Villa Life

---

There is not really to much to say about life at the Villa. It’s pretty much 10 days of “same old, same old” but it’s a tough life that someone has to do once in a while. So where is the villa ? Well, Omis is only about 25 – 30 km South of Split but it is about a 45 minute drive. Continue through Omis for about another 8 to 10 km and the highway passes through the village of Stanici and our landmark here for finding the villa is the Sunset Apartments. (Try a Google Maps query of Stanici, if you zoom in to about a 200 m scale you’ll see the Sunset Apts noted on the map) About 100 meters along, continuing sort of South-east and the steps to the villa from the highway are found.

The villa clings to the top of the hillside, just a few meters below the level of the highway and because we are below the highway there is little traffic noise. There is a view of the Adiriatic and across the way the island of Brac., Below us is another villa building built into the hillside, and on this steep hillside below that there is another villa whose foundations are almost lapped by the Adriatic. The internet description of the villa speaks of a beach only 50 meters away. Well, it may be 50 meters measured horizontally from the patio but it is 156 steep and irregular steps down, and then back up. These steps are not “built to code” as we know it, so pay attention to your footing.

One hundred and fifty-six steps later and the beach is not quite as expected. It was already known that the beach was not gleaming white sand but more of a “pebble” beach. There were pebbles OK, but the ‘beach’ wasn’t much more than 8 feet wide, and it was not a private beach area, but part of a pathway along the water’s edge. Count out laying on the beach unless you want people stepping over and around you. Not that there was that much traffic, but . . . . . The patio became the sun spot but a couple of our group did make the stairway trek at least once a day for a dip In the Adriatic.

We quickly settled into the villa routine. There was fresh bread with breakfast daily from the small village convenience store by the Sunset Apartments. A regular run into Omis every two or three days where there were butcher shops and larger grocery stores for meat, cheeses, chips, and other supplies. (It didn’t take much to clear out the village inventory of beer). After the first supply run I was seconded to be part of the supply runs that included meat. On the first run the girls bought what they thought were ribs for a barbeque. Turned out that what they had actually bought was pretty much the front quarter of a lamb, and not pork ribs. So we had barbequed lamb ribs one night and a couple nights later it was roast lamb shoulder and lamb shank. Usually a barbeque dinner one night is alternated with ‘dinner out’ either in Omis or one of the many villages/communities South along the highway.

In the mornings, about 7:00AM it was usually 20C, by mid-morning 24C, and by 1:00PM 30C or more. We topped out at 34, and our record low was 18 one morning about 6:30AM. Lots of sunshine and only one day when the sun and clouds battled it out but by mid-afternoon the sunshine had one. We had no rain but a very strong windstorm one night that actually blew the lamp illuminating the steps off the power pole and left it swinging by one cable and the power line.

Trip Advisor and the landlord’s recommendations were referred to for restaurant recommendations in Omis. Trip Advisor seemed to suggest there were no restaurants in Omis and it seemed the landlord had no suggestions either. But we discovered that Omis does have restaurants, and lots of them about a block off the main drag, which is the highway running through the town. A block from the main drag and it is almost like another world. A large square, lots of open air coffee shops, bars, and restaurants as well as all sorts of shops lining the few streets below the mountain that forms a backdrop to the town. Our first ‘night out’ dinner we discovered Restaurant Milo. Seating outside and inside with delicious food that invited a return visit later. On the return visit the girls determined to order the fish platter, described as a ‘platter for two’. It was a huge platter when it arrived with fish fillets, grilled squid, mussels, octopus, vegetables and French fries. I didn’t believe it, but amazingly they managed to clean that whole platter !

On one of the ‘supply’ runs into Omish there was a conversation with a local gentleman who suggested it would be well worth our time to take a trip to the mountain village of Gatta above Omis. He said the view would be fantastic and it was less than 10 km. One day we decided to take the trip to Gatta but decided we would go a little early so we wouldn’t have to be driving down the mountain after the sun had gone down. We left Omis following the signs to Gata on a regular roadway, climbing upwards, through and past the local light industrial area, and began to twist and turn up the hill which soon became more mountain like. As the road seemed to narrow we noticed it looked like it had been chiseled from the side of the mountain., Solid rock straight up on one side, and on the other side, . . . . . nothing ! Nothing but straight down. Guard rails had not been noticed as a common routine feature on the Croatian roads but even up here, where there were some guardrails they didn’t seem very reassuring. Eventually we reached the village of Gatta and I think everyone let their breath out at the same time.

It didn’t take more than 5 minutes in Gatta before the unanimous decision was made that we should head back down now ! Back down thatroad and with relief the sun was still shining when we reached the bottom. Oh, the view the gentleman mentioned ? I don’t think anyone noticed. Maybe he had a spot along the road and a chuckle at the “tourists” going to Gatta.

On another evening we set out heading South on the highway in search of a specific restaurant. Off the highway and twisting down the hillside into the town and to the beach area and we found ourselves in a July Jasper/Banff – like tourist area but with twice as many people and roads half the size and parking spaces a rare and endangered concept. Unable to spot the restaurant we did eventually win a jackpot and secured a parking area while a couple of us went to see if we could directions to where we wanted to be. No luck. But while we were gone the parking enforcement officer came by and provided directions, adding we were in the wrong town. There is so much development along this coast the villages and communities are blending into each other. If it weren’t for road signs indicating you were entering and leaving one community you wouldn’t be able to tell. I guess on this night we missed a couple road signs. We eventually found the ‘special’ restaurant and despite some challenges seating 5 persons along the way , the food was seemed to meet expectations.

All good things come to an end but new adventures lie ahead as we leave the villa for Dubrovnik. The highway twists and turns along the mountain side following the Adriatic coast. The views are incredible, awesome, wonderful, add your own adjective. The highway too provides it’s own special adventures on the trip to Dubrovnik. Even without GPS technology I think you could map the Croatian coastline by simply following the highway.

---

Photos

The Villa
walking to the villa

Omis Town
as seen from the old fort overlooking the town

Villa View
Nice weather too !

Restalurant Milo
One of Omis's many fine restaurants that don't exist

Villa lView II
Really makes one think of working doesn't it ?