{"id":9473,"date":"2019-01-20T05:42:04","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T13:42:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/?p=9473"},"modified":"2019-12-09T09:28:50","modified_gmt":"2019-12-09T17:28:50","slug":"zastrazisce-hvar-croatia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/20\/zastrazisce-hvar-croatia\/","title":{"rendered":"Zastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e, Hvar, Croatia."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>My grandparents hand built this home in Zastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e, stone by stone, the year my father was born. With the help of a magarac (donkey), my grandmother hauled these stones from the hillside as my grandfather pieced them together. They finished it a few years later and it served as the family home until the clan moved to the US in the late 60s.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259050684\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4870\/45259050684_09c507336e_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Over the last 50 years, a constant exodus of residents has left this island village nearly deserted. At times, the quietness here is deafening. I hope the spirits of my ancestors are smiling to the sounds of children in the house once again.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45983023711\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4883\/45983023711_cc8749ac47_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>During our three month stay in Croatia, we spent about half of our time here in the village.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071168095\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4873\/45071168095_d0122a474a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I still find it crazy that we literally drove our van from my grandparents&#8217; second hometown of San Pedro, California to their original hometown of Zastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e, Hvar, Croatia. Across the US, across the Atlantic Ocean on a ship and then across the European continent.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"44166989790\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4824\/44166989790_71eb0ce615_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>All three kids sleeping in my grandparent&#8217;s bed.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933875602\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4874\/45933875602_01a683f5c2_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A peek inside our well. Hello.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071160485\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4837\/45071160485_a5af2b58f1_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Fetching water was always a treat for my brother and me as kids. Looks like some things don&#8217;t really change. The little house behind them is the old kitchen before there was one in the main house.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"44166985430\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4845\/44166985430_92c688da71_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We still put it in good use for BBQing meat and vegetables.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45983026471\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4907\/45983026471_21cc61f7e3_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Yum.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259026264\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4893\/45259026264_0134364201_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We failed locating the secret island cave on my family\u2019s property during our first attempt thanks to the overgrown village trail nature has taken back. But with hand-drawn instructions from my cousin and a few kilometers of dirt roads, we found it on our second try.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112113648\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4908\/32112113648_6215796a30_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Before walking in, we threw a few small rocks to ensure no wild island boars made a home inside. Then with flashlights in hand, we walked into the first chamber and took it all in. The kids used their knowledge from other cavern visits to identify formations and we even watched cave bats wake up and take flight inside.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933878322\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4870\/45933878322_aeec0cbf7d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31044122067\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4829\/31044122067_0101eecdc2_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933884702\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4908\/45933884702_2ae517b6af_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45983022971\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4862\/45983022971_502543e2a2_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After exploring, the kids completed a junior ranger book made by Ranger Jason of <a href=\"http:\/\/bodeswell.com\">Bodeswell<\/a> and were sworn in as the first ever \u201cZastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e Cave Explorers\u201d!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071156675\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4829\/45071156675_e765b53b5b_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Luka&#8217;s memory journal entry from that day.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259047584\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4848\/45259047584_184a5ac972_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Every morning we try to make our way down this little path from our home to the bakery for some fresh bread.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45983031391\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4830\/45983031391_a12ffc370d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Butter and jam on a fresh slice of bread is my very favorite thing to eat when I wake up here.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"44166978920\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4850\/44166978920_fd69f3b489_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933883872\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4853\/45933883872_5812f5e8fa_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And every single walk to the bakery involves having the village dog, Rio, follow us home. Actually, sometimes he is here before we even wake up. He loves us and we love him.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31044109427\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4848\/31044109427_b1bd6ff42a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is the church that sits on the hillside in town, Svjeti Nikola (Saint Nicholas).<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071153985\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4910\/45071153985_3523b81bff_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Going for a short hike up to the church with friends and with Rio the village pup.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112115738\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4841\/32112115738_1d0ff01fec_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Visiting the resting place of my great grandparents.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071153765\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4899\/45071153765_820f10128a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Back at the house, it was obvious that the garden needed some work. With my Nona Vinka&#8217;s failing health and passing this year, my family was unable to visit the village.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112114408\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4849\/32112114408_e633a5f2c8_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>So we took upon ourselves to tend to the land. All of us of pitched in including our good friends Bodeswell. Gardening is one of the things I miss most in our nomadic lifestyle. And getting to do it here felt good. We couldn&#8217;t be with my Nona during her very last days so tending to her land felt healing.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259045844\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4860\/45259045844_2798d3b971_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is my third visit here with kids in tow. Every time we visit, I get a photo of the kid(s) in this doorway overlooking the village.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45983037691\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4834\/45983037691_f2c7811af0_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>They are more than willing to let me photograph them and letting me go down memory lane. Thanks, kids.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259052344\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4901\/45259052344_5fe3808f04_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>That green stool is one that my nona used to sit upon on this little balcony. I brought it up from the outdoor kitchen during our stay. Only felt right to do so.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112136278\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4808\/32112136278_65d9df4653_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And this is lichen. It&#8217;s all over the stone and concrete. The colors and patterns make me happy. And match my coffee.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071153915\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4807\/45071153915_ea56290cf5_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Our stay in the village overlapped with olive harvest season.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112123948\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4877\/32112123948_2b4bc9200c_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>My uncle, Barba Tiho, invited us to help him out on his land and we jumped at the chance.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"44166993490\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4823\/44166993490_d7a58d18a5_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Olive picking is a family effort. Pulling the olives off, letting them fall on top of the mesh laid under the trees, gathering them into buckets and eventually made into olive oil.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112114458\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4884\/32112114458_1a03eaeaa4_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On his land, you will also find one of the oldest olive trees still alive. It&#8217;s said to be planted two thousand years ago.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071161205\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4905\/45071161205_c1fa168f62_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Saying hello to the village donkey.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112129798\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4850\/32112129798_e73f2f9c89_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The girls were very happy she was a friendly donkey.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112135278\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4849\/32112135278_7aa44ac53a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Down the road from the village is a little beach called Vela Stiniva. This is where we usually spend most of our summer days, either in the water or drinking beverages at Mate&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112115708\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4838\/32112115708_e32f4c0d7a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>During our stay in the village, the weather was a little too chilly to swim.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933883892\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4873\/45933883892_01f62d23f7_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But there was this one day in November that was sunny enough for a quick dip with wetsuits.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31044123367\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4907\/31044123367_05430e9445_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We brought the van down to Stiniva to make it easy for the the kids to change into dry clothes and have a place to lounge for the day.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071156745\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4916\/45071156745_eabfc53af7_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Luka taking in the view.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259030104\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4837\/45259030104_381b3d5d48_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A photo of the hallway of the home.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112131948\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4893\/32112131948_ddc9c87d41_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A photo of the lavender garden and our laundry.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31044122047\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4884\/31044122047_eb7a03d824_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"44166980510\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4832\/44166980510_acab38f9ce_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933874862\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4858\/45933874862_eda1e1704a_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is Tarzan the cat. He was being bullied by a larger cat and needed some friendly faces.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"32112124528\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4818\/32112124528_9d4d0a3895_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45933873582\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4868\/45933873582_5150573a5e_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45071160725\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4813\/45071160725_d968c6923e_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Stuffed peppers and cabbage for dinner.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31044116647\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4814\/31044116647_f932fcaa2d_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Wheelbarrow rides.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45259036374\" src=\"https:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4862\/45259036374_69516fc817_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog post 2018\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And after three months of visiting the village of Zastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e, it was time to say goodbye.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"46086820734\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7807\/46086820734_94719e8859_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We loaded up the van and Rio the village pup didn&#8217;t want to leave our side.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"31870291917\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7858\/31870291917_6845b29f2e_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog Rio\" \/><\/p>\n<p>He knew this goodbye was going to be a goodbye for a long while.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"45896778015\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7927\/45896778015_72540d7139_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog Rio\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Wish we could take you along, Rio. But you have a home and an owner.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"46759425512\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7810\/46759425512_c0ec8e6151_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog Rio\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And we will be back. We promise.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"46086828774\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7857\/46086828774_c843ebd967_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog Rio\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Until next time, Zastra\u017ci\u0161\u0107e!!!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"46759425652\" src=\"https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7835\/46759425652_dd4c190f85_c.jpg\" alt=\"Zastrazisce blog Rio\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Here is video Dan put together during our stay here. Enjoy!!<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/k-Fv2vzAEOU\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Thanks for following along on our adventures,<br \/>\nMarlene<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My grandparents hand built this home in Zastra\u017ei\u0161\u0107e, stone by stone, the year my father was born. With the help of a magarac (donkey), my grandmother hauled these stones from the hillside as my grandfather pieced them together. They finished it a few years later and it served as the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1,215],"tags":[220,229],"class_list":["post-9473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily","category-europe","tag-croatia","tag-olive-picking"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/45259050684_09c507336e_c.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pkBzA-2sN","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/malimish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}