Total Hvar Office Opens in Jelsa. The Season Has Begun!

The month of February opened with two significant events in Jelsa, for me at least. First up was a trip to the excellent kindergarten on the waterfront, for our youngest daughter's first day - she could not wait to get rid of us. 

And then walking on a few more yards to the main square, coffee and cherry strudel at the Total Hvar headquarters, as Cafe Splendid opened its doors for the new season.  

Splendid and I have been friends for years, and it was the first cafe I visited for a beer ten years ago, and I have had little reason to look elsewhere, especially since it was the first cafe on the square to offer free wireless Internet, and one of the joys of laptop living is the freedom to work wherever there is a connection, and there are few more picturesque offices than Cafe Splendid.

Add to that the outstanding pastries, cakes and other delicacies prepared by Ljeta and the great service by Captain Nijaz front of house, and it is easy to understand why Splendid is a favourite spot for the small expat community on the island, who tend to assemble for a coffee late morning.

It is also the favourite haunt of our very own Professor Frank John Dubokovich, guardian of the Hvar dialects, who gives most of his language instructions over a Frankie Coffee at Splendid. In case you haven't mastered Hvar dialect yet, here is lesson one to get you started. The next lesson - the words for the different colours - is due to be recorded later this week.