2 The Dubrovnik Times
19.6.2008.
FROM THE EDITOR
Mark Thomas
We l c o m e t o
our beautiful city
and to the eighth
edition of the sec-
ond season of“The
Dubrovnik Times.”
Any chance I get to
spend some time
on the island of
Mljet I always grab
with both hands. I
remember one of
the first times we
ever went to the
island and had
no experience or
prior knowledge of what to expect. On seeing that the island was
paradise on earth we decided to explore a bit. We had just arrived in
the small port of Polače and saw a sign “Rent a Bike”, that seemed the
ideal way to get around in an eco-friendly way. So with thoughts of
the wind rushing through our hair as we whizzed around we mounted
our rides and set off. For two minutes the journey was just as we had
expected, peaceful and in harmony with the surroundings, until after
leaving the village we encountered a hill. As we had just started we
were full of beginner’s energy, but having not ridden a bike for many
years, totally out of condition. We slogged on in the raging heat until
we reached the point were our legs turned to jelly. What was sup-
posed to be a gentle ride in nature felt like the last stage of the “Tour
de France.” Dismounting, the only option left was to push our bikes
to the top. Finally we reached the “summit” and collapsed by the side
of the road to catch our breath. Soaking wet from sweat and puff-
ing like steam trains we probably looked to passers-by like we had
been doing something else rather than riding bikes, in fact I even lit
a cigarette to complete the scene. Feeling fit we hopped back onto
our “steeds” and set off after a few meters we rounded a corner and
to our horror were met with a huge sign “Rent a bike.” After slogging
all the way up the hill we could have simply caught the mini bus to
the top and then rented bikes. On another occasion we traveled to
the end of the island by scooter. The bay “limuni” is the last stop and
was it was a real Robinson Crusoe experience. Realizing that we were
alone and had the bay to ourselves we had our own version of Blue
Lagoon and stripped off naked before enjoying a dip in the crystal
clear sea. It was certainly romantic but there is definitely a down side
to being naked all day and that is you tend to get sun burned in “ten-
der”places. Getting dressed again proved painful and then in a panic
I remembered that we still had a long journey back across the whole
island on a scooter. Every bump and hole in the road, and on Mljet
there are plenty, caused me to grimace in pain. The only advantage
was that at higher speeds the cooling wind would blow up my shorts
and eased my pain. As I dismounted the scooter outside of the hotel I
resembled John Wayne after a long ride across the Wild West. And as
he once quoted “Tomorrow hopes we have learned something from
yesterday” and I certainly have.
Thank you for all your e-mails that I received over the last weeks.
SPEAK UP!
We would love to hear from you. Please write or send an e-mail to us
about your stay in Dubrovnik. Your comments are valuable to us and
the most interesting letters will be published every week. Interesting
and unusual photos are also welcome. Thanks.
Mark Thomas
The Dubrovnik Times,
Vukovarska 10,
20000, Dubrovnik.
mark.thomas@dubrovnik-times.com
PUBLISHER
Powered by Dubrovački vjesnik
Vukovarska 10, 20000 Dubrovnik, Tel. 020/ 35 64 44, fax: 020/ 35 70 33
Director: Vjera Šuman
Editor-in-chief:
Mark Thomas mark.thomas@dubrovnik-times.com
Assistant editor: Anđelka Kelava
Reporters:
Sonja Seferović, Katica Cikoja, Ines Vlašić, Boris Njavro
Photography: Grgo Jelavić, Željko Tutnjević
Graphic editor: Zvonimir Lasić
Graphic: Ana Misir, Kristian Grljević
Marketing:
Manuela Grbić, Sandra Serdarević, Roberta Sušić
Printer: Slobodna Dalmacija, Hrvatske mornarice 4, Split
SWEDISH LOVE DALMATIAN VILLAGES
The Kingdom of Sweden helps and finances projects in Croatian agri-
culture. In connection to these projects fifty experienced economists,
farmers and ecologists from Sweden toured Dalmatia and they were es-
pecially interested in the cultural treasures of the villages. – We are still
today fighting against land rights and we would like to help Croatia in
protecting more in the future. –added Swedish journalist Borj Emilsson.
The journalist was also fascinated in the way that the villages could be
used as a tourist attraction – we have seen almost all European countries
from Russia to Ireland and Spain, but in your villages I have got the feel-
ing that the people haven’t yet been globalised. Because of this we need
to protect this area from large investments and make it possible for the
local people to own and work the land – concluded Borj.
ENTRY INTO EU WOULD STABILZE REGION
Swift European Union membership for Turkey and Croatia would benefit
the bloc and stabilize southeast Europe, especially in the wake of Kosovo’s
independence, regional leaders said last week. The annual meeting in
Macedonia of leaders from 19 mostly south and central European states
focused on the prospect of EU membership at a time of economic gloom
and enlargement fatigue in Europe, and rising nationalist tensions in
the Balkans. Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said the region’s accession
should be “accelerated as much as possible”. Host Branko Crvenkovski of
Macedonia said the Balkans were currently neither stable, nor fully and
irreversibly on the path to Europe.
FIRST BELGIUM CONSULATE IN DUBROVNIK
“I am very happy and proud and I hope that I will justify the faith and
confidence shown” commented Sabine Gouhie after being named the
first consulate for Belgium in Dubrovnik. Sabine was born in Belgium but
has spent the last eight years living and working in Dubrovnik. “This city
has proved to be my destiny” remarked Sabine on the official opening
of the consulate adding that she has no plans to move back to Belgium
because her life is now here in Dubrovnik. She speaks excellent Croatian
which she says she learnt through day-to-day conversation and from the
TV, but also she knows Flemish, French, English and German. As the new
consulate for Belgium Sabine will be on hand to aid Belgium citizens who
are discovering the beauty of the Adriatic in bigger numbers every year.
Issue 35
DALMATIAN SPECIALITIES IN HOTEL HILTON
Every Wednesday Hotel Hilton will serve a rich offer of Mediterranean
cuisine with an emphasis on Dalmatian specialities. Top chef Gianfranco
Angelilli from Rome will prepare the delicacies. After starting his career
in San Domenico in Imoli he moved on to New York where he earned
the title of master chef before moving back to his native Italy where he
worked in the Hilton in Rome for 4 years. For the last year and a half he
has been preparing Mediterranean specialities in Hotel Hilton Imperial
Dubrovnik.
BLUE FLAG FLIES OVER HOTEL NEPTUN
The hotel beach on Hotel Neptun has been awarded the prized Blue Flag
recognition for cleanliness. The award of a Blue Flag beach is based on
compliance with 29 criteria covering the aspects of: environmental edu-
cation and information, water quality, environmental management and
safety and services.
DUBROVNIK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CELEBRATES
200TH ANNIVERSARY
The 200th Anniversary of the Dubrovnik County Chamber of Commerce
was celebrated during a formal session of the Chamber of Commerce
Council. After the opening speeches, plaques and awards were presented
to a few commercial companies, which also included a few hotel com-
panies. In the category of medium-sized firms, the following firms were
nominated as the Best Commercial Companies in 2007: “Grand Villa Ar-
gentina” d.d., “Hoteli Mlini” d.o.o. from Srebreno and “Vulix” d.o.o., while
«Vulix» also received a golden plaque. A special award was presented by
the Croatian Chamber of Commerce to Hotel “Croatia” from Cavtat (35th
Anniversary), “Maestral Hotels” (70th Anniversary), Hotel “Faraon” from
Trpanj, and the agricultural Co-ops from Smokvica and Kuna.
CROATIAN INVENTORS CLEAN UP AT US EXPO
Croatia’s inventors have helped affirm the country as a centre for innova-
tion after winning 24 awards at this year’s INPEX trade show, America’s
largest Invention and New Product Exposition. Eight of the awards took
first place, six came second and six came third, with four special recogni-
tion awards. INPEX provides a venue for the exhibit of inventions and for
networking with companies interested in licensing, marketing or manu-
facturing new products.
The show in Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania featured 2,100 exhibits from the
United States and 20 from other countries. Croatia participated for the
15th time in a row, represented by 17 inventors and entrepreneurs. The
Croatian Inventors Association and the Zagreb Inventors Association
received recognition for their successful collaboration. Neven Markovic
received an “Ambassador” award for the best-organized national exhibit
and Zagreb’s Economic Office Director Ladislav Prezigal was the recipient
of a gold medal from the city of Pittsburgh.
BBC PROGRAMMES TO BE SHOWN ON CROATIAN TV
Croatian television channel HRT is set to take on a range of programmes