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Welcome back to a new episode of the All Things Croatia podcast.
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I'm your host, Stanko Zovak.
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Born and raised in Los Angeles, I'm now living in Zagreb and studying the Croatian language.
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Before we start, just do me a favor and follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're
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listening, as well as the Facebook and Instagram page.
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In this series, I'll be talking with people both in the homeland and around the globe who
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have connections to Croatia.
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We'll hear from startups, returning to Aspora, musicians and athletes, and the biggest Croatian
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celebrities and what returned my calls.
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But enough about me.
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I'm Idem Odaulje and let's get started.
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Alright everybody, welcome back to the podcast.
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In this episode, our special guest is Sanya Bubalo from the Tourist Board of Ston.
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And she's the expert associate for administrative affairs there.
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And today we're going to be talking about Ston and Maliston and what those cities have to
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offer.
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Sanya, thanks for coming on the podcast.
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You're welcome.
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Good afternoon, everyone.
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I really appreciate you coming on.
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And before we really get into anything in particular, I want to ask, how did Ston and
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Maliston get their names?
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Ston on Latin world, Stania, because it's still water.
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Because around the stone was water that stayed.
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And that's Latin root?
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Latin, Latin Stania.
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Interesting.
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And how did the how did the Latin influence the rich stone, I guess?
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Latin.
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At that time before Italy, Venetians, they used Latin, Latin words.
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I see, I see.
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Okay.
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And Maliston is like Mal is little.
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Malian creation is little, so small.
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So it's a smaller version of Ston.
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So that that one is now half Croatian, half Latin.
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Yes.
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Before we get into any more about Ston, I want to ask a little bit about you.
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How did you start working for the tourist board of Ston?
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I started three, four years ago.
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I was studying in Zagreb tourism.
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And then I was studying for five, six years in Zagreb.
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And then I came back here and I wanted to be included in tourism.
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And this job is tourist board is just perfect for me.
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So were you born in Ston?
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And raised there?
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Yes, I was born in Maliston.
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Ah, okay.
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And then came out to study tourism in Zagreb.
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And then went back.
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Study in Zagreb, yes.
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And I came back here and I was looking for job.
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And this job opens and it was maybe the best option for me because we can do a lot of things.
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And we have an influence in many things that have, of course, connection with tourism,
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people and everything here in the area.
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Yeah, that's cool.
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You get to learn, you get to use what you learned in studying to help promote your hometown.
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So that's cool to be able to do that.
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What did you think about the difference in lifestyle between Zagreb and Ston, Maliston?
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Oh, it's totally different.
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Of course, crowd in Zagreb and it's much more faster lifestyle.
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Here is, it's easier.
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You can find some place quiet and there is a lot of nature, especially untouched nature.
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So in Zagreb, it's a big town.
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It's a big difference.
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Do you enjoy life better in Maliston?
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Sometimes I like to go to Zagreb for maybe seven or 10 days and go and do something that
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I can't do here, but I always wish to come back home.
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Yeah, just long enough in Zagreb before you get too angry with the traffic.
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Yes, but it's very easy to use to this kind of life here.
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And Maliston.
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Yes, yes.
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Nature, not very crowded.
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Tourists came here because you can go in some beach, but you can find some place just for
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you, for yourself, for your family.
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It's very, lots of tourists appreciate that kind of our place here, our area.
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Yeah, you get away from all the big cities.
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Big cities, especially when it's coronavirus that time.
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So we had lots of tourists just because of that.
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And Sanya, what exactly is your role in the tourist sport there?
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What are you doing on a day-to-day basis?
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We do everything.
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There is two of us.
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We have a lot of jobs.
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So tourist information, social work.
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We write about our offer.
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We organize festivals, gastroenterological festivals.
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Now we are doing some outdoor activities, maps, GPS tracks and many things.
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Wow, so everything.
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Everything, just everything.
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So I want to get into stone and Maliston a little bit here.
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But now I'm forgetting.
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I don't know if I wrote it right in my notes, but are the walls in stone or Maliston?
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So the walls are, the walls connects Maliston and stone.
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Ah, okay.
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And those are, I mean, famous walls.
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It's what, the second longest walls in Europe?
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Is that right?
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First in Europe, second in the world after a great wall of China.
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Ah, that's right.
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That's right.
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Second in the world.
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Can you talk a little bit about the history behind those walls?
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So the walls are built in the 14th century, exactly at the 13th, 33.
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So the wall was seven kilometers long.
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Now they are five, but you can walk on about three and a half kilometers.
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So the wall was built to protect salt factory.
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So everything here in this area is because of the salt.
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At that time in 14th century, stone was part of Dubrovnik Republic.
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This stone was second town after Dubrovnik and it was very important because they produce
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salt and they negotiate everything with salt.
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At that time, salt was equal to gold.
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So one kilo of gold, it was the same as one kilo of salt.
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So city walls were built to protect salt factory.
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Yeah, it's kind of crazy now to think about building walls to protect salt from, you
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know, protect the salt.
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Who exactly were they protecting from?
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The Venetians?
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For the Venetians and Turks, Ottoman Empire.
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And you said that was part of the Dubrovnik Republic back then?
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Yes, stone.
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How far up Pelišac did that go?
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All Pelišac, all this area.
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Yes, but stone was very important.
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First they built salt factory and after they built houses.
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So first was the salt factory and this city was a few kilometers from here.
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It was in stone field.
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And is there something special in stone, why they built the salt factories there?
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I mean, is there something with the weather or it's ideal?
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Yes.
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Because everything now, the production is the same as it was in 14th century.
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So sun, sea and wind.
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This part of, so stone is usually, there is no rain here during the summer.
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In, I mean, maybe two, three kilometers in other places.
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It was rain, it rains, but here no.
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So this is the perfect location for salt factory.
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And now the production is the same as it was in 14th century.
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So just nature, sea, sun and wind.
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And the shovels.
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People with shovels.
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Is that how they produce the salt?
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Yes.
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Is that how they harvest it?
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Yes, the same as it was in that time, in 14th century.
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Everything is the same.
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Wow.
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That's got to be a lot of work.
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How exactly does that work?
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So it's usually August or July, August depends on the weather.
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Usually it's a dry weather.
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There is no rain, but it could happen that rain starts.
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But when it's a dry weather, they do it, I think, from five o'clock in the morning and
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until 12 o'clock.
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So they put in one place in the middle with shovels.
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There are lots of workers and lots of tourists, volunteers come to that salt harvesting.
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And they put, they take shovels put in that wagon.
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And then from wagon, they take to the house, to place where they put salt.
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And so is that still now the biggest export from stone?
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I think it is.
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It's a big export.
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Going back to the walls a little bit.
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So there is only, there is what, three kilometers you can walk now?
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What happened to the other sections of the wall?
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Were they torn down?
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Was it just the elements or what happened?
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No, it's under reconstruction.
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So were the walls ever attacked?
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No, never.
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But they're old.
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There was an earthquake, war.
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So this part was reconstructed, but this another part, about two kilometers, it's still working.
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Very cool.
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And yeah, you can go.
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Actually, I went, how long ago?
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Was it maybe five years ago when I first came to Croatia?
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And we went to stone with my family and we walked on the walls.
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It was really cool.
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And you can see the salt fields below.
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Yes, it's a very nice view from the top.
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Yeah, it's very pretty.
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Yeah, from one side, when you climb the top, so you can go from stone to malistan.
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And from one side, you can see stone, salt factory, this tower, Kastjic, very beautiful
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fortress.
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And then on the other side, Malistan and the bay, Bay of Malistan.
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So it's a very nice view from the top of the wall.
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Yeah, it's very pretty.
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When I was there, they had, I guess it was an Imandan or some type of celebration, and
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I'll never forget, they had like a truck with maybe 15, 20 lambs on there, all rotating.
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It's a Liberan, it's a saint.
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Yeah, it must have been that.
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That was such a cool celebration festival.
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For me, not so much.
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That's a celebration.
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But those lambs, especially the smell.
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No, you don't like the smell?
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No, I don't like the smell.
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What's your favorite food?
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What do you eat over there?
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Seafood.
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Seafood meat, but not lamb.
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Well, let's get into the seafood a little bit, because I wanted to talk and ask about the
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oysters.
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That's a big tradition over there, right?
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Yes, a big tradition, and I think one of the most famous products of our area.
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Can you tell me a little about how they harvest it?
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I think I heard that it's the same with the salt, they do it the same way they did back
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then in the day.
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Yes, it's the same.
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I think it goes about 800 years ago.
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There are many families that produce oysters.
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I think more than 70 oyster producers, and lots of them work only that.
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But it's a very hard job.
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It's a very hard job, because it could be rain, summer, winter.
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You have to do your job.
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There are four stages of production.
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Usually, everyone thinks that you just pick it up from the sea, put it on the plate, and
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that's it.
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But no.
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You should come and see all those stages of that production.
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Yeah, I would like to.
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Can you talk a little about those?
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There's four of them?
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Yes.
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First, they put a curtain in the sea.
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We call it a curtain.
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And then a small oyster is like a nail.
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Very, very small.
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Some of them you can't see with your eyes.
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And then oysters pick up on that curtain.
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And after that, I think they stay one year on the sea.
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And after that, they put in cement.
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And after that, they put it in lanterns and then on your table.
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Wow.
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So that's a, what, over a one-year process?
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About two years.
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Wow.
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So that's, you're eating oysters that they've already, they harvest two years ago.
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Yes, they harvest and that every stage that goes in your hand, you have to take it out
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from the sea.
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But those stages is, is, everyone, oyster producers, they take it from the sea and go,
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goes with the stages.
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And is it the same families that for generations have been doing it?
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Yes, usually it's like that.
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There is some new one, but it's the same families every year, from father to son.
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Then it's usually in the family.
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And correct me if I'm wrong, but that's one of the oysters there is some, it's some special
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type of oyster that has an EU protection, right?
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Yes.
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It's European flat oysters.
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This type of oysters, it's only here in our sea.
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There is, it was in Italy, France, but it dies because of some disease, but they, it's only
252
00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,600
stayed here in, in our bay.
253
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:15,600
Wow.
254
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,240
So that's the only place in the world that you can harvest those.
255
00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:19,240
Only base, yes.
256
00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:20,760
Where is this type of oyster?
257
00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,640
It's European flat oysters.
258
00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:23,640
Wow.
259
00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,560
How long ago do you know did they give that protection, the EU?
260
00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:28,560
Two years.
261
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,240
What are the methods of cooking the oysters?
262
00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,440
Is there some certain way you guys do it?
263
00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:34,440
Usually.
264
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:35,600
Do you cook them actually?
265
00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:37,000
I have no idea.
266
00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:43,360
Usually we eat it raw with a few drops of lemon.
267
00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:53,120
It's the way that locals like to eat it the best, but you can put it on the grill or with
268
00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,320
bread, bread crumbs.
269
00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:56,320
Yeah.
270
00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:57,320
Yeah.
271
00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,760
So the raw, usually without a lemon, it's the best.
272
00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:06,600
And is there a certain season that they can harvest them where you actually finally get
273
00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:08,680
it on the plate or is it year round?
274
00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:17,200
You can eat it through a whole year, but they are the fullest and the best to eat at March
275
00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,480
because we call it month, month of oyster.
276
00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:29,160
At the time we celebrate St. Joseph and usually we have on March Festival of Oysters.
277
00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,560
Oh, so I missed it already.
278
00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:32,560
Yes, you missed it.
279
00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,720
It was a very, very good feast.
280
00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:35,720
Wow.
281
00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:36,720
Celebration.
282
00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,880
And that's when they're the biggest?
283
00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:40,320
Yes, they're the biggest.
284
00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:46,320
You can eat it every year, throughout the whole year, but at that time they are the fullest
285
00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:53,280
inside because maybe the temperature of the sea and everything works for them at that
286
00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:54,280
time.
287
00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,320
It's not too hot, not too cold.
288
00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:57,480
Interesting.
289
00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,280
And I've heard that there is good wine over on Peliushatz.
290
00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:02,680
Very good wine.
291
00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:04,720
Yeah, I've never tried any over there.
292
00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:10,040
But I think your last name, Bubolo, I think that's a, there's a famous wine producer.
293
00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:17,320
Here, no, my family works with oysters, but not with wine.
294
00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:18,600
I see.
295
00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:24,080
Is there any wine production going on in stone or near there or is it further up on Peliushatz?
296
00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:29,800
No, no, many, many wine producers here.
297
00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,560
After seven, eight kilometers from Stony is a Ponykve.
298
00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,640
And that's the beginning of Peliushatz.
299
00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:43,440
All this area, Peliushatz wine empire because from, from that, so seven, eight kilometers
300
00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:51,680
from here from Ponykve is the beginning of vineyards, wineries and through all peninsula.
301
00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:56,400
So there are many more than 50, 50 wineries in the area.
302
00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:57,400
Wow.
303
00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,920
So we are, we are famous for red wine.
304
00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,880
The sort of grape is a Plovats Mali.
305
00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,840
And it's a very good wine here.
306
00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:14,960
And on the other part of Peliushatz there is Dingach, but that name, that sort is Dingach.
307
00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,960
So that's the name of the wine, of the grape.
308
00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:22,760
Is there a certain wine that you're supposed to pair with oysters when you eat or no?
309
00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:30,400
No, usually there is white wine, maybe it's better, but every wine is good.
310
00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:31,400
Yeah.
311
00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:36,000
Yeah, every wine goes very good with oysters.
312
00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,640
That's true or even by itself.
313
00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:38,640
Yes.
314
00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,480
I wanted to ask a little about the bridge that's over there.
315
00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:43,480
Is that finished?
316
00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,760
It will be finished in July.
317
00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:47,760
In July.
318
00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:48,760
Okay.
319
00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:49,760
So just a fact for the...
320
00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,800
It will be open, it's, sorry, it's finished, but it will be open in July.
321
00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,760
Are they still doing some sort of testing on it or something like that?
322
00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:56,760
No, no.
323
00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,680
The problem is the roads that goes here from bridge to...
324
00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:02,680
There are many...
325
00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:08,280
There are roads that are going from the bridge to Prapratna, Prapratna is three kilometers
326
00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,000
from here and through stone.
327
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,800
And they're still working on those roads.
328
00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:14,840
So those parts are not finished.
329
00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:15,840
I see.
330
00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:19,000
And how far then exactly is the bridge when you...
331
00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,920
Once you get off the bridge to stone?
332
00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:22,920
How far?
333
00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,240
How about 15 minutes?
334
00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,160
Oh, okay, so very close.
335
00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:28,320
It's very close.
336
00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,840
And I'm forgetting now where on the other side of the bridge, you know, when you're driving,
337
00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,400
say down from Split.
338
00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,720
How far down from Split until you hit the bridge?
339
00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,400
So it's Komar, now.
340
00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:42,160
It's about two hours.
341
00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,480
I guess maybe from Dubrovnik is a better...
342
00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:52,560
It's not problem, it will not be very near, but there is a problem with border, with Bosnia.
343
00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:59,280
And when people from Split go to Komarna and they go on the bridge, it will be easier for
344
00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:03,640
them because during the summer it's very crowded on that border.
345
00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:07,400
So you can stay there and wait for one, two, three hours.
346
00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:14,200
So it will be much more easier to come here to skip that border with Bosnia.
347
00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,320
I'm sure a lot of the locals are happy that there will be less traffic.
348
00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:18,320
Yes.
349
00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,200
People that live there that have to go back and forth.
350
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,400
Yes, yes, it will be much more easier.
351
00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:28,720
But for tourists also, they come here and they stop on the border and wait.
352
00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,480
So it's very hard.
353
00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,520
Especially in the summer when you go there, you have not...
354
00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:42,640
If you don't have much time and you spend hours in your car waiting on the border.
355
00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:47,520
So these bridges, it will be best for everyone.
356
00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,200
Yeah, that'll be nice.
357
00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:54,400
I feel like most of the tourists that maybe don't know too much about Croatia, when they
358
00:20:54,400 --> 00:21:00,360
go on the summer, they know Split, they know Dubrovnik and maybe up to Istra, I don't know.
359
00:21:00,360 --> 00:21:05,960
But I feel like people don't know too much about Pelešac and how beautiful it is over
360
00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:06,960
there.
361
00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,440
So hopefully now more people...
362
00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:14,320
More people, but they know about oysters and wine.
363
00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:16,320
They don't know maybe the name of the town.
364
00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,800
But when they arrive in our office, they know about oysters.
365
00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:25,880
So I said before that oysters are very famous.
366
00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:31,080
So I think that a lot of people come here just to try oysters.
367
00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:40,240
We have that oyster tour experience through the Bay of Malistan when there are big boats
368
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:47,400
and you can go and take a tour through the Bay, go directly to the oyster farms, try
369
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:56,320
oysters directly from the sea with local wine, some liquor or some sweets from this area.
370
00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,360
So it's a very nice experience.
371
00:22:00,360 --> 00:22:02,760
So you can see the whole process before you actually eat.
372
00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:04,640
Yes, you can see everything.
373
00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:08,560
And just take it to try it directly from the sea.
374
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,680
Just take you in front of you.
375
00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,240
It's very nice.
376
00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:24,360
Especially to someone who knows the food, who likes seafood and who likes to eat new things.
377
00:22:24,360 --> 00:22:27,080
Is that offered through the tourist board?
378
00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:36,720
No, we have four chef producers who organize those trips, those tours.
379
00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:37,720
Okay.
380
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,560
We can give you contact, but we don't organize that.
381
00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:42,560
I see.
382
00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:47,560
I want to ask a little bit about working there at the tourist board.
383
00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:55,680
Is there any challenges or advantages to promoting stone and the oysters and the walls and everything
384
00:22:55,680 --> 00:23:01,560
over there with being located kind of in between Split and Dubrovnik?
385
00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:06,320
Not really, but do you see any, is there any challenges that you face with some of the
386
00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,680
bigger cities or more well-known?
387
00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:10,520
No, I understand.
388
00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:11,520
What are you asking?
389
00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,760
There is, I think Dubrovnik.
390
00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:22,320
It's not this disadvantage, but everyone goes to Dubrovnik and there are lots of agencies
391
00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:32,760
organize trips to Split or Mostar, but they skip this town, this maybe Pelešac because
392
00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,520
it's usually a transit place.
393
00:23:36,520 --> 00:23:40,280
They stop for maybe one hour and they leave this area.
394
00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:49,120
So it's a shame that because they can't see anything in that one hour.
395
00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:54,800
So everyone comes to Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik is well known, it's a very famous town, so
396
00:23:54,800 --> 00:24:02,240
maybe it's a positive and a negative thing being here, being near Dubrovnik.
397
00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,040
Yeah, that makes sense.
398
00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:08,480
So you're finding that more tourists are just sort of passing through as opposed to staying
399
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,480
the night or a few nights, I see.
400
00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:16,720
So is that something that you guys are working with or are you trying to change?
401
00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:18,440
We will need more accommodation.
402
00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:24,960
We have a private accommodation and there's one small family hotel with only 10 rooms.
403
00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:30,920
So in Pratnaya, I mentioned before, it's three kilometers from here, it's a very nice
404
00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:38,560
beach, from there you can go to Island of Mlić, there's a ferry and they are planning
405
00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:40,960
to build a hotel there.
406
00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:50,760
So it will be very good for us because during the season we don't have accommodation.
407
00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,240
So that's also a problem.
408
00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:54,800
Everything is full and that's it.
409
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,680
People have to book 20 kilometers, 15 kilometers from here.
410
00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:08,040
So I think that accommodation and hotel will be very positive things to bring more tourists
411
00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,600
and guests on Pelišac.
412
00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,440
And that hotel is on Mlić, you said?
413
00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:13,720
No, no, no, it's Prapratna.
414
00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,240
Prapratna is on Pelišac.
415
00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:22,720
But from Prapratna there's a ferry that goes to Island of Mlić.
416
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:23,720
I see, I see.
417
00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:29,960
There is a very nice beach campsite and the owner of the campsite wants to build a hotel
418
00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:30,960
there.
419
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:31,960
I see.
420
00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:36,160
Yeah, then that will definitely help with the accommodation, I'm sure.
421
00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:40,520
Yes, it will be good, better.
422
00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,560
What were the numbers like during Corona as far as tourists?
423
00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:48,640
Did you see a big decrease in tourists these last, what, two years, I guess?
424
00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:50,280
Yes, big decrease.
425
00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:56,120
It's about 50%, I think, lower, maybe more, I think 60%.
426
00:25:56,120 --> 00:26:02,920
But last year it was 70% better than 2020.
427
00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:03,920
So it's getting better.
428
00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:05,280
What are you guys expecting for this year?
429
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:12,080
I think it will be better than 2019.
430
00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:15,320
Wow.
431
00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:20,280
What sort of people, what sort of tourists are mostly going there?
432
00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:21,280
Is it families?
433
00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,280
Families most, yes.
434
00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:25,640
Yeah, usually from Europe or from other parts?
435
00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:27,120
All over the world.
436
00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:35,080
Now as we are talking, I think there is 10 buses and the tourists, it's raining, it's
437
00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:40,440
bad weather, but people are walking on the wall, restaurants are full, coffee bars are
438
00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:41,440
full.
439
00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:47,960
I think this season will be excellent, better than the last few years.
440
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:50,920
Wow, right now you're saying already in April.
441
00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:54,000
Wow, when does the season usually start?
442
00:26:54,000 --> 00:27:02,760
Usually May, but maybe 10 days ago, every day there are a few buses, there are lots
443
00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,320
of tourists now.
444
00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:10,920
Maybe with all the restrictions going away, maybe you guys can expect a lot of people.
445
00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:17,320
Yes, and I think that people are tired to stay at home and watch news and everything
446
00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:25,880
is happening so they said, I'm going, I'm living my life and I will enjoy my holidays
447
00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:26,880
in Croatia.
448
00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:31,080
Exactly, especially people who haven't been able to travel these last two years and really
449
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,520
want to go now as much as they can.
450
00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:37,280
Are you guys having any special events in the summer?
451
00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,720
Do you have anything planned?
452
00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:44,360
So usually we organize festivals.
453
00:27:44,360 --> 00:27:49,240
We have a lot of events during the summer.
454
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,720
We organized, I mentioned a festival of oysters.
455
00:27:53,720 --> 00:28:02,840
Now we will organize from 15 of May until 15 of June, a festival of Pelešac captains.
456
00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:11,440
Orebic on the other side of Pelešac was famous for captain sailors.
457
00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:19,040
So we have many gastroanalogical festivals where we promote our food, our gastronomy
458
00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:20,040
and wine.
459
00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:27,080
We organize wine night in Kastje, in Fortress.
460
00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:34,440
On the wall we organize buzarjada, it's like a mussel stew.
461
00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:39,840
It's a food prepared with mussels, but in Croatia we said buzarjada.
462
00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:46,760
So one night is dedicated to oysters, one night is dedicated to mussels and our sweet
463
00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,280
Stonski makaroli, stone cake.
464
00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,680
It's a famous pasta dish.
465
00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:59,680
It's a big pasta cake that is prepared hundreds of years.
466
00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:11,520
It's famous, but everyone is very surprised when they see pasta with walnuts, nuts and
467
00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:12,520
everything.
468
00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,520
It's a sweet dish.
469
00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:16,520
Yeah, unusual I would think.
470
00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:20,680
So you guys are famous not only for oysters, but you have a lot of seafood dishes.
471
00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:22,680
We have everything.
472
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,680
Yes, we are famous for...
473
00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:36,160
We have lots of seafood, lots of dishes, not only salty, not only from sea, but lots of
474
00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:37,160
sweets.
475
00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:42,720
And I saw, I think last year or a few years ago you had some sort of race marathon on
476
00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:43,720
the walls.
477
00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:49,680
Yes, it's about, I think, 14 years that a run goes.
478
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:55,480
It's Stonewall marathon that runs on the wall.
479
00:29:55,480 --> 00:30:06,120
So the start is in stone and runners climb the wall and then so 42 kilometers in the
480
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:07,120
area.
481
00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:09,160
And will you have that again this year?
482
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,600
Yes, every year.
483
00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:11,600
In which month?
484
00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:12,600
September.
485
00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:15,720
Okay, when it's not too hot, hopefully.
486
00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:24,960
Yes, it's not too hot, but last year it was raining, thunderstorms.
487
00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:31,160
It usually begins in the morning at 7 o'clock and 11 o'clock is finished.
488
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:32,600
So people are very fast.
489
00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:35,240
They're running.
490
00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:36,240
It's not very easy.
491
00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:39,760
It's not easy to climb the wall because it's very steep.
492
00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:43,360
There are lots of stairs, they're very long.
493
00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,080
But run, I think...
494
00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:48,320
Yeah, that's a different story.
495
00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:50,480
Totally different.
496
00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:55,000
Usually how late in the season are you able to travel there with good weather while it's
497
00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:56,240
still warm?
498
00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:57,240
Through September?
499
00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:58,960
Or even after?
500
00:30:58,960 --> 00:30:59,960
After.
501
00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:00,960
Oh, wow.
502
00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:06,920
Now, last year at this time, we are wearing short sleeves.
503
00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:08,800
Now it's cold.
504
00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,080
So now it's raining.
505
00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:16,600
A few days ago it's raining, so who knows, everything is strange.
506
00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,400
And the weather is strange.
507
00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,720
Here in Zagreb it's raining a lot.
508
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:27,000
I'm ready for it to start being sunny every day instead of just a couple days and then
509
00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:28,000
back to the cold.
510
00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:29,000
I saw the...
511
00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:30,840
On slieme is snow.
512
00:31:30,840 --> 00:31:31,840
It's snowing.
513
00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:32,840
Really?
514
00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:33,840
Yes.
515
00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:34,840
Oh, wow.
516
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:36,840
I have to really stick my head out the window and look to see that.
517
00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:37,840
To see slieme.
518
00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:38,840
Yeah.
519
00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:39,840
That's pretty cool.
520
00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:44,880
Sanya, I want to ask you one last thing before we go here.
521
00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:45,880
What sort of...
522
00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:48,000
What are your favorite beaches over there?
523
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:53,680
Are there any particular beaches that you think are the nicest in Ston or Malistone?
524
00:31:53,680 --> 00:32:01,800
So in Malistone we have small beaches, but three kilometers from Ston is prapratna.
525
00:32:01,800 --> 00:32:03,960
It's a beautiful sandy beach.
526
00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:08,240
It's a very nice beach, especially for families with kids.
527
00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:12,600
It's very safe, so it's sandy.
528
00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:17,920
It's very nice behind the beach are olive trees.
529
00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:19,800
So it's a very beautiful beach.
530
00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,800
And in Juliana.
531
00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:28,200
Juliana is 15 kilometers from Ston.
532
00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:36,320
They have two beaches in town, in village, and from village maybe 500 meters from the
533
00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,120
center.
534
00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:39,120
It's Vucine.
535
00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:41,040
The name is Vucine.
536
00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:47,040
And maybe for me it's the most beautiful beach on Pelyar Shad's.
537
00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,800
I'm going to have to start writing these down for when I go in the summer.
538
00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:57,440
And then also, there are many places here, many beautiful beaches, beautiful coasts, hidden
539
00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,640
places where you can go.
540
00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:00,640
Yeah.
541
00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:04,760
Well, Sanya, thank you again so much for coming on the podcast.
542
00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:09,200
I'm really excited this summer to go visit Ston and Mali Ston.
543
00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,880
And I'll have to try the oysters since I've never tried them before.
544
00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:14,120
And I'll try some of the wine.
545
00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:15,120
I'm excited.
546
00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:16,120
There's a lot to do.
547
00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:19,640
You should come and we will take you wherever you want to go.
548
00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:28,200
We will take you to the oyster farms, to the wineries, so you can try our food and wine
549
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:29,200
and everything.
550
00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:30,880
Oh, I would love that.
551
00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:31,880
Thank you so much, Sanya.
552
00:33:31,880 --> 00:33:34,720
Thank you very much.
553
00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:38,200
That's it for today's episode of the All Things Croatia podcast.
554
00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:40,560
Thanks for tuning in and I hope you all enjoyed it.
555
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:44,640
You can subscribe to the Patreon and check out the All Things Croatia Instagram page
556
00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:46,160
to stay updated.
557
00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:50,640
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions, tips or ideas and make sure to tune back into
558
00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:52,160
the next episode.
559
00:33:52,160 --> 00:34:05,320
Thanks again and vide moste.