I wrote last year about the Dalmatian Black Pine, and the efforts to save this endangered species on the island of Hvar. In honour of Earth Day 2017 (22 April), here is my painting of a Dalmation Black PIne on Sv Nikola, the highest peak of the island. In the background is Mt Biokovo on…
One of Split’s most famous citizens can be seen in the Trg braće Radić (aka Voćni trg /Fruit Square). Standing high above the crowds, Marko Marulić is impressive in his long bronze robes, holding a large tablet on which he writes intently. The characterisation in this statue is wonderful, for this is the father of Croatian literature, a lawyer and judge by day, a leading Renaissance humanist, and one of the first authors in the Croatian language. The statue, of course, is by the wonderful Ivan Meštrović, unveiled in 1925.
This December, we came across a new custom in the villages of Hvar. Well, I say new, but only to us, and it turned out only the name was truly unfamiliar. Kolendanje is the local variation of very old folk custom in Croatia, with versions in many other Slavic countries. When we arrived at the…
There’s something magical about the quality of the light in December. It seems to have a soft warm glow to it, even although the air temperature can be fairly brisk in the early morning. Sunrise is, of course, a little later and noticably further south than it was in summer. As far as Vrboska is…
In December, there’s not so many flowers in bloom along the pathways of Hvar, but a few linger on from autumn because of the mild temperatures, while others are getting an early start on spring! For this winter edition, I’ve expanded the scope to include seeds, fruits and leaves as they make quite the splash…
Beaujolais nouveau is, for many of us, the only young wine we know – that is, one bottled and sold immediately after fermentation, only a few weeks after harvest. The process is careful to preserve the fruit characteristics, but not the bitter tannins, giving a wine light in taste, with flavours of red fruit, slightly…
There we were, just getting ready for our afternoon walk, when there was a rumbling and deep thump, as if a heavy construction truck had hit the side of the house. The floor noticably shook for a while, then quiet. I waited for a second shake, but nothing more. Must have been pretty close, then!…
Vinocom is a great place to explore Croatian wines, comparing the different varietals and styles of the winemakers. Unusually for Dalmatia, the island of Korčula is better known for its white wines, not red. Pošip, Grk, Cetinka and Rukatac are grapes native to the island, producing excellent wines with a very local character. We really…
Delighted to see so many of Hvar’s winemakers at the 11th annual Vino.com, Zagreb’s premier wine expo, held Nov 25-26 in the Hotel Esplanade. Despite the rival attractions of the Davis Cup tournament also in town, and the opening of the Christmas Advent celebrations, Vino.com was extremely popular. It was packed out on Saturday afternoon, by…
Stari Grad’s 2400th birthday was a really good party over several days with lots going on and a great atmosphere. Sadly, I failed to take my camera along to the evening event as I didn’t realize it would be so spectacular, but I do have a few taken with my phone. I loved the way…
Go Hvar 
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