Croatia - Bibinje

Here is video for everyone, who is in love in Croatia,...

Singer is Tomislav Bralic & Klapa Intrade.

One of my favorite,....

Tomislav Bralic is coming from Bibinje, small place close to Zadar, the same place where my mother is from.

Located on Adriatic coast, in province of Dalmatia.

Song is about beauty of Croatia.

And if you are visiting Croatia, definitely you should put on your list Bibinje & Zadar.

 Also the other amazing singer is Ivica Ico Sikiric, also from Bibinje, and proudly I can say, I am glad because he will singing at our wedding in Split.

Ico should organized concert in Canada!!! An amazing singer,..

Bibinje promenade 

 

 

HOME SWEET HOME CROATIA

It has been a while since we wrote the last post!

Have you ever felt connected to a place in the world? Did you ask yourself why you feel this connection? ...........................  I do!!!!!

This is my story! Christmas time is coming up and people are thinking about their family, people they love, all the good things they have done and the bad! Just like me! 

Why do we connect with some place? It is hard to say, this question depends on the situation, I am trying all the time to figure out this question! 

Just a few months ago my father had a chance to go and visit France, and he did not, and I asked him: "Why didn't you go" and he said to me: "I would prefer to spend my time with my family and grandson than go to France". 
I have a friend from Croatia who has just moved to Canada  for work and I asked him, how is it? Have you settled into Canadian life? Are you missing family? He said: " Yes I do, but I miss my niece the most, she is now 8 months old and I will miss the most beautiful part of her growing up!

After that I have become more and more understanding, I see myself in that situation.
I have a small nephew and on December 22nd of this year he will be 1 year old. I will miss his birthday! Now I understand my father's words!

Especially if I look back, only 2 month ago I was in Croatia, I am not sure the exact day but I do remember that day I went with my father to see one property, in  Gornja Podstrana, which is a 15 min drive from Split, and I can say I felt  happy in that moment.
I started asking my father if that is where my grandfather grew up? How was his life during that time? When did he move to the other house? All those questions, less important questions, maybe silly questions, but it was the same as when a 5 years old boy asks his father! I had a moment of true happiness, happiness  that took me back to my childhood, because I was on the land where my family comes from, where my grandfather comes from, and with all my heart now I can say I want to keep that tradition! 

I believe I said my answer! 

Here is a few pictures of one of my favorite cities in Croatia, Zadar!

Can't wait to take a walk on this promenade! (In Croatian, our Dalmatian dialect: "Bacit djir priko rive")

Zadar

Zadar promenade (Zadarska Riva)

Zadar promenade

Here is a Croatian song,  a song that sings about the beauty of the Croatian coast, and why it is special! Also the song is from one of my favorite singers Tomislav Bralic, he is from Bibinje,where my mom is from and in this way we would like to wish you all the best for Christmas and New Years!

Happy holidays!!!!

xo

SPLIT FESTIVAL

The new winners from Split Festival for this year are Tomislav Bralic & Klapa Intrade with their song "Zasto uvik pivam" (Why I'm always singing)!!

The festival was organized like every year at Split's Prokurative place.  The winning song is about the country, the places, the people and the Adriatic Sea....in other words about home, trying to express the ties the locals of the Croatian coast feel toward their beautiful Adriatic coast!   We have written about Tomislav Bralic and his music before at Let's Split.  We have also written about a beautiful place just outside Zadar named Bibinje, one that is very near and dear to our hearts, and is also his hometown!

You can listen to 2012 Split Festival's winning song here.  Notice the old Roman soldiers that take care of safety for the duration of the festival every year in Split :)

Split Prokurative (the location of each year's Split Music Festival)

SOUTH-BOUND

After visiting Bibinje, Zadar, and Split we are now heading further south in Croatia!

Driving from Split 12 km south, you enter a small town named Podstrana. Podstrana is  right on the Adriatic as the city shape is fully coastal, houses curving on the left and right, and a ways up the mountain.  Podstrana is full of beautiful beaches, restaurants, bars, night life and is growing in popularity during the busy summer months!  Every year there are a number of concerts with both local traditional Klape & popular artists.

Its a great destination for a relaxing vacation; its a town that has everything you need and want! Its thriving with hotels, apartments & suite rentals, dive shops, boat rentals, restaurants with fantastic seafood (most of it freshly caught in the Adriatic that same morning!), popular bars, welcoming and friendly people, nice beaches with clean water, and the newest shopping center only minutes away.  And of course the Mediterranean climate of warm temperatures and beautiful sunny days can't be beat!  This is the most important part of a beach vacation!

While some of us are swimming in the rainy and cold confused June Vancouver days, some are spending their vacations with sunny skies and beautiful beaches!

If you continue further south, the next biggest town is Omis. Omis is a popular destination for river rafting as the river Cetina flows right through its town's center.  Because this is where the river meets the sea, the water is a bit colder than in the other places (which is a refreshing change after weeks in 40C weather!).

When entering the town of Omis you cross a small bridge over the river Cetina.  If you turn left right after the bridge and continue driving along the river for ~20km you'll find one of our favourite places to go for a good traditional meal & drink - "Kremenko"!  The drive is stunning, varying quite a bit from the coast as it takes you into a more lush & green setting than the rock mountainsides along the coast.  Just gorgeous.

Omis, being a coastal town, also of course has beautiful beaches.  It's town center is full of great family-owned(for generations upon generations!) cafes and restaurants serving traditional meals, with traditional Croatian service in hidden stone alleyways.  Any one you pick you can't go wrong, we've tried them all at least once and have yet to find one to complain about! :)Make sure to try one of Croatia's beers - Ozujsko or Karlovacko - when in Omis, do as the locals do (or is that Rome?...)

Now a few pictures to help you imagine these two towns we've shared with you today! 

For future questions or help continue to write to us via email or leave us a comment!

Podstrana Croatia

Podstrana beach

Omis

Heart of town Omis

Omis

  xo

MORE PICTURES FROM BIBINJE

BIBINJE

Bibinje. A small & beautiful town, in Dalmatia, and only 5 km from Zadar! 

A quaint & picturesque town, during the summer season Bibinje becomes a very busy destination! Why? Because it provides everything tourists are looking for in a great vacation; a warm, crystal-clear and clean sea, nice beaches, restaurants, concerts, excellent food, and a large pedestrian zone with multiple promenades for evening summer strolls. Not to mention the locals are always welcoming and friendly!

Bibinje is unique in the locals' recognizable accent & specific dialect; it takes a while for even Croatians to understand at times, but has a wonderful flow & rhythm to the words!

Bibinje has its own marina(lucica) which is one of biggest in Croatia! Bibinje in Croatia is a very popular and famous town, known as the birthplace and hometown to a number of musical legends like Tomislav Bralic, who happens to be one of our favourite Dalmatian singers...

But enough talk about this fantastic Croatian seaside town, see for yourself below!

Bibinje promenade

Bibinje

Beachfront Restaurant on the Adriatic

 

xo