Postcards from Dalmatia (Poljica, otok Hvar) / Razglednice iz Dalmacije (Poljica, otok Hvar)

Time for another 'Postcards from Dalmatia' feature on my blog. It's been a while since I've shared by photographs ( if we don't count a handful of those that end up in outfit posts if the scenery is interesting enough).

In Croatian Poljica can be translated as 'little fields'. Nomen est omen? In fact, there are many small fields surrounding  this charming little village located on the island of Hvar. It is not to be confused with Republic of Poljica which was an autonomous republic (known also as peasant's republic) within Croatia in the middle ages and had its own statute written in 1440 (one of the most important Croatian historical legal statutes).

 That Poljica or that place (it  is not just one village but about 20 of them and people living in them still meet regularly to selected their ruler in a traditionally democratic way but nowadays for symbolic reasons) is located in Dalmatia, but on the coast not on this island. On one occasion, I was invited to participate in their traditional celebration  and really enjoyed being in company of these people who have indebted us with the most delicious dish imaginative- soparnik. One that I haven't tried to prepare yet, because I lacked the courage...but some day I will. It is also a dish to be had when fasting as for example on Christmas' Eve ( it's main ingredient is spinach). Here is a modern simplified recipe if you  feel like trying it but this recipe suggests using pie crusts, which is not as it is originally made. In Croatia they have started to sell this dish in bakeries but it doesn't tastes as good as the one prepared traditionally. On wiki you can see this video of a women preparing it in the traditional way.

In Croatia some places share the same name, but as both of these places are lovely I can only recommend visiting them both. There is also Poljica on island Krk but like on Hvar it is one village, not a group of villages. Probably there are more places named Poljica in Croatia than I don't know of, but this was introduction enough for now. Do you perhaps know of a place named Poljica in your country?

Anyhow, we stopped for a walk in Poljica this summer by accident ( because my nephew was car sick), but I really enjoyed being there and taking a  few photographs of it. Very typical Mediterranean village where times seems to have stopped and you can relax and enjoy in silence that is only disturbed by the melodious song of crickets.