Exploring Paris: A Rediscovery Through Food and Friends

I’ve been hopscotching through Europe this summer, starting in Scotland, then Paris to spend time with my old friend Adam. I hadn’t seen him since before Covid and it was great to catch up and explore the great city of Paris together. I hadn’t been to Paris in years and loved getting reacquainted.

I didn’t bother with museums this time. I just focused on exploring the different arrondissements. He lives in the first so it was the perfect place to begin. Basically we walked, ate and drank. The perfect Parisian holiday.

I’ll be back for sure.

Split, Croatia was next on my list. I had a few friends I met when I was here with Kelly during Covid — three long years ago. I was looking forward to spending time with them and revisiting their wonderful city.

Walking around stirred many memories for me, especially of Kelly. She loved it here as we both had a great time.

But I quickly discovered that Split had changed since I was here. The quiet old town is now brimming with tourists from the array of cruise ships parked in the nearby port. They follow around in packs following their guides holding up small signs so they won’t get separated. You don’t want to get lost here I guess. Better without cruise ships for sure.

Also in my time away, Croatia switched to the Euro and because of that (and inflation), prices have skyrocketed. Prices felt like being back in LA. Gulp.

Rising prices has hit the local population hard. They certainly go out to eat less often and you see less of them in the old town. It’s not uncommon to see a local Croatian nursing a bottle of coke or a cup of coffee for hours. They are there to take in the vibe and aren’t there to spend their limited resources.

Unfortunately my time with my friends didn’t go as planned. The bond wasn’t as strong as I remember and I found myself alone. This put me on my heels as it was a big reason I was here.

Not one to dwell on my miscalculations, it was time to pivot. I asked myself, why stay in Split? I had two weeks to fill and didn’t want to squander it. I decided to explore some areas I didn’t visit last time. I put my attention on the islands dotting the coastline. The furthest one out was the tiny island of Vis. (It’s kind of famous in that the movie Mamma Mia 2 was shot here. Though it wasn’t my reason). Vis was shut down when I was here last, like many of the islands, it closes down in the fall and doesn’t reopen until tourist season in the spring.

Let’s explore it.

Vis is strategic in that it sits right in the middle of the Adriatic Sea, about half-way between Croatia and Italy. It’s been inhabited since Neolithic times, but sprang to life in 390 BCE when the Greeks established a colony there called Issa. It has changed hands many time since. And of course it’s name.

After the 2 1/2 hour ferry ride, I disembarked and walked a half-hour to my Airbnb. To my joy, it was perfect (you never know). It was a good size with a workable kitchen but most lovely was the outside lanai overlooking the harbor. The perfect place to hang, write or read. Or smoke a cigar.

I took a walk around town along the tiny alleys laid with old stone polished to a shine from endless shuffling feet. The warm sun was on my back and the clear, blue-green sea stretched before me. I passed many cafes as I strolled along the Riva — locals and tourists sat eating and drinking (and unfortunately smoking). Unlike Split, I heard Croatian spoken everywhere.

No one was in a hurry.

I sat at a coffee bar perched next to the sea. Sailboats swayed in the breeze. What a perfect arrival.

September it turns out, is the best month to be here. August is hot and crowded, but now the beaches are empty and the water is refreshing. Everyone seems to be happy that the crowds have diminished and fall is on its way. They are making plans to return to the mainland where they will spend the winter and rest up until next spring when it all starts again.

Sometimes I do not know what I am looking for when I arrive in a new place. And sometimes it slowly settles over me — that I’m not here to find what I am looking for, but what is already here.

So I decide to stay. Not for the four days I originally planned, but for the rest of my time in Croatia. It’ll give me time to blend into the fabric of this tiny community.

The luxury of time — that’s all you need.

Exploring the island

Renting a bicycle was life-changing here. The island is small enough that you can ride the perimeter in under three hours. It’s a bit hilly, so an e-bike will always be my steed of choice. But the roads were in good shape and more or less deserted.

This seriously was my Island of bliss.

You can take your time spending the day exploring the remote rocky beaches and coastline

The economy of Vis is primarily grapes and tourism (they obviously go hand in hand). Much of the interior is filled with vines, wineries and a few olive orchards.

Food

I found decent, though not extraordinary food. The local taste tend to hover around simple and hardy and pizza — rarely elevating to memorable. For that you need to go back to Split.

Peka

Peka (“bell”) is a very popular traditional method of preparing various specialities around Vis. It involves roasting the food over open flames using a clay or wrought-iron baking vessel. They are made with simple ingredients — protein, carrots, potatoes, rice, olive oil and garlic. Octopus and lamb are some of the best. It cooks between 1 1/2 and 2 hours so you must call ahead the day before to order.