Kaštela - Day 3 Tuesday 9/3

After a leisurely breakfast (which would have been served on the hotel terrace had it not been raining), we set out for the village of Versine.
Fortunately, the rain subsided just before we left the hotel. Our first stop was to visit an olive tree that is documented to be more than 1500 years old.

We passed a mussel "farm"....

...enroute to our visit with Tomislav and Gorana, who are friends of Jane and Jay. We walked through their konoba, which is a space designed for outdoor dining.

We then toured their farm. You can see their olive oil press and one of their pomegranate trees.

After our farm tour, and a mere two hours after breakfast, we were invited to have a "snack" at their table. We started with rakia, which might be best described as a homemade fruity grappa.

"Snack" included homemade breads and cheeses, a platter of locally caught seafood, zucchini fritters, meats, and fruit. Oh, and wine...because it
is after 10 AM. We enjoyed sampling their domestic products, and they were the most gracious hosts.

After this delicious repast, we traveled to the magnificent Krka National Park. The park encompasses two thirds of the Krka River and includes its seven waterfalls. Here are some of the less dramatic, but still quite pretty falls.

The best known of the falls is Skradinski Buk Falls, the largest travertine cascade system in Europe. And yes, those are people swimming.

Here is Charlie modeling his first replacement purchase.

We stopped at a small business where they make soaps and lotions, and below that is a craft brewery.

And now for Charlie's favorite part of the day...we visited a local farm to learn about prosciutto making. The pigs lead a pampered (but relatively short) life, gaining two pounds a day, until they reach 500 pounds. We saw a video that walked us trough the process, and then we were treated to a slice of the really good stuff.

Here is their lovely vineyard, and outdoor entertainment space.

Before dinner we saw the peka being prepared. This is a typical Croatian baked dish with meat and vegetables made on a tray under a metal bell. Embers from the fireplace are placed over the bell. Many houses in Dalmatia, especially in the countryside, have a special place in the barn or at the ground floor of the house for preparing the peka.

We were greeted with rakia. The cherry was so delicious that we bought a bottle.

Then we ate:
Appetizers

vegetable soup with dumplings that were like matzo balls

and, finally, the peka.

Our farewell shot is of the ladies with our gracious host.

Photos are tagged Croatia, Krka and Kastela