Croatia (Hrvatska) - A little piece of family life on the Adriatic sea!

Family Home, Podgora!

Croatia has been a home from home, for Darrell and I for many years now, since our first trip to Pula in 2006. Darrell's family originate from the Dalmatian coast and many of his relatives still live in this beautiful part of the World. In 2008, we made our first trip, to visit his Great Aunt and Cousins in Podgora, his home town, and neither of us were disappointed. Darrell had told me much about his relations and the picturesque village where they came from, but nothing prepared me for stunning countryside, views across the clear blue Adriatic and welcoming nature of people, we had only just met. Of all the places I have visited over the years, my annual holidays with family in Hrvatska were by far the most relaxed and special. These were important times for Darrell also, as he finally got to know his Dalmatian descendants!

For the next five years, we spent time with Marin, Vlatka and Bartul in their apartment in Split, returning frequently, integrating perfectly and exploring this great city from wall to wall - the old town steeped in history, tiny narrow lanes, buildings huddled on each side, washing  hanging across cobbled streets. In awe of the medieval architecture, a powerful statement of this cities culture and past, Diocletian's palace, built in the fourth century AD and the small family owned restorani in every square, I felt a connection with this place through my love of history, European culture and Croatian cuisine. Family aside, Split had everything I wanted from a holiday destination - antiquity, Mediterranean lifestyle, urban excitement, art galleries and museums and access to clean, well-kept beaches. This is somewhere I would return to time after time, year after year; this was a little piece of family life on the Adriatic Sea!

Marin and Vlatka's life and work took them away from their roots in Dalmatia to the large city of Split, but that didn't mean a break from family traditions further down the coast. Every year, during our visit we would drive along the rugged coastline, through tiny Hrvatski sela, (Croatian villages) past the larger settlement of Markaska, where Marin's family had a home and finally into Podgora. This is where the large family home is situated. The traditional imposing four/five-story building sits at the far end of the village, overlooking fishing boats in the harbour and is partly rented out to eager foreign tourists during the lucrative summer season.

Walking along the promenade between the ancestral home and the Medora Beach Resort you are struck by the phenomenal scenery, white sandy beaches and towering green lush mountains behind. This is where the old town of Podgora is perched, along with the original family home that has been restored to its former glory, after an earthquake destroyed it decades before. The story goes, that when the Earthquake struck, the Communist Government at the time, decided to rebuild the town at the bottom of the mountain on the coast, reconstructing it in traditional style, as beautiful as it ever was. All the residents were then relocated, settling into their new homes, away from the treacherous mountain pass!

This is a location with a resonance that echoes through my husbands heart, a destination that he and I both adore, and a big part of our life. Everywhere you look, you can see his family name emblazoned across the entrances to shops or restaurants,  and the character of those who live there is reflected in his personality and mannerisms. This is very much home to Darrell, and he feels at peace and happy in the company of loved ones, who are important to understanding his heritage and links to Europe.

The food, laid back perpetuation, family links and dynamic outlook are a perfect recipe for an unforgettable vacation, which is exactly what we experienced every time we went. After our move to Spain, we were unable to travel to Croatia and with the World in lockdown and Darrell's Mother unwell, it is unlikely we will journey there any time soon, but the current situation does not detract from the fondness and love we both have for this important part of the World. I will often look at photographs taken over the years; family times spent together in a country both of us call home; memories of better, happier times. Darrell and I will always be travellers at heart, but there are very few places we will ever return to again and again; Hrvatska, however is the beating heart at the centre of family life!

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