Total Hvar's HQ shut down at the beginning of the week, marking the start of the winter regime for the Splendid Stalwarts.
The sun is still shining in Jelsa, despite the closure of the Cafe Splendid last Sunday, which marks the official start of winter. Fortunately, Jelsa has an abundant supply of good cafes to enjoy, provided the weather is warm enough to sit outside. Inside, the winter hostelries are generally suffocatingly smoke-filled. Over winter the Total Hvar team and supporters frequent the other cafes more regularly than during the rest of the year. The trendy Tarantela is a firm favourite serving excellent coffee. Today ace barista Mario was on fine form, revelling in the good weather and constant flow of customers.
'Professor' Frank John Duboković was proudly displaying his latest hat, a souvenir of a recent "FANTASTIC" trip to Novi Sad and Belgrade, obviously enjoyed to the full. The hat is not only warm, neat and smart, but doubly practical. Red on one side, with the slogan 'Quiksilver' (? who he?):
And plain black when reversed, ideal for attending a funeral at short notice.
The closure of the Splendid means there will be a drought for Mr Total Hvar when he returns from the shivering climes of Munich. He will have to content himself with looking forward to the Splendid's re-opening in the spring, when Nijaz will once again be stocking his favourite beer in quantity specially for him.
More youthful clients will be looking forward to strange and wonderful concoctions involving ice cream and fantasy in equal quantity.
Treats come in many different styles at the Splendid, as in Jelsa's other legendary ice cream cafes (which sadly all close down for the winter).
Football enthusiasts will be lining up to discuss the latest footie news, local, national and international, and to watch the matches on TV in the company of the like-minded. Nijaz's enthusiasm for and knowledge of all angles of football are legendary, so it's no surprise that one of the UK's most famous football pundits is a regular at the Splendid when he's in town.
Fortunately, the Splendid's winter break will be short. Meanwhile, in Jelsa there is work going on. The repair of the new waterfront has finally got going, with an impressive array of heavy machinery on the job.
Fingers crossed that the strengthening and extension of the waterfront does not meet with the same catastrophe of collapse as happened earlier this year. No-one has been hurt in the various mishaps which have beset the waterfront works so far. Fingers crossed that they reach their conclusion speedily and without injury.
And fingers crossed that the fine weather continues for a little while longer - preferably til next spring - so that we can continue to enjoy our outdoor socializing and watching the harbour labours unfolding in smooth progression.
