Last year was – to be frank – awful!
Following a merger, I found myself working with people who fundamentally
challenged my core values and made me feel that all my experience – at the
heart of how I make decisions – was worthless.
After several months, I did final did something that I should have done
far sooner, I resigned. My mental,
physical and emotional health was far more important.
And (after the world’s longest notice period) I left – without a job to
go to – but with the lightest feeling in my soul I had had for 18-months. To celebrate my emancipation, my best friend
booked us a long weekend in Dubrovnik.
For those of you who have yet to succumb to the Game of Thrones
hysteria, the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia is the setting for Kings Landing
and arguably one of the prettiest towns around.
Our arrival was typically hysterical.
Imagine two very hungover PR’s after two flights (London to Zagreb and
Zagreb to Dubrovnik – no direct flights in February) and a half hour taxi ride
from the airport along cliff top roads to the Old Town with Lewis Hamilton’s Croatian
Brother.
We were flagging – I might even have been whimpering – when the nice
taxi driver stopped talking on his mobile, pulled up at the outskirts of
Dubrovnik and told us that it was a walking town so we needed to hop to
it. A wet winding walk though a
glorious stone Disney land led us to the worlds cutest Airbnb nestled in the harbour
walls.
And a nap – thank the gods of Westeros – for a nap! Having started the day with a bloody Mary
and a few peanut snacks, we were now hungry and consulting “aunty google” as to
the best restaurant to sooth our fragile souls.
And Konoba Dalmatino
popped up! A restaurant based on the ‘slow
food’ concept with a little Croatian fairy dust run by a South African Export –
what is not to love.
So what is Croatian food? It is
local with each region having its specialities (Dubrovnik celebrates Dalmatian
food) and you can see echoes of Greek, Italian, Turkish and Hungarian cuisines. After
all, this is a country on the Mediterranean – something that is often forgotten. They also celebrate local food and providence
is key.
Having tackled the warren of Dubrovnik old town, we stumbled through the
door into a warm comforting world and an eclectic exciting menu which played to
locally sourced produce. The discussion
was intense, who tried what and what wine was right.
Some might imagine that a day off the sauce might
be the best cure for a hangover but we are made of sterner stuff and chose a
gorgeous bottle of Croatian red. Prior
to arriving I knew nothing about Croatian wine but soon fell in love with the
bold rounded flavors of their reds – just the right anecdote for the wet wild
weather they were experiencing.
I chose Octopus Salad – a glorious mixture of soft unctuous seafood with
capers, onions and tomato – and my friend was seduced by the local mussels. Or rather, I think she might have been
trying to seduce them given the joy and noises that I could hear from the other
side of the table. Before, I wondered if
privacy might be the right way forward, mains arrived.
My friend chose truffle pasta and due to the fact that this is a child
friendly blog, I’ve decided not to dwell on this anymore but suffice to say,
she seemed very happy – flushed even. And
so we stumbled into the night, heading to bed and three more days of adventure
in Dubrovnik – a glorious walking city with fantastic food that you must visit.
Lx
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