Opatija, Croatia - One thing never lacking in a trip to Croatia is surprises.
Drivers along the coastal highway might find themselves wondering what's on offer at all the roadside stalls.
A quick stop in a village tavern in Brsec reveals all: a roomful of locals sits down to steaming bowls of wild asparagus.
It looks like a bowl of thin branches, but it tastes great.
The special spring recipe is just one of the specialties found in the forests near the Kvarner Gulf in northern Croatia.
Another surprise: the tavern also offers rooms.
After pressing a key into a guest's hand, the owner explains how to get to the room through a labyrinth of alleys, typical of the seaside resort of Opatija.
Budapest - The presidents of Croatia and Hungary on Friday said they hoped that Europe-friendly forces would win parliamentary elections in Serbia scheduled for Sunday.
Vienna - A Croatian rock star whose songs some view as glorifying the Nazi era has been invited to the Euro 2008 football championship by Austrian far-right politician Joerg Haider.