This is the story of the country of a thousand islands. As it unfolds you will discover,
it's not just a story. It's saga of seduction to which few have proved resistant.

The sea is life here. And always has been. It gives plenty but also takes a lot. It's been battlefield, harvest field and graveyard. Farewells are said at its edge as ships slip their moorings and carry fishermen and sailors beyond the horizon. Hence the melancholic island songs and the thoughtful look of black-draped island women. Hence the joy of every return. And the delight of each new arrival. Hence the tables full of fish, figs and home-made wine. he rich, celebrated and honourable Croatian maritime tradition is more than a thousand years old. Croatian seafarers and shipbuilders spread their skills and knowledge throughout all the seas and ports of the world.

And when they returned there were long stories about the far reaches of the globe, of its treasures and different ways of life.

So it is that new meets old here. The island lives at its usual rhythm, but will take over whatever modern civilization has to offer to make life easier. Legends live on in church pageants and only their own patron-saints can save the people from storms and sickness. As do the statues, black scarves and prayers. Prayers for sailors, fishermen and all men of good will.

The old fisherman, even today, knows no retirement and little rest. The sea is a drug, too powerful to resist. It cannot be cured, especially by foreign lands. As it takes away, so it ever returns. Sail out with a Croatian island fisherman and you will understand why the sea is both menacing and enchanting. The other part of your life seems irrelevant and distant.

Back on your own island everything becomes more precious. The shrill alarm clock, the crowded commuter train, the noisy next door neighbours are forgotten. Concerns become smaller until only one remains: a bountiful catch.

Life on the islands has a special rhythm. Everybody knows everybody here. They count each other's years in wrinkles.

Everywhere, in an old fisherman's house or a five-star hotel, you feel the special spirit of the islands. It is equally strong in the streets, near the fountain where people meet to exchange hidden glances and begin new romances.

Summers on the islands are particularly delightful. Old sea salts open their doors and show off the treasures from their journeys overseas. They are from better days when every arrival meant riches of fabric and gold. Now even though there is little to be gained, seamen still leave to seek their fortune.

The old sea salts of tomorrow.