Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas - The editor and big chief of The Dubrovnik Times. Born in the UK he has been living and working in Dubrovnik since 1998, yes he is one of the rare “old hands.” A unique insight into both British and Croatian life and culture, Mark is often known as just “Englez” or Englishman. He is a traveller, a current affairs freak and a huge AFC Wimbledon fan.

Email: mark.thomas@dubrovnik-times.com

According to information from the Dubrovnik – Neretva Police Department there were eight road traffic accidents in the county last week, of which four involved injured drivers and passengers.

Last week the Dubrovnik Police took 506 measures against drivers for traffic offenses. From this total 181 were due to speeding, 54 due to improper parking, 59 drivers for not wearing a seat belt, 25 for improper overtaking, 18 for drivers who didn’t have their headlights on and 29 for drivers under the influence of alcohol.

Another indication of the social situation in Croatia is the dramatic increase in the number of employees and owners of small businesses. In 2007 there were 267,842 people employed by small businesses in Croatia, just ten years later and in 2017 that number has fallen to 198,699. Over the past ten years the number of employees has been constantly falling in Croatia.

This trend started in the early 2000’s and doesn’t look like slowing up. Compared to ten years ago just under 70,000 fewer people and employed in small businesses. These very businesses should be one of the cogs that creates new enterprises, export opportunities, financial benefits and more importantly offer new employment.

Over the past five years over 200,000 Croatians have left the country looking for employment in other European Union countries, with Ireland and Sweden high on the wish list.

On the occasion of Remembrance for the victims of Vukovar in 1991 on Friday, November 17th candles will be lit in front of the Church of Saint Blaise and along Vukovar Street.

The candles are lit in the memory of suffering of the hero city 26 years ago. Students from primary and secondary schools and their teachers, as well as fellow citizens will be part of this event. They will light up candles from 5:30 to 6:15 pm.

In Dubrovnik Cathedral there will be a mass for all deceased and missing Croatian soldiers and civilians in the Serbian aggression on Vukovar at 6 pm.

Dubrovnik is slowy, but surely starting to get ready for fourth edition of Dubrovnik Winter Festival. The decorations are being placed in the Old City and it can be seen that they are different than in last couple of years.

However, decorating has just started so we can expect many more surprises. The plan is to spread the Christmas spirit all over the city and to add that special bling to places that weren't included before.

With rainy weather, lower temperatures and no crowds, Dubrovnik is really getting that winter feeling. It's easy to believe that Christmas is just around the corner. 

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Even though it is not unusual to find picture books about national anthems, we have to admit that it is quite unusual to see a picture book about Croatia’s national anthem designed by a non-Croat.

At the recently held 40th International Book Fair Interliber in Zagreb, a Mexican Cynthia Martinez presented a wonderful picture book about Croatia’s national anthem. It is interesting to note that Martinez is a daughter-in-law of the popular Croatian sociologist and a university professor Slaven Letica.

The story about Cynthia’s picture book is very educational. As Mexico has had a picture book about the national anthem and her daughter learned to sing the Mexican anthem, Cynthia discovered that there is no such thing in Croatia.

Last summer, Martinez addressed to the president and the owner of Školska knjiga Ante Žužul with her idea about a picture book that would be titled ‘’Lijepa naša domovino’’, as is the title of Croatia’s national anthem. After a few months and thanks to Cynthia, the book editor Emica Calogjera-Rogic and the book illustrator Marsela Hajdinak, a picture book about Croatia’s anthem saw the light of day.

The picture book contains a music recording, a translation of verses into five world languages (English, German, French, Italian and Spanish), a short note about the creation of the verses and the setting of the anthem to music, as well as a useful explanation intended for small children about illustration symbolism.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is intended for children in Croatia and abroad in order for them to learn to accept other nations, to learn from other cultures and at the same time to promote their own identity and their values.

‘’With this book the Croatian anthem will travel around the world and gather together all our children wherever they are’’, commented Žužul.

If you are planning to drive up to Zagreb from Dubrovnik don’t forget you’ll need winter tyres or you could be facing a fine of 700 Kuna. According to a decision made by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure from today until the 15th of April 2018 winter equipment is mandatory regardless of weather conditions and road conditions for all vehicles on the so called “winter road sections” in Croatia.

These winter sections don’t include any inside the Dubrovnik – Neretva County, however drivers on the A1 motorway will need to have winter tyres if they plan on travelling the capital.

Under the winter section are all Croatian motorways except the Dalmatian section A1 from Maslenica to Vrgorac and the Istrian highway. Winter equipment is described as winter tyres on all wheels or summer tyres with the lowest depth of 4 mm tread profile plus snow chains. The penalty for not having the correct winter equipment is 700 Kuna.

Croatia is a country where rich people will spend their money and fall in love with the country as soon as they watch this interesting video, at least according to the words of Alux.

“Croatia has served as the set design of many famous films and TV shows including Game of Thrones. When you venture into this world of amazing landscapes and incredible culture expect to take a tonne of pictures, particularly in the city of Dubrovnik a medieval town located on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, which is one of the most sought after destinations in the world,” opens the text about Dubrovnik in a new promo video just released.

The British agency and website for Luxury and Fine Living Enthusiasts intended exclusively for millionaires and billionaires, recommends them the best ways where and how to spend their money. 

In Alux’s latest 17-minute video ‘’15 Things You Didn’t Know About Croatia’’ the agency reports about Croatia’s industry and the best spots for investment, as well as about natural beauty, cultural heritage, inventors and the fact that Croatia is one of the safest world countries for tourists to visit.

The video is very interesting however, Alux made a mistake related to Dubrovnik. While talking about ‘’The Pearl of the Adriatic’’ i.e. Dubrovnik, the video showed photos of the Old Bridge in Mostar located in the neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Even though Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea in the Croatian region of Dalmatia, video featured Mostar in the background. Only few minutes later photos of Dubrovnik appeared on the screen. 

All and all, we thank Alux for this great promotion of Croatia; however, we advise them to pay more attention in the future to geography of Croatia and the neighbouring countries in the region. 

 

Croatia is a country where rich people will spend their money and fall in love with the country as soon as they watch this interesting video, at least according to the words of Alux.

The British agency and website for Luxury and Fine Living Enthusiasts intended exclusively for millionaires and billionaires, recommends them the best ways where and how to spend their money.

In Alux’s latest 17-minute video ‘’15 Things You Didn’t Know About Croatia’’ the agency reports about Croatia’s industry and the best spots for investment, as well as about natural beauty, cultural heritage, inventors and the fact that Croatia is one of the safest world countries for tourists to visit.

The video is very interesting however, Alux made a mistake related to Dubrovnik. While talking about ‘’The Pearl of the Adriatic’’ i.e. Dubrovnik, the video showed photos of the Old Bridge in Mostar located in the neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. Even though Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea in the Croatian region of Dalmatia, video featured Mostar in the background. Only few minutes later photos of Dubrovnik appeared on the screen.

All and all, we thank Alux for this great promotion of Croatia; however, we advise them to pay more attention in the future to geography of Croatia and the neighbouring countries in the region. 

Among the 600 best cafe bars in the world, according to the Phaidon guide ''Where to Drink Coffee'', Eliscaffe from Zagreb has also found its place in this prestigious group.

''Where to Drink Coffee'' is a famous guide made by professionals. Around 150 best baristas and coffee experts selected 600 places across the globe where the best coffee is served.

Since the opening in 2005, Eliscaffe and its owner Nik Orosi have received a number of awards. It is the first specialized coffee bar in Croatia and was the first smoke-free coffee bar opened in the region.

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Reputable newspapers such as the New York Times and the Financial Times wrote about Eliscaffe and its owner, however, including the cafe bar on the list of the best coffee spots in the world is perhaps the greatest recognition for their work.
It is interesting to note that Eliscaffe made it to the prestigious list thanks to the rating of Tim Wendelboe, a top-class and most award-winning barista from Norway.

''For a long time Eliscaffe was the only place in Zagreb where you could have a good cup of coffee, however, after winning numerous awards, Nik has never stopped improving the quality'', wrote Wendelboe in his review.

''I bought that book last week and when I went through its pages, I saw that Eliscaffe is on the list'', commented Nik, who was thrilled with the fact that his coffee is among the best in the world thanks to Tim Wendelboe. ''He does not praise very often. On the contrary, sometimes he is very harsh and speaks his mind’’.

Orosi also added that there are 1,300 cafe bars in Zagreb; however, Eliscaffe was the only one selected. ‘’Austria is not even on this list, and only six cafe bars from Italy were selected by the Phaidon Guide. Look at the size of Italy, and look at the size of Croatia!'', commented Nik Orosi with delight.

The Voice of Dubrovnik

THE VOICE OF DUBROVNIK


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