HVAR IN THE MORNING

You cannot deny the beauty that exists in the town of Hvar in Croatia.  It truly is a place like no other.  There is so much history in such a small place which has now become a playground for so many.  Cruise ships, sail boats, super yachts, hired yachts, catamarans, all adorn the port.  You can people watch in any part of the square, the parks, the promenades, for days.  Meander through the many alley ways, peruse the wares of locals selling their wares of lavender, oils, clothing, arts, jewellery and more.

It truly is a magical place.  People come and go. Many no longer than a few days, some only for a few hours.  For only about four months each year, Hvar is alive with tourists.  An industry which for these four months the locals work hard and long in order to survive for the remaining eight months of the year.

As tourists, we go from port to port, tourist destination to tourist destination.  We see the beauty that this country has been blessed with and who the people have worked and fought so hard for.  But do we see the real people?  Do we see what the locals go through while we pass through, dropping kuna like they are only a few dollars.  Granted, we have worked hard and saved hard to be able to travel to these places, but when we leave, when all of the tourists leave, what do the locals do?

They live simply.  They continue to ensure that their haven is beautiful, so for those four months next year they are able to make enough money to get them through the next eight months.  They grow what they can to eat, they cultivate their land, and they fish.

In the eight years between this visit and the last, we have seen the changes that have occurred in Hvar.  The tourists have changed, the level of class has changed.  If you are ever in Croatia, I highly recommend you visit Hvar.  You will not regret it.  But please respect it, and its people, so that others may be able to see the beauty that exists within.

The morning after we arrived in Hvar this time, Johnny and I rose with the locals.  The sun was already at least an hour before us, but the town was quiet and fresh.  We wandered through the alleyways and appreciated how the locals live.

Thank you Hvar and your people, for sharing your magic and your beauty.  We hope you will always keep your integrity, and we look forward to visiting you again one day.

This is how Hvar looks in the morning, when only the locals are up, getting on with their days.