Travel Tales

In late May 2025 my elder son Brando and his wife Kasia flew from Australia to Prague, then travelled down to Lake Bled in Slovenia. They were travelling ‘child free’ for the first time and it was decided I would meet them in Bled, and together show them some of my favourite places in Slovenia and also Zagreb and the […]

GIRL’S WEEKEND ON ISLAND VIS… Another of the Dalmatian islands that we all adore.. Enjoying a few nips of Rakije (Grappa) Orahovica, Travarice, Visnja, Medica..putting a spring in our step!!! In late April I was invited to join a group of vibrant young women on a weekend getaway to Island Vis, the westernmost island, 45 kms from the Dalmatian mainland. […]

A surprise invitation to visit the islands of the Kvarner Coast, Lošinj, Cres and Krk, in the month of November 2020 was happily accepted! I had been dreaming about setting foot on these three Islands for a very long time, and finally, I was on my way, flying from Split to Island Krk, which is off-shore from the main city […]

In 2023, Mid month of May, with time on my hands, I fulfilled a promise to visit some long-time friends in Podgora, a 1.5 hour drive south of Split on the Makarska Riviera. The coastal road is a scenic extravaganza, especially on a clear and sunny day with the blue waters of the Adriatic shimmering as far as the eye […]

My friend Shirley Segedin was one of my dearest friends. I will never forget her kindness to me and my family. Her elegance, her love of preparing delicious cuisine, her knowledge of the arts and all things great and small. As I sit here reminiscing, I hear her voice, I hear her laughter, and I remember her sadness. Here is […]

BORANKA IS THE LARGEST EVER VOLUNTARY POST-FIRE REFORESTATION ORGANISED IN CROATIA. Enormous areas of forests are being destroyed in huge wildfires that are occurring frequently along the Croatian coast. Devastating firestorms are leaving behind wastelands with catastrophic consequences for the environment. This weekend 24th and 25th October 2020, some of our group of Croatian Australians, NZers & Friends from USA, […]

Driving up the coastal road from Split, through Trogir, and on to Primosten and Šibenik, the sea views on this perfect autumn day were spectacular. Driving at a leisurely pace was so enjoyable with Dalmatian music on the Radio blending in with the environment beautifully. The turn-off to Island Murter is well signposted and after crossing the bridge from the […]

Island Lastovo, as our friendly host Bruno explained upon our arrival, is a place you will either love, or you will hate, there’s no in-between! After the first 24 hours of exploring, I decided I was in love with Lastovo and definitely I’ll be back! We travelled on the fast catamaran from Split passing through Hvar Town and Vela Luka […]

A very special itinerary travelling from Zagreb through the regions of Zagorije, Lika, Central and Southern Dalmatia to Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic, including the ancient city of Split and the atmospheric islands of Brač and Korčula,? ?discovering the diversity of this colourful country, woven as a tapestry of colours, history and culture, over the vastness of many centuries..? […]

Travelling to Sarajevo from Split via Metković and crossing the B&H border near Mostar was both pleasant and at times very sad. The scars of the recent war of the 1990s were very apparent, with abandoned houses, standing like shell-shocked burnt-out shells, places where families once lived, where children once played, and where farmers once worked their fields and tended […]

This was a very unique and profound experience! It never ceases to amaze me how catastrophes can result in profound situations with extraordinary results ..all it takes is a positive outlook and good honest thoughts!An Exquisite day on Islands Šolta and Brač – A day that began at 9.00 am when Tash and I were greeted by the BRAČ EXCURSIONS […]

Arriving into Zadar brings back sweet memories of my very first visit to Croatia as a young 24-year-old woman, sailing from Ancona on the Italian coast on the overnight ferry Liburnija to Zadar.. I remember being up at sunrise, walking out on the deck, eager to catch my first glimpse of this country I had heard so much about. Travelling […]

It is almost impossible to explain the beauty of Island Pag..the stunning colours of nature..of stone, sea and sky…seemingly a wasteland, weathered by the gale force Bora winds of winter…yet here we find the finest wines, internationally acclaimed sheep’s milk cheeses, succulent lamb dishes, 1000 year old olive groves, and the most exquisite handmade laces.?… a most exotic environment. My […]

Christmas Advent Traditions in Split and throughout all of Croatia remain high on the list of most loved and favoured periods of the year. With close to 90% of Croatians identifying as Catholic, it?s no surprise that Christmas remains one of the most important holidays.  Makovnja?a (poppy seed rolls), Christmas trees, and candles are all staples of Christmas in Croatia. […]

Trogir is a short 30 minute drive north of Split. A small islet connected by a bridge to the mainland. Founded in the 3rd century BC by the Greeks, later rulers were Rome, Byzantium, Venice and Austrian-Hundgarians,? but the deepest cultural expansion has been left by the Croats. Trogir is still very well preserved and is on the UNESCO”S World […]

Springtime is coming…. February is the month of masquerades in Croatia, a time for dressing up to disperse any evil spirits before the Catholic period of Lent. A celebration of overturning any old bad habits of daily life, clearing the way for new life with the beginning of Spring. Evening Balls and Street Parades, fun and frivolity for young and […]

The village of Kostanje is the home of the family Basić (pr.. Basich). There are 5 brothers and one sister belonging to this family. Our friend, Yure, is one of those brothers, and he left Kostanje as a young man, meeting up with my late husband, Branko, in the refugee camps of Italy in 1960. They departed from Communist Yugoslavia […]

In the Croatian Zagorje Region,?77 kms north of Zagreb towards the Hungarian border, the? town of Varazdin is often dismissed as a transit point on the way to and from Budapest, the capital of Hungary. A city of harmony and intimacy, this is one of my hidden gems…a mini Prague, architecturally a marvel of Baroque style, beautifully restored and maintained. […]

Ivan Mestrović was born in Vrlpolje, Croatia in 1883 and died in Indiana USA in 1962. He was Croatia’s most famous sculptor, painter, architect, and writer. Many of his works won recognition and awards. He lived and worked in many European centres of art and culture, (Rome Paris, London, Cannes Geneva, and Zagreb) After WWII he emigrated to the United […]

The Island of Brac (pro. Br-arch) In early September, my thoughts turned to visiting?Pucisca, located in a well hidden cove on the Island of Brac.? Many times I had sailed past this deep navy-blue water inlet, but had never ventured inside.Today was the day! The ferry from Split to the seaside?port of Supetar sails many times daily, back and forth, […]

A Journey from Rovinj to Split… Mid-September is a beautiful time of year in Istria, the northern peninsula of Croatia, close to the Italian border. It’s a time of year when the grapes are harvested, the season of porcini mushrooms, and the best time for truffle hunting, and eating! Arriving into Rovinj is always a delight…an artist’s dream! It was […]

I love doing things on the spur of the moment! This was one of those occasions.? My poet friend and neighbour in Podgora, Dubravka Boric, was recently awarded 3rd prize out of hundreds of entries for her poem, ‘ORANGES’ Poets from all corners of Croatia had been invited to submit their entries into this most prestigious competition. Dubravka, originally from […]