oil from the Adriatic ,don't say you didn't know !

Come one friends, come on and say NO before it's to late.

YOU, I, WE all love the Adriatic, but for how long ?

Those oil drilling plans are UTTERLY STUPID, 

as they may destroy the móst beautiful coastline in Europe.

Sign that petition NOW:

CleanAdriatic

I can keep on blogging about all natural beauty of Dalmatia,

but what if there ain't no beauty anymore ?

I won't say please, I simply say do it, and do it NOW !

As if we don't say NO, politicians will run for the short term money,

with a high risk of ruining it all it the long term.

Yes yes, they say (bla bla bla), they say they take every possible precaution  to protect the environment, but didn't they say so about those many disasters too.

Do I have to to summarize them ?

No I won't, as Google shows them all to you in a split second.

To make things easy for you (and you politicians),

look here:

List of oil spills

Now do go back to the first link, and sign that damned petition.

Do it NOW.

if there is no news, any news will do

(A new Olympic sport, man throwing)

Specially for those who have seen it all,
been everywhere, experienced everything (or at least think so).

Until............. you discover Svinisce,
as thán you realise you've seen nothing yet.

*

What to do when there is nothing to share about our life in Svinisce ?

Become a member of Facebook.

So I did, after long lasting hesitation, objection, dislike.

And must admit, it's fun, until it becomes a time consuming thing.

So DÓN'T try to become friends with me, at least not on Facebook,

as I still have some other hobbies and jobs to like.

Nevertheless, it's fun and finding this picture made me laugh a lot.

To respect the "owner", his rights and/or his temper, here it was:

www.facebook.com

So, sorry for those who think there is always something interesting happening in our hidden valley.

No, some days are just "another day", where everybody is either
working or resting, dreaming or facing reality.

So I became member of Facebook.

For those who really know me, thát is news !

Till next item than.
:-)

Budweiser vs. BUD, a good reason to visit Croatia

How does a blog page get born ?

Well, here's how.

Once in a while I have email contact with a Belgian guy called Eddy, who is like us a big fan of Dalmacija.

Recently he wrote me he took a box of Karlovacko beer all the way back home to Belgium.

Nothing wrong with that, as he can sit back, open a bottle, close his eyes and dream back to another great holiday in Dalmatia.

Than I realised I had a beer story in mind, so better put it on "paper".

First of all, there are a couple of big national breweries in Croatia, and they sell a lot of it.

In the middle of building some extra space to our modest house, we see a lot of workers, and most of them have beer when I still have my first, second or third coffee.

Must be their sunny climate, and my Dutch habits :-)

But let's put a couple of the biggest breweries in a row:

Karlovacko (owned by Heineken)

Ozusjko (owned by Inbev)

Kaltenberg ( owned by HRH Prinz Luitpold von Bayern ?)

And than there are a couple others, fighting for a market share:

Jupiler, Heineken, Bavaria and many others.

But (no, I don't mean BUD)......

my absolute favourite is Budweiser !

Ho there........., before you think I drink American beer, hell no.

As American beer is like American coffee, so forget about that.

No, this Budweiser is the original from the Czech Republic, and that's a perfect reason to visit Croatia :-).

Simply said, because that makes a HUGE difference.
For details, see: www.budejovickybudvar.cz

As despite many legal fights between those big Americans and "tiny" original Budweiser here in Croatia it's Budweiser and nót Bud.

And thank heaven we've got Budweiser, the original Budweiser, 

the one and only true Budweiser.

And not only the blond version, but also a dark one.

One for summer, one for winter so to say.

Tasty, refreshing, a mild little bitter, and a pleasure to drink.

Cheers, or to say it in Croatian:

Zjivio (if saying cheers to one man)

Zjivila (to a single lady)

Zjivali (to a group of man, women, mixed).

And Eddy, thanks for the inspiration.
However...one question remains:
How dare you take Karlovacko to Belgium, to beer drinkers paradise :-)

PS.

There is only óne good reason to order a Heineken:

When you have to clean your glass before you fill it with béér).

And I am allowed to say so, coming from Holland.

.

Zadvardje, Tuesday bazaar

Zadvardje's Tuesday Bazaar.

It's worth to put on your bucket list !

Every Tuesday, all year round, but certainly in summer, 

there is a market in Zadvadje.

If staying let's say between Split and Makarska, it's easy to get there.

Between those two cities there is a road going up towards Zadvardje, Sestanovac and the highway, you simply can't miss it.

Get up early, as the earlier the more you'll see.

Here they sell whatever you (may not) need, from donkeys, cows, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and a lot more.

Some even try to sell their mother in law :-)

The bést however, is the grilled lamb or pig, 

as those two are mouth watering !

You tell what part or how much you want, than step back, as they portion the meat with a kitchen axe, so juices are splashing around.

Our personal favourite is the young pig, straight from the grill, and it's crispy skin is worth killing for (which they already did for you).

Like I said, you order and pay, than take your portion to the terrace next to it, find yourself a free table and sit down.

The waitress will give you a dish, bread and spring onions, and cutlery, but those you don't need, as it's perfectly normal to use your hands.

Of course you get a serviette too, don't worry. 

Having such an absolutely delicious early lunch or late breakfast is a thing you won't easily forget !

Accompanied by a glass of local wine (or mineral water) 

your Dalmatian day get's thé perfect start.

Waiting for a new owner.

Don't stand to close.

Tools in every shape and size.

Once a month there is also a big market (bazaar) near Benkovac, but to be honest, our's in Zadvarje is much more pleasant.

And besides, it's not as far as Benkovac.

After visiting the market, you can go for a look into the deepest part of the Cetina Canyon, or return to the coast (with a stunning panorama), and go for a lazy swim.

If so, turn right direction Omis, and after about fifteen minutes you'll see a sign called Brzet on your left.

Turn left here, drive on till you see the restaurant Zvizdan down right.

As you already had an early lunch, ignore the restaurant and head straight for the beach.

It's a perfect place to be lazy, and once you get hungry again, you can sit at the terrace and order whatever you like.

Don't leave to soon, as later in the afternoon/early evening it's a fantastic place, seeing the sun go down over Omis.

And......but no guaranty, you might see some dolphins too.

So again, you know now why we live here :-) 

about pigs and REAL dalmatian prsut (smoke/dried/ripened ham).

The pigs still alive and growing,
but in about a month happiness comes to an end.

For the pigs that is, as than the fun starts for us humans.

Ho ho, stop for a moment.

As before the fun starts, and I mean the REAL fun of tasting a slice
(or two) of that unique delicacy I better explain a bit about the
Dalmatinski Domaci Prsut .

The whát ????

Guess I don't have to explain the word Dalmatinski (Dalmatian),
so on to the next two words than:

"Domaci", as that means Home Made, and nothing else.

And this type of Prsut (pronounced as "purshoot"),
is the unique result of a time consuming traditional process. 

This summer I discovered much so called "home made" hams, 

neatly sliced and packed, ready to enjoy the "real" Dalmatian taste.

Well, sorry to say, some of it are just good products, many however are not even copies.
From Italy, Spain, Istria, Slovenia, even Germany or Holland.

Mind you, nót from Dalmacija, and íf they are, not the real thing.
So when wanting to taste real Domaci Prsut, don't rely on fancy names.

As what makes a traditional:
Dalmatinski Domaci Prsut

First of all the pig !

As this pig has been eating dried figs, herbs, clover,
potatoes and a lot more, 

to change in quality and taste, not even growing thát much.

And when the pig stops being pig, it's time for tradition.

As everyone has his own traditional recipe for salt and spices.

Salt to extract water and conserve, spices to add to the flavour.

The hams during that process are pressed to get rid of
as much watery content as possible.

(As in the end, it must become a smoked, dried, ripened ham, right ?).
RIGHT !!

As after this step, the hams are hanged in what 's called the black kitchen.

Black indeed, from many years of smoke from wood fires.

And even the wood to create the daily amount of smoke drying,
adds a personal touch.

Lucky hams, because they are not alone, as at the same time a variety of bacon, sausages and other delicacies are hanging out,
in mild warm smoke and chilling cold dry air.

Not just a single week or so, no, for weeks and weeks and weeks. 

How long is a matter of experience, enough is never to much.

Than, as I am telling about DOMACI !, the hams keep hanging
for at least half a year.

Only touched by the winter winds, dry and cold.

And even better, the very best are like good wine, the longer they ripen, the more intense colour and flavour become.
Some even are one or two years, and those are the véry best.

In the end, as like in a good film there is a happy end,

the moment comes to slice some of it.

Colour ruby red, tending to reddish brown, and structure and taste a delicate mix of sweetness, saltiness, not even a smoky taste.

In one simple word: D.....LICIOUS !

As soon as processing starts, I'll add a series of pictures to this blog.

No pictures for vegetarians, but the animal dies after a good life,
ánd for the good cause.

Dalmatinski Domaci Prsut

And sorry to say,
but that has a quality you'll néver find in a shop or supermarket.

Better become friends with someone who is willing to share some.

Sorry again, I haven't, but I dó have some good friends :-) 

Advent Riva Split

November slipping away, some rain, some sun,
but still very pleasant temperatures.

The summer crowds have gone home now,
so good old Split belongs again to it's own citizens, 

including those tourists who discovered it's a nice town, all year round.

And Split, like any other big city, is getting in the mood for December,

decorated with stars, snow flakes and candles.

And at the Riva, Split's famous boulevard under palmtrees at the Adriatic, little white houses are being built, where typical Dalmatian winter specialities are presented and/or sold.

I found a special video, in time laps on Youtube, I simply had to share.

Have a look, here it is:

www.youtube.com

The pictures reminded me of a famous time laps film in 1982, 

called Koyaanisqatsi, with music by Philip Glass.

Hope you like it, and don't worry, 

people in Split are normally not moving as fast as seen in the video, 

especially not during this time of year :-).

So if you like a more relaxed atmosphere, why not hop over,
from wherever you read this.

getting wet for fun

Thanks to the brave photographer of Slobodna Dalmacija today, 

I can share this picture with you.

Here's the link to their newspaper:

www.slobodnadalmacija.hr

At the very moment it's stormy, rainy weather here, but that's nothing compared to the current conditions at the coast,
or in Italy for that matter.

Roads closed, ferries stopped, and I guess even the seaplanes from www.ec-air.eu stay inside.

Only military helicopters still fly under these conditions, taking a pregnant woman from Hvar to Split's hospital.

A stormy weather system called Benjamin is passing over Southern Europe, so anybody with just a tiny bit of brains stays inside.

Except......except the man on the picture, and looking at the way he behaves, even he seems to have a moment of doubt.

Yes, clearly the long lasting Indian Summer is over now.

But the good news (there is always some good news)
is that Benjamin is leaving our region.

Thank heaven it was Benjamin, and not his big brother :-)

Sunday, monday, tuesday the forcast promises*) fairly pleasant weather, so one of those days even I might go out,
without getting wet.

Used to grey Dutch weather conditions, where the rain never seems to stop, our Dalmatian weather is a blessing.
Ok, except today than :-)
Still, thanks to Slobodna Dalmacija, pictures like these are great.

*) Never trust a weatherman, they are even worse than politicians. 

Dalmatia, and sharing our love for it.

Don't worry, this blog will continue to be my first choice. 

But the world being bigger than this blog, 

I decided to share some of my local experience on Trip Advisor too.

If you like to see what I wrote there, click on the link below:

www.tripadvisor.com

As there I commented and/or wrote some items 

that make your choice from the unlimited amount of  places in our area a bit easier, some of them not known at all, 

until I wrote about them.

You won't find tourist traps or clichés in my pages, that's for sure !

So on Trip Advisor, being the ideal platform to share my local knowledge, I'll add a couple more special places and/or areas, which to my best knowledge are worth to be on your bucket list when visiting the surroundings of Omis. 

Once again, I only do these things because we love it here, 

with no strings attached.

So should I write or comment about some place, location or restaurant, I only give you my personal unbiased impression, being the local I am.

As sharing the fun still is the greatest fun, 

and all I want is to let people like you know:

Dalmatia is múch more than only a beautiful coast.

Zvizdan, Omis, our favourite place to relax, lunch, swim, dine

Relax while having a drink.

Let them prepare your dinner.

Sit down and enjoy the view.

I case of cold feet, sit here.

Not bad huh.......

Tripadvisor about Zvizdan

start dreaming (of your next vacation)

(click to enlarge)

As you (may or should) know, I like to share my favourite hidden secrets.

So here's another one.

If you are staying between let's say Makarska and Omis, somewhere in the middle is the road to Zadvardje/Sestanovac.

This road is easy to find, so no need to explain in details.

When driving up, take the véry first road to the left towards Slime.

Now, slowly please, as you have to "discover" the very first narrow road to the left.

Found it, great !

Now slowly drive up this road, and up, and up you go.

Already you'll see some places to stop your car on the left, so stop and enjoy the panorama on your left.

But you can continue this road, so up again, and up, up, up.

Slowly, as some corners are narrow,
filled with plants overhanging the sides.

If you drive in the middle, nothing will harm your vehicle, if driving a motor no worries at all, and if you're afraid of the paint of your car, well, than continue walking.

Not a bad idea at all, as every step is a great one.

At some point you'll reach the spot where I go many times (by car, ha ha ha), at a corner where there is enough space to park.

Stop here, even when the road still goes up, as higher up the view does not get better.

This is my ultimate spot, this is where you can enjoy the móst stunning view, and this is, especially later in the afternoon, where you can sit down and experience how Biokovo (the big one on the left)
slowly changes colour.

Oh, and before I forget it, take some nice food and a bottle of good wine with you, as you'll feel on top of the world,
with no urge to go back down.

Smell the herbs around you, get impressed by the immense mountain, enjoy the weird rock formations around you.

You might even fantasize an Indian is observing you from behind one of the stones above you.

Crazy idea ?

Not really, as it were these sceneries where the films about Winnetou and Old Shatterhand were filmed.

Amazing Dalmatia, always amazing.

Especially where you don't expect it to be.

Enjoy the scene, and keep it clean please, for me and others to follow.

PS.
Zadvardje has a nice farmers market on Tuesdays.
So if you want to buy a cow or a pig to take home.................
But that's worth another story.

fiddlers on the roof

That's how they do it, fiddlers on the roof.

Five guys, a pump and a truckload of concrete.

It's just a tiny part of the story, but believe me,
this story has a very happy ending.

Round Christmas the entire story will be revealed,

and not one single day earlier.

Until than, enjoy the song:
If I were a rich man

croatia 365 (days)

(click to enlarge)

Most tourists come to Croatia in mid summer,
which is pretty understandable.

Great sunny weather, a delicious seawater temperature, and more interesting places, islands, breathtaking nature and an almost impossible amount of excursions.

Impossible to make a choice during those two or three weeks ?

Well, how about all those other days of the year than.

As you may have understood reading my blog,
Croatia is an all year round country, 365 days !!

Ok, we do have winter here, even harsh winters,
depending where you go.

The Adriatic coast however, may have cold days, but not many.

In Split for instance, people are delighted when some day some snow falls, but the palmtrees at the Riva (boulevard)
never stay white longer than a single day.

And also in Makarska, you can enjoy wintersun between the palm trees at the Adriatic boulevard. but a simple turn of your head shows lots of snow on Biokovo Mountain.

And not just a thin layer, but even meters thick snow heaps.

Driving up to Sveti Jure, the summit, like in summer, forget it !

No, Croatia, and certainly Dalmatia, is a 365 days a year destination.

www.croatia365.eu

Specially for nature lovers lovers (like me),
Dalmatia amazes ánd attracts évery day.
As goes for all in- or outdoor sports fanatics (not like me :-).
However, if you like skiing (yes, like me !!!) Croatia (ánd neighbouring) countries offer unique opportunities.
For climbing fanatics (like I used to be before I became fat and lazy), Dalmatia, and certainly Omis with its stunning Cetina Canyon,
is a 365 days a year destination.
Without freezing your hands or balls :-)

Many pages ago I already wrote about combining in óne single day a strong espresso, sipped in the sun at the Adriatic, followed by a not even that far trip into Bosnia, to spend a couple of hours skiing down well prepared pistes in various gradations.
Wow................... I rest my case.

However....I must add such a day gets a perfect finish, back in Dalmatia, sitting in a traditional konoba (cellar), enjoying a delicious peka (a dish baked on wood fire under a lid).
With a glass of new wine, to keep your throat from drying out :-).

Yes, Dalmatia (and entire Croatia for that matter) is absolutely
a 365 days a year destination.
Especially for people (like me) who like to avoid summer crowds.
So what are you waiting for, with so many carriers connecting Split (or Zagreb) with whatever part of the world you live in.
Also all year round !


PS.
However the mentioned website is absolutely worth visiting, 
I discovered one imperfection.
They forgot to mention one great all year round possibility:
www.Total Inland Dalmatia.com

And being voluntary ambassador :-) of Inland Dalmatia, it's my pride and joy to add it to the already lóóóóng list of  possibilities to get out of foggy London,  smoky Beijing or rainy Amsterdam.

wild Livno horses ánd the Adriatic, a unique combination !!!

(click to enlarge)

Most people visiting our part of Dalmatia,
come to relax and enjoy the climate, the sea and some pizza's.

Well, right they are, and I think I don't have to dig into details here.

Ok, quickly than :-).

The Adriatic, the Cetina, Biokovo, Split and Trogir, or even Dubrovnik, and yes, also Krka and/or Plitvice.

Of course a couple of excursions are a must.

All of them worth doing, even if it's one of those "fishpicknicks".

(Sorry folks, I am not a fish eater, I prefer a good peka with good meat.)

But, there is a NEW experience:

Already in 2009 I wrote about a stunning bunch of wild horses,
already more than two hundred !!!,

that live in the Livno area, hardly one hour away from Split.

Mind you, totally wild, noble animals, scrolling the pastures of Livno Polje (flatlands), or way up on the slopes of Dinara or Cincar mountains.

And mind you again, year round, in hot summers and freezing winters.

More than two hundred (and increasing), what a sight, what a beautiful encounter with nature at it's best.

For long I wondered why nobody organised some sort of trip, excursion, expedition or safari, but things have changed for the better,
ánd for you, as now there is such a possibility.

As for such an excursion you need someone with knowledge of the terrain, as it's not always simple to find the animals in their natural habitat, never at the same spot.

An experienced guide, a  strong 4x4,  and while it's Nature (with a large N), a pair of good hiking shoes are a necessity.

And you of course, with just a small group, interested in more than the average offer of excursions, as you want to get the véry bést from your stay in this amazing region.

Being the nature lover I am (one of the main reasons why we now live here) I highly recommend you to see:
wild horses safari

Either they or my good hiking companion Robert from malimlin can arrange your day trip to those fantastic animals, visiting a beautiful neighbour country at the same time.

Check the various details on internet (google: wild livno horses) and you'll understand the reason I wrote this third page about it.
Oh.... and by the way, Livno has some interesting historic things to see, ánd a special river coming out of nowhere.
But that's another story, and another blog page :-)

!! GO SEE THEM HORSES !!

Look here !

And also hére !!

And ábsólutely hére !!!

Hvar through Mara's eyes

(My usual advise, but certainly this time: dó click to enlarge ).

Than look, and look again,
and you'll be surprised, charmed and amazed at the same time.
As thát is how an true artist sees Hvar.

With véry little time, I móst highly recommend you to visit:
GoHvar , to discover the island Hvar.
You might even decide to not come back to thís blog,
but I dare to take that risk.

Why oh why ?

Extending our rather small living room, adding a more spacious sleeping room, a cellar (called podrum here) ánd a new terrace,
it soakes all our energy and time at the moment.

So for now and next couple of days/weeks I/we have hardly any time to do anything else than run from one thing to another,
for us there is only one shade of grey, namely CEMENT.

But.............................
all of it for the sake of enjoying Christmas in our by than finished house.

Untill than, do enjoy GoHvar, where Mara introduces you to her island with her unbelievably beautiful pictures.

I'll be back blogging when everything is finished and clean.

Croatia, a Slavic country

(Picture from the Slavorum newsletter).

Spending some (certainly not all) time behind my computer,

I subscribed to the newsletter of www.slavorum.org .

The reason is simple, I love to learn more about Croatia/Dalmatia,
and the surrounding countries.

Much of their information is highly interesting, even when much of it is about Slavic countries far from ours (and many times much colder).

But Croatia being a Slavic country too, much of the information is interesting to me, telling about culture, history ánd............nature.

Recently the newsletter was telling about a magnificent artist, painter and photographer, called Vyacheslav Mishchenko.

His pictures made me feel very humble,
with my simple Canon Powershot and not blessed with his gifted way
of looking at nature's magic.

However, I am not totally blind, ánd living in a charming valley, surrounded by stunning nature.

I love to walk around, always discovering some nice flower, a snake or a lizard, and numerous signs of extremely hard working people.

Old stone walls, forgotten houses, even complete villages, an old fruit tree as the prove of better days, when people still lived in such now abandoned places, simple but honest and proud.

Not the most easy life, as everything had to be done by hand, stone after stone, creating tiny patches of workable land to grow whatever was needed to survive harsh conditions.

As however we are "blessed" with electricity, tap water, roads and a lot more today, all around us the country tells of those brave people who made it possible to us to be living here today.

Ok, we also did our bit of work to change the piece of "jungle" our land once was, but it were those ancestors who fought nature in the first place, and created what can be experienced today.
And you'll be amazed how very special our valley is today.

As today we are most happy people living in a most beautiful valley, with a couple of good neighbours around us, ánd...........
lots of pristine nature, silence, a pleasant climate and very fertile soil.
Thát's why I write these pages, so you know Dalmatia has so much more to offer than only a magnificent Adriatic Coast.

And, because our nature is similar to nature in parts of Ukraine, the country where Vyacheslav lives and works,
I highly recommend you to visit his website.

www.vmishchenko.com

PS.

With Ukraine in the daily news in a different way, it's good to know it's not only a country in a dramatic state.

shit weather is also weather :-)

(Do click to enlarge those tiny symbols, written in Dutch).
(The orange line shows day temperatures, the blue one temperature during night, and yes there will be some rain, but on average things still look pretty nice, so why not plan a trip, as even in autumn Dalmatia is a pleasant alternative).

But let's face reality:
do not trust those copywriters making you believe Dalmatia álways has terrific weather, as they are paid to lie.

The picture above tells the truth, and I'll add a bit of truth to it.

Today for instance, it was raining here in Svinisce.

Ok, not all the time, but when it falls it's a lot.

In fact, the whole summer was slightly "different", and as a result the potatoes did great, but grapes, olives and figs, all of them sunlovers,
did bad this year, véry bad !

Is it all a result of the feared climate change, who knows, so better wait for next year than.

Fact is, there were more moments of heavy rain like last night and this morning, with thunderstorms and hail.

Not being dependent of the result of my home grown vegetables and herbs, to me this summer was good anyway, resulting in many great delicious dishes and a stuffed freezer.

To neighbours and friends around us however, good crops of necessary basics like olives and grapes for instance, are a múst.

Let me explain this.

Wages in Croatia are low, véry low, while expenses are similar to any other country in Europe.

So what do people do here, they grow there own.

Not as a hobby like me, but because it takes the pressure of the daily budget for food, leaving some money for bills.
(Water, electricity, fuel for the necessary vehicle, it's all as expensive as in any other European country). 

For that reason, everything grown around us is a necessity to people living here,  yes, including grapes for wine and rakija,
including olives for delicious olive oil.

Socializing here means having a chat and a drink together, and since beer or coffee have to be bought, people grow and make their own drinks, juices and liquors.

Which makes sense, ánd....which tastes very well too !

Ok, back to the weather, and the current statistics,
as statistics hardly ever lie (do they ?).

In the picture above you can see the prediction for upcoming ten days.

Temperature still at a pleasant average of 20-23 degrees Celsius, and however not what we like most, some rain today and tomorrow.

And as a result of locally heavy (!!) rains, towns like Zadar, Makarska and Imotski suffered big problems, as the water came pouring down, flooding streets and creating unexpected waterfalls.

But like I said, "shit weather is also weather", and these couple of days of shit weather I use to organise my load of seeds,
ready for next growing season.

Let's hope for people around us, next year will be less uncertain, resulting in nice healthy crops of grapes and olives.

if visiting Split, than álso Solin !

(Picture and video found on TotalSplit)

Visiting Split, that's a must for most visitors of Dalmatia.

And right they are !

In fact, our part of Croatia is blessed with three historic places.

Of course the old Venetian town of Dubrovnik is numero uno, 

but Split (ánd Trogir) get their portion of visitors too.

And again, right they are.

I will not get into all the details and highlights, with ever increasing numbers of visitors it's pretty clear these towns are "must visit"
évery loooong Dalmatian summer.

But many people visiting Split forget to visit Salona (today's Solin), 

and in my opinion that's a mistake.

Click on the link and you'll understand why.

Salona was highly important in Roman days, as the centre of the East Roman Empire, múch more important than Split.

It had all a big city needed for it's 50.000 + inhabitants.

The remains can be seen on each and every spot, so to understand it's importance ánd the very reason why Diocletian's Split was built, you simple cán't do Split without Solin.

In a recent page on TotalSplit was an item about a new video of Solin.

And apart from two aspects is worth seeing.

It's in Croatian, don't know why if they want to attract tourists from all over the globe, and nr.2 is the music in it.
But that, says the U2-fan, is my personal opinion.

Apart from those two flaws, the video is absolutely great !

So click on the blue link above, and prepare for next holidays.

PS.

And of course, copy the link of TotalSplit to your computer.

It is no doubt a great promotion of Split, initiated and maintainted by an Englishman living on the island of Hvar.

But that's typical british, they only feel happy on an island :-) 

We prefer our hidden valley behind Omis, quietly in the middle of nature, and close to either Adriatic Sea, Split ánd Salona, and all of it without having to wait for a ferry:

Svinisce-Cetina River: 5 minutes

Svinisce-Omis: 10 minutes

Svinisce-Adriatic Coast: 12 minutes

Svinisce-Split: 30 minutes

Svinisce-Solin: 33 minutes

Svinisce-Trogir: 45 minutes

Svinisce-Dubrovnik: 180 minutes.

Just kidding Paul (the Englishman on Hvar), 

but we do not have to wait for a ferry, nor fly, nor swim, but yeah, we're Dutch :-)

view on cloudy morning Mosor Mountains

(Do please click to enlarge)

A short post, to busy doing other things, but.....

how about such a view from our terrace in the morning.

Hope you can imagine how very nice it is to slowly wake up
with a cup of strong coffee, sitting on our terrace.
This is the true treasure of our hidden valley in Svinisce,
with only the sound of birds and crickets.

Yes, the Dalmatian hinterland (Dalmatinska Zagora) ís beautiful.

And we are extremely lucky to be living in it.

So next time you're planning your holidays in Dalmatia, 

and prefer a less crowded stay in the middle of nature,

we've got it, and móre than enough of it.

Beach and sea less than ten minutes by car from here, 

historic Split or Trogir within half an hour's drive, 

the Cetina Canyon, Biokovo and Mosor.

And.....PEACE, without any stress !!!!

PS.

Sorry to say, but we're not in the renting business.

If looking for some nice house or place, see the many agencies.

Try www.malimlin.com for instance.

Zrmanje River Canyon and Knin's Krčić waterfall

(Do click to enlarge).

Recently drove to the Zrmanje River Canyon 

with a couple of best friends.

Normally I don't drive that far (three hours) from home, with plenty of stunning nature around us.

But this area was on my bucket list for a while, so.....

So we had a fantastic day in a totally different area.

And if you think you've seen it all, forget it !

I am even thinking to go back,

however than it would be wise to stay for a couple of days.

On our way home from the Zrmanje we went through Knin, 

and again I was amazed by the diversity of our part of Croatia.

I would have never found this spot, if my friends had not guided us.

Was it worth it, well uh......HELL YES.

Krcic is about 20 meters high and in winter a great place for those who want to practice some ice climbing.

I tried to film it as good as possible, 

but it's impossible to put on video what we saw, felt, and heard. 

The power of the water falling down was simply immense !

Just in front of it is a wooden bridge, where a storm of wind and spray felt like standing behind a jet getting ready to fly of.

Nature, impressive Croatian nature !!!

Click on the video I uploaded to Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QauxrZJq8wQ&feature=youtu.be

Zrmanje River Canyon is worth to be on your list, 

and so is this waterfall in Knin.

My advise to you for the waterfall: 

better hurry to experience it, because HEP, 

the Croatian Electricity Company seems to have some bád plans with it !

And my advise to them: 

DÓN'T even THINK of it !!!!

Split, oh Split, you're beautiful (from a distance)

( Do click to enlarge )

Split, beautiful Split, visited by so many tourists every summer.

They fill the centre, the Riva, Diocletian's Palace, and all those tiny streets, but do they see Split's true beauty ?

Licking ice creams, eating pizza, drinking wine, taking pictures,

but do they really feel what Split is about.

I think just óne person, óne photographer saw Split at it's very best.

From Marijan, from a distance, and right on time !

As there and than Split showed its amazing beauty.

As Split in summer is nice, but it's much nicer, as you can see,
after a moment of rain.

And off season, there is more rain, so there are more perfect moments to see Split like on this picture.

And even much nicer Split is from a distance, from Split's green zone, 

that pine tree covered hill next to the town called Marijan. 

Lidija Lolic, one of the very best photographers in Split,
she knows her stuff, her moment, her art,

went to the very best location to take this picture.

Couple of days ago, a rain front was passing, with loads of rain, 

a burst of violent wind, and thunderstorms hitting the mountains around Split with impressive flashes.

And Lidija, clever Lidija, must have thought "Marijan !!!!!".

As that was, as you can see, the ultimate location to take
the ultimate picture of Split.

Bravo Lidija.

Living in our tiny village, well hidden from the crowds,

I love to go to Split, but óff season (if there is an óff season),

as than all Split is all mine (and yours).

PS.

As Lidija is a pro, all her work is protected, and not to be copied, shared or used without her permission.

Therefore I asked her if I could use it on my blog, so you could see Split the way she sees it, being the way I love to see it 
(....from a distance).

Need a true photographer, for whatever project, 
no doubt she delivers the very best result.

While you, I and most others, well uh....just take pictures, 
here's the link to her various work: www.lidija-photo.com