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Unique, loveable, playful, and good-natured. These are all characteristics of the Dalmatian dog - a pet, a coach, an escort, and a firehouse dog.

Dalmatian dogs have one of the most exciting animal appearances thanks to their white coat with black dots. Except for having very amusing suits, they are known for being cheerful, playful, or simply - childlike characters. For the same reason, they won the hearts of children and grownups in movies, cartoons, and everyday life.

The Dalmatian has a well-balanced athletic body. The dog is born with a thick and shiny white coat and a strong tail curved upright. Black spots appear only after a few weeks, and they never overlap. Their sporty bodies reach 19 to 24 inches in height, and their weight is about 45 to 70 pounds. They have a lifespan between 11 and 13 years.

Considering the name of this popular and charming dog breed, it is reasonable to assume the dog's origin is Dalmatia - a beautiful coastal region of Croatia. But this is still unknown, and the Dalmatian dog got his name in the 18th century after a location where he settled for the first time. Some old Egyptian engraved pictures remind us of the spotted dog, but this was never confirmed, and his ancient past remains a mystery. In recent history, the Dalmatian dog spread to France and England, and between the 13th and 18th centuries sail-men of Dubrovnik used to trade with them. They also appeared in Slavonija, thanks to high-ranking officials who bred the dog and introduced them to the area. Bishop Petar Horvat from Đakovo in Slavonija described short-haired white dogs with black and brown spots in 1374. In the same period, the Dominican order in Italy referred to the Dalmatian dog as Domini Canes, meaning the Lord’s dog. During the 16 century, about 400 Dalmatian dogs were bred in Slavonija. Firm and solid build made the Dalmatian dogs serve as hunters, shepherds, and war dogs in the past. These dogs took part in the battle on Mohacko field and acted as escorts to Uskoks from Senj* and Morlachs*.

The Dalmatian dog was also known as a carriage escort and guardian. Before 100 years and more, Dalmatian dogs were used to help firefighters. When the fire alarm rang, Dalmatians would bark to warn that a fire truck was passing by. They also guarded the fire truck and horses from thieves who found the fire a good stealing opportunity.
 

Today, they are usually house pets who require a lot of running and play. They are obedient to a certain degree, as sometimes they don’t hear or respond to a call - and escape. It does not mean they are hard to train. On the contrary - they think and act fast but can get disrupted by anything.  Even though they are pretty affectionate dogs, sometimes they work aggressively toward unknown people or are overly playful toward little children - which is all part of their “eternal child” character.

All in all, they are very friendly if you tick their boxes :) Taking them often outside in nature and for a swim will make you his best friend. In the end, he is Dalmatian - sporty, friendly, sometimes loud, but well intended, and ready for adventure :)

*a nomadic ethnic group in the Adriatic hinterland created by the fusion of Roman colonists and indigenous peoples
*an organized military group of fugitives from the area of Croatia, Herzegovina, and Bosnia that were under Ottoman occupation

The city of Split owes the title of one of the most desirable tourist destinations to many things, but the old town holds a special place keeping it high on the list of worldly valuable monuments. 

When entering the city of Split, before reaching the Diocletian’s palace you will be led by a 57 m high St. Domnius cathedral, or as locals say: “Sveti Duje”. The cathedral is dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is part of the Diocletian's Palace complex.

The Palace represents castrum, a hybrid creation uniting roman villa and military camp. The stone was brought from all around the Empire and it took ten years for building the Palace. 

The Palace has four entrances and most often people enter from the south side after enjoying the walk on the promenade or getting a coffee before they start exploring. This is a good route, as it can tell you the story about the Palace from the beginning…

Diocletian made the Palace for his retirement, but as he abdicated the throne earlier than planned, and moved in earlier, works on the Palace were never finished. His chambers were in the southern part of the palace, just above the cellars. This part was built without defensive towers, faced toward the sea with an emergency exit leading through the cellars.  The southern entrance is also called Porta Aenea or the Brass door. Passing through the cellars you will see many locals selling handmade souvenirs with symbols of Split such as the Palace, promenade, St. Domnius cathedral, and more. Continue walking and exit on the Peristyle square, an open space in front of which the Emperor showed himself to his vassals as a living god. The Emperor would exit on a small balcony in front of Vestibul, a circular anteroom of his chambers, for occasions of religious ceremony. 

Today, Peristyle is a place of many social gatherings, ancient & modern stories, dance, music, and fulfilling aimless wandering. Vestibul is one of the favorite places for klapa* singers and everyone having the opportunity to enjoy a capella singing.

On the eastern side of the square, and the Palace, the imperial mausoleum was built. Today, in that same place stands the Cathedral of St. Domnius. St. Domnius was the bishop and martyr of Solin and today he is celebrated as the patron saint of the city of Split and the Split-Makarska archdiocese. If you find yourself in Split on May 7 you have the opportunity to see a big ceremony and enjoy cultural manifestations throughout the day. 

Below the mausoleum is the crypt of St. Lucy. Saint Lucy is a Christian martyr who was beheaded in 303 after a long period of torture. According to tradition, St. Lucy's eyes were taken out, and this is why she is considered the protector of sight and the blind. She is also revered as the patroness of farmers, tailors, scribes, porters, and blacksmiths. Feast of St. Lucy is celebrated on December 13 when believers take the water from the crypt to save their sight.

Just in front of the cathedral, you will see a well-preserved sphinx, brought from Egipt with the rest of the material used for building the Palace. This sphinx has a special place in the cultural and everyday life of the city of Split serving for years as a backdrop for the famous opera Aida.

3500-years old sphynx

Exit on the same side of the Palace is called the Silver gate. If you exit the Palace that way you will find the Split market, a place of many colors, fresh groceries, and typical local small talks. But, let’s get back to the Palace, and come back to the market before lunchtime :)

 East entrance to the Palace (the Golden gate)

So, before leaving the central part of the Palace pay attention to a tiny passage just opposite the Cathedral and the sphinx. This is where you will find Jupiter’s temple and the tiniest street in Split called “Let me pass”. The Temple will amaze you with many architectural details, but the most incredible is the ceiling. Coffered temple vault consisting of 40 stone slabs with different face expressions presents a real work of art. 

Now, let’s get back to the central part and head slowly to the north, or better said toward the Golden gate. The Golden gate was projected as the main entrance to the Palace. The gate had a double entrance with a defensive courtyard in the middle called a propugnaculum. Today you can often see random musicians enjoying its great acoustic. Like the other two doors, the Golden gate was also closed during the middle ages and the main entrance became the Iron gate on the western side of the Palace. Before you continue further take a look at the guard's hallway where stands little Church of St Martin from the 6th century. Although the church has been renovated, it is a world example of the preservation of the church interior. From this year St Martin’s church will be open for visitors.

Following the walls of the Palace toward the west, you will find today’s People square or Narodni trg and a bell tower with a 24 digit clock just in front of the Iron gate or Porta Ferrea. These are the best-preserved gate used for entering Diocletian's sulfur baths, but also to take punished legionnaires for stoning. 

From here you can continue to stroll down the charming little streets and explore the architecture of family palaces, old houses or continue to explore the rest of the old town outside the walls of the Palace.

Explore Split, it has so many things to offer...

And don’t forget to visit the market!

*klapa - Dalmatian a capella singing

The evolution of bike culture happened quite suddenly. We see improvements in the technical performances of e-bikes, touring options and possibilities, and the number of outdoor activities. While bikes were always closely connected with an active lifestyle, a certain fitness level, and an ecological worldview, today,  cycling became an easy, healthy,  and economical way of transporting and enjoying the surrounding.

E-bike is a motorized way of transfer with an integrated motor that helps to pedal. They have rechargeable batteries and usually go 25 - 32 km/h, with examples above 45 km/h. The history of e-bikes goes back to the beginning of the 19th century, but the demand for e-bikes today is higher than ever. The first patents came out in 1890, and in 1897 the first electric bike was invented. E-bikes are continuously improving. After the pedal-assist system appeared, production expanded.

Today, e-bikes are a big part of the bike market, as they present a perfect solution for commuting, spending active time within different groups, allowing more mobility without using fuel, and allowing more mobility for all age groups.

In our field of work, e-bikes became a solution for many families and friends who couldn’t travel together and enjoy the same activity. E-bikes changed how people see the distance they can cycle through and how safe they feel. Many routes and locations seem much closer and easier to reach. The demand for e-bikes is growing each year, and the guest's satisfaction shows that e-bikes influenced people to gather more often and to move the limits that used to exist.

Meridien Ten has a mission to ensure a young, healthy fleet with great performances. Each year we do our best to expand our offer and present you with something new. This year we want to introduce you to our e-bike models and the latest model available - Giant Explore E-3 STA.

Cube Hybrid Touring is the first in our fleet. This model has an Aluminium Superlite Trekking double-butted frame, SR Suntour NEX fork, Shimano BR-M355 hydraulic disc brakes, and a Bosh power Pack 400/500 battery. All this makes this e-bike very stable, reliable, and very comfortable. They come in sizes from 42 - 58, and a low step frame makes them suitable for everybody. It also keeps your riding position upright.

Trek Verve 1 Lowstep has an Alpha Aluminium frame with internal cable routing, Shimano MT200 hydraulic disc brakes, and  Bosh Power Pack 400. Sizes from 46 - 50 cover the usual height span. These bikes are lighter, with a battery under the rear rack. The bike also has a low step frame, and not having the battery in front helps to get on the bike without difficulty.

And this year's star is Giant Explore E-3 STA. This model shares the same frame type but differs from the rest of the equipment. Except for SR Suntour NEX 63 mm fork, Giant Explore has Shimano Alivio 9-speed shifters, a Prowheel alloy shifter with 42 T steel ring, a Shimano Alivio derailleur, Tektro HD M275 hydraulic disc brake (180/160 cm), Shimano 11-36T (9 speed) rear cogs and Shimano Alivio 9 speed shifters. Great performances complement strong battery, EnergyPak Pack 500Wh with Sync Drive Sport 70 Nm, Yamaha.  Giant Crosscut Gravel 2 (700x45c) tires come on Giant eX2, 700 c Aluminum wheels in sizes 46, 50, and 54. The model has a higher step frame and gives you a slightly sportier position but still keeps you upright. 

The performances of e-bikes are continuously improving, and we are curious to see where this development is taking us. E-bikes will never replace regular bikes, but they are already stepping in to move our boundaries, try something new, spend more active time, and think more ecologically.

Charge the battery, and have fun :)

Istria is the largest Croatian peninsula located in the north of the Adriatic Sea. Joining two of the most scenic and picturesque images on the whole planet – the blue Mediterranean and the greenery of the hills, this is a region that offers many different adventures to everyone.

You can taste an abundance of different gourmet treats everywhere in Istria. Along with many other delights, traditional Istrian pasta Fuži has very significant meaning, it is a must-try dish. It is prepared in a way that small squares of pasta are rolled into tubes. The pasta dough is rolled out into a fine thin sheet, then cut into strips about three to four centimeters wide, and placed over each other. The strips are cut diagonally, making diamond figures. Afterward, two ends of each diamond are folded over each other to join in the middle and pinched together.

ISTRIAN FUŽI WITH TRUFFLE SAUCE

Preparation

Pasta

Sieve together the flour and salt and make a well in the middle of the mixture. Break the eggs into a bowl and pour them into the well. Add the olive oil and mix with a fork, softly joining the flour and the eggs/oil. When it becomes impossible to use the fork, use your hands to finish joining the liquid and the flour. Knead the mixture for 8 - 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and fine. Rest at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. Roll out the dough to a thin sheet. Cut it into 3 - 4 cm long rectangular stripes and then into squares. Fold the two opposite corners together and press lightly to stick. Sprinkle lightly with flour and leave to dry. When you’ve created all the fuži pasta, let them rest at room temperature. Cook in boiling, salted water, the fresh pasta takes about 8 - 10 minutes to cook. 

Truffle Cream Sauce

Warm the butter in a larger saucepan. When melted, add the truffles and fry them for two minutes. Then add the water, pepper, parsley and let it all come to a boil. Drain the fuži, add them to the sauce, toss and add the cheese. Sprinkle with a bit of extra parsley and serve.

Ingredients

For the Pasta

• 350 g fine flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• pinch of salt

For the Truffle Cream Sauce

• 100 g of unsalted butter
• 50 g of fresh truffles
• 1 tablespoon of parsley, finely chopped
• 100 ml of water
• pinch of white pepper
• 4 tablespoons finely grated cheese (parmesan)

Join us on our Istrian cycling tour and tantalize your palate!

Dobar tek! (Enjoy your meal)