiences will form. Aurora is located right on the coast and is known for its famous guests. Many well-known DJs are regularly spinning the tracks, and world famous rappers and bands are there to put on a show or just to party themselves. The most common type of music played at Croatian clubs and bars is house and techno. One of the best features about the nightlife in this country is the price of the drinks. Don’t worry about spending all your money on alcohol because if it were any cheaper, it’d be free!

Fun Fact: Croatians are known to be extremely laid back and carefree. If you visit this place and see a celebrity wandering the streets with no paparazzi or fans hounding him or her, it’s because the natives simply don’t care. They consider that celebrity to be like everyone else, just with a different job and income. This is one of the many reasons why many of the celebrities are buying up the Croatian property fast.