Virtual Tourist: see you some day in Real Paradise.

Left Giampiero, the general manager of VT, and a really good guy.

Dear readers of my blog and good people on VT
( www.virtualtourist.com ).
Until recent I not only wrote my blog but also my informative pages on Virtual Tourist.
Inspiring visitors, giving free tips, answering questions to my best knowledge, having great fun !

Until recent, as a while ago some member called Misseille started to nag about me entering commercial info.
Mind you, I do everything for fun, as I freed myself from commercial activity, and pay my own beers.
Slowly increasing her sarcasm, she brought me to the point of leaving VT's pages.
Very sad, but yes, even in the Virtual world there are people like her, spoiling whatever is unspoiled, turning good mood into a bad mood.
Want to send her a message, go to her VTpages at "Missile", wishing her just a bit of the luck I enjoy.
Tell her open minded communication between honest humans always prevents a war to start.
And in this case I also know who lost it !

The Eagles have a fantastic song on their latest album, singing
"Get over it".
Well, I did and I do, so I closed my VT-account to free myself from her non productive negativism.

As we live here in a little paradise, surrounded by fantastic nature and charming people (and a couple of cats), on the very best location to discover Dalmatia's hidden secrets.
That, and only that is my reason to write, in English, as I want you to know where to go if you are visiting Dalmatia.

Of course there are many ways to experience Croatia's beauties, being a lazy beach holiday at the Adriatic or a trip to Plitvice Lakes or cities like Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir (don't ignore Trogir, please !!!).

And if staying here, close to or in Omis, a lot more is waiting for you, like the Cetina River, Biokovo Nature Park and much, MUCH more.
Hell there is MORE, but you have to open your eyes, ears and heart !

Zooming in, on an organised trip or better, on your own, with an open mind into the open, brings you to discover many hidden pearls, little secrets that are not frequented by regular tourists.
That's what I want you to understand and discover.
If my blog helps you to do so, that's my GOLDEN reward.
(And if you need some help, mail me, the address is in the header).

So, from now on, no more VT pages, only my good old blog, with daily little things combined with pictures and stories about fantastic spots and experiences in this stunning area.
Many of them hidden to most of you.

I might even use the VT-flag once in a while on a picture, as I still have it, and to ensure you all I have no bad feelings about VT as a whole.
Real People behind Real Places they say, and I couldn't agree more.
To bad in the real world there are also real people who are a
"pain in the ass".
So best to do is to kick ass if something really bothers you.

Bye bye VT, back to be a HL*) again, my blog pages are waiting.
In one of the next pages I will put some links to professionals who do a great job here, in case you want to use their splendid service.
But only if you need them, as I do it all for free, because I love this country, and they do it for money AND because AND because they love it too.

Or as they say it in Croatian:
JA VOLIM DALMATIA.

*) a Happy Local again).

PS.
Anybody wanting to comment or write me, my address is in the header of this blog.

now listen !!!!!!

Listen to me, as I will not tell you again (today :-).
It's about time you understand why I write this blog, so once more:

"Visit the DALMATINSKA ZAGORA when visiting the coast" .

And for those of you who don't know what Dalmatinska Zagora means, it's all that lies behind the coast.
So to say the hinterland, everything between the coast and the border, everything behind the Adriatic and before Bosnia.

Capito ?!?!
I want you to understand this is where the real life is being lived, in all those tiny little villages.
In the very middle of nature, between high and less high mountains, in small valleys and a bit larger peaces of farmland.
Between grapes, olives, cherries, apples, plums, figs, and a wide range of organic vegetables.
With chickens, goats, sheep, ducks and some pigs.

And of course mountains, rocks, boulders, caves, rivers like the Cetina (a beauty of 105 kilometers, not only the canyon), springs, small ponds, woods and wetlands.
Silent unspoiled slow streaming canoe water, but also energetic wild white rafting water.

Numerous birds, nighingales and eagles, known and less known, lizzards, turtles and yes, some snakes too.
Don't be afraid, they don't kill, just be careful and enjoy them from a safe distance.

And if hungry, well known restaurants like Radmanova Mlinice, Kastil Slanica and Krememko, but also less known places like Konoba Tadic and Konoba Konjak (and no doubt a lot more in each and every small town).
Not only the door to door pizza's, but original, tasty fish or meat from the grill, accompanied by organic potatoes and salads, followed by a slice of dripping sweet watermelon.
Want wine, try local, as all wine here is tasty (and strong) !!!

And if you want to buy a horse or a cow, new shoes or some gardening tools, or perhaps because you're hungry, there is a farmers market in Zadvarje every tuesday.

So, when coming to Croatia, heading for Dalmatia, relaxing from a stressfull job between let's say Trogir and Makarska, don't make me angry, don't say "oh, I did'nt know that", as I have told you once again, here in the Dalmatinska Zagora is where the fun starts.

Feel free to contact me, the mail address is in the header of this blog.
I know some truly good people who make your visit the very best, from place to stay to excursion.
Including a visit to Split, Trogir, Krka or Plitvice, but also to less known places, and even over the Bosnian border to Livno, where about twohundred horses live in the wild.

But..........write it down and don't forget:

"visit the Dalmatinska Zagora".


CAPITO ?!?
:-)

what a view (on Biokovo Mountain)

See previous page.
And for sure follow this blog, as there is more to come !

The picture shows Biokovo Mountain like a Swiss alp, taken from the SW side, close to a little village called Slime.

For details on the park, click here: BIOKOVO

enlarge and look !!!

Do click to enlarge this picture !
Than think back to when people used to survive here ages ago.
Picture taken in Biokovo Mountain Park.

Yesterday, me, my wife and two local friends went to Biokovo once more to enjoy the snow on the higher parts of the mountain.
The lower parts (up to 700 meters.) are hardly ever seeing snow, the higher parts however (up to 1800 meters) are packed with snow, lots of it (even up to 3 meters thick).
Currently snow conditions are less, next week however there might be another load coming, as the winter ain't over yet.
(If interested in weather conditions, click here: Biokovo weather).

We took a lot of pictures, this one however is special, as it shows an old "forgotten" little village.
Houses in those days, hundreds of years ago, where built from whatever available, and as you can see rock is the number one material here.
Thick walls were piled up, some wood to construct a roof, then covered with more rock.
Hot during the day, especially in summer, cold during winter, both night and day.
(Stone cold indeed :-).

Life on the mountain was harsh in those days, with tiny minimal patches of land to grow a very basic amount of food ( some potatoes, some cabbage, a tiny apple tree or plum, and if possible some grapes and olives).
Goats always survive, sheep sometimes, and if lucky a cow and a donkey.
(So milk they had, to make some cheese to store for a while).

If lucky !!!, as this was, is and will always be true nature.
With wolves, boars, chamois, rabbits and snakes, and.......a lack of water as this is karst, where water easily disappears into caves (which there are a lot of).

What made people decide to live here, were the uncertain conditions along the Adriatic coast and inland, where occupation was as usual as the sun coming up.
Romans, Venetians, Turks, Austrians, Russians, Italians and Germans (no hard feeling folks, times have changed), and a lot more, including pirates.
Not the best conditions indeed to spread a towel and enjoy the sun at the Adriatic.

So people fled up into the mountains, and survived the conditions there, creating a minimal life with whatever possible or available.

After WW2, under the rule of Tito, living conditions at the coast increased, and the industrial revolution brought jobs and good housing to many inhabitants.
A good moment therefor to come down to the coast, and leave those damned slopes.

What stayed are these remarkable forgotten villages and single houses, melting into the rocky landscape.
You'll see many of them on Biokovo, but also in many other parts of Dalmatia's hinterland.

On many locations you'll witness how tough these people were, cleaning little patches of good soil from rocks, piling them up in numerous walls, fixing the soil against sliding away under heavy rains.
An amazing people in an amazing land.

Switserland ?, Austria ?, no ,this also is Dalmatia !!!!!

So up we went, up the road into Biokovo, heading for the summit at Sv. Jure, but happy with every meter less as long as we found snow.

And snow we found, already at 3000 ft. (1000 meters), driving carefully on a clean road, surrounded by sometimes a meter or more of snow walls left and right.

We are the lucky ones, we live here all year round, but to those who think Dalmatia is only worth a summer visit, wrong you are indeed.

Sad enough there are no prepared pistes (why not, on the N/E side ?), but for people who like the unbelievable combination of winter sun at the Adriatic combined with a winter wonderland like this, a stay in or around Makarska is certainly a good advice.

As it's still winter, not all days are as good, but who cares, as you can always plan a trip to Split, visiting one of the many museums, a concert or one of the enormous modern shopping malls (City Center One for instance), or just sit back at one of the many terraces, covered from wind or rain, with a good book and a good glass.

But íf it's one of those (also) many sunny days, any trip into the Dalmatinska Zagora (the hinterland) or Biokovo Mountain shows you how beautiful Dalmatia is before the beaches are covered with sun seeking lazy relaxing tourists.

And do see my previous page about Makarska's best pastries, a great way to finish an afternoon's walk in the "Alps".

snowy whirlwinds on Mount Biokovo

First of all, this is not one of my pictures.
I found it "somewhere" when looking for recent information about the conditions on Biokovo.
Great shot however, and if it's yours, my compliments and I'll gladly pay you with a good meal, so just let me know.

At the moment weather conditions on Biokovo are harsh and dangerous.
Strong stormy winds, combined with deep snow (up to two meters and even more), the situation on the top at Sv. Jure couldn't be less inviting to human beings.
And even for the wolves living on and around Biokovo, running from Bosnia's winter conditions, have a hard time finding a decent steak :-).

However very much a fan of such conditions on Biokovo with thick snow and enough traces to have a look at, I prefer to wait a bit, till the wind has gone, and still thán it's not "a walk in the park".

This makes Biokovo a highly interesting peace of rough nature, as the conditions there are truly different from season to season.
Winter on this mountain ís wínter, summer there is really summer, spring and autumn are equally special, each of those seasons extremely expressive in it's kind.
And with extremely I mean EXTREMELY, as winter season there is colder than cold, summers hotter than hot.
Even more special, Biokovo has both an adriatic ánd a continental climate zone, which makes it even more special in it's variety of fauna and specially flora.

But that variety of climate zones and micro climates is typical for this part of Croatia, as each valley has a different climate, due to more shade or direct sunlight, mountain rigs and secluded valleys, and the way winds are moving through this area.

And even when nót going to Biokovo, looking how clouds move over, up ánd down various mountains here (like Mosor and Omiska Dinara) is fantastic to observe.

Currently even Mosor is snow covered on it's high slopes, however there it does not stay long, as when the sun shows up again it's bye bye to that white hat.

So if you think Dalmatia is only interesting in summer,
you couldn't be more wrong !
A visit in spring is more than advisable for nature lovers, and should you be around, as soon as the wind slows down, it's a fantastic scene, even for cross country skiing !!!

If interested, look here for actual weather conditions on Biokovo.
www.freemeteo.com/default.asp?pid=15&gid=3204115&la=11

who are you ?

Hello reader of this weblog called "svinisce.blogspot.com".
For quite a while now I am entering pictures and stories to this blog, just for the fun of it, and with no other reason than sharing small talk about our hidden valley in Dalmatia/Dalmacija/Dalmatië and it's surroundings.

Still much to share, so don't be afraid, I'll keep posting as long as there are things to share, and that is a lot !
Suppose not everything is drawing your attention, not all is worth reading and sometimes you may even think "stop that shit, I need information about holiday options".

If that's the case, look at www.malimlin.com as there a good friend of me is making whatever offer you are searching for to have a fantastic vacation in Dalmacija.
Me however, "I am just a piano player", retired, and with no other goal than to entertain you (and myself).

Why ?
Because this ís a marvelous country, and the possibilities to have a wonderful time are unlimited !
Nature, sea, beaches, old cities, history, good food, a stunningly beautiful river called Cetina, and at least two impressive mountains nearby, called Mosor and Biokovo (and a lot more less important but challenging ridges with various names, all worth a hike).

Illyrians, Romans, Ottomans, Bodomils, French (under Napoleon), Austrians (the Hapsburg imperium), all came and went, all leaving traces in the land.
Some of it hardly recognizable  some very obvious (Solin, Split, Trogir, Dubrovnik), all of it worth a day or so, as the Adriatic may be fantastic, you haven't seen nothing if you haven't seen it all !

Now I would like to ask "who are you, visiting this weblog" ?
Was it coincidence, or a specific interest, or even family ties to this part of Croatia ?
Not wanting to open my blog to comments, for once say:
if you have any response, question, comment, mail me at pimdevosXgmail.com.
(In which X of course is @).

Next time another picture/story will be added, for now it's thanks for reading my blog, and have a nice day !

Today's weather over here is cloudy, drizzling rain, about 13 degrees Celsius and about three meters of snow on the very top of Biokovo.
(Check Biokovo weather at: www.freemeteo.com/default.asp?pid=15&gid=3204115&la=11

every day a great day, with such a panorama

Waking up this morning, this was our panorama.
On the high slopes of Mosor Mountains, it snows, so it's cold up there !
Snow came down between 1000 and 1400 meters (the very top there), and stayed most of the day.

Biokovo Mountains is a different story.
There the highest peak is at about 1800 meters (called Sv. Jure), and there it was snowing heavily, close to two meters thick, and that's a lot !

Those guys on Biokovo who work in shifts taking care of all communications here, where supposed to change with their colleagues, but it seems they have to wait a bit till heavy machines clear the road up the mountain.
I would say: helicopter !!!!, a lot quicker, cheaper and a whole lot easier.

Snow conditions like this are not uncommon on Biokovo, which makes it very attractive to go there those days.
Just have to wait a bit, for less "polar"conditions, but for sure gonna go there soon, as these are the cherries on the cake that make living here so very (damned) special.

As in about half an hour it's "let's go", a road trip to Makarska, up the mountain road into the National Park Biokovo, and with some luck we just might see (traces of) wolves.
Or boars, bears, chamois.........
And after that magnificent walk in the deep snow of winter wonder land, a hot espresso and some delicious cake at the sunny boulevard of Makarska's seaside will complete another afternoon in paradise.

With of course a good meal in the evening, perhaps even some roast lamb from the grill in our garden house (with some good local red wine).

Life sucks..........but not for us !!!

biokovo on a winterday

(Click to enlarge !)
View from Pisak, a sleepy little town not far from Omis.
During the winter season the bura (the dry easterly wind here) can blow you away, while creating a pure and harsh winter wonderland on the high slopes of Biokovo Mountains.

And while palm trees and agaves survive at the coast, up there in the mountains, temperature drops to a bone chilling freezing minus 10 Celsius (and worse).

The town of Makarska is only 30 minutes away, a nice place to drink an espresso under the palm trees at the Adriatic during winter.
For those like me, who like a bit of difference after a lazy sun sprinkled espresso at the beach, it's only another twenty minutes up the mountain road to the very top of Biokovo till the snow makes driving a once in a lifetime experience.

Well dressed, there starts the winter fun  walking into a white world, still looking down at the Adriatic and the islands deep below the mountain.

And for those who like it pure and rough: yes there are wolves over there, but lucky you if you happen to see them.
Traces of those wild animals however are clearly visible, so give it a try (if you dare).

And being the Dutchman I am, during winter entrance to Biokovo is free of charge, another reason to be happy to live here all year round.

DON'T do this at home

Just kidding, the picture shows it a bit more dangerous than it really was, but tricky it was anyway !
Nevertheless, when you go hiking in the Biokovo area (a must it is, especially during winter), the chance you discover a hole, a pit, a cave is pretty big.

But DON'T put yourself in danger, as all those karst phenomena s are both beautiful AND dangerous.
And on top of that, it's STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to cave without permission.
If interested, see these this website, highly interesting and beautiful:
http://www.speleologija.hr/znanost/sige/sige.html
When there, click on "English" and be amazed about the pictures shown and the details written.

Croatia is amazingly rich in natural sense, with so much natural beauty in every aspect, you'll have to plan a visit, a holiday, a lifetime to discover it all, and still there is more.
(Reason for me to live here nowadays !)

Should you be more interested in a lazy beach holiday, Roman history, flowers, wildlife, rafting, canyoning, hiking, biking or good food and basic values, lucky you, as Dalmatia has it all :-)

Should you need help, contact my good friend Robert, as he can help you make your stay a special experience from beginning to end.

In the mean time he and I will continue to discover a lot more, merely for our own pleasure, but also yours till you decide to do so yourself !

Those shoe people already said it very simple and clear:
JUST DO IT 

salamandara salamandara

Careful please, poisonous beauty !!

No, you don't have to run when you see one, as with all other poisonous animals like snakes,
just respect them and they won't hurt you.
Just do like me, look, take a picture and be amazed about Dalmatia's natural beauty.

Of course the quality of the picture could have been better but hey, I am not a professional.
If you want to see a better one and all details have a look at Wikipedia.

Saw one before, however that was flat as the surrounding asphalt, this one came to our terrace,
and before the cats could even try to have their hunting fun, I took this picture and moved it into nature, before those (damned) cats could even think of having fun.

Why share this picture ?
Well, over and over again I want you to get an idea of Dalmatia's beauty, being archaeology  history, nature, anything, and we've got a a lot of "anything" over here.
So in case you visit this country for a beach holiday, right you are, but wrong you are too !
As in the Zagora *) there is MUCH MORE to discover (the hinterland *).

Ever visited Biokovo Mountains ?
No ?
Or yes you did, hurry up to Sv. Jure's summit, cramped and bold,
and than hurry, hurry back down again, without hiking ?
Well, guess I must tell you a bit more about Biokovo in the next item.

So pozdravi, till next.