Mixed Feelings

Advantages: Good value, great hotel
Disadvantages: poor rep, lost ski equipment

...In this review I will tell you about my ski holiday in 2009 with Balkan Holidays London Balkan holidays was originally formed in 1966 by the state of Bulgaria and was privatized in 1999 The company do Scheduled flights to Bourgas, Sofia, Varna, Dubrovnik, Split, Pula, Rijeka, Tivat, Ljubljana, Bucharest from various airports around the UK, they also do charter flights under the name of BH. They also sell summer and winter holidays to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, although I note Montenegro has been dropped from their winter destinations for 09/10. Holidays sold direct as well as through various travel agents, They also sell golf holidays, mini breaks and things like car hire, travel insurance Balkan are members of ABTA, ATOL and IATA I first came across the company in 2007 and was going to book a holiday in mid...

mark203 27.08.2009 (28.08.2009) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Balkan Holidays

Not a Greek tragedy!

Advantages: Delicious food, fun
Disadvantages: Service a little slow and not everyone can smash a plate

...Another of the restaurants we visited on our trip to Banff was the Balkan restaurant. Mr Tart had visited this one on his last trip to Banff and had really enjoyed it so we knew we wanted to visit. LOCATION: The Balkan is located at 120 Banff Avenue, the main road through Banff. It is within walking distance of most of Banff's hotels. THE EXPERIENCE: We booked a table for our night in the Balkan because it was Greek night and we knew it was going to be busy. The restaurant is popular so I would recommend booking, especially on Greek night. We were shown to our table which was on the mezzanine level. The restaurant décor is quite modern and doesn't look particularly Greek. We were given a menu to look through but it did take a while before our waiter came over to talk to us. He took our drinks order (beer for me...

tartlette83 13.04.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Balkan Restaurant, Banff, Alberta

Glittering Jewel of the Balkans

Advantages: Beautiful, historic, no "lager louts", reasonable prices
Disadvantages: Very hot, lots of tourists, not easy to get there

...My sister and I arrived in Dubrovnik after a 24 hour long ferry trip in the summer of 2004. It wasn't the best introduction we could have had to the historic town. Cobbled streets, sunburned shoulders and heavy luggage don't mix well. Luckily though, the Croatians we came across while searching for our accommodation were welcoming and helpful. We must have heard the phrase "enjoy your stay in Dubrovnik" a hundred times in our short stay. Unsurprising considering that tourism is now the city's foremost form of income. Following the break up of Yugoslavia and the Balkan conflict, people have been flooding back into Dubrovnik to appreciate all it has to offer. Before the war, Croatia was a popular holiday resort, famed for its beautiful coastline and cheap prices. George Bernard Shaw, Prince Charles, and Margaret Thatcher have...

MissDirect 03.10.2004 (30.10.2007) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Dubrovnik (Croatia)

Action Packed 17th Century Balkan Tale

Advantages: Skilfully interwoven fact and fiction, set in the Balkans during the 17th century.
Disadvantages: Doesn't have the varied sub-plots of its predecessor.

...*** The Author *** Christie Dickason has a multi-national background. She is the daughter of an English Professor, was brought up in Thailand, Mexico, Switzerland and the USA, completed her formal education at Harvard and Yale drama school, and previously worked in the theatre as a director and choreographer. As an author, she wrote two 20th century political thrillers, before trying her hand at historical fiction. The Principessa is Christie Dickason's second book about the fictional character of Francis Quoynt, set in the early 17th Century. I have read both books, which are researched with great dedication, have realistic characters and absorbing storylines. The first book in the series called The Firemaster's Mistress was set in England. This second book takes Francis Quoynt to The Balkans. The other main difference I...

luckyarchers 29.04.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of The Principessa - Christie Dickason

Excellent album from Max Pashm

Advantages: Superbly fun and eclectic album
Disadvantages: None

...Max Pashm's album Never Mind The Balkans is my new favourite album of the year, possibly even knocking Firewater's "The Golden Hour" off it's perch. It's incredibly danceable, I struggle to keep my hands and feet still whilst listening on public transport and it is bound to cheer up any day, no matter what the weather or circumstances. The album was released at the end of September, 2008 by Elektrikos/Organikos (don't quote me on this but I think it's the band's label) The sublime mix of different styles, fusing breakbeat and sometimes reggae with various styles of folk (gypsy, klezmer, balkan, greek and even a bit of latin in there) with ridiculously catchy cuts from political speeches, excellent choruses, exquisite effects. This should be beating out of clubs worldwide already and admittedly the album has just come out but if...

dangaroo 21.11.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Never Mind The Balkans Here's Max Pashm - Max Pashm

The Balkans And The Showman

Advantages: First Rate Action Sequences.
Disadvantages: Second Rate Performances.

......

indiecater 23.09.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Behind Enemy Lines (DVD)

The distilled essence of the Balkans

Advantages:
Disadvantages: Can wander a little too long and too far into obscurity

...The Author is currently financial advisor to the Macedonian Government Using a variety of remarkably astute Political and Economical observations as the most transparent excuse Dr Vaknin has produced a portable pocket sized Balkan State. Cunningly fitted between the covers are remarkable vivid sketches of the still mysterious Balkans as they are today, "After the rain". All seen through the eyes of one of the last true "Wandering Jews". Every shade, colour and nuance is there, hard information, constantly interupted by the shifting colours of a reforming world on the brink of the 21st century. A world of heros, rogues and fools as old as time itself and as new as the morning. A very unusual and precious book....

mechanima 12.07.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of After the Rain: How the West Lost the East - Sam Vaknin

Jewel in the Balkan Crown

Advantages: Cheap, value for money, friendly
Disadvantages: Still rebuilding after the war

...Sarajevo...Jewel in the Balkan Crown...location of the 1984 Winter Olympics....place where thousands of Bosniaks were killed 1994. I worked in Bosnia Herzegovina for 12 months in 1998 as part of the Police Peace Keeping Force and lived in Sarajevo for the whole time. Although ravaged by war, the city is still a beautiful place. The people, although poor and still coming to terms with rebuilding the city, are excellent. A short 15 minute drive out of the city and you find yourself in the mountains of Igman and Jahorina. During the winter the skiing is excellent and really cheap. 2 weeks in a lodge on the mountain next to the ski resort is around £200 ...try and get that in Austria !!!! Food is cheap and plentiful..mexican, chinese, indian and italian restaraunts can be found all over the city. Cinemas, clubs and two Irish Bars help you to...

batman6393 30.09.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Sarajevo (Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Some Damned Silly Thing In The Balkans*

Advantages: The are From Scotland
Disadvantages: Glasgow Actually

......

Champ666 08.02.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand

Barbaric Backpacking in the Balkans

Advantages: It'll stop your kids wanting you to fund a gap year
Disadvantages: Not a Tarantino film

......

MarkKerr 08.10.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Hostel (Unseen Edition) (DVD)