What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gurtholfin
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

I can certainly imagine circumstances that would make me want another passport. Lol.

One week from today I'll be in the Cook Islands! Can't wait.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

manurespreader said:
Has anyone been to Dubrovnik? Can I spend a week there and not go crazy? What about Split?
Click to expand...

When are you thinking of going?

I haven't been to Croatia, but have been to Belgrade and surrounding areas in Serbia a few times as one of my very good friends from college is a Serbian who moved back there. So I don't have any real specifics on Croatia, but I think you will have a good time.

From what I understand, Croatia is quite beautiful particularly along the coast. The coastal areas are very much geared toward tourism, and if you are into beaches and are going during "beach season" you will be well entertained.
If neither of those things apply, I'd suggest taking advantage of the highly affordable car rental rates and doing some driving, particularly into Bosnia and Herzegovina. The landscape is ruggedly impressive, and while there aren't "major" tourist attractions there are a lot of interesting things to see - an area that has changed hands and been influenced by a number of different cultures throughout history. If you have a full week it will afford you the time if you are strategic and do some planning.

And the bonus is everything is insanely affordable. Less so in Croatia (though still affordable) as the tourism market has helped to solidify and bolster their economy, but the further east you go from the coast the cheaper everything will get - to an almost absurd point, really.

The one caveat is that once you get out of major cities or the touristy areas along the coast, the harder it will be to find people who speak English - as in, in some cases nary a person who speaks a lick of English. So if you aren't comfortable with that it's something to consider; but my opinion and experience is if you learn a few phrases you can get by with muttering, pointing, gesturing and smiling. And in my mind it's well worth the little bit of extra effort for the opportunity to have those interactions.
If you speak any German, you may have some luck with that when all else fails.

EDIT: I should add, my Serbian buddy swears Montenegro is more beautiful than Croatia, but....well...of course he thinks that =P
 
Last edited:
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Stauber1 said:
but my opinion and experience is if you learn a few phrases you can get by with muttering, pointing, gesturing and smiling. And in my mind it's well worth the little bit of extra effort for the opportunity to have those interactions.
Click to expand...

Interactions without a common language can be great or terrible, depending on the attitudes of both people. You're only in control of one of those people, obviously. :-)

I've also seen tourists with shirts with about 25 basic symbols (food, toilet, car, ATM, bed, first aid, pharmacy, hospital, train, police...) and you would be amazed the extent that covers what you're most likely to need.

Learn "please" and "thank you" and just be pleasant, and remember you're a guest. I have happily never really seen an "ugly American" tourist in Europe. That seems to be left to the Russians and Chinese who as a broad generalization are real jerks, especially in groups.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Sometimes fate smiles...First visit to the thread is a year.

manurespreader said:
Has anyone been to Dubrovnik? Can I spend a week there and not go crazy? What about Split?
Click to expand...

Many times. While I only drove through Split at night, Dubrovnik is great - maybe the best in the region for an average western tourist. Enough beauty/development and enough eastern European flair to make it more interesting than western Europe. And they filmed a good chunk of game of thrones there.

I would parlay a week into 3 days in Dubrovnik and 3 days in nearby slightly more rustic but beautiful Montenegro. Croatia is where the Balkan hills run into the Adriatic...Montenegro is where the Balkan mountains run into the Adriatic. Montenegro has been rated the top country in the world for tourist opportunity by the UN's tourism board for years - due its sheer beauty. It has a stunning coastline, a coastal beach Riviera (Budva region) with an ancient island community St. Stephan, an inland lakes region (Podgorica), an area of Norwegian style fjords (Kotor area), inland skiing in the mountainous inland region...and a multitude of beautiful beaches tucked under 200 foot cliffs (I.e., Mogren beach). It had one of its beaches rated the most beautiful in the world...and is the home of the hotel Splendid of James Bond Casino royale fame (though the movie was not shot there). I'd go to Kotor and Budva/Becici...and further south down the coast if you have time. Full disclosure I own property in Montenegro.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

5mn_Major said:
Sometimes fate smiles...First visit to the thread is a year.



Many times. While I only drove through Split at night, Dubrovnik is great - maybe the best in the region for an average western tourist. Enough beauty/development and enough eastern European flair to make it more interesting than western Europe. And they filmed a good chunk of game of thrones there.

I would parlay a week into 3 days in Dubrovnik and 3 days in nearby slightly more rustic but beautiful Montenegro. Croatia is where the Balkan hills run into the Adriatic...Montenegro is where the Balkan mountains run into the Adriatic. Montenegro has been rated the top country in the world for tourist opportunity by the UN's tourism board for years - due its sheer beauty. It has a stunning coastline, a coastal beach Riviera (Budva region) with an ancient island community St. Stephan, an inland lakes region (Podgorica), an area of Norwegian style fjords (Kotor area), inland skiing in the mountainous inland region...and a multitude of beautiful beaches tucked under 200 foot cliffs (I.e., Mogren beach). It had one of its beaches rated the most beautiful in the world...and is the home of the hotel Splendid of James Bond Casino royale fame (though the movie was not shot there). I'd go to Kotor and Budva/Becici...and further south down the coast if you have time. Full disclosure I own property in Montenegro.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice. I'll get going on the Montenegro stuff. I have no problems with languages usually, I can stumble my way thru three or four, and if all else fails I have an app( Nemo, it's free) thats speaks the phrase I want to say. Though I rarely have to use it. I'm leaving in three or four weeks depending on the air fare situation.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

manurespreader said:
Thanks for the advice. I'll get going on the Montenegro stuff. I have no problems with languages usually, I can stumble my way thru three or four, and if all else fails I have an app( Nemo, it's free) thats speaks the phrase I want to say. Though I rarely have to use it. I'm leaving in three or four weeks depending on the air fare situation.
Click to expand...

Yeah and language shouldn't be a problem in either place. They're used to foreigners who don't speak the language...and many speak English anyways.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Need some advice from our Yooper posters. Over the past few years I've wanted to travel to God's country and play Greywalls/Sweetgrass/Timberstone. The stars have finally lined up and we're heading there next week. Need advice on where to eat & drink since the last time I was in the western UP most of you weren't born. Staying at the casino in Harris (package deal wasn't too bad) but will probably eat & drink in Marquette & Iron Mountain after golf. Any recommendations for there and Harris/Escanaba would be appreciated. Nothing fancy, just good. I'll also be bringing home real pasties to my ignorant kids. They've never had a real one with rutabaga in it. Where's the best place for these?
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

busterman62 said:
Need some advice from our Yooper posters. Over the past few years I've wanted to travel to God's country and play Greywalls/Sweetgrass/Timberstone. The stars have finally lined up and we're heading there next week. Need advice on where to eat & drink since the last time I was in the western UP most of you weren't born. Staying at the casino in Harris (package deal wasn't too bad) but will probably eat & drink in Marquette & Iron Mountain after golf. Any recommendations for there and Harris/Escanaba would be appreciated. Nothing fancy, just good. I'll also be bringing home real pasties to my ignorant kids. They've never had a real one with rutabaga in it. Where's the best place for these?
Click to expand...

If Rosie's diner in Escanaba is still open (note: IIRC her hours were from 6am-2pm) I would recommend that. Great little diner with huge portions. While I'm not a fan of the actual dish, the sausage/biscuits/gravy doesn't have crumbles of sausage. It's CHUNKS of sausage. And the omelettes pretty much take up the whole dinner plate.

Bonus: It was in the beginning of the Jeff Daniels' movie "Escanaba In Da Moonlight" and she'll probably ask you to sign her guestbook. :D
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

busterman62 said:
Need some advice from our Yooper posters. Over the past few years I've wanted to travel to God's country and play Greywalls/Sweetgrass/Timberstone. The stars have finally lined up and we're heading there next week. Need advice on where to eat & drink since the last time I was in the western UP most of you weren't born. Staying at the casino in Harris (package deal wasn't too bad) but will probably eat & drink in Marquette & Iron Mountain after golf. Any recommendations for there and Harris/Escanaba would be appreciated. Nothing fancy, just good. I'll also be bringing home real pasties to my ignorant kids. They've never had a real one with rutabaga in it. Where's the best place for these?
Click to expand...

It doesn't sound like you're going to the western UP...if Marquette is as far as you're going.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

busterman62 said:
Need some advice from our Yooper posters. Over the past few years I've wanted to travel to God's country and play Greywalls/Sweetgrass/Timberstone. The stars have finally lined up and we're heading there next week. Need advice on where to eat & drink since the last time I was in the western UP most of you weren't born. Staying at the casino in Harris (package deal wasn't too bad) but will probably eat & drink in Marquette & Iron Mountain after golf. Any recommendations for there and Harris/Escanaba would be appreciated. Nothing fancy, just good. I'll also be bringing home real pasties to my ignorant kids. They've never had a real one with rutabaga in it. Where's the best place for these?
Click to expand...

Jean Kay's Pasties in MQT gets my vote... Homemade and excellent :cool:

If you want a good craft brew in MQT, check out Blackrocks Brewing.
 
Re: Travel Part 2 - Where ya headed?

Iron Mountain recommendations...

Umm...

Jesus. I grew up 40 minutes from there and I can't think of anywhere. Yelp is of little help as it recommends four bars in the top 12 recommendations. Last I knew they had three or four Subway restaurants and the Big Boy restaurant burnt two decades ago.

I thought the restaurant at Pine Mountain (where Timberstone is) was decent, but that's just what I remember from a while back. Looking at the menu, there isn't anything to write home about.

Romagnoli's looks to have good reviews.



For MQT, There is a new steakhouse in the old Shamrock bar. (*Checks calendar, grabs abacus, realizes I'm old*)
- There's a steak place called Elizabeth's Chop House that's been in the Shamrock Bar for almost a decade now.
- Lagniappe, a Cajun Creole restaurant is good too.
- Portside Inn for a classic MQT meal.
- Vierling Restaurant and Marquette Harbor Brewery
- Steinhaus
- I've also heard good things about the Iron Bay Restaurant & Drinkery
-Old standbys of Casa Calabria and Villa Capri.


Maybe just play Timberstone and drive back to MQT. :p :D


And you're not playing George Youngs?
 
Last edited:
Brenthoven said:
If Rosie's diner in Escanaba is still open (note: IIRC her hours were from 6am-2pm) I would recommend that. ...
Click to expand...

I was always partial to Jack's Restaurant in Rapid River. Maybe it's because it was *right* on US2 and that was our breakfast stop growing up when we would drive the 10 hours from home to Muskegeon, MI once or twice a year.

Best greasy spoon breakfast place second only to Buck's in Ishpeming.


*edit* I'd like to clarify that I have not eaten at Suomi in Houghton. But I've always been a L'Anse Hilltop Restaurant fan. Mmmmmm. Sweetrolls the size of a small child's head.

*edit 2* I'm noticing in my two posts that all the good restaurants are in the Eastern Time Zone of the UP, and there is a culinary black hole in the Central Time Zone counties.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top