Thursday, August 27, 2009

Croatian Cruising

Dead Sexy Toronto magazine can be sure that I am not missing the lackless Toronto summer all that much as I sit in the small harbour of Komiza on the Croatian island of Vis and glance out at the azure waves of the Adriatic sea, sipping a freshly brewed espresso and watching Bill Gates' yacht cruise by.
Two weeks into my Croatian and Montenegrin vacation (has it really been that long?), I am already devising a strategic "how-to-stay-here-permanently-plan" that would make even the senior agents at CSIS proud.


What's not to love?:


The People: Good-looking and well-over 6'0 tall (an average height here), all of whom (at least the one's I met), speak at least 2 foreign languages perfectly well, and who like to do nothing better than sit for hours at cafe upon cafe, dressed in their designer best as they wander up and down the quay for the evening "passegiatta/giro" all the while discussing the regular topics - where to go for another coffee, how the national football team (football being THE sport here) will perform in the World Cup qualifier vs. England (September 9 for those of you who still live in a vacuum cleaner) and oh yes, should they eat grilled fish straight from the sea tonight or roasted lamb on a spit for dinner (oh the worries..)?


The Country: A stunning, unbelievable place that boasts a coastline so magnificently beautiful it can clearly rival even the best that that Spain and Greece have to offer. Peppered with almost 2,000 islands set against mountains and cliffs so majestic they take your breath away, this southern-European gem is attracting Hollywood stars, jet-set celebrities (Beyonce Knowles and Jay Z visited the island yesterday) and Russian billionaires who are buying whatever they can grab - private islands included.


As I sit here waiting for the evening ferry back to the bustling port city of Split, I can't help but wonder where I will be blogging from tomorrow (my gut instinct tells me I will be back on the island of Hvar sipping a daquiri at Carpe Diem or Hula Hula bar) and more importantly, what and with whom I will be dining.
Stay tuned!


Mirella-Marie Radman