Lifestyle

April the 19th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to take you through what you need to do when it comes to applying for and (hopefully) being granted Croatian international protection. This status afford the holder certain rights, so let's delve deeper. First of all, what is Croatian international protection? Croatian national protection doesn't really differ all that much from international protection offered by the vast majority of European countries. It is designed to safeguard the rights of refugees and other such groups and individuals who are fleeing war, persecution or unrest. It gives the…

April 20, 2023 - Spring is here, and Slavonia is full of life, indeed. One of the most famous and intriguing periods of the incredibly long and rich history of the oldest European city will soon come to life again in all its splendor, returning Vinkovci to the age of the ancient Cibals and its not one but two Roman emperors. 2023 Vinkovci Roman Days have been announced. As SiB writes, the special tenth edition of the Roman Days is just around the corner. From June 16 to 18, the town on Bosut will once again be the center of…

April the 14th, 2023 - Under monitored conditions, Croatian artist Alfred Freddy Krupa drew 'My Panoramas' on a raw canvas of 69x892 format over the 10th and 11th of January 2023 in the drawing room of the Duga Resa High School's graphic design department.  In addition to creating large and in this case very large paintings, he wanted to draw attention to the painting-drawing form that he has been dealing with for many years and encourage a possible competition in that area. Croatian artist Alfred Freddy Krupa's work was recognized as the largest of its kind and a world record…

April the 13th, 2023 - For the second consecutive year, ten giant Croatian-style Easter eggs have been placed on display at the Plaza Independencia in Mendoza, Argentina. These giant Croatian-style Easter eggs are made of fiberglass and five of those on display in Plaza Independencia are 2.50 meters high and 1.60 meters wide. The remaining five are 2.15 m and 1.40 m wide. The Croatian community established this unprecedented custom in conjunction with the Municipality of the City of Mendoza. It is an old tradition of displaying giant Easter eggs in public spaces, painted by artists with allegorical motives that…

April 13, 2023 - A stunning evening of the cultural pearls of Kazakhstan, as world-famous Ethno-Folk Ensemble Turan steals the show. My inbox is an increasingly interesting place to hang out, and every once in a while, an incoming message with a difference piques my interest. An invitation to come to an evening to experience the culture of Kazakhstan, with the main event a performance from Ethno-Folk Ensemble Turan.  I decided to accept, not do any research, and see what Kazakhstan had to offer. My expectations were not particularly high, but I think it is important to support such events,…

April the 12th, 2023 - In this edition of How to Croatia, I'm going to talk you through how you can bring weapons in and out of the country, and delving deeper into the European Firearms Pass. First things first, why would anyone even want to bring weapons in and out of Croatia? It's a valid question to ask, but those who are passionate hunters or into target shooting tend to bring their weapons with them in and out of European Union (EU) member states quite frequently. These people typically hold the aforementioned European Firearms Pass. In said pass, the…

April the 10th, 2023 - Residents of Mainz, the capital of the German Federal State of Rhinenland-Palatinate, recently received an unexpected surprise directed by the Croatian Cultural Community of Mainz. At three key locations (the Theodor-Heuss bridge, on Liebfrauenplatz and Schillerplatz), an equal number of beautiful, gigantic Easter eggs, painted in a recognizable Croatian naive style, appeared. These Easter eggs are the artwork of Željko Kolarek, Zlatko Štrfiček, Branko Matina, Ljerka Tropšek, Josip Gregurić, Radovan Grgec, Radmila Bošnjak and Zlatko Kolarek. The Easter eggs that decorate the center of Mainz are made of Plexiglas, each one is 2.05 meters high, one…

April 7, 2023 - It is Good Friday. In Croatia, that could mean a few things. If you are religious, you are likely to go to church and follow the Way of the Cross (beautiful traditions tied to that, for example, Za Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away. YouZa Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away, and you need to get started on your food prep. If you live in Slavonia and have a…

April 5. 2023 - If you know that Croatia has an eastern part, you know it's where the wine and gastro region of Baranja lies. And if you know about Baranja, you know about Karanac - good for food, festivals, and even crypto. Among its most famous events is the Spring Fair, where traditional food, music, and dances are presented and celebrated. The central part of the whole thing is the Smokehouse Princess award given out for the heaviest slab of bacon, of course. As Glas Slavonije writes, this time, the winner was Matija Povoljnjak from Jagodnjak, a 12-year-old with…

April the 5th, 2023 - If you're the citizen of an EU country or a legal resident of an EU country covered by their public healthcare system, you'll own a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You can use this card to access certain types of free Croatian healthcare in some cases. Here's how to use it, and what it covers. First things first, an EHIC is intended for temporary stays in other EU countries, and is (in most cases) for emergency healthcare/unplanned use only.  What does that mean? You've eaten some oysters and now all of a sudden you can't…