lost & found

Sundays here in Dalmacija are traditionaly for relaxing, a visit to the church (not me however) and joining with friends or family for some drinks, some tasty grilled food and a lot of talking.
(And of course during this season, eating large juicy slices of water melon, truly the very best).

And as it's not a working day, I drive around a bit to find interesting spots, where I put my car aside and go for a walk.
Most of the common locations where tourists go I ignore during the summer season, but there are a lot of less known spots and locations that are worth a visit.

Yesterday I decided to have a look at Zeleno Jezero and the Badnjevice Canyon, about five kilometers from Imotski, where the summer crowd visits those two lakes each and every excursion is going to.
Not me however, I'll wait till both the crowd has gone and some heavy rain has fallen, in let's say march/april.

Anybody interested in those two highly interesting impressive holes in the ground, have a look at www.modrojezero.org, where both in croatian and english an immense load of well documented information is available.

And those who like details, also look at http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54303957 or http://www.panoramio.com/photo/54303957 .
You can also look at http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5693931

...............BUT.................
THE very best you can do is get up, get out, get going and find yourself crazy details like this tiny car covered in the muddy banks of that green lake (Zeleno Jezero means Green Lake).
Also you might do the Badnjevice Canyon, a four hours walk through Dalmatia's stunning karst phenomena.
Let me know how it was, as I didn't have enough time to hike those four hours, while I "wasted" many hours looking around.

I had a wonderful afternoon discovering yet another hidden treasure of marvelous Dalmatia, which offers so much more than only that fantastic coast, a splendid climate and fine people.

And in case you were the owner of that car, you shouldn't have parked it there anyway :-)
Cause that's nature and in the end nature always wins !!!

Cetina, the true queen of Dalmatia

(click to enlarge)
Pure delight, no less, no more.
Crystal clear water, loaded with energy.
Still in doubt "should I keep this to myself or share it".

OK you twisted my arm, so I'll tell you a bit more about this location.
First of all, it's the Cetina river, at less than twenty (driving) minutes from Omis.
(Of course you'll see the Cetina in it's final stage at Omis, but she offers much more)

Drive from Omis into the canyon, follow the signs to Kucice, drive on till you see a bridge on your left, crossing the Cetina.
Wait, wait wait, park your vehicle and take some time to look down from the bridge, and don't forget to look at the excellent job they recently did restoring this bridge.

Alright, on you go, towards Podgrade, than Kostanje, and shortly after Kostanje drive down to what's called Studenci.
(If difficult to find the road to the river, ask anybody, they all know).
Driving down to the river, you'll pass a spring on your right that flows all year around.
In case you have some bottles in the car, do fill them, as this water is as pure as can be, with no pollution or chemicals in it, coming straight from the deep inside of the mountains.
(A friend of mine tested the quality, simply by putting a bottle of it in direct sunlight for almost a year and the water stayed as clear as the day it was put into the bottle).

Drive down a bit more, part of this narrow road is paved, part is gravel, and don't be surprised on many places water rumbles under the road, flowing into the Cetina river.
During the rainy season it also floats óver the road, but only some locals or I will see that.

Keep watching to your left, as one moment you'll see nicely built wooden stairs going down to the very spot I am telling you about now.

Once down at the river, at the rapids on the picture, do some climbing over the boulders to your left, and you'll find a cave, hidden behind an overhang of plants, moss and ferns, from which a curtain of water flushes down.
Look, JUST LOOK, as those structures of stone hanging down (stalactites) are fragile.

Don't be afraid to enter the cave, just mind your every step, as it's slippery !
Once inside, you can get in deeper, but you'll have to accept the water there is COLD !!!!!
Those of you who are not afraid, can walk/wade through the water, as what goes in, must come, and so will you, as cold as the water flowing there.
And please always be careful, as this is nature.

I was swimming/playing in the water under the rapids, and had a most wonderful time, feeling the power of the water, swimming into the energy of the water, turning left or right into more quiet spots behind rocks, and if wearing swimming goggles, look down to see big fat trouts resting for a moment.

Ok, this is it for the moment, and should you prefer to rest your fat ass on the crowded beaches of Omis, dreaming of another cold beer and a peace of pizza, right you are, as the Adriatic overhere is worth the stay.

But me and those who follow my steps into this fantastic region are the lucky ones !!!!
(And should you prefer some guidance, just ask the people of www.malimlin.com, as they are the friendly professionals knowing many local guides, cheap apartments or magnificent houses, and a lot more to make your stay a special one).

I am just a lucky guy, gladly sharing this information with you, and yes, I do it for free.

(just ?) an old bridge

(click to enlarge)
Don't go looking for this bridge in Omis, as it's not there anymore.
Much from those days is'nt there anymore, still however a lot of old buildings exist.
Center of the old town still is a historic place, worth a short walk (if you can get through the summercrowd).

The history of Omis (called Almissa in old times) goes back many centuries, and however its not Split or Trogir (still my favourite), it still shows nice places, churches, and a couple of interesting ruins.

What makes Omis truly interesting is its UNIQUE LOCATION, with a wide sandy beach, an impressive canyon and the ever lasting beautiful Cetina river flooding through that canyon into the Adriatic Sea.

Many towns along the Adriatic coast would pay a fortune to have this combination,
Omis for some reason still does not seem to see it has GOLD in its hands.
However the town does have its attractive aspects, still a lot (and I do mean a LOT) is missing !!!!

The park for instance is a boaring place, with hardly any flowers, no charming lanterns, no proper footpaths, no atmosphere, it just is what it is, a "park".
The mouth of the Cetina river lacks a pleasant promenade, the border of the river into the canyon is a killing zone for anybody who passes the tunnel trying to have a walk into the canyon, and the traffic through its main street (called Fosal) is a horror (with a couple of white dressed pseudo police assistants who only make things worse).
(Anyone responsable for the traffic "flow" can mail on my address (see header of this blog), 
as there are simple solutions possible until the new bypass tunnel is ready).

If I where to advise the city of Omis, I would organize a congress, inviting each and every investor from Europe to look at the map of Omis, showing all options for developing (ánd making money) in this unique town with no vision at all.

Am I angry, the answer is YES !!!
This town could be one of the hotspots of Dalmatia's coastline, the chicken with the GOLDEN eggs,
but it is'nt, and that realy pisses me of !!!

Come on Omis, history wás, the fútúre is what you should prepare for !!!!
That bridge on the picture has long gone, melted into steel for all cars trying to pass Omis, crossing the replacing bridge in the longest traffic jam Dalmatia has to offer.

How about claiming Omis to have the "longest traffic jam in Dalmatia" ??
Come to experience it for yourself, entrance is free, and you can stay as long as you like !!!!

One of the next blog pages I'll show some other "great" spots Omis has a lot of.

dalmatia for "rock-eaters"

 

There are many reasons to love Dalmatia (Dalmacija).
It's coast, sea, beaches, food, people, weather, nature, archaeology, wines, and many many more.

Of course you can come over for a lazy sun baked beach holiday during a long summer, but why lay down dreaming about another cold beer and a pizza after sunset ?
And why enjoy Dalmatia/Dalmacija during those crowded six summer weeks ?

Why not think for a moment (now !) about all those other days of the year and all (and more !) possibilities to experience the REAL feel of this fantastic Croatian region.

If you're loving to climb in pure nature on perfect limestone, this IS one of the very best options to run from nasty, cold, rainy weather and "eat" some rock almost any time of the year.
Any, truly any rock adventure is possible over here, as long you're not looking for ice or high peaks, and most of the year you can go out in stead of doing some training on an artificial climbing wall.
(Not bad for training, but still not the real stuff).

As an old climbing fanatic (yes folks, I'm getting old), I know what it feels like to go deep water soloing over that stunning blue water of the Adriatic with just shoes and swimming pants to keep you from feeling like Adam (or Eve) in paradise.
I dó know what the difference is between bád rock and góód rock (this limestone feels fantastic), and also I know what it's like when your hands get that "arctic feel" while grabbing for that key grip in some less sun blessed country.
Over here in Dalmatia most of year you can climb pristine routes in excellent rock, and during our lóóóng summer season you can go for some dws (picture #1) or canyoning though the Cetina Canyon (picture #2).

All is possible, some hours, a day or even a whole week, just look at the offer of the experienced guys at www.Avantura.biz.
click here and see for your self

Oh, and by the way, this is NÓT a commercial, and NÓ, I'm not in it for the money !!!!!!!!
But looking at those rock eaters when I do my daily shopping tour driving to Omis through the Cetina Canyon, I thought "there múst be some guys who you can turn to in case you need some initial guiding".
Well, the folks of Avantura offer it all, fully licensed, and if you go to their website you'll see what I mean.

I don't mind getting old, my climbing shoes don't fit me anymore, and most of the time I am lazy (so whát).
But you, yóu and YÓU over there all around the world reading this blog, you can just grab your shoes, your swimming pants, toothbrush and some money (not even much) and go for it.

If you need more prove or some help, just mail me (see header of this blog), and I'll gladly explain to you why I don't live in Holland anymore but in gorgeous Dalmacija !

omis as it once was (part 4)

(click to enlarge)
Not the sharpest picture, but the view into the Cetina Canyon is the same as it once was.
The old road still exists, a modern one was drilled through the rocks.

a lazy moment (out of many lazy moments in hot Dalmatia)

Some like it hot, and if you like it too, come to Dalmatia as hot it is (35 degrees Celsius).
Don't look for me however, I just come out after sunset.
And should you, like me, prefer a more refreshing swim than the Adriatic at this moment, go to the Cetina River, as the water is as clear as the sea, but a lot better to keep you from getting "cooked".

omis as it once was (part 3)

(click and enlarge to have a better look)

old beauty, omis as it was part 2

 

omis as it was (and mostly is) part 1

beach, sea and people are still there

waiting for news ?

No, I don't have an office, not a cellphone, nor a blackberry, and as you may know I hardly ever open my mailbox, so why bother to inform you anyway.

Still, summer  in Dalmatia came early this year, with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius in the shadow and the Adriatic at a mild 25 degrees, so all I do is count the steps to the fridge to get me another cold beer, so think it's better to inform you.

If you think "where's the news from the hidden treasure", get up and come for it yourself as without a boss, obligations, targets or stock rates to worry about, you might say I am "out of the office".

Some worth-full/-less tips to you, in case you have to go on holidays and like the sun:
dó come to Croatia but keep going till you reach Omis in Dalmatia.

And remember:
Cold beers grow from all trees here, juicy melons use the land to relax in the sun dreaming of  sugar, and fresh fish and meat are shouting from the grill "help me out of this heat".
Only the grapes are f@cking lazy, hanging out, so order your wine from an earlier year than 2012.
 (Grasevina, Malvasia, Traminac, and many others, getting older they all taste like heaven).

And the Adriatic Sea, that blue miracle and the Cetina River, our clear canyon crusher, they are joining here like they did for hundred thousands of years, one at a mild 25 degrees, the other at a gentle 20 degrees.
So if looking for a change, don't come here, cause here nothing changed ever since.

Forget about being serious, enjoy summer !!!

a small inside bear story

Life's hard for a travelling bear,
but great when it at last retires, having a loving little mother like Beli in the new world.
(Hope it does not drink or smoke thát much anymore).

I, on the other hand, do still smoke and drink, and so is most of Croatia,
still a drinking, smoking country.
Cigarets are fairly cheap here (and even cheaper on the other side of the border in BiH),
and drinking a little "something" is as common as tea (with milk) to an Englishman.

The morning starts of with a small strong home made travarica (herbs) or orahovic(wallnut),
where we Dutch are used to drink our coffee.

On various moments during the day cold beer or wine are usual (not to me, hell no),
most normal at lunchtime, and after a warm heavy day working in the fields, some more will follow.
To me, thát is the moment to share in the pleasure, as during the day I just smoke a few (or more).
But in the evening, when cooking, eating or after it, I do drink a glass (or more).

For those who don't know how to keep their throat wet during sunny summers:
- many good beers are available in Croatia, even import beers like famous Dutch Heineken.
(tip from a Dutchman: use Heineken to clean your glass, thán poor in a true beer).
- wines, red or white there are more than "flies on a horses' droppings",
from a stunning variety of grapes, soils and micro climates.
- a variety of excellent waters, from Jamnica to Radenska, all very tasty !
and of course:
- CC, P, and many other international softdrink giants called .....cola.

this is not america

(Picture by http://www.malimlin.com/, the most friendly touristservice in Omis, Dalmatia).
Have been a couple of times to America (and many other countries), and had a great time overthere for sure.
Since we live in Croatia however, the need (or urge) to cross borders and travel for hours and hours has gone.

For example, this is nearly 1.5 hours drive by car from where we live, and somehow this view reminds me of a part of the USA.
The lake on the picture is called Perucko Jezero, a part or Cetina river, and still I think the whole Cetina area from beginning to end is a miracle and deserves a book to be written about her.

From "head to tail" it's about one hundred kilometers long (or a bit more), but it's character constantly changes and when digging into it's history you'll be amazed, like the old Romans allready were.

It's that stunning combination of history, sceneries, nature and it's total diversity in such a relatively short trip that keeps me from going elsewhere.
Why should I, living in a small country like Croatia, with such a large load of treasures ?!

wine or water, you choose

Not yet, but rapidly the temperature of the Adriatic will be nice enough to go for a swim, the very first swim of this year, to which a lot more will follow.

Since a couple of days air temperature during the day is on and over 25 C. ( about 50 degrees F.)

Everything is growing like hell now, so soon we'll be eating our own "this and that" again, however tomatoes, melons and such still need some time to grow.

The temperature of the sea too is quickly rising, so in a couple of weeks we'll be splashing around in this gorgeous blue ánd clean water.

So, if you still think "ah well, another wet story from that silly dutchman", have a look at this story !!!! :

By Cliff Rames © 2012

Anthony Bourdain: 

”I can’t believe it took me this long….Season 8. It took me to get here. This is f****** awesome.”

Unless you have been hidden away on one of Croatia’s many uninhabited islands (there are over 1,100 of them), by now you have probably heard that Anthony Bourdain of the widely popular Travel Channel TV show, No Reservations, kicked off Season 8 by visiting Croatia.

The episode he filmed in Croatia, called “Coastal Croatia”, was shot over a week’s time back in October 2011 and made its world premier this week on the Travel Channel (Monday, April 23, 2012, 9pm EST).

Reaction to the episode, based on the early buzz and online chatter, has been ecstatic and overwhelmingly positive. Love him or hate him - Bourdain can be a divisive, acerbic personality with a raw, uncensored sense of humor - the “Coastal Croatia” episode is an extremely entertaining, informative, and well-produced piece of travel journalism. It is also quite infectious viewing; I still find myself watching it over and over again. You can too, thanks to the Daily Motion blog, which posted the full episode online (below).

http://www.travelchannel.com/video/relive-croatia-with-tony

If you still think "ah well, it's that silly dutchman again", what élse do I need to tell you ?

And DO have a look at the blog of Cliff Rames called winesofcroatia, as Cliff is a fantastic expert on Croatian (and other wines) who showed me the way through all bottled grape delight that is available in Croatia (and who is a fántástic blogger as well !).

This ís an amazing wine country too, in case you hate swimming.
So, when looking for hidden treasures: come and get it, for wine, sea (and a lot more !!).

mosor mountains in the snow

Not much time to write a lot, busy with a couple of other things, and in case you think "húh snow", it's gone !
The picture however is nice enough to share, and soon I'll have a bit more time to actualise some views.
Still, whenever you look, it's always a magnificant mountainrig to see.

And for those who like to hike, do it, as however it is not the highest nor a climbers mountain, for those who love nature in it's roughest form, it's worth a day or two/three (four or more).
There are excellent maps available in a couple of shops (mail me and I'll tell you where to go), and for those with a gps, there is topographic software too !

And in case you go hiking, there is a mountainhut, but in summer sleeping outside is even nicer.
You won't see snow :-), you'll hardly have rain, just be aware that there is not much water, so take at least two liters per person if you go for a longer hike.
Should you want to experience a higher mountain, Biokovo is waiting for you.

Enjoy nature, Dalmatia has a lot of it, and most of it in pristine condition.

forget about those "windows" screensavers.

Some pictures need no small talk from me.
Click to enlarge and enjoy the view nature gives for free.
(Something "windows" can learn of).

forgotten car

Some dirt grows nicer over time.
Most of the dirt dropped down slopes and along small roads in this pristine nature is a pain in the ass to me, however, this old forgotten car turned into a beauty.

Still there is a (nasty) habit overhere to get rid of garbage a bit further away from the house, sometimes painfully stupid (!!!) as on some spots the view is fantastic, but the same spot an easy place to dump building material, old furniture an died freezers.

Out of town I understand how they manage unseen, as it takes only a couple of minutes to drive up a mountainroad and find a place to dump whatever needs to be dumped.
In towns like Omis however, I simply do not understand how (the hell) it is possible.

So my advise to Omis is to create a job for someone looking for dirtspots and eliminate them as soon as possible, as it's the worst "promotion" a tourist town like Omis can have.
And after the town has been cleaned, I'll gladly drive this inspector around to show him some more places where the view is stunning, but the dumped dirt a bloody shame.

Still, sometimes I must admit, dirt can become beauty !

best buy ever (in Dutch)

As we live in a agricultural environment, with many sun hours and fantastic soil, it's logical that I started to grow my own.
Own what ?
Well, almost everything I think of and we like to eat.
Still not growing my grapes to make my own wine, but time given that will come too.

Beans, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, melons, strawberries, herbs, and a lot more, as everything grows like hell and tastes like heaven !

Not experienced in growing my own (at all), of course I started to check the internet first, and one moment had the luck to find this encyclopedia called Groente & Fruit encyclopedie(Vegetables and Fruit).
It's written by two fantastic Belgian experts, who love to share their experience too !!!
Thanks to those two friendly writers (Luc Dedeene and Guy de Kinder) I recently harvested my very first so called witlof (chicory), a vegetable rather unknown in Dalmatia, but very popular in at least Holland and Belgium (and elsewhere ??).
Either cooked, in a salad, from the oven with cheese and ham, or fresh leaves stuffed with smoked salmon or blue cheese, with a large variety of recipes it's possible to create a delicious vegetable companion to your dinner. 


I started to seed them last year, next took out the carrots after winter, cut the leaves of and put the carrots in some soil in a (it must be) dark box.
As it was the first time, I checked regularly, but today, after two weeks, I have my very first own witlof !!!!

The encyclopedia helps with with a lot of information, so today I made a plan to grow some more fruits, specially figs, as those are as common here as cars in the city or fish in the sea.
And as with cars and fish, the variety of types is amazing.

Two tips I would like to give you:
numero uno: get yourself some growing information.
numero duo: start, whatever small, to grow something yourself, but dó start !!!

You can't imagine how rewarding it is to grow something yourself, and no doubt it will taste better than anything from some store or shop.

All you need is a bit of sunlight, some soil in a pot (or bigger), some seeds or plants, and you'll eat your own parsley, strawberries or garlic.

Or if your lucky like us, your own chicory, figs, melons, cherries, tomatoes, onions, salad and a lot more.
But than you'll have to move to Dalmatia, not a bad idea at all, even for sun loving lazy seaside tourists :-).
So, go for it, or come and get it overhere.

ps. 
Even after you harvested your "witloof", don't (DON'T) put those carrots in the garbage or compost, but try a second time in some fresh soil under a dark cover.
No, you won'' t grow quality witloof crops again, but after some time you'll see small leaves grow out of it, still a delight to add to a salad or dish.


ps 2.
Since I see a lot of visitors to this page (great !!!), anybody who wants to mail me, look at the header of my blog (daar staat m'n mailadres, met uiteraard X=@).
Aan iedereen die dit leest: kóóp dat boek, en begin met eigen teelt, desnoods op uw balkon in een potje of een, twee, drie !!!!
En onthoud: begin simpel, hóu het simpel, maar vooral: BEGIN, want het is écht leuk en écht lekker !

"crvenkrpica", lucky you, if you see this in the wild

You sometimes have to have a little luck, which I did'nt have this time by the way.
It was our friend Robert who had the luck to see this beautifull specimen, called crvenkrpica.
Robert runs Malimlin, a friendly tourist service, where every customer gets the very best service.
(Just enter the word "malimlin" to see their various offer).

Recently he organised a so called geocache, a fast growing activity that takes people out into the wild,
to follow a trace he has created, leading along a lot of splendid spots, ending at..........
No, I would be a bad sport if I gave away where it guides you to, but trust me, he knows what he is doing.
Be sure that this walk will show you why our Zagora is so damned special !

It's the unexpected that amazes me all the time when stepping into our surrounding nature.

So this time Robert had the luck, ánd his camera, to picture a rare snake called crvenkrpica.
If you have a problem pronouncing this almost impossible name, try "tservenkurpitsa".
It helps, like many words in Croatian, to slowly "eat" a word bit by bit.

On the picture a section of the snake, not because I don't want to show it all, but as this part is so beautifull.
It perfectly blends with it's surroundings, still the colours are splendid.
And don't be afraid, it's not a dangerous snake.

To inform you, this is a rare snake, more common is the poskok (nose horned viper) which is dangerous to young and old, not lethal however to grown up healthy people (but look for medical help anyway).
In fact there are three venomous snakes here, all to be treated with respect, which of course goes for everything you happen to see.

But don't let that keep you from discovering our nature, as every encounter is worth it, and that goes for plants, fruits, herbs, birds, animals, reptiles, and of course all of the nature they live in overhere.
Thanks Robert, and have lots of visitors to Malimlin, great for them, good for you.

all together now..........

So in the USA (and everywhere else National Geographic is on the system) they have a guy called "the dog whisperer".
Whoooaaaaa, he only handles one dog at a time, while I manage five cats without even blinking an eye.
And remember, cats are the most stubborn animals next to donkeys.
So dog whisperer, eat you heart out, as one dog is nothing compared to five hairballs.

I never was a catperson, but times change (a bit).
We used to have the best ever dog in the whole world, so why bother about those hairballs called cats.
The dog died of age, years ago now, so since there are cats here, we have them too.

Sometimes even a bit to many, but that may be because we feed them (and well).
Not all, heaven no, but as you can see on the picture we take care of five, and that's more than enough to keep the snakes away.
If I wouldn't be the gatekeeper of cats heaven, I might think of moving to another place in the universe.

And yes, once in a while we see a snake, but relax, either the cats or the smell of my dirty body keeps them far away, so I am pleasantly surprised when I see one once a year at most.
Five cats, one snake, that's a lost match for the snake, mouse or rat (only the rattus fruticus, but also rare).

The cats do not all have names, only the oldest and her daughter have names (Sporky and Mali), the others must live without, and still are on my "to do list", meaning they have to be moved to somewhere else.

Ahhhhhhh, you mean you kick them out ?
Yes, it's either kill them after they are born or feed and educate them till they are self supporting enough.
Overhere it's not uncommon a hunter shoots a couple away when there are too many around, but I don't have a gun, and I guess I am slightly more humane or at least a bit less brutal.

All of them cats have their own way of living around the house, most of them strolling around in nature (hunting snakes ?), only the albino white one stays very close, and accompanies us day and night when we're sitting outside.

Pleasant company I might say, but hey.....I am not a cat person !
(Pussycat, pussy, hey pussy, come on pussy, sit next to me and tell me some pussy story).

some things never change

Another picture from a friendly contact in Holland.
(Click to enlarge and enjoy it's details).
He took it in 1968 when visiting our country as a tourist.
And however in black and white and almost fourty years ago,
trust me, it's all still there !
Where ?

In the Zagora my dear reader, in the hinterland !!!!!
I wrote it before, the Dalmatinski Zagora is where you MUST go,
at least once.
It's perfectly ok with me that you enjoy the Adriatic beaches, and it's great you at least visit Trogir .
A fantastic historic small town (under UNESCO protection) without cars,
but of course you want to get it all.
All ?

So next you visit Split, Dubrovnik, Krk waterfalls and go for a fish picknick or a rafting day on the Cetina, and perhaps you go up Biokovo Mountain, but still, still, still you did'nt féél !!!!!!
Feel what ?

The Zagora my best reader, the Hinterland !!!
As there you step back a bit in time, and you'll find nothing special.
So why go there, if nothing is special ?
Because that's so special !

Because there you find the very best people, living in humble houses in small villages, but they live a good life and any visitor is more than welcome as a guest.
Don't be surprised they start talking to you, than offer you a drink and something to eat to it, and as all drinks and food are home made and full of (sunny) taste, you'll have a great experience.
If not the greatest experience of all holiday you spend here.

However I am not a guide, nor in any (tourist) business,
I'll gladly help you to find your way into the the Zagora.
As there is always somebody who wants to guide you into their world.
Ain't gonna cost you a fortune;
if you're pleasant company they are as well.
(And if I cant find one, ok, than I'll show you around a bit).

Just send me an email at the address in the header of this blog,
and I'll help you out.
But don't tell éverbody, as it must remain a secret well protected.
So you (and me) can experience Dalmacija in all colours between black and white !


Thanks again Rinus, for a perfect picture !

the occasion makes the occasion

Senj 1968


Once in a while an unexpected pleasant occasion occurs, worth sharing.
I had some (minor) problems using an update of Picasa, my photo tool to create this blog.
The update introduced some new buttons, but also seemed to have erased another.
This erased button however was my MAJOR button, called "blog this".

When having a problem with my computer, I first walk away from it, to have a smoke and a coffee, giving me time to think about it, followed by walking onto our land, as there I realise there is more under God's sky than bloody computershit.

Still, I had to solve this thing, so walking back to my pc I decided to pray for some help, or at least post a question on one of those many forums (fora !) about using pc's without stress.
Whooaaaaahhhhhh, pc's without stress, ha ha ha.

Still all those brilliant developers of hard- and software first create a thing you can't live without, next they change it (they call that upgrades) and after that they create forums (fora !), helpdesks, and more upgrades, trying to kill you in a digital way by helping you out (and deeper in).
Computers and I will never be friends, unless they stay the way they are for ever and ever.

This time however, somebody called Digidorus (what's in a name), answered my cry for help, and easily sent me to the section where I could recover my VIB (Very Important Button).
It helped, he helped, maybe even my prayers helped for once.

And after thanking my kind clever contact will all my heart, he sent me a picture from the days he was visiting Croatia, in those days still part of former Yugoslavia.
(Yes, there have always been many tourists visiting this country).

Here's the picture, in black and white, taken by him at the harbour of Senj in 1968.
When taking a closer look, you'll discover nothing has changed over time, only the color and the cars.
Everything stayed unspoiled, but that's Croatia as it is, was and will be!
(Yes all you nerds, some things are perfect, so why change them.)

Puno hvala, thanks a lot Rinus !

a bit croatian language, ali polako, sve polako !

It's not very likely your gonna need the word PUNICA, but still the story is funny.
On daily basis I try to add a bit to my Croatian communication.
Being a Dutchman the language is horrible, and as far as I know only the Dutch, the Flamish and South Africans understand Dutch, reason why I write my blog in English.
To me a Slavic language is/was like abracadabra, but slowly it shows its secrets.

The very best (and first) word I learned was "polako", meaning take it easy, or slowly, slowly.
And still I love this word, as it perfectly explaines the Dalmatian mentality.
Do NOT however conclude Dalmatians are lazy, far from that !!!!
They love the good life, but they work very hard to do so.

Lucky me, I can speak and write in English, with German as second best, and if needed some French.
And lucky me again, my mother in law is from Split, and lived most her working yars in Holland,
so she frequently puts some new knowledge between my ears.
Also my wife, neighbours and friends help me a bit when I stumble through the words I use.

Already I manage to go shopping, and a (very) basic conversation is possible nowasdays.
Some of our neighbours, especially the youngsters, speak English, but it's a lot more fun when one can communicate with people around, as that is like the cherry on the cake !
Hvala Bogu (thank God) I maybe slightly less young/older, but still not stupid (or worse).

I won't however bother you to long with different words, as if you want to learn basic Croatian, there are various options to be found on the internet.

A couple of funny examples however, I like to share with you.
Brod (bróód) for instance, means boat, but sounds like bread in Dutch.
Kruh (kroeg) means bread, but sounds identical  to pub in my native language.

Well, recently, my mother in law teached me the word Punica, meaning mother in law, and Hvala Bogu it does not have a similar word with a different meaning in Dutch.
Funny enough however, Punica in Holland is a fruit juice, so another word added to my "hard disk".
Ánd never forgotten, because Inga is the very best Punica in the whole universe !!!

Pozdravi iz Svinisce.

when Omis was Almissa

Long, long ago, long before cars were invented, there was a small town called Almissa.
Not very famous, nor important, however, its pirates were !!!!
Still every year in summer a pirate festival takes place, with even a ships battle on the Cetina.

Omis, as its name is today, still is situated on the same spot,
and the old dirt road nowadays is a regular road, towards a bridge that connects the two sides of the river.

The old city walls have mostly dispeared, and the waterfall far in the back only shows after heavy rainfall.
Of course Omis has grown, with at the painter's point of view a big shopping centre with the name Studenac.

Biggest problem today is the heavy traffic, through the center of the town.
However there is a modern highway a bit inland, connecting Zagreb, Split, to (almost) Dubrovnik,
a lot of the traffic still  uses the old "Magistrale", the coastal road.

For people who like to see the Adriatic and its islands, it's a fantastic road for sure.
Problem however is that most truck traffic also uses the same good old Magistrale, together with a flood of summer traffic of people who like to look at the sea, standing still in a traffic jam for "ever".

If you drive this road, still worth the views, DO be aware, that almost every ten meters a car may leave or enter the same road, so keep your foot close to the brake at ALL times.
You would'nt be the first (nor the last) to finish your holidays "slightly" different, with a "slightly different" car.
So please be careful, especially after an occasional summer rain, as than it feels like driving on ice !!!

The Magistrale, this coastal road, goes through the centre of Omis over what's called Fosal.
A beautiful street, with old trees left and right of it, and lots of shops where tourists can buy their souvenirs.
(Sorry, but most of it is plain shit in my opinion, not worth the money spent, better used to have a drink or a pizza in countles many small friendly restaurants.
(I could tell you to go to the beach called Brzet, where our favorite place Zvizdan serves your pizza or grilled fish in the shade of the pine trees, less than five meters from the sea, but I won't !!!!)Some secrets are better kept secret, so forget I ever told you please.

Currently work is in progress to build a tunnel, connected to a new viaduct or bridge,
bringing passing traffic around the centre of town, and believe me,
that will be like coming from hell to heaven !!!

Still a lot has to be done, huge sums of money are involved, and as we all know, there is a crisis going on,
in which it seems all investors have died.

Let's hope the global economic situation changes for the better as soon as possible,
so this project can be finished, bringing the centre of Omis back to those days of Almissa.
Not returning to those horse days, as when all people come on horseback we'll have a lot of shit again :-)
If you want to see a lot of horses, better go to the Alka of Sinj, or the large wild horse group around Livno.

Still, it's a romantic picture I thought nice enough to show to you.
(If you want to see more..........................................mail me at: see header of my blog).

happy 10th birthday IZOR webcam

A little while ago IZOR, the Croatian scientific institute for oceanographic and fisherie studies, celebrated the 10th. birthday of its fantastic dynamic webcam.

Being an absolute fan of the institutes webcam and its also very informative website, I decided to dedicate this item to those scientists that do a fantastic job in every aspect, especially this webcam.

For many years I very frequently visited their website, as still living in Holland than, it was the regular start of my working day, gathering data to get going again in the good old rat race.
What was the weather over there, how was the temperature, and sometimes, when a ship was passing, heading for Split's harbor, I followed that for a little while, before starting my daily activities.

Not only I checked the webcam, when I had the time for it I also learned a bit more about their scientific work, discovering new species, controlling water quality, even publishing the price of fish.

Living in Croatia nowadays, I can easily check weather, temperature, even the price of fish, simple by going out, to the fish market for instance.
Still, over the years this webcam kept me connected to what was to be my new homeland.
And to tell you a tiny very personal detail, it not only helped me start my working day again and again and again, it also sort of kept me dreaming of a day to come, the day I could say "enough is enough", as I slowly started to truly hate my job.
(The profession was great, two mergers, from Dutch to European to multinational American, were horrible).

So here I am now, in Croatia, every moment I wish able to check the blue of the Adriatic myself.
The 10th. birthday therefor, of the dynamic webcam IZOR, overlooking the bay of Kastela is well worth three cheers, so hip hip hip hurrah that fantastic webcam of IZOR !!!

And should you be in a position somewhere on the globe, feeling sad about having to dream in stead of experience Dalmatia, keep dreaming, click on the webcam and you'll feel a bit better !!!

Dreams do come true, and I know that's a fact.

rebuilding history.......with cherries

Today many people overhere plant new olive trees, and of course these trees already used to be here for a very long time.
The oil produced from these trees mainly serves personal needs, like many other fruits and vegetables,
and of course grapes to make a bucket (or container) of wine to keep the glasses filled.
The old Romans knew it, one good reason to build Salona and Spalatum.

Much of the agricultural activity today still is done to stuff the private stocks for much of the year.
And those good old Romans took their share in those days.

But....this area used to be famous not only for its olive oil, but also its cherries, with hundreds of trees allover the land.
Harvesting those cherries not only served private needs, but provided the jam- and juice-industry with high quality cherries.
Truckloads of them were driven to large factories to be used in quality food products.

Times changed, trees disappeared or died of plagues, wildfires and lack of attention, but mainly because people were moving to the coastal area where industrial jobs were loudly shouting for workers.
Cement, metals, gasses, chemicals, oil and steel,  the common "dirty" stuff modern times need and produce.
Today however, most of this industrial activity has died out, resulting in high unemployment rates, if not active in the seasonal tourist industry and all it's spin off.

Times today are changing again however, as yesterday night I was scrolling the internet and discovered an initiative that truly made me feel happy.
As in the area of Sestanovac, a small town not far to ours and connected to the main highway crossing all Croatia from north to (almost) south at Dubrovnik, some intelligent people started a huge project to rebuild history.

How....????
By planting an enormous amount of those famous Maraska cherries that used to grow here !
With modern techniques and knowledge a very large plantation has already been realised, reproducing the best of history.

It all started with the vision of one person, who motivated a group of specialists on as well economic, agricultural and biological aspects.

In the near future the harvesting will start, resulting in a FULLY ORGANIC high quality product.
That's what makes me happy, rebuilding the future......with cherries !

See for all juicy details on this website , if you happen to be looking for a truly green investment with only positive aspects, or just because you want to see how they produce 100% organic cherries.

Organic being the magic word today, is what we call DOMACI, as people here still produce their own food, and that means GOOD FOOD !!!

You can taste it, you can smell it, from a fresh egg to a sun kissed tomato, and yes, from those cherries too !
As this is not "stock market"  driven, nor "first the profit-than the quality", this is how it was and should be.

Think for a moment about why you eat what you eat.
Indeed !!!!!!!!

the value of freedom

Yesterday I received a couple of pictures from a friend in Holland.
They showed a prison in Austria, as human and modern as can be, with friendly places to sit, a workout place, and a well organised outdoor space to walk a bit.

Still it was a prison, where every move has to be approved, and all doors have a firm key.
It all looked spic and span, but one thing was easily forgotten.
It was a prison !

I was thinking a bit about it all, and concluded that whatever the circumstances, nothing beats freedom.
The picture here shows what freedom means, taken somewhere I do not even remember, but who cares, as the Croatian Zagora (the hinterland) has trillions of spots like this one.

An open landscape, some snow on Dinara far away, small red dots of some houses between the green, and water, the absolute essence to live, either for animals, plants or humans.

Nothing beats the feeling you get when you get going overhere, as this truly is a magnificant country.
And still there is the Adriatic coast, with its hundreds of islands, big and small, timeless little villages, historic towns, and thousands of secluded places to enjoy swimming in the clearest water.

The choise is yours, having a lazy sunny beach holiday or exploring all gorgious spots Dalmatia has to offer.
You're free to choose, as the Croatian/Dalmatian "menu" is endless.

Feel free, it's the very best this country has to offer.

STOP for a moment

Before I continue, I want to stop for a moment.
Writing my little daily stories about our life in our hidden valley, I regularly check the statistics Google gladly shows about the viewers of my blog.
Those Google people may think I am gonna get a dollar out of adding "sense", but no, that's not my intention, so to me those statistics are just a pleasant way to see if anybody is interested in my little "nothings" about living in Croatia.

And much to my surprise people from around the world are somehow reading my short stories.
Russia, America, Belgium, Holland, China and many more, with of course Croatia, and I guess many of my readers even are Croatians living far away.
As many Croatians in the past have gone far away from their beloved homeland, as options for a proper job and a better future were hardly available over here (and still are).

Whatever the reason to visit my blog, thanks for your attention, and I hope you enjoy reading some of it (not in perfect English, but I do my best to keep things understandable, and there is more English spoken around the world than my native Dutch :-)
I truly hope you get interested in Dalmatia's treasures, making you eager to visit this country.
With almost a 100 % certainty you'll fall in love with it's easy going way of life (like we did), making you an ambassador for it to friends around you.

Next item will tell a little story again, trying to show you that Croatia/Dalmatia is much MORE THAN just BEAUTIFUL, with a fantastic Adriatic coast, but a lot more than only that.

And what about you, my dear reader by coincidence or choice ?
Did you ever visit Croatia, was it only once or more, where do you live and how are you ?
As looking at those statistics I keep thinking "who are all those people from all over the world".

My recent pages I finished with a small question/ suggestion, and as I didn't add the option to comment to my blog pages, I invited you to mail me, see the header, or for once look here, as it's: pimdevosXgmail.com (in which X=@).
You don't have to send me money (we're fine, thank you), and I won't offer you cheap Rolexes, Viagra or such.
I am just bloody curious who you are, since you got to know me/us and our life a bit in our hidden treasure.

To finish, today temperature rose to a very friendly and sunny 20 C, not bad for the first days of march.
(Tomorrow however it will be clouded, perhaps some rain, and a (small) drop of temperature).
Never a dull moment however for sure !!!!