Pelješac
Posted on June 29, 2006 - Filed Under Places, croatia | Leave a Comment
To declare that the vastness of the Dalmatian topography inflames the heart and rouses the spirit is to vastly understate the actuality of its magnificence. This is but one view of the Pelješac Canal from the road to Nakovana. The clipper you see anchored at Korčula was rumored in Viganj to be that of an [...]
Read More..>>The Boys Are Back In Town
Posted on June 22, 2006 - Filed Under croatia, life | 1 Comment
Nikica is back in Kućište after six months at sea and he’s enjoying the downtime. Last night he fell from the rear of his stool and cracked his melon on the stone floor at the Karmela beach bar in Viganj. The sound of a human skull coming into contact with stone at full ramming speed [...]
Read More..>>Dobro Veće, Dalmacija
Posted on June 19, 2006 - Filed Under croatia, life | 1 Comment
I have arrived in Dalmatia.
I am writing daily in Kućište on a terrace overlooking the Pelješac Channel. Across the water is the isle of Korčula, where many believe Marco Polo was born. This place is alive; the hills, trees and water have their own soul. Rosemary, sage, oregano and bay leaf, capers and artichokes flourish [...]
The Pig on Death Row
Posted on June 16, 2006 - Filed Under Uncategorized, croatia, life | Leave a Comment
I’m in one of the villages outside Zagreb writing, cooking and recharging my soul to the sound of chickensong and cherries ripening. On a few occasions, I’ve smelled strange burning aromas and searched the house for flames. Silly me. It was the neighbors every time. People cook, distill and burn things on wood fires [...]
Read More..>>Man Will Dance
Posted on June 13, 2006 - Filed Under croatia, life | Leave a Comment
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Hladno Pivo - Live @ Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića, 6.3.06
Posted on June 12, 2006 - Filed Under croatia, music | 1 Comment
Croatia’s best loved, longest lived punk band is Hladno Pivo (it means ‘cold beer’). Observe the heaving throng that turned out when the Cro punk legends played Zagreb’s main square last Saturday. Need further proof of Hladno Pivo’s greatness? Here’s the pudding.
Killer set. Quite honestly, I haven’t seen this much energy at a punk show [...]
Read More..>>More from Zagreb’s Fish Market
Posted on June 10, 2006 - Filed Under Uncategorized, croatia | Leave a Comment
The fish and the blog posts don’t get much fresher. I was just at the Ribarnica 15 minutes ago for the weekend protein and chanced upon this lovely lady axing a live šaran a question. She’s fresh, and I like it.
Speaking of money shots, these pretty boys had a little convention for your viewing pleasure:
Insert [...]
Read More..>>Surprise Singing Lesson
Posted on June 10, 2006 - Filed Under Uncategorized, croatia, life, music | Leave a Comment
There’s a brand sparkling new public toilet facility between Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića and Vlaška Ulica, but I wasn’t going to make it. I ducked into a cafe, politely ordered a kava, and promptly aimed myself at the water closet.
When I returned, the kava was waiting patiently on the bar for me. I sat across [...]
They Did All of the Talking
Posted on June 7, 2006 - Filed Under croatia, life | Leave a Comment
“Say ’sir’!”
I was invited to speak to a group of young English students at the Croatian-American Institute in Zagreb last week. This was much more than a mere cultural exchange; there was Rubelj’s brick-oven pizza being offered. I eagerly accepted.
The idea was for me to talk a bit about my life and work in the [...]
Read More..>>The Farmer’s Market in Zagreb
Posted on June 6, 2006 - Filed Under Uncategorized, croatia | 1 Comment
I come from a family of produce hucksters, so I love open air farmers’ markets. The sights, sounds and smells always remind me of visiting Soulard Market or Produce Row in St. Louis with my Gammy as a wee spud.
Zagreb’s farmers’ market is pretty incredible. The marketplaces I’ve seen in Croatia’s main cities can be [...]