Life is the same wherever you are - Milena asked if I had tasted pasticada  (its a 'sh' on the 's')- a local meal which is usually served up at Christenings, large family gatherings. It's not something that you would make as you rushed into the house after work (late home as usual) as it is a three day labour of love. In a nutshell you spike beef with garlic,  bacon, celery and carrots and let it marinate in salty vinegar for 24 hours - then you roast in a juice of bacon, figs or prunes, and various secret spices. Anyway, Milena said she would bring us some from her fridge - this of course sets a thought stream of 'what can I give her in return' because that's what you do. We thought about various options from the shop but then I decided to make pesto - a jar, a ribbon - and there you have the exchanges which happen between women all over the world. The pasticada was heated and served with gnocci - and was divine.

I hope my pesto rates.

The night before last was another fishermens' night (ribarskara noc) and i decided that three pieces of soparnik and a mohjito would be dinner. The riva was incredibly busy with people out walking - I was walking with Ana (we left the guide dog behind because of the crowds) and it was difficult to manoeuvre the people. She usually holds my elbow but had to change to her hand on my shoulder, single file. It's interesting to see the reaction of people to Ana. Anyway, we found a spot at a table and she had a large plate of risotto with seafood (not my idea of fun)  and when the crowd thinned a bit we walked to Sveti Petar. Imagine this walk - people sitting chatting in the dark, music drifting, the smell of the cooking. And it was a particularly gorgeous sunset - check this out.



I walked early in the morning and sat in a little cafe on the water - just a squirrel racing around for company, with a couple of Polish women sitting on deck chairs (until a rogue wave or two came through and soaked them, shrieks of laughter).


I decided that I needed to buy another Croatian language book, one with answers in the back so that I can study and check that the answers are correct - so off to the school book shop - and bumped into a woman that I used to have coffee with - I had heard that Suzana had moved from the clothes shop job to work at the supermarket and then I had lost touch with her - it was wonderful to see her and in the early evening we met for icecream (see, life is so simple here!) and then a walk along the riva - she brought her daughter Tina with her - my Croatian is improving and Suzana is learning English to add to her German. These friendships are so lovely...

In the school book shop I also spotted this school bag - it would seem that the endorsement of someone in authority, is important even when buying a school bag.

Oh, and then i thought you needed to see the new addition to the police force fleet..
 - 

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