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For the last 4-5 years, our director Andro spends his days on Mallorca and in Split, Croatia. It was March 2020 when everything changed (in Europe) and Andro was caught in the lockdown on Mallorca. 5 months later he departs for a road trip from Mallorca back to Split;

For the last 5 years I spend my time in Split and on the island of Mallorca. I was flying between Mallorca and Croatia every couple of months and this was relatively easy and cheap with all the low-cost airlines that exist in Europe.  If I find good connection, it is usually 2 flights and about 5h of total traveling.  In March 2020 I was supposed to fly again from Mallorca to Croatia. Few days before the departure I received an email – my flight is cancelled. Ok, no problem – I just continued to work online as I usually do while in Spain. But the things were getting worse, as I guess you all know. Sometime in June, when we realized there will not be much traveling (and work for us in Croatia) I slowly started to focus on some other things which were not work related. Baby Gina has 2 years, and spending time with her was of biggest importance. Lockdown in Spain was extremely strict. We were not really allowed to go outside for leisure activities, there were no kinder gardens opened and baby Gina was locked inside 4 walls for 2 months.  Once we were allowed to take babies and kids out – we were out, by the sea, in the forest, on the bike.. She was happy (and so was I)!! But then, I still had some free time so I used my work experience to create (and dream whilst creating) a perfect family road trip (or our return to Croatia). This was the formula: 

• Find great mountain bike routes in France, Italy, Austria and Slovenia
• Find great hiking routes for the whole family in the same location 
• Find easier cycling routes for the family (in the same area) 
• Find a place for the campervan
• Find great restaurants 
• Find interesting attractions 
• Find parks where Gina can have FUN 

It took maybe 2 weeks to plan all of this and it included a lot of google maps (and that yellow guy from google maps) and other bike route mapping apps, youtube videos, various blogs and reviews and reports, driving and campervan apps, gps tracks creation...

Finally, when the departure day arrived, our fully equipped PEGGY campervan and we left the island of Mallorca. 

This was our route; 

• Village Sospel, Alpes Maritimes, France – This area is part of Provence- Apes-Cote d’Azur region. Just before the border with Italy, we drove into the mountains/Alps. History, food, relaxed atmosphere of this charming village Sospel were stunning. But the best is that this area is home of Nicolas Vouilloz, French MTB downhill legend (I always preferred Shaun Palmer, even Nicolas is legend…)

		France...
		Sospel - charming village in Alpes Maritimes
		The views from mountain bike ride
		Broken chain in the middle of nowhere.. adventure!
		Hiking in Alpes Maritimes
		Swimming stop

• Finale Ligure and Final Borgo – Italian Riviera (Liguria). White sandy beaches and the views give you a feeling that you are in the postcard. But we did not stay on the beach. It was July and summer in full swing, and we headed to the mountains. This area hosts final race of MTB enduro world series cup.  Wherever you go, you end up on a great flow mountain bike trail. Heaven! Mozzarella di bufala! 

		Mozzarella Siiii! Bon Giorno!
		Start of the adventure
		Exploring the Finale mountains
		Hiking
		Italian rivera...
		Finale Ligure NATO Base - start of the best European mountain bike flow trails...

• Paganella, Molveno and Andalo – Dolomites, North Italy. Gina’s first ride with the lift. Here we really appreciated summer mountain climate and we were hiking (and biking – Willy Wonka flow trail oh!) between 1500 and 2000 meters. The views are just amazing; imposing rock faces and nature in its truest form, beautiful lake and many children parks high up in the mountains, beautiful trails and paths.

		On our campsite in Dolomites - on the farm!
		2000 meters high!
		Adventure for the older ones..
		Our first gondola ride
		The views..
		Gondola expert by now..
		Adventures for the small ones
		Molveno lake - Dolomites
		Adventures for everyone
		When I grow up I will be on YETI as well!

• Soll, Tyrol, Austria – this is where I used to work as a ski instructor long time ago… Charming Tyrolian village, many friends and mountains. Gina’s first proper hike and breakfast at a mountain hut! By this time, she was a proper mountain climber already! Great barbeques, farmer’s eggs and bacon, fresh milk, rivers, good food, beer. Tyrol is great and always will be! Servus. 

		Hiking on Wilder Kaiser in Tirol
		Our guides (actually friends)
		Brunch in the Kaiser
		Hintersteiner see in Tyrol
		Grill with friends and Stiegl bier!
		Learning tyrolean - SERVUS!!

• Leogang Saalbach- Hinterglemm – Bike circus. Ultimate downhill, enduro and freeride madness. Lifts. The views. Over 70km of tails and 9 gondolas. This is where UCI Mountain Bike World Championship was held. 

		Leogang - great mountain biking!!!

• Lake Bled, Slovenia – after all those mountains we spent some time walking around lake Bled in Slovenia. Beautiful and tranquil. Gina had local soup and trout.  

		Lake Bled
		Sailor on Bled!

This was first time we spent 20 days of summer in the mountains of Europe. It is a great alternative to busy overcrowded beaches, at least for us, who live by the sea. Traveling is fun! We all want to go again tomorrow! 

Van life is great!!!

		Business talk...
		Dinner time :)

As an adventure travel agency, Meridien Ten was always happy to simultaneously work and enjoy with people who share the same passion and way of living. The situation with the COVID-19 pandemic affected not only our work but our spirit and way of perceiving the world around us. The world has changed and so did we. Every change is an adventure and that's what keeps us going. We are all extremely cautious, circumspect, and informative, but yet we all thrive to socialize, travel, and relax. These are the things that will never change in this industry and this is why we want to act responsibly, with care and vigilance. The ways are different but our actual needs, every man's need will remain the same. 

Heading toward the season we’re recollecting our past experience and entering the new quest. As we always did. The reasons for the global change are unfortunate, but this is the way humans operate, learn, grow, make better decisions, and a better place for living. We’ve done it so many times and we are doing it again. We see the task of each of us as a responsible adaptation through our personal growth. And that includes support, connection, and getting together for a common cause - free and healthy life. 

We wish you all safe travels & new adventures in 2021.

The beauty of every language is closely connected with an ability to understand the real meaning behind the words and the way we achieve accuracy in presenting our thoughts.

The accent, the vocabulary, the rhythm, all layers of each spoken thought blend together producing the meaning which perfectly fits the idea in our mind while being the product of the cultural mind as well. To express ourselves, to a certain degree means to express our heritage. Understanding that grew through everyday stories, discussions, love, war, friends, families, neighbors, and accidental conversations.

Every cultural climate shapes the local expression and means of communication. But it works vice versa. Travelling expands our horizons and shows us all the details of what language really is.

Means of local communication

Being a Dalmatian means to grow on the heritage of hard work, in the field, or on the sea. Either way, in the sun, close to family and other people. To get from one point to another was never a long-distance, but possibly was the steep one, which is why rush wasn’t necessary, nor an option. Slow pace built endurance needed for hard work and time seems to naturally adapt to the inhabitants. Everyday communication followed the same pace, taking things slowly or as we like to say pomalo*. The cultural climate of the “no rush” state of mind is equally visible today. To see two people knocking their heads and repeating the sound of the same letter is a very common thing. Not to be confused, those letters have a different accent, followed by a different eyebrow expression altogether resulting in a real conversation.

The beauty of this is that everyone can adapt and understand each other easily.

So here are few tips on how to use vowels in Dalmatia and form valuable and long-term relations with locals. 

Dalmatian small talk or how to use vowels

Letter “a” (as in sofa) is mostly used as a sign of disagreement. If you don’t agree with your interlocutor you can simply say:  “A-a.” Short “a” can also denote a question: “A?” and long “a” a wondering: “Aaa!”       

Opposite of the mentioned, letter “e” (as in met) is used as confirmation: “E.” or “A e.”, and salutation: “Ee!” Sometimes it can also present a question or act as a requirement for further explanation: “Ee?” 

The letter “i” (as in sitting) usually just waits for an answer: “I?”, and in some cases, waiting indicates the excitement that grows with expectation and it is expressed with long “i”.

Letter “o” denotes surprise in many languages. Short “o”, long “o”, both express something unexpected, something that just came to light.

And letter U (as in blue). Well, “U” is usually long and says something went wrong. 

This short introduction is the first step for opening the infinite possibilities of the Dalmatian dialect. Try it out, after you do it once it just goes naturally. You will stroll downtown, say hello, sit for a coffee and make an order only by using vowels. You will agree or disagree on the quality of your neighbor’s wine and stay surprised when you see he is sitting just behind you. But it doesn’t matter, because he too wants to discuss this further: - “I”? - “A e.”

Just do it

We hope this was a helpful lesson and that you feel more confident to speak the Dalmatian dialect. Local experience grows through relations with people, learning, and accepting each other values, ways of living, and communication.

We are always proud to say that most Croatians speak English, many speak Italian, German and other languages, but every Croatian will always be happy to meet someone who appreciates their lifestyle and supports keeping their dialect alive. We are also proud to say that thanks to Dalmatian character, sense of belonging, and persistence many Croatian dialects are today alive and spoken among all generations.

The most valuable legacy is the one that is still used and continues to be part of the culture. 

We wish you a great stay in Croatia & we hope you will have many interesting stories to tell. In Dalmatian :)

Pomalo.

*take it easy, meditative state of mind that wants nothing

Since the Xmas holidays are over, we decided to share few old traditional recipes for cakes and cookies we love to make at this time of the year. One of the most interesting inherited things from my grandma Nena (family Tartaglia, one of the oldest families in Split) were two notebooks with old recipes. They are more than 110 years old notebooks with all kinds of delicacies. From generation to generation, we prepare pretty much always the same cakes and I would like you to have a few of my favorite recipes.

There was no Christmas without Dates cake (and I don’t really know why we bake it only for Christmas). Very simple but very sweet…

Traditional date cake

Dates cake

180 g dates
200 g almonds
80 g bitter chocolate, melted
9 whipped egg whites
1 vanilla sugar

Finely chop almonds and dates. Mix with chocolate and vanilla sugar. Slowly add eggwhites.
Bake on the low temperature till the crust is made on top.
When cold, coat the cake with apricot marmalade.

Pandoleti

Pandoleti recipe

Another simple recipe is for cookies Pandoleti, wonderful biscuits, dry type and crunchy, well known in every traditional Dalmatian house. They were prepared mainly for the holidays, birthdays, and weddings. It is also the dessert which was usually made to greet the guests as this fine cookie is really easy to make and can stand in a box for quite a long time.
The best thing about Pandoleti is that they are served with rakija (grappa). Simply dip the cookie in rakija (avoid rakija near kids J ).
If you are not a fan of rakija you can always serve it with coffee or tea.

Recipe:

4 eggs (divide white and yellow; whip eggwhite)
200 g sugar
200 g flour
100 g almonds
arancini – candied orange peel – as much as you have

Leave almonds and arancini in one piece (do not chop) and mix all ingredients together. Form rolls.
Bake 25 minutes/190C. Cut it while it is still hot.

As those previous 2 recipes are not for those on a restricted diet, we have another suggestion for a gluten-free cake. You can call this one a healthy natural power bar.

Wallnut balls

Dried figs and walnut balls

Recipe:

150 g walnut
150 g dried figs
1 squeezed orange juice
1 orange zest

Place the chopped dried figs and nuts, orange juice, and zest in a bowl. Mix well. If desired, you can even use a chopstick blender. Just a 3-4 times short zvrr, zvrr and that’s it! There will be small pieces to chew but we prefer it that way. If you want it all the more homogeneous chop more. Form small balls or bars.

Dobar tek!

		Bakina tekica
		Treasure