News from Croatia

On our recent stay in Croatia, I was within touching distance of seeing the actual standards (metric) weights and measures used by the Croatian government. A family friend, who entertained us whilst we were there, works in the adjacent Patent Office in Zagreb, but he did not have access to the Weights and Measures Department.

One Croatian measurement we did see was the line on the statue of the medieval knight in the central square of historic Old Dubrovnik, once the undisputed capital of the Mediterranean world. A line has been etched into the base of the statue which is said to be either the ‘Dubrovnik ell’ (used for measuring cloth) or the ‘Dubrovnik cubit’, described in one guide book as ‘51.1 centimetres long’ and in another as ‘50.8’. Well, say ‘two feet’, and you’ve got it.

Incidentally the knight has a sword in his hand which in times gone by pointed northward, i.e. towards the perceived threat from a northerly direction i.e. Venice. When the statue was recently restored after the attack on Dubrovnik in the early 1990’s in the inter-ethnic Yugoslav conflict, the sword was re-positioned to point in a southerly direction. That way lies the nation now known as ‘Serbia and Montenegro’.

Lovely weather in Southern Dalmatia - in the eighties, with a sea temperature in the upper seventies. Even better was swimming in the thermal waters at Stubicke Toplice, about 25 miles north of Zagreb - the water in the open air pool is maintained at 96 degrees Fahrenheit and is used all year round including when there’s ice and snow on the ground. The water comes up from the earth so hot that they have to add cold water to it to bring it down to 96.

It seems Croatian weights and measures were determined for them by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which signed the Metric Convention on 20 May 1875, thus committing what is now Croatia to the metric system.

It’s interesting to see the reaction of a people to having won political independence for the first time in their history, which of course goes back to the various invasions of the Balkans from the Far East as the Roman Empire collapsed. The Croatian flag is everywhere. But they want to join the European Union, seen by them as the benchmark of democratic, liberal and entrepreneurial values after several decades of living under the Communist yoke and not a little endemic corruption still in place.

If anyone thinks that nationalism is dead or dying, visit Croatia and mention the word Serbia, or vice versa.

Disappointing to me that so soon after winning their political independence, they are looking forward eagerly to the day when they give most of it away again when in 2007 they hope to join the European Union.

By the way, the Croatian currency is the kuna, which is translated as ‘pine marten’ - a reference to the fact that the main unit of currency among the Croats centuries ago was the fur of the pine marten. There are between 9 and 10 pine martens to the pound at the moment, and you can have nearly a pint of beer (well, 500 millilitres) for around 7 to 10 pine martens. Beer is sold in either 50ml, 33ml, or 20 ml quantities, with the 50ml being the better value. We worked out a system whereby we’d both order a 50ml ‘pivo’ (Croatian for beer), my wife would then pour some of hers into mine, so I would have a full pint and she would have three-quarters of a pint

Tony: "Beer is sold in either 50ml, 33ml, or 20 ml quantities"

50, 33 or 20 mils ??? Shouldn't that be 50, 33 and 20 cl ?

Your attempts to translate everything into imperial measurements (even temperatures!) are really quite pathetic.

I can understand your reasons for wanting to keep Britains traditional measurements IN BRITAIN, but to completely refuse to accept metric while abroad is quite ridiculous.

and if you're trying to use measurements most people use in Britain, then fair enough use miles, feet etc, but use Celsius as well!

"I can understand your reasons for wanting to keep Britains traditional measurements IN BRITAIN, but to completely refuse to accept metric while abroad is quite ridiculous"

erm - he's posting on an English speaking website.

Did you expect him to do his post in croatian as well?

Steve,

While the English *Language* might be the ligua franca of the world, the Imperial system of measurement most certainly is not. Indeed, while working abroad I have noticed that English is used much more widely that either French or German (excpet oibviously where French or German is the national language of the coutnry concerned). On the other hand, I have seen very little in the way of non-metric measurements (the odd computer screen etc).

We don't need to ram the imperial system around the world... In Europe they're increasingly using inches for clothing, screens etc. JUST FOR HAVING THEM ALONGSIDE CM!! They're increasingly using ounces for burgers, and bet they use pounds per square inch for measuring the air pressure in car tyres...

Europe was a lot more metric fifty years ago than today...

Well, if they could scrap their now late customary systems of weights and measures for such a tacky, cultureless, artificial, useless and undesirable alternative, they can jolly well do so to let in what we have in two of the world's four largest economies (UK and USA) as it has the same 'fons et origo'

I say it in Latin to hint what it is

Frederick wrote

<<
They're increasingly using ounces for burgers
>>

Tell me where this is happening - if it is the Netherlands, the burgers must be real whoppers - the Dutch "ons" (or ounce) was 100g!


(By "Europe", I assume that he meant "Continental Europe", but I won't press that point)

Frederick wrote

<<
and bet they use pounds per square inch for measuring the air pressure in car tyres
>>

Can you justify this one? I have just checked out two family cars - the owner's manual for the "K" reg Mitubishi is in both metric and imperial, but the tyre pressure sticker on the door pillar is in metric only. The handbook for the VW Golf (2001 model) is entirely metric. I can assure you that I did not go out of my way to select either car on grounds of metric or non-metric compliance.

BTW Frederick - I seem to recall reading in one of your posts that you did not drive. Am I correct and is this still the case?

Yes eventually the whole world will decide to use imperial

ROTFL!

Frederick Rodriguez: "They're increasingly using ounces for burgers"

ROFL !

In France, a Quarterpounder is called a "Royal Cheese" and it's advertised as a 120-gramme burger.

In the rest of Europe, the name Quarterpounder is maintained, but it's advertised as a 115-gramme burger.

You metric lot (ie the consistantly loud minority) are all a bit wound up recently!
What's going on?

Is there something in the press I haven't seen or have I missed something.

Look at Andrew barking mad at me for my Irish trip fo a good example.

Then look here following Mr T's trip!

P.S. PSI for cars tends to be from 22 to 45 - a bit like the sort of figure you'll find on "continental" trousers!

(or put it another way - Frederick might have a point!)