TRPANJ

JUST LIKE I PICTURED IT

After the Sarajevo Winter Olympics in 1984 and our work with ABC television was finished, my Yugoslavian co-worker, Zeljko, and his girlfriend Hana, decided to show me some of their beautiful country. We traveled from Sarajevo to the coast driving through the mountainous terrain of Bosnia I Herzegovina. We visited the destroyed Neretva River railroad bridge whose destruction during WWII in a battle between Yugoslav Partisans and Axis forces was recreated for a movie commemorating the event. We heard the call of the imams from scattered minarets calling the faithful to prayer. We visited the town of Mostar and admired the Stari Most, or Old Bridge. First constructed in the 1500’s the soaring beautiful structure was at the time of its completion the widest man-made arch in the world.

BRIDGE OVER THE NERETVA

We eventually reached the Peljesac Peninsula. We didn’t take the ferry but drove from Mali Ston. After stopping to buy some homemade wine at a farmhouse we finally reached Zeljko’s summer home in Trpanj. It was mid-March though and it was cold and Trpanj was empty and dreary. During the high season the town is vibrant and alive, but there are fewer than one thousand year-round residents. I remember all the restaurants in town were closed and the shelves in the market were empty. But his modest house was fascinating and inviting and had incredible views of the Adriatic. It was a nice trip that late winter trip, but returning this past July was a completely different experience.

 

STARI MOST, MOSTAR

YOU CAN GET THERE FROM HERE

The house was built by Zeljko and his father over the years. Perched on a steep incline on the rugged Peljesac coast, the house, especially the topmost floor, has a clear view of the invitingly blue waters of the Adriatic Sea. Across the bay is the equally rugged Croatian coast and to the left the island of Hvar gracefully dives into the water after its 42 miles and a galaxy away from the revelry of Hvar City. From this sunny perch you can see the ferries that make Trpanj a transit point from the mainland as well as a summer destination. From Trpanj one can travel across the peninsula and get another ferry in Orebic to cross over to Korcula and from there travel to Mljet and Hvar city and Brac. Each of these islands we visited via the Unforgettable Croatia cruise line earlier on this three-week adventure in Croatia.

 

TRPANJ AT SUNSET

Our week in Trpanj was so very different than our travels the first two weeks in Croatia. Rather than tourists we were now residents, living here with good friends. Although we did take a few side trips and went out to dinner a couple of times, most of our time in Trpanj was hanging around the house, swimming in the Adriatic, tooling around in Zeljko’s little motor boat visiting nearby beaches and coves, and reminiscing over all the time that had passed since we last met. Of course, Janet learned how to curse in Croatian, between sips of wine, much to the delight of our hosts.

 

ZELJKO'S HOME IN TRPANJ

Their house is on an impossibly narrow road, about a mile from the town’s center and the harbor where the ferry docks. This little road, with houses like Zeljko’s lining both sides, dead ends about a quarter mile past his place where there is a small rocky beach with enough room to stretch out a mat to bask in the sun. Zeljko keeps his little motor boat here.

Our days in Trpanj were simple and relaxing. Each morning we strolled into town to take coffee at the Buffet Zalo on the quay and from the little tables watch the world slowly pass. There was always a constant stream of people strolling the quay to watch, or the moored bobbing boats held our interest. Nearby, Pozora Beach, in front of the Faraon Hotel was forever crowded and when the cars began to line up to await the ferry along Ulica Kralja Tomislava there was a lot of bustle. Market shelves were filled and after coffee we would go to different places to buy our produce or bread or meat or chocolate for the day. Often, we would fill gallon jugs with red or white wine at one of two winery stores located in town for $8.00 The peninsula is renowned for its wine, especially Dingac and Postup. Along Tomislava there were several touristy stores brimming tacky souvenirs like toys and t-shirts catering to the families that lined up along the road to await the ferry.  

PATIO IN TRPANJ

Hana and Zeljko did a lot of cooking for us. Zeljko was proud of his bbq pit that he built himself. On the top floor patio, he grilled whole fish one night. Another night he made a Peka of beef and lamb another, and another night he made more cevapcici a man could ever eat in a lifetime. Peka is a method of cooking in Croatia in a fireplace where a metal dome is placed over the meal and coals on top of that to slow cook the ingredients. We had a few Peka meals during our travels in Croatia, but Zeljko was very proud of his fireplace and Peka dome that he was using for the first time with us.

 

A BOY AND HIS PEKA

We also went out for dinner a few times. We had pizza one night at Pizza Veslo that is right at the ferry landing and a great view of the sunset. Veslo means oar in Croatian, a nod to the fishing industry that was once very important to Trpanj. It was at Veslo we observed a very peculiar habit of our hosts, they all put ketchup on their pizza as readily as we would put garlic on ours.

We treated them to a meal at Konoba Trpanj, run by Mato Nesonovic. Hana said it was the best restaurant in Trpanj, and how could we disagree. Served family style we shared a massive array of seafood and several bottles of local wine.

 

AT SAINTS HILLS

One night we took them to the Saints Hills winery for a tasting and a dish of Balkan meats and cheeses. Set in an old stone house with lovely views of the valley Saints Hills was and elegant yet surprisingly inexpensive experience with very good wine. Saints Hills is a short drive from Trpanj.

SAINTS HILLS WINERY CROATIA

UTRKA MAGARACA

We also walked into town several evenings to mingle with the modest crowds, sometimes to hear a live band on the beach or to have a drink or cool ourselves with a refreshing gelato. One night, Trpanj hosted their yearly donkey races. We watched the riders try to coax the stubborn beasts to the finish line sometimes unsuccessfully sometimes with a pat on their haunches by seconds. We watched several heats before melting into the crowd on the quay where traditional singers were performing for the crowds and sipped wine from temporary stands. It was a delightful night, and without our hosts we would never have experienced this summer pastime in Trpanj. 

DINNER AT KONOBA TRPANJ

MORE TRPANJ PICTURES     

To travel is one thing but to live with friends in their country is a blessed time. We were very fortunate to have such dear friends and so many happy memories. . 

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PIVO DINGAC AND SLIVOVITZ

WHEN YOU’RE DRINKING THE WHOLE WORLD SMILES AT YOU

When you’re lingering around the backyard pool and celebrating this 4^th of July with many Americans… sadly not all, remember you’ll never drink alone, at least in Croatia.

They like to drink in Croatia. According to one study Croatia is in the top 5 of alcohol consumption per capita.

CROATIANS ARE DRINKERS

BUZA II DUBROVNIK

So, when I belly up to the bar at Buza II in Dubrovnik to get an adult libation and then sit out to admire the Adriatic at this cliffside aerie, what am I going to savor?

BEST BARS IN CROATIA 

Pivo

Beer / pivo is the most popular beverage in Croatia with breweries like Karlovac, Osijek and Daruvar. These larger breweries are found throughout the country, but for the past number of years craft brewing has become increasingly popular. Most of the micro-breweries are located near the country’s capital, Zagreb, but they are now popping up everywhere! Lucky us we’ll soon get to drink something from LAB in Split, Vunetova from the island of Hvar, or Sibenska pivovara located near the Krka National Park!

Molim Vas dvije pive. (May I have two beers)

BEER IN CROATIA  

Dingac

To exclude other wines is a disservice to you my dear reader, because though Dingac is a highly rated strong red from the Peljesac Peninsula, where my friend thankfully has his summer home, Croatia has a number of exemplary wines. Just across the Adriatic from Italy, Croatia has the perfect climate for producing wine. Another is Posip, a white made on Korcula and Hvar. Babic is a full-bodied red from Sibenik and Bodanusa whose name means “gift from God” has a light refreshing taste and is from Hvar.

But, a very fond memory of my last visit to the Peljesac Peninsula was from 1984 when Zeljko, my friend with whom we’ll be staying, stopped at some farmhouse and with some collected coins bought the wine produced here. No idea where it was, but it was someone’s home brew and it was delightful!

7 MOST POPULAR CROATIAN WINES

Now, you may be wary about wading into Croatia without a strong command of the language. This primer may help.

HOW TO PRONOUNCE CROATIAN TO GET YOUR WINE!

Slivovitz

Croatia is an Eastern European country and spirits are extremely popular and often distilled at home! Chances are the neighbor is making rakija (fruit brandy) or slivovitz (plum brandy) or something like that, or knows someone who is distilling.

 

A BOY AND HIS STILL

I’ve had slivovitz before, and when I say that it’s a cure all for what ails you, including skin boils, please imbibe with discretion. Of course, you can purchase a bottle from a liquor store, but you’ll probably offend your hosts!

Maraska slivovitz is produced in Croatia, if you don't want to go to your neighbor's backyard…….

MARASKA

God Bless America. Happy 4^th of July everyone.

FRIENDS AWAIT

COUNTRIES DISSIPATE

The Yugoslavia I knew is gone. Has been since April, 1992 when the siege of Sarajevo began. That lasted over 1,400 days, longer than the Nazi siege of Leningrad during WWII, and took the lives of over 5,000 civilians and displaced many others and many dear friends. One was in Moscow visiting family and was unable to return home for the duration of the conflict. Another fled to Croatia and then was part of a group that helped get a lot of children through to safety.

And you get mad when the guy in front of you doesn’t move fast enough when the red-light changes?

I have been in Yugoslavia twice. Once for the Sarajevo Olympics. I was there from December, 1983 until April, 1984 and then again for a much shorter visit in the summer of 1987. During those two visits there was no hint of the horrors to come. When Communism fell, the fragile cohesion that evidently was holding Yugoslavia together, broke the country apart when Slovenia and Croatia claimed independence. They were successful after relatively brief conflicts, but then Bosnia and Herzegovina tried to do the same. Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) Croats and Serbs all butted heads on this. Serbs fought to keep Bosnia in Yugoslavia, the Croats wanted more land and the Bosniaks bore the brunt of the conflict with horrific tales of vicious ethnic cleansing, genocide, snipers and incessant shelling. When the Markale marketplace was targeted and killed scores of civilians the world finally heeded the distress of Bosnia and the United States brokered the Dayton Peace Accords.

IT'S COMPLICATED 

SARAJEVO ROSE

To this day Bosnia is still split in two; the mostly Serbian populated Republika Sprska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a population of Croats and Bozniaks. The peace agreement brought about the end of the Bosnian conflict but later conflicts flared up in Kosovo and Macedonia.

We are traveling to Croatia soon, flying into Dubrovnik and sailing through the beautiful Dalmatian Islands and you’re probably wondering why?  Dubrovnik, this proud and beautiful walled city on the Adriatic, was not spared during the Yugoslav Wars and shelled repeatedly. Reminders of the war can still be seen in walls pitted by shell fragments and bullet holes in buildings away from the coast and there are still dangerous areas where landmines have not been cleared. Although our trip will not take us to Sarajevo this time, the scars of the constant shelling during the siege are now called “Sarajevo Roses.” The gouges in the concrete have been immortalized and filled with a red resin to mark the spot. Sounds morbid, but this is the city where the conflagration of WWI began with the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and how the assassin, Gavrilo Princip, stood as he fired his gun is also immortalized in concrete.

Indeed, Yugoslavia began after the Allied victory in WWI as a big “F.U.” to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, by taking away their land and then thrusting a lot of different people with different attitudes and grudges that were at times, centuries old, into one country.

Yeah, the area is complicated and when the long-time ruler of Yugoslavia Marshal Tito died cracks in the iron-fisted rule that kept Yugoslavia together began to show.

Now, I’ll bet you’re thinking a week at Seaside Heights, New Jersey is a lot easier to negotiate than traveling to this area, or better yet, turning on the air conditioning and drawing the curtains and not leaving the house is a safer way to go. If you do that though, you’ll be missing out on the most important aspect of this trip; a friendship that transcends decades. I have kept in touch with my friend, Zeljko, his wife, Hana, and now his son through social media. During the war he fled Sarajevo with his family to Zagreb and from there helped broker the safe passage of several busloads of children out of the horrors of Sarajevo.

Perhaps I feel guilty. When the war raged, I was immersed in my young family and turned a blind eye to my friends and their troubles and I can conjure up a myriad of excuses why this was necessary. Well, regardless of the past, now is time to redefine the locus of my travels.  We will be staying with them for the latter part of the trip at their seaside home in Trpanj on the Peljesac Peninsula to catch up. This is a trip of a lifetime...literally..