Analysis of the Makarska-Hvar earthquakes in 1962

The Adriatic on a Plate

In Hvar’s Napoleon Fortress is a seismological station, part of a network covering the Adriatic coast from Rijeka in the north to Dubrovnik in the south. In fact they are all part of a larger international network that is responsible for  monitoring earthquakes throughout the entire Mediterranean. Set up in 1973, the HVAR station contributes…

Windrose2

The Winds Have Names

In the Adriatic, you’d think there wasn’t really much extreme weather to talk about, especially if you visited in the high summer. OK, the odd thunderstorm over the mainland in the afternoon, but not out on the islands, surely? Yet you’ll see examples of windroses here and there, with the winds clearly named. There’s one…

Tin Ujević the poet

Tin Ujević – the car ferry and the poet

MF “Tin Ujević” is the car ferry that runs from Split to Stari Grad. It sails several times daily, more often in the summer months and less frequently throughout the rest of the year. The trip takes a couple of hours, I could wish it went faster, but it’s a time to have breakfast (or…

Tor with Jelsa below

Tor and Galešnik – a bit of a hike

The ancient Greek colonists of Faros were not altogether firmly settled, despite their clear legacy of agriculture on the island. In fact the Stari Grad Plain was constantly under threat from the local Illyrian tribes who really didn’t want them there. High above the town of Jelsa, the Greeks built a big strong watchtower with…

Painting rocks! #5

Painting Rocks! The series continues…

It’s been an absolute joy to spend time with the coastal rocks of Hvar, looking closely into the crevasses and shadows. I notice that as I start each painting, they seem to me more like mountains and I have to carve them up into mere blocks.  And what an endless variety of rocks there are!…

Macedonian Singer

An Evening of Song and Dance

Always on the lookout for some authentic island happening, we were delighted to read about a folklore evening this Saturday in Jelsa. Thank you to the excellent Total Hvar Blog. So on with the long trousers and insect repellent and off to Jelsa. The Pjaca square was already bustling, and we snagged the last two chairs…

Plancic bottles on the wall

Wine tasting at Plančić vinarija

About a year ago, we visited the Plančić winery in Vrbanj, and were very excited to try their Darnekuša. It’s a very different kind of red from Hvar, unusual to find as a single varietal. This year we called ahead, and were privileged to have winemaker Antun Plančić himself, along with brother Mario to guide…

Ringing the bells of St Mary

The Bells of St Mary’s

The tiny settlement of Vrboska is best known for two things – the upper harbour which looks just like a miniature canal complete with 16th century stone houses, and the somewhat unusual fortified church of Sveta Marija – or St Mary of Mercy in English. I say somewhat unusual, as there are a couple of…

Humac ruins with view over Brac

Humac – amongst the ruins at sunset

You might think that Humac is a deserted village, but appearances are misleading. This is a seasonal village, where people from Vrisnik could be close to additional fields and grazing. Most of the houses now look fairly run-down, if not actually derelict, but here and there you can see signs of recent activity. And, of…