go organic, go quixotic (# 4)

(Please click to enlarge).

One of the main qualities of Dalmatia is that food here,
ány food, tastes só much better.
Meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, they all taste better,
and no doubt are more nutritious too !
The reason is very simple:
much of it is unspoiled organic locally grown stuff.
(One of the reasons is that large farms don't exist here, due to the fact that most properties and fields are simply to small).

Reading many reactions, experiences, comments on many internet sites, one thing always shows:
visitors, tourists, they all discover not only Croatia's coast is amazingly pure, it goes for the food as well.

Even a simple pizza here tastes better, due to better ingredients (unless people visit the wrong locations).

Here in Dalmatia, many people in the smaller villages still bake their own bread, partly because it's tradition, partly because they know growing and preparing your own is great.

Yesterday for instance, our best friends here in Svinisce brought home two thick, fat, healthy pigs.
Many people around do just the same, and with a good reason.
Once them pigs arrived they go on a diet, a diet of pure, organic, healthy, tasty food.
Every day from the moment they arrived, they loose some weight,
but gain taste and quality.

Somewhere at the end of the year, when the weather turns colder, them pigs reach the end of the line,
and the process of preparing and preserving starts.
Much of it is used for home made sausages, pancetta ánd that famous domaci prsut (salted, dried, smoked and ripened ham).
All of it, believe me, tastes divine, and is without comparison.
Shame on any factory producing "domaci prsut" the industrial way, as they all start at the wrong side of the pig :-)
(For those of you who don´t know, ``domaci``means homemade !

Good food starts with good ingredients, and no industry can ever produce the true DOMACI QUALITY.
Some of them try to do their very best, but still,
it's the wrong side of the pig.

This principle, going for fish, fruits and vegetables alike, motivated two brave American people to start up an initiative.

Great idea folks, a great and daring plan,
and a perfect combination of true American business mentality,
(let's kick some *ss) and the unspoiled richness of Dalmatian pure, healthy ánd tasty ingredients.
Once those two things are combined,
you get a cocktail of the best of both worlds.

! Go Quixotic !


PS.
The picture on this page shows the most minimalistic garden around.
In it are nevertheless various sorts, from olive to cabbage. 
And a lot more.
Not much in volume, but excellent food !

what if Q = GO ? (#3)

Quote from the almighty internet:

"Epicurus says: life is good,
make sure to enjoy it".

If he really said that, and in thóse words, he truly was brilliant.
Brilliant, as he said it in Anglo-American :-).

Had he known Croatian, he would have used thát language,
at least when visiting the brilliant, organic, juicy Epicurian initiative that's coming to the old town of Spalatum.

Therefor, in a philosophical way, if "Q = Go", (and it ís !),
 we can as well accept and support the ideas behind "Go Quixotic".

So stay connected, as there is more to come, soon.

PS.
It took me/us pretty long to accept Epicurus famous words.
Had I known thán, what I know nów,
I would have used "crowd funding" thán !
Don't feel sorry for me/us, NO WAY, 
as we áre living our dream today.
In Dalmatia / u Dalmacija.

Windmills are everywhere, also in Croatia,
so íf you have to fight them, better do it hére, in Dalmatia !
Crowd funding is a creative refreshing way to do so.

go Q go ( # 2)

During the "Eighty Years War" (1568-1648) the Dutch were fighting against Spanish opression, 
and wón, 
and Cervantes wrote his most famous book.

Somehow, you'll find out soon, 
there is a connection between that antique war, 
Croatia, windmills and the mystery I am creating about Q.

For now its:

 "go Q go" !

go Q go !!! (#1)

! Q is coming to Split !

? Who ?

! Q !

Great news it is, for you, for Split, ánd for Dalmatia. 
For now that's all I'm gonna tell, so keep following this blog as ....
.... details will follow soon.

So remember:

{ Q }

even on a cloudy day

Even on a rainy/cloudy day our panorama is amazing.
(Do please click to enlarge).

This morning we were sitting outside (smoking inside is a no NO),
and enjoyed looking at the movement of the clouds.
People think Dutch clouds are fantastic,
painted by many famous masters,
but we know better.

MUCH BETTER !

Biokovo, what a mountain it is !

One of the many views you may experience on Biokovo Mountain.
Do please click to enlarge the picture.

Not the highest mountain in the world, you might even call it a dwarf,
with it's 1800 meters all the way to the summit.
But bigger does not always mean better :-)

Or does it girls ?

PS.
Biokovo Mountain is less than an hour's drive from village Svinisce.
Not the highest , but a very special one, with twó climate zones.
I often visit it during different seasons.

hello World, welcome to our Universe !

Couple of years ago I entered the world of expats on Expatblog.
As usual dreams are followed by plans and after plans reality knocks.
Croatia, here we come, or better "came", as we moved there.
"Came", as we now live here for more than two years,
and have no regrets of taking that step.
! Not for a single moment !

But, as usual, a lot of things had to be checked, learned, organised.
Changing our Dutch life for Croatian life came with a lot of work.
And where better to check than on Expatblog,
as all people who think of, or work on moving to another country,
are member of it.
Again: "shared knowledge is the best knowledge".

To read the full story, see Blog of the Month October 2013,
as there I willingly and proudly tell it all.

If you dream or plan to make the same move,
do feel free to send me an email,
my address (as always) is in the right topside of my blog.
(In which X = @ of course).

Some rules in advance:
-if you mail me, keep it short;
-if looking for a job, sorry, I can't help you;
-if looking for trustworthy advise or help finding a place,
I will connect you to some good people.

Simple rules, as I am retired, I do not look for a job,
and our free life here is to precious to us.
Nevertheless I gladly support your plans,
as life is great in Dalmatia (Croatia).

And should you want to have a look first in this European country,
before you decide to take that giant step,
spring, summer and autumn the weather is the best, and you can always combine a visit with some days at one of them hundreds of superb, clean and sunny beaches of the Adriatic coast.
In that case however, check my friend Robert, as he's a friendly, trustworthy pro running a tourist service, but also helps people to find a place to settle in this area (avoiding the typical problems).

One way or the other, enjoy reading the interview on Expatblog,
and if you get inspired to move to Croatia:

!!   RIGHT   YOU   ARE   !!
(and so were we)

Vruja source area: another special spot

Last saturday (28-9-2013) my good friend Robert and I took our canoes out for a trip from Pisak to Vruja.

Pisak is a tiny fisherman's village not far from Omis, however small, very much liked by many tourists who rent an apartment there.
It still has the atmosphere of a original coastal village, so if looking for a fine place to spend your summer holidays, I can recommend it.
(And Robert, running Malimlin, knows a couple of great apartments, so in case you are inspired, contact him).

Vruja is the name of a natural phenomenon you can observe deep down, when driving the coastal road from Omis to Makarska.
Short after Pisak, before the road to Zadvarje turns left,
 from the parking, you can observe this "strange" natural effect.

Deep down you see some bubbling effect on the surface of the sea, caused by sweet water rising from deep down.
It's a system of natural sources, pushing water from deep under Biokovo into the Adriatic.
The water, like on many places here, flows under the karst surface of all them mountains here, creating underground rivers from the Livno area (in Bosnia) and the Imotski area.

On many beaches here, this effect is creating a sweet water layer under the top layer of salt water, sometimes even blurring the sight when snorkeling around.
No big deal, the surface layer is very warm,
only when diving a bit deeper you'll notice difference in temperature as this sweet water is also a bit colder :-).

During the summer season these springs are gently, yet clearly visible pushing sweet water up to the surface, in early spring it's gushing violently, not the best moment to go there with a tiny canoe :-).

For those interested, there are a couple of canoes for rent in Pisak, also from there a boat can take you to these unspoiled places, including Vruja springs.

Not only for those springs it's worth to take that trip, all along the coast there are secluded small beaches of pristine quality.
Almost impossible to reach by foot, very well hidden from curious people, even when you forgot to take your swimsuit with you :-).

Do not forget your swimming goggles, as the water there is truly worth some snorkeling around.

PS.
At about one third from the left on the picture you may discover some "old" stone houses (if you look very well).
To get a better view, check Vruja Beach Resort, as that's what it is, 
a magnificent resort for those of you who look for a fantastic, quiet, idyllic place to spend summer.
We dragged the canoes on to the beach, and walked around for some time, impressed by the beautiful way this place is built/restored 
with a lot of respect for surrounding nature.
It must have been a hell of a job to create such a splendid resort on such an "impossible" location.
(No road, so all material had to be brought in by boat or so).
Truly a most original and fantastic place.

what's the price of priceless ?

Some things are priceless, and so is Dalmatia !

Do I aim for some sort of price with my small talk, or try to make my blog look splendid, the answer is no.
Blogging to me is just a simple way to share some of the luck we have living here, in Svinisce.
Some people may say it's in the middle of nowhere,
but I/we know better !
So what you see is what you get, a straight up- and down blog, with simple pages.
(Any more time spent on decorating it, is a wast of quality time).

Better share with you how priceless life here is, right ?
Yesterday for instance started with helping picking the grapes of our best friends here.
As soon as the morning dew has evaporated again, the lot of us went to the fields, carrying buckets, scissors and plastic bags.

All around me people were chatting in Croatian (of which I understand so little), so I focused on my job, cutting grapes and filling buckets.
The sun still is pretty hot this time of the year
(where are them tourists, now that it's the nicest weather ! ),
and lucky me, I do not have to carry those heavy bags full of grapes back up the mountain slope again.
That's something I gladly leave to others, younger and stronger.

In less than two hours them grapes were at the farm, pressed and put in huge containers to start their journey from juice to wine.

After work was done, we sat outside together,
under a pergola of grapes, having a drink.
And as is so common overhere, everybody joins for lunch, a beautifull way to say thanks and enjoy eachother's company still a bit longer.
Those joined meals make life here so very special.

Anyway, I had to say "no thanks" as I had an appointment with my friend Robert of Malimlin, running the best tourist agency in Omis.
As the summer crowds have gone (you should know, that THIS is the best season) he has some more time to get out and discover new places, which knowledge he shares with interested tourists who don't only come for sun, sea, pizza's and beer.
Once again, and I will keep telling you, this area has SO MUCH more to offer than a fantastic coast.

So off we went, with two canoos on the roof, to Pisak, a tiny coastal village about fifteen minutes from Omis.
As planned, we sat "sail" for Vruja, a natural phenomenen of sweet water springs in the salt of the Adriatic.
This time of year them springs are quiet, yet visible, after winter however I wouldn't risk my canoo or life to go there, as than the water bursts into the sea with pretty much force.
(This water comes from Bosnia and the Imotski area, 
flowing deep under Biokovo Mountain).

We had a fantastic trip, stopped a couple of times to cool down from hard work under the sun :-), swimming around bare naked in still very pleasant seawater (21 Celsius).
Gonna put some pictures I took on some following page,
so you get an idea.

To me and Robert, this trip was priceless, as usual, and we still have a trillion other trips on our list.
Don't give a sh*t about rewards, my reward is priceless.

It's living here !

PS.
If interested, here's a video on YT about Vruja, and a tremendous resort there:
Vruja Resort and surroundings

it's green and it grows

A small inside view on my little green world.
Not a recent one, however, also now I still grow,
nurse and try a couple of things.

Still not very familiar with the whole thing of growing vegetables, and also the different climate and amount of rain/water.
Rain, by the way, we hardly see during the looooong summer season, so during those months I'm a fairly good customer
of the water company (Vodovod).
Other people here use water from a spring in the village, but each of them uses a motor pump to spray loads of water once or twice a week to keep the potatoes and vegetables alive.

Not having my own water pump (nor do I get one) I installed a dripping system by Gardena that drips direct at the roots of each individual plant.
Great stuff, very easy to install, and overlooking the results,
a great tip to anyone.

One of the experimental things I grow is ginger in my "greenhouse" and with fantastic result.
Next year gonna expand that crop,
as I know now the experiment was a huge success.

Do they eat it here, no :-)
Will I somehow teach them how to prepare, use, preserve,
cook with it, the answer is yes.
But polako (easy does it).

Now it's still time to try some types of salads,
as salad season goes on still, even outside.
As goes for ruccola, cucumbers and a couple more.
Tomatoes slowly come to a halt, and so does this page.

jobs, laws, religion and politics in Croatia

Glad you found my blog, but I'll have to disappoint you first.

I do not write about politics.
Nor religion, jobs, laws and such.

When I write my little "no goods for nothings",
I have only two objectives:
fun and focus.
The fun is in being inspired by something, anything, and writing about it.
If you somehow get inspired from it, well great,
as than I scored my first point.

Having my fun, I hope (and try) to make you focus on this part of Croatia, perhaps when thinking of where to enjoy your next summer holidays, or even, like we did, settle down to enjoy your retired life.

If you think I am blind or ignorant for things related to jobs (and the lack of it here), laws (every day a new one), religion (any religion is a good one) or politics (and everything connected to it),
I must disappoint you again .

I'm not !
However, those are things I can't change, so I don't bother.
If you do, still enjoy reading my blog,
as there is more than those things.

Was invited today to become "Expat blog of the month" and willingly (even honored) agreed to the invitation.
The more people discover our hidden treasure, the better.
As long as you don't all come together :-), spoiling the magic.

And if you can make the difference for the benefit of Croatia, being an investor or (just) an idealist with good intentions, I warmly welcome you to this fantastic country.

I'll continue (together with my wife and a number of cats),
to enjoy life here.
Most of the time great weather, just beautiful nature, sometimes frowning my eyebrows, but always happy.

JA VOLIM DALMACIJA,
and I/we have a trillion reasons for that !


PS.
Gonna take care of our tomatoes again now.
If you like, you can always mail me, 
the address is in the top right side of the front page.

NO obligations !

Loads of things to do, must, MUST, M U S T !

BUT:

I spent all my life with so many obligations (the regular stuff everybody knows so well), that I decided to untie myself.
No agenda, no watch, no tie, and most of the time no cellphone.
Today even the days of the week hardly influence my life.

But...,
yesterday, as promised,  I drove Mario around in our area.
Mario, the son of our neighbors, is a brilliant priest who's now continuing his studying search for the ultimate truth, the one and only answer to the one and only real question of life.

He, like many others around us, hardly knows how very special our area is, how beautiful nature and how inspiring and inviting 
to say STOP to all them obligations for just a moment or a day.

We had a fantastic day together, in which I had the pleasure to share those exquisite spots with him, making him my next victim 
of this God given region.

I use the words "victim" and "God given area" with good reasons, as once you get to really know this area, you're addicted.
For him, hopping between Split, Rome and Germany for reasons of study and a load of obligations, I freed myself for a day to make him see, smell, feel, experience that we had (and have) a very good reason to feel blessed to be living our retired life here.

Many people run from one place to another (and so did I :-), 
racing from one obligation to the next,
sometimes even forgetting they are on earth with a reason.

Sunday is a good day to reflect for a moment, preferably on one of those spots we've got so many of.
Any other day (not being a church going person myself) is fine as well, as long as it gives you the opportunity to untie yourself 
of them DAMNED obligations.

Free yourself once in a while, 
forgetting all those obligations for a moment.
 Life   is   great ! 
(Hvala Bogu)

And tomorrow it's back to "things to do" again, 
as I am still tied to life like all of us, 
but heaven can wait sometimes.

HR or NL

 

I was in the Netherlands recently (see next page about seeds),
and them ten days there were eleven days to much.

Had to, otherwise I wouldn't have left our hidden valley,
not for a trillion Kuna's.
I let you be the judge, simply look at both pictures
and than decide for yourself.

Am I right ?
-
Right !

blue beans, white cucumbers and brown paprika's

Must tell that I always liked to work in our Dutch garden, but just to enjoy it like it was, a garden.

Never thought of growing my own vegetables, however we had a walnut, an apple and a collapsing :-) pear tree .

Things change, as since we live in Dalmatia, we not only own 2000 sq. meters of land but are also blessed with amazing conditions (sun, natural water and great soil).

Not (yet) having goats, sheep or chickens, part of our land is in use by friends, an other part "just" grass and herbs, and still we've got plenty space to grow and experiment growing our own food.

Potatoes, tomatoes, melons, cucumbers, peppers, various herbs, carrots, corn, salads, and a couple more, including planted young fruit trees, a walnut, and a couple of lemons in containers.

(Could try to keep them lemons outside during winter, but our valley is just a tiny bit colder than other valleys around,
so "better be safe than stupid").

Already I am delighted with the results of some experiments, reproducing seeds from peppers bought at Lidl, planting a piece of ginger bought in Kaufland, and harvesting seeds from our salads, I got myself a load of special seeds in Holland.

Had to be in Holland to straighten out a couple of things, and after doing so, couldn't resist to enjoy myself visiting a amazing store to cheer myself up a bit.

The name: www.vreeken.nl , an old family business with I believe the third generation in the middle of what I might call veggies paradise (however I like my steak medium rare).

Spent three hours there, slowly moving through a collection of unbelievable size and quality.

Gonna have to explain my wife how I could reduce our reserves that fast, but trust me, she'll find out when the results start to grow.

I rest my case, so to say,
as I never argue with my wife unless it's absolutely urgent.
(Nice dress dear, nice shawl, nice new haircut too :-).

Guess my British readers know their stuff already, having Kew Gardens and a typical British gardening tradition normal to old colonials, to me this Dutch store was like heaven on earth.

Next year will be an unforgettable one, once all them new plants start to produce, and even more, I can't wait to start reproducing seeds from them all, expanding my experiments, trials and errors, so friends in our valley can make an extra Kuna selling the delicious results to let's say the better restaurants around Omis
(yes there are one or two, when you look better).

My advise to each and everyone: GROW YOUR OWN !

You don't have to start big, a simple tomato already works, adding a cucumber next year adds to the fun, and perhaps one day you decide to expand your trials like I did, as it is exiting, tasty, healthy and makes you a happy person !

PS.

Lucky me, I like and know how to prepare a nice/good/tasty dinner, so I'll certainly try every new result myself first.

Chocolate paprika's, white carrots, purple strawberries, 
Svinisce, here they come !

And thanks Ton Vreeken and team, in the old town of Dordrecht, for making those three hours of my day, in wow, what a store !!!!

(However in Dutch, worth a view: http://vreeken.nl )

Sweden comes to Split !

Today, September 3, the Dalmatian newspaper
Slobodna Dalmacija, published Ikea is coming to Split.
I call that GREAT NEWS !!!

Split, with it's fairly good/good/splendid infrastructure (harbor, train, plain, highway) could/should/MUST be a splendid location
to companies like Ikea.

Bauhaus, Baumax, Kaufland, Lidl already discovered the potential of central Dalmacija, including a couple more in City Center One.

Why I am so delighted about the possibility of Ikea coming to Split, has a couple of reasons.
First of all, you might think, is the clever value for money they offer, but it's not !

More important is the amount of decent jobs that are a result of the opening of an Ikea store.
(Using "decent jobs" is well thought of, as wages here are still far to low, compared to European standards).

But even more important is the Ikea effect !
Many entrepreneurs in Holland (where we come from), were scared to death when Ikea came.
Knowing what happened in Holland and everywhere,
be sure the same effect will occur in Croatia.

It's plain simple, Ikea is the ultimate wake up call for lazy,
old fashioned shopkeepers !
Dinosaurs disappeared with only one reason: change of climate !

Still I can't understand why a town like Omis does not have a Lidl.
Come on Studenac, Konzum, Tommy, as if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
Competition may seem your worst nightmare, on the other hand it makes you do (at last !) what your customers want from you:
BE COMPETITIVE !

Each and every colleague in Europe can tell you that quality, service and originality increases your profit, result and sales.

Only sleepy, lazy entrepreneurs die out,
the others benefit from shops like Ikea opening a store.
Yes, I know that is TRUE !!!
As once Ikea opens, close around them a lot of others enjoy the Ikea effect by opening their shops near it.
Even Lesnina might increase it's turnover, provided they wake up in time, as a "me to" does not survive in an open market.

All in all, I am delighted Ikea comes to Split.
Not because I need furniture, but because I know it benefits much, MUCH more than just another store among many others.

Also I hope, Ikea discovers the production potential of Dalmatia, with far to many unemployed youngsters, in and around Split.

Perhaps you think I am a dreamer, but I am NOT !
This country has plenty of possibilities for furniture production plants, creating another bunch of jobs.
And once Ikea opens, next step could be such, with enough wood and willing folks to produce a couple of chairs, tables, cupboards with impossible names here in stead of in China !

So welcome Ikea to Croatia, the sooner the better.

PS.
And once Ikea proves competition is a great thing, it might just happen that Lidl at last opens a store in Omis.
Makarska...yes, Split...yes, Trogir...yes, 
but Omis, for some odd reason...NO.
Fear of wet feet or simply because it's just big enough 
for a couple of "pirates", I don't know :-)
Wake up folks, this is Europe, u Hrvatska !
ONLY DINOSAURS DIE WITH A REASON.

Anyone wanting to comment, 
my email address is in the right top sight of this blog.

Trogir, less than an hour from Omis

Two Dutch guys were visiting our region AND fell in love with it.
So....., what's so special about that, you might ask.

What's so special is that I got hold of their enthusiastic story,
 ánd their 290 ( !!!) pictures.
Perhaps even many more, but thank heaven,
they shared only...... twohundredninety.

Unfortunately to most, speaking English, German and Croatian, the comments are in Dutch, so lucky are the Dutch for once, as they can read the words between the pictures.

And to all others I say "every picture tells a story" so click on the link below anyway, to see a load of great pictures of our region.
(Robert of www.malimlin.com took them to many of these places).

Click here and enjoy:
2friendsincroatia

And to those who like great old music, open this link while looking at the pictures: ( Rod in his glory days. )
If my frequent blogging does not make you want to come to Dalmacija, perhaps these pictures will do the trick.

Of two things I am sure, they came the very first time,
but for sure they will return.
As when Dalmacija grabs you by the balls, you're lost (and found :-).

PS.
Their original plan was to go to Santiago de Compstella.
As you will see, some change of plan is always good,
especially if that change brings you to Dalmatia.
Thanks guys, for visiting our magnificent country.
And of course:
!!! VIDI MO SE U HRVATSKA !!!

RAIN............delicious rain !!!!

Next Monday, you might hear me singing in the rain.
Perhaps you may say I am going totally nuts, but no, I am not !

After at least two months without a single drop of rain, the weather forecast says there will be rain the next couple of days.
Two months of dripping, dropping, pouring, splashing water on each and every plant and vegetable just might stop for a little while.
(Lucky village, having both a source and a regular water system).

Summer in Dalmatia lasts from let's say beginning of May till mid October, while July and August are the hottest.
Up north in Istria and East of Zagreb and beyond, they see more rain, but here, in Dalmatia, rain is hardly falling during summer season.

Anyone planning to visit Dalmatia, I highly recommend to visit
in May/June, the very best season !

If you plan to come áfter summer, right you are again,
as September/October still give you a lot of splendid sunny weather.

And all you others, who prefer truly HOT summers, take July/August, as than you'll "enjoy" the hottest days of the year, but you'll have to accept you have to share it with the biggest crowds.

Being a Dutchman, however living in Dalmatia, (once a Dutchman always a Dutchman), I prefer temperatures to be near let's say 28 degrees Celsius, and some rain once in a while makes me feel happy.
Any higher temperature I do accept, but not with a smile on my face,
and 34 degrees Celsius to me is a bit to much.
(And there were many days like that this summer, oh boy).

So these next days you'll hear me singing my lungs out !
Rain, delicious rain.

driving on Ciovo (forget it !)

Option ONE: get yourself a Dinky Toy.

Option TWO: wash your car in boiling hot water.

Any other option to drive a car on Ciovo, the island next to Trogir,
is a MISSION IMPOSSIBLE !
If you still want to give it a try, don't tell your insurance you tried, and take a hammer to first get rid of them mirrors, as you're gonna loose them anyway in those impossible narrow dead end roads.

Yesterday evening I tried (oh God, did I try), to make an unexpected visit to some internet friends who have a charming cottage there.

Mission impossible, as those roads are not built for modern cars.
Nor even for old cars, however than the trip is less stressful, as one more scratch does not matter.

No, these roads are built for donkeys, and if you think a horse would work as well than, well....forget it, as even the donkey should be a small one.

The horror already starts in Trogir, because to get to an island you have to cross a bridge.
No big deal you may say, well, than you have never visited Trogir and it's bridge.

If (and I do mean ...IF...) you are a dare devil, looking for a rush of adrenaline, go for that bridge !!!!
Not to do some bungee jumping (the water is only two meters below the bridge), but to experience how scooters and motorbikes crisscross between the traffic jam you're in.

And if (and I do mean ...IF...) you manage to get to the other side, still by car, and dare to turn right, you better visit your cardiologist before you continue.
As than the real "fun" starts, hiiiiiii haaaaaaa.

Already in the first section you'll go nuts, crying for your mother, as them turns are truly worse than in the most crazy Luna park ride.
Not the G-forces, no way, but you'll experience "some" opposite cars, loaded with pale faces, covered in tears, and they are the lucky ones, as they are almost out of the madhouse.

Thought it couldn't get worse, ha haaa haaaaaaa.
Every split second your heart stops when another group of lost pedestrians show up in the dark (it's evening).

Reanimated you continue your trip through hell, your car still with three mirrors I hope.
"Lucky you", as that inside mirror will stay connected to your vehicle, giving you an idea how frightened you look when driving on Ciovo.

Shall I continue this horror story, or simply let you decide yourself to either go for an easy trip in the country or dump your car in a deep Dalmatian ravine (on them many other dumped cars).

Whatever you like to increase your adrenaline level, there are a lot of options in Dalmatia.
Mountain biking, diving, bungee jumping, rafting, riding on one of them silly bananas *), it's all child's play compared to driving a car on them crazy roads on Ciovo.

*)
Still I do not understand people who plan a holiday in Dalmatia, having the time of there life, and go for a ride on a banana :-)
Mind you, a banana !!!!, as that's what you'll have to tell your family when returning home again.
"And, how was your holiday in Dalmatia ?"
"Ahhhh, perfect, and you know, I was riding a banana".
"A whatttttttttt ?"
"Oh well, I must confess I got totally drunk after a trip to Ciovo, and decided to do something normal the other day, after getting sober".
"Right, so now we understand".
"A banana still is far more normal than a car on Ciovo".
"Even when it's a small one ?"
"Yes, even a tiny, mini, dinky one !"

SO DON'T SAY I DID NOT WARN YOU !!!!!!!!!!

Winnetou and Old Shatterhand were here

In my younger days (long, long, long ago), the films with Winnetou and Old Shatterhand were famous.

Never would have thought that later (much, much later) I would live so near to a couple of the locations used in those many films.

Most locations were up north, in Paklenica, but a bit of the history lies here, less than ten minutes from Omis.
Older people here remember those days, as some of them played a role in the background of it.
The main players of course were pro's, in the background however there are always locals to fill the scene, speaking English or not.

Still there are a few requisites (a totem for instance) that are nearby, on a secluded patch of nature.
For those who want to see it, book a boat trip to Radmanova Mlinice (R.M.), the large terrace/restaurant area at the Cetina.
Worth the trip anyway, as it takes you through a beautiful peace of Cetina Canyon.

Keep looking to your left and right, and you'll understand why this area was the perfect background for many shots.
Closer to R.M. look to the left more than to the right,
as there it stands, the totem.

The area itself is located at a side stream of the Cetina, a perfect place for a pick nick, lunch, barbecue in true nature.
Two friends here, Rokko and Nikola (speaking English), created a natural location under the canopy of trees.
They receive visitors on their private domain, an having been there a couple of times, I know it's a perfect place to relax, eat, swim in pristine nature.

My good friend Robert of Malimlin (click here) can help you to go there if you are with a group of people.
The place is very clean and friendly organised in a basic way, and anything you want to drink or eat, is arranged by Robert, so for once you do not have to shop or cook.
Just relax, and enjoy a fantastic day in Dalmatia's pure nature.
You'll love it !

Wanna spend a day following the footsteps of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, or even feel like an Indian, than contact Robert,
as he knows how to you get there in a very special way.

He might even bring you to some other locations where scenes from those films were shot, in case you want to get an idea of it all.

When scrolling through our surroundings, I sometimes even think I see an Indian between some rocks, but that may be because this is such a stunning area.

P.S.
Them Winnetou films were all shot in former Yugoslavia' s Croatian part, in a joint venture with Germany.
And having been to the USA a couple of times, I understand why they chose to film here.
Only them buffaloes are missing (until now ?).

Many details on those films can be found on the internet, 
even complete films.

squeezing lemons increases turnover by 700 %

Pretty funny, but a proven fact, 
fiscal systems in Croatia boosted turnover :-)
How weird can things be !

Starting the beginning of 2013, the Croatian taxman ordered each and every shopkeeper, cafe, restaurant and any small seasonal business to connect to internet, printing legal bills for each and every thing sold.
Even the ice cream vendor had to get himself a small digital device connected to a tiny printer, and.......
connected to the tax office in Zagreb.

It had nothing to do with becoming a member of the EU, however people shouted out loud that was the reason.
Nope, once again, it had nothing to do with Europe, but all with eliminating the giant black circuit.

With about 25% VAT/BTW/PDV it's understandable people like to keep that money in their pocket (so do I), but let's face it, Croatia's budget is in a bit of a problem (check the IMF for details).

So starting 2013-1-1 everyone had to become decent, and the tax inspectors where everywhere, checking on still illegal activities.
Some difference in the cash register...WHAM, BAM, ticket, penalty, and pretty usual, closure of the premises for at least five days.
No bread, no coffee, no ice cream, go for a walk and think about it.
And they all did think about it, thoroughly !

All of a sudden sales (officially now) increased with 700% 
(and even more !!!), compared to previous years.
Conclusion, evidence based,
the more one's getting squeezed, the more one earns :-)

I know still a couple of countries where the same principle might just get the states budget out of the mud, even in Greece and Cyprus.

Tip to foreign visitors:
if you don't get a bill, better ask for it, as you're prone to meet a tax inspector who asks for it, and if you can't prove your tomatoes weren't black, you've got a problem.
WHAM !

I hate (like everybody) to pay to much, but let's face it,
they've got to keep a system going.
So, fine, I'll pay the official price, still a bargain compared to many other EU countries.


So the old song still is valid: "money makes the world go around".
(Or if you prefer Pink Floyd more, click on this one:
money and turn up the sound)

(Thank God I grow my own tomatoes).

Svinisce, some facts and statistics.

A couple of the reasons to live in Svinisce this time,
and some official statistics I found.

First of all, we love it here, but that's a feeling I can't explain.
("Falling in love" is easier explained, as that's a biological process).

If silence is golden, we've got a load of gold here,
so that's reason number one.
Reason number two is having both of best worlds, having both Cetina River and Adriatic Sea.
Number three, see them statistics, it's a tiny community, with only 100 people, many of them good friends,
or at least good neighbors.

And than there is nature, lots of nature, true nature, mountains and a magnificent panorama.
Not being fools on a hill, we also have every usual thing, as electricity, tap water, internet and such.
And of course a couple of good but narrow roads to "let the car" out once or twice a day.

Not enough for you, ok, here's some more:
Omis is only ten minutes down the hill, Split only takes 25 minutes, and any other nice, useful city or village is in close reach.

To finish, we've got lot's of space, tons of it, with small gardens to grow and harvest anything one needs, including wine and olive oil.

Drawbacks, any drawbacks ?
Yes, having young children going to school maybe a bit of a problem, as only a small primary school is near.

Anything else than ?
Yep, in winter (if it snows) there may be a couple (just a couple) of days it's less easy to drive down to Omis, but most of the time our road is ok, and still there is the second (main) road, where the small bus from Kucice to Omis (and back) drives a couple of times a day.
So that road is kept clean and safe all year round.

Nothing else than ?
Yes, you have to fall in love, but we did already.

Some houses are abandoned, most of them truly old stone houses, so if looking for a restoring project, there are a couple of options.

Tip:
If you decide to fall in love (not a hormonal thing this time), first of all take care of a decent adviser, so you don't get trapped in numerous details you did not even know existed.

Croatian language ain't easy, however many people speak English or German, and things are differently organised here.
(If you prefer to live like you're used to, sit, stay and don't move).

(Take that as a well meant warning, not to frighten you of,
but to keep both your feet on the ground).

Conclusion, another blogpage filled, and some details shared.

So see you some day in Svinisce, "the hidden treasure".

from 1 to 250: IT'S PARTY TIME !!!

!!! 250 BLOG PAGES !!!

What started a couple of years ago with the simple intention to amuse myself with all the pictures I already had of Svinisce and surroundings, turned to be a fantastic way to show how great life is in Dalmacija to all you visitors.

Started in Dutch, I rapidly changed to English, however not my native language, the better way to communicate with the world.

Sorry for all them Dutch and Croatian visitors who do not understand English, but there still is Google Translate to get an idea of what it's all about.
(And if that does not work for you, you can still enjoy the pictures I made and make on many occasions and many splendid locations).

Will I stop at 250, be sure I won't, I've just started !

I just started to discover the so many splendid locations in Dalmatia, and gonna need them "another hundred years" (jos sto godine) people wish one here on birthdays and such.

So don't worry, I love our life here, and for SURE gonna stay here in Svinisce, together with my wife Nives.

And for once I am gonna give my mail address here, however it's always in the top right side of the main page of this blog about our hidden secret.

If you feel like write, comment, ask, congratulate, here it is:

pimdevosOgmail.com
Of course O=@, you dummy spambots !

One for the road:
Life is great, even greater in Croatia, and the very greatest in magnificent Dalmacija !
Go to Split, than Omis, than along the Cetina towards Kucice, first road on your right up the mountain, turn right at blue sign Modris, drive on and stop when seeing a gardenhouse down at the left.
There you walk down and turn your face south and you'll understand why we live here !

Sit down on one of our chairs, breath in the smell of herbs and fresh air, listen to the silence, the crickets and the birds, 
and ask for a drink.

Be sure I'll accompany you (as any visitor here is a friend), and I'll enjoy our view together with you, as it's the VERY BEST, 
every moment of the day and even the night.

Hope to see you some day in Dalmacija.

My wish to all of you: Enjoy Life, JOS STO GODINE !

vibra..... WHAT ????

A whát ?

No, this picture has nothing to do with Dalmacija, Omis or Svinisce, or good life under the Adriatic sun.
However, digging deep in Google I found this (slightly) mistaken advertisement from the Loctite people.

Don´t yet ask me what I was looking for, I will let you know in a blog page soon to follow.
I can make the mystery even a bit bigger, telling you I was searching under:

``Beautiful Elix soon to come``.

The original text was in Dutch, in large expensive advertisements in Dutch newspapers in the sixties.
To me (and many others) that campain was brilliant, as it made one wonder what Elix stood for.
For days and days new advertisements showed up,
ever increasing the mystery.

So have fun with this magnificant mistake, and follow this blog for the next couple of days, as than I will reveal the secret.

In the meantime, enjoy Dalmacija, Dalmatia, Dalmatië.

beautiful dirt

Simply have to share this picture, because I think it's a beauty.

Once in a while, when scrolling around, I see waste dumps, most of them illegal.
A bad habit of people still is to dump at any place, as far it's not their place.
How stupid can you be, as in the end it all returns in our food chain !

Sometimes however, these dumps offer me unique pictures like this one, in my opinion a true beauty.
Long ago, when doing art school (not finished :-), we students had a discussion with a teacher, in which he argued photography wasn't a true art.

However I not did become an artist nor a photographer (lack of talent), I still can't disagree more.

Things of beauty are in the eye of the artist, being a painter or a photographer.
And sometimes, even in my eye.
Not the common tourist attraction, but still .... Dalmacija.

(Feel like mailing me, the address is in the header of this blog).

the RED KING of Dalmatian summer !

Should you be in, or planning to go to Dalmatia, try to get some locally grown tomatoes (like mine).
Not from the shop, perhaps not even from the market,
but absolutely and 100 % home grown (domaci),
as they are the true RED KINGS of Dalmatian summer.

Many times I sit behind my pc and think, now what else to convince people to come to Dalmatia.
Well, our tomatoes could be the perfect reason.

Won't bother you with a load of recipes, I can cook and so can you, and if you're searching for inspiration, on the internet there are trillions of sites and blogs about cooking.

Inspiration to write this little "no good for nothing" is that I ran around in our garden today to pick the best (and second best)
Kings of Croatian summer.
Picked ten kilos today, of various sorts I planted, and they are slowly cooking to prepare the very best sauce for either pizza's, soups, or whatever recipe I think of during the less sunny days of winter.
(Reduced to thick sauce, into the freezer, waiting to be used).

Reason to pick now is that also tomatoes show a risk of sunburn.
Those that are hanging out in the open, not hidden by some leaves, get an overload of sun, making them look like British who get of the beach on their first day in sunshine.
Burned and blistered.

I don't spray anything, add nothing, just give them sufficient water and a bit of t.l.c. and wham, there they hang, as simple as.......... one plus one is.........a lot.
And with a lot I mean a whole lot.

So picking ten kilos is nothing, and tomorrow I am afraid, I have to make the same trip along them plants.

I grow them from Dutch seeds, planting different types like little cherries (the sweetest), roma (the nicest for salads) and a thick fat heavy type for cooking purposes.
To get the nicest taste I mix them when I start cooking, and if some little bug built a little house in it, no problem, my nife brings them to another place (to the compost my little digging friends).

So if you think what inspires me to blog, well, here it is, tomatoes.
Tomatoes, the RED KINGS of summer in Dalmacija.

If coming to Dalmacija the first time, be aware, sun is HOT here !


P.S.
Scientists in America are researching the taste of tomatoes.
Stop it guys, research malaria, or better tasting Heineken beer. 
As I and my fellow Dalmatians solved the tomato problem already.

what to do if life sucks.................

Life sucks.

All of us know life can be hard, not always, but shit happens.
Your boss is pushing you for even better results, your wife is nagging about you coming home late and still running for that computer to do some more work.
And rain keeps pouring down.
Recognize the picture (no, not the above one) ?

Well, to be honest, I do.
Worked very happily for let's say 30 years as a dental representative, for a fantastic Dutch company (NDO Leeflang in Amsterdam), making good money telling dentists to trust me and make a couple of changes for the better.
Some of them as stubborn as a donkey, many of them after learning to trust me, happy with the tips and tricks I gave them.


Than, I told you, shit happens, our excellent company was sold to a German investment vehicle called Demedis with a couple of "clever" guys, a worst case scenario coming true.
Holy shit, they started to kill the chicken with the GOLDEN EGGS, changing whatever they thought beneficial.
Horrible times, till the giant multinational Henry Schein took over.

A bit better, as those Americans know how to run a business, but still not my peace of cake.
To them only results matter, profit, profit, PROFIT, as they are on the stock market.

Again terrible, as I was a true, honest, evidence based quality freak.
My clients were both friend AND client.
THAT's what made us as a company succesfull, with me in it.

One day (I told you s.h.), my frustrations took me to the deepest depression I ever experienced,
and NEVER want to experience again !!!!

At that point I asked my wife if we were total idiots or still the clever, active dare devils.
The answer came in time, so we made a total change.

Through family ties we were connected to Croatia, and what we felt here could not be payed with all the money in the world.

Things don't always come easy, life even sucks once in a while, but if you're not afraid of a change,
than listen to those Nike shoe people: JUST DO IT !!!!!

We did, and we don't regret it for a single moment.
The rest of the story is in a recent interview Jutarnji List .
(You're gonna need some Google translate to understand it a bit).

For those who think "yes yes yes, bla bla bla, dream on", I can tell you we live our dream here !
You don't have to do like we did, moving from Holland to Dalmacija, but if you do, and are not afraid of some bureaucratic obstructions, you'll be as happy as we are.
And an increasing lot of other clever, active dare devils who hopped over to Dalmatia.

Does life still suck ? 
Well, as you may understand reading the other pages of this blog, not to us anymore !

(If you feel like it, mail me, the address is in the header top right, with X=@ of course :-)


PS.
If you need service/help/advice for a holiday or fulfilling your dreams,
contact Robert at www.malimlin.com.
He's a Dutchman too, a good friend, and a well informed friendly guy.
(Don't ask me, I work for nobody anymore).

Omis, the HOTTEST place "on earth"

(Picture from DHMZ, the Croatian National Weather Service).

Omis, the HOTTEST place "on earth"

Wanna see celebrities, or spend the night in a steaming disco, perhaps it's better to go to the island of Hvar or a big town like Split.

If however you're a lover of high temperatures, choose Omis.
As Omis has no discos (or does it ?), it's more the ultimate place for lazy sun lovers nowadays.
HOT, HOT, HOT.

No disco, no big deal you may say, as (almost) everybody has some sort of private music machine, which enables you to fill your ears with disco music while you turn your body to get an equal suntan.

The large sandy beach is crowded (not to crowded however) with your kind of people,
some dreaming of those fantastic COOL snowy winter days at home :-).
I do anyway, as this is not my type of weather, even though I live here.

Only when I have to, I am outside, giving the various vegetables and flowers their necessary splash of cool clear water.

And you won't find me on the beach either, as in this type of weather I prefer to jump in the Cetina River.
With it's twenty degrees Celsius at most (and even cooler where water flushes out from under the mountains), that's my type of water.
Clear, cool, refreshing and the very best to live through hot summer days like these.

There are many fantastic spots at the Cetina, not only close to Omis.
If driving a car, head for Kucice, and after about ten kilometers you'll discover many locations, you just have to look a bit, as they are well hidden from direct view.

A bit further, at the renovated bridge you'll see on your left, you can either drive a bit further, to where the rafts start for a magnificent ride of about three hours, or turn left crossing the bridge and drive to Kostanje and Podgrade.

There it's less easy to explain how to drive, but ask any local and he will tell you how to reach what's called Studenci.
That to me is one of the finest locations, before the stunning rapids in slow friendly (and pleasant) water, or just behind them rapids, where the energy fills your lungs and brains (with cooler water).

And if you are the dare devil I think you are (as you left the Adriatic beach in Omis), climb a bit over them boulders (CAREFUL please !!!!) and you'll find the mouth of a cave where a curtain of cold spring water gushes down.

Dare to step inside (again CAREFUL please) and amaze yourself with this natural phenomena, with ferns, mosses, stalactites and -mites.
(Look, don't touch, as the next visitor also wants to enjoy what you enjoy in pristine condition).

Don't wear your Ipad there, it just might get ruined.
And HEY, why wear an Ipad on such fantastic places anyway ?

Sit down, listen, breath in, breath out, it's free and priceless.
And THAN dive in !

Should you prefer to run from the heat for a couple of hours, book*) or make a trip to Vranjaca Cave.
You won't regret it, as it's a magnificent huge and COOL cave, where temperature all year round is 15 degrees Celsius.
*) Ask at tourist office Malimlin in Omis, across the main road at the big Studenac super market.

Enjoy your stay !