06.-16. August 2020: Šolta (Croatia)

The great journey began in a relaxed manner with idyllic stops in Austria and Slovenia. In Croatia, we now have ten days to settle in peacefully. There couldn't be a more beautiful place: The island of Šolta is located in front of Split, and even on the ferry ride, it was noticeable how green and fertile it seemed compared to the rocky mainland: olive trees, pine trees, and lavender greeted us with that typical holiday smell - the ferry's diesel engine also played its part.

Driving on serpentine roads with breathtaking sea views, we reached our holiday apartment in the small village of Stamorska: the beach is just 150m away, directly accessible via stairs, and it's not far to the rocky cliffs, from where we can enjoy fantastic sunrises. So, we start our days with a jump into the crystal-clear turquoise water before breakfast.

On the island, we discover idyllic small towns with charming old houses made of natural limestone. In the central town of Grohote, there is a market in the morning where we can find fresh fruits and vegetables from the region, as well as fish and seafood directly from the fishermen.

Away from the towns, unpaved Makadam paths lead us to small bays with hidden beaches and perfect cliffs for the best dives and international belly flops.

We take some day trips to Split and Šibenik, with representative main streets and impressive old towns, where we can browse through small shops, and even the children feel like they are in paradise, especially in the candy store. Laden with big bags of goodies, we are reminded at the checkout that paradise for tourists like us naturally has its special price.

Back on the island, we stroll along the small harbor in our village in the evenings, where a handful of restaurants offer fresh fish. Our ability to dissect seafood has significantly improved during these days, thanks in no small part to the Youtube tutorial under the restaurant table, which saved us when confronted with the sight of giant unpeeled lobsters in our pasta!

After our landlady Vanja (73) showed me on the first evening how to clean the fish we bought at the market, I am now able to scale, gut, and marinate the dorade myself and grill it in Vanja's home-pressed olive oil in the garden kitchen on the second to last day. We take her wise saying "Fish swims best first in saltwater, then in olive oil, and then in good wine" to heart and enjoy it to the fullest!