Scott, Further to my Adriatic cruising information: I omitted one most important point.
DUTY FREE! When you check into Yugoslavia, as soon as you get your ship's papers and passports stamped (many copies of crew list needed), you are next directed to go to the Duty Free store, where in exchange for your hard currency, you can now buy Duty Free and extremely cheap liquors of all sorts and origins; wine and beer by the cases; caviar; cigarettes and cigars; and for the ladies of course, perfume. The first time I arrived in Yugoslavia and they asked "Duty Free..........?" I said, sure, when I depart again, and they looked at me as if I was crazy (which I was, not knowing the routine) The rich - very rich Italians have their 70 - 80 foot immaculate wooden schooners in the harbor of Triest, Italy. Friday evenings they arrive there; get on board their vessels, and their paid Captains head south to Piran, the Yugoslavian Port of Entry. There sufficient Duty Free is bought and stowed to keep them happy for a long time, and the Captains then spend the night heading further south to a wonderful island called Mali Loscin - arriving there next morning. Then the boats are anchored stern to quay; the gangplanks are lowered in place; sun shades rigged over the deck and cockpit, and lunch for their visiting friends is prepared by the crew, as the owners sit there in Bikinis and shorts, drinks in hand............. Life really does get rough in those areas (if you happen to own FIAT, or some of the other large privately owned Italian companies) However, I'm sure they don't have half the fun with their ships that we do with our M15s and M17s. So always remember to ask if you can buy Duty Free entering a Country, to be consumed in Country, as well as when you are departing. Maybe the Canadians aren't so desperate to get hard currency, but it never hurts to ask............ Connie _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
