| Every time, we set off on a Peljesac wine tour, I | | | | of the place. You may well say, nothing new in this |
| cannot but admire from the very start of our | | | | statement but I cannot underline it enough that this |
| journey, the beauty of the coast, tranquility of the | | | | is the case. |
| sea and picturesque offering of nearby villages which | | | | And precisely this theory comes to life passing the |
| we pass somewhat in stride. Two nearby villages of | | | | village of Slano. I have often recalled the words of a |
| Zaton Veliki and Zaton Mali are not only beauty | | | | "New Russian" who was filthy loaded although he |
| whiffing the smells of Mediterranean pine trees but | | | | lacked in the department of personal manners. |
| also an oasis of peace. Nowhere in Dubrovnik Riviera | | | | However, his hidden sincerity came to the surface |
| is so shielded of massive scale visitors, bear in mind | | | | when he even admitted to the fact that he wished |
| that people coming here throughout summer time are | | | | he could by the house there, not that he did not |
| almost locals as they have been coming for the | | | | have the money but he wondered who would be a |
| yanks. The locals count the summer days asking each | | | | fool enough to sell their own heritage as it is priceless. |
| other about the arrival of certain Hans, Dieters, | | | | Was that the case of his own dacha, I would not be |
| Thomas's, Julies and so on. | | | | able to comment but moving on, on this literary |
| After Zaton, our route passes by the village of | | | | journey I come to Ston. |
| Orasac. I have often felt it as a place acting as a hub | | | | People often think that you lie when you guide them |
| for the other six villages scattered around, the likes | | | | through Peljesac wine tour and when you mention |
| of Gromaca and Ljubac, this last is thought to be | | | | the fact that Ston has the second biggest walls after |
| known for its amphitheatric valleys. | | | | the Chinese ones. A few understand the legacy of |
| The next village of Trsteno is the home of the two | | | | Ottoman Empire, the fact that the "Turks" as we call |
| oldest oriental plane trees, the village is a residence | | | | them. Rule this part of the world for 500 years. |
| of famous Gucetic-Gozze family who set up the first | | | | Often people express the signs of confusion stating |
| Arboretum in 1492, to accommodate botanical | | | | that the Turkey is so far away so how come they |
| specimen brought back by merchant seamen at the | | | | were present here. And when we explain that the |
| height of Dubrovnik Republic might. The park around | | | | salt manufactured then in the 15th century is still |
| the residence is a legacy of Gothic Renaissance and | | | | manufactured now, people literary take this with a |
| 19th century neoromantic period. The facts speak for | | | | pinch of salt. At the end they are impressed what |
| themselves but words are not enough to capture | | | | they see and they hurl towards the fortress, part of |
| that moment, precisely the one we are seeking on | | | | the city walls, to capture that moment on the latest |
| any given shore excursion. To be there, "to buy the | | | | digital gizmo. |
| T-shirt" so to speak is the only way to get the feel | | | | |