My Greatest Achievement in Croatia: a Seat on the Dalmatian Bench

Life in Dalmatia is amazing. The pace of life, the polako, the pomalo, the laganini.
Over the years, I became fixated with the wise elders of Jelsa, as they gathered each evening on the white bench under the Mayor's office to discuss the weighty matters of the day.
I can't explain it but I became a little bit obsessed, and all I wanted was an invitation to sit with them on the bench, an honour that is never bestowed upon foreigners, I was assured.
And then one day, after 13 years...
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Video produced by Igor Vuk of Wolf Media.
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[@MK-ln6nb]

OMG, you're amazing Paul! I laughed so much, nostalgia, happiness, simplicity, humour.... all in a couple of minutes. You seem to capture the essence of Croatian culture so precisely by pointing out the little quirks 🤣🤣🤣

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@MK-ln6nb]

@@PaulBradbury already subscribed 🙂

[@4avatars]

Bench = local politics. The mayor does not like the opposition :)

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@denispk6228]

Paul you are our best ambassador. I've been following you on YT for a while now and I'm so impressed by your creativity and love for our country. This story was sad and funny at the same time. "Ej, Debeli Englez" 🤣 (btw. you've lost lots of kgs since then:), and sad since remind me of benches and places in my own small town Tisno, on island Murter where old people use to sit and - just do nothing. Benches are long gone, places become public spaces and people has changed. So, thank you Paul for this story and evoking my memories. Keep doing what you doing, You are bigger Croat then most of us. Cheers!

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks for your comment - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@husamabed6527]

Paul, do not wait to be invited, all you need to do is pick your drink and get seated in the middle, and engage them. If you behave like them, they would appreciate it, and accept you as one of them. Thank you for sharing your experiences! Greeting from Palestine

[@PaulBradbury]

But they dont drink on the classic bench

[@omertaala]

Ah yes, the famous dalmatian benches 😂, but did you here about the best security cameras in the world?, better known as slavonian grandmas on windows 😂😂😂

[@PaulBradbury]

Yep, they are the best

[@oskng]

Ako ne znam kada sam navecer dosao kuci (dok sam bio mlad, u osijeku) samo pitam babu pored mene sto zivi i odmah saznam i kada sam dosao i kako i sa cim i sa kim i sve ostalo 😂😂😂😂

[@husamabed6527]

I bet they are the best. 😀😂

[@matej560]

You in Croatia and i in England....❤

[@PaulBradbury]

And I feel I made the smarter move...

[@matej560]

@@PaulBradbury Yes you are...But standard in England ( Lancaster) it's very good 👍...And it's is beautiful city .....But yes ours Croatia is beautiful ❤️

[@anelkoopacak1462]

Bravo Paul, uočio si i izdvojio nešto izvanredno, što mi ne uočavamo, jer nam je prirodno, a ipak tako posebno i lijepo. Život je sazdan od ovih malih, lijepih stvari.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@CranBerry565]

I listened with admiration and I laughed so hard at the end 😅 # Klupa zivi vjecno “👏💗🍀. Sad si pravi Dalmosh 👌 Greetings from Great Lakes area

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks

[@marianadzaja]

Ahhh it feels like a lifetime ago, Pol!!! My sisters Godmother in Melbourne just shared me the video on Messenger, she didn’t mention why but as soon as I started watching it, I had a feeling it was going to make a mention! Thank you so much for sharing the memory with me, Paul! 🤩🙏😎🇭🇷☕️

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, Queen of the Bench

[@marianadzaja]

@@PaulBradbury Haha… I’ll take that title! Haha.

[@kamenkosimunovic3036]

Thanky you Paul, you are very contributing man in croatian social life. Your videos are quite good and I enjoy to watch them. What you resent in the life in Croatia, most of Croats resent too. Stay one of us and good luck!

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks, it is nice to be here. Lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@multivisnjica]

Kao dijete sam bio tako ponosan na taj način komunikacije ljudi na otocima i osjetio sam isto što i vi.Ja sam iz kontinentalnog dijela i to je bilo za mene prelijepo. Sve je manje te atmosfere.,nažalost.

[@PaulBradbury]

It is really special in my opinion.

[@prodeopatria7139]

Even we don't understand our essence in some things like you... 😉👍 Love this channel...

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks - lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@edweb2006]

Guess Bench replaced "Zidić" since I have gone.

[@PaulBradbury]

The Bench v the Zidic. Would love to have more local input on that one.

[@Leo-wz4nh]

@@PaulBradbury Zidic is for young people, teenagers. The Bench is for mature, 'wise' people.

[@josipag2185]

​@@PaulBradbury Zidic is for drinking and chatting, spending time, but it is not the same thing.

[@dstosic1]

Paul, great story! Since you mentioned "Klupa Zivi Vjecno", I must add , "Hajduk Zivi Vjecno" !

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha true story

[@NenadBach]

#KlupaZiviVjecno I simply LOVE IT. Knowing a little bit about you, the benches are coming back. Probably the new ones. They don't know the force of nature that they are facing. BRAVO PAUL!

[@PaulBradbury]

#KZV

[@Hosigie]

This is funny to me. I'm from Zagreb, but I used to spend my summers in Pitve with my grandma, and we frequently visited Jelsa for shopping. And I sat on that bench as a kid often when waiting for grandma to buy bread. Had no idea I wasn't supposed to hah.

[@PaulBradbury]

haha. Summers in Pitve must have been bliss

[@vjekoslavvnucec326]

Amazing content Paul, best From Zagreb :)

[@PaulBradbury]

Thank you! Lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@vjekoslavvnucec326]

@@PaulBradbury Subscribed along ago.

[@marinomasina7715]

vijece mudrih !

[@PaulBradbury]

haha, istina

[@markobozic998]

Bravo to you, we appreciate it..

[@PaulBradbury]

You are welcome. Lots more coming if you want to subscribe

[@JJ-ym8bu]

Haha This is brilliant. Svaka čast

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks

[@ivanjukic3349]

3:30 you where in my village Ivankovo sitting on bench across church... 😂❤

[@PaulBradbury]

Ivankovo has a great bench tourism future - nice place

[@apartmentsmiroslavvojnovic3302]

Svako malo misto ima svoju bench 😎👍! Veliki pozdrav iz Duca and keep going 👋😊!

[@PaulBradbury]

It is a really lovely part of Dalmatian culture - i love it.

[@JaceVibe]

Excellent story 😁

[@PaulBradbury]

Bench life IS excellent

[@ImreWeiss]

Sjajna priča!

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks. Lots more coming if you want to subscribe.

[@ImreWeiss]

@@PaulBradbury Već jesam! Lepi pozdrav!

[@chhsel]

reminds me of all the old Greek island guys sitting on benches with their fidget toys (kombolói)

[@PaulBradbury]

Bench tourism is awesome

[@josipag2185]

O, we as kids called that Dolina mozgova. Every single place in Dalmatia has it. And is not a bench for beer for locals to drink, or something like that. It is Dnevnik, but of the place. Kronika naseg malog mista, without the writing part.

[@PaulBradbury]

Lovely

[@mibict]

Something similar could be find all over the Croatia, but in small towns or villages. In Slavonija, especially Eastern Slavonija where houses are mostly placed on sides of one long road you can still see benches in front of every old house. In other places such bench is usually placed in front (or side of) village's store (usually the only one). In general - it depends of 'urban planning ' of particular place, so it could be place where most of the people circulates daily, or the place most convenient for little chatting.... Younger settlers usually visiting local pubs / caffes for same reason, but older once (used to) prefer some bench(es) like one you talking about.

[@mp7519]

But none of those can beat the dalmatian bench 😎😋😉😉🤗

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes true, but there is something special about the Dalmatian bench

[@PaulBradbury]

True story

[@mibict]

@@PaulBradbury I would take your word for it! And I'm glad you managed to get this 'bench invitation '! It is always hard for 'not local' (meaning that you have to have some generational roots at that place first), but for the total foreigner (different country, different nation) - thi IS a real achievement!

[@cinilaknedalm]

Places that get rid of public benches just to accommodate a business soon loose what made them great. Especially places like this, where the public benches are such an important social element for the locals. They should feel at home where they're from, not get pushed out by tourist driven greed

[@MelJandric]

True. Unfortunately this is happening in too many places, if it continues this way Croatia will eventually turn into just another generic tourist destination, it will lose it's soul. It's not just a bench, it's the soul of the town. BTW Paul, the fact that you accepted "Debeli Englez" title without being offended means you are one of us. 🥧Welcome.

[@PaulBradbury]

Totally agree

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, well more people call me Ludi Englez on Hvar, but to get a nickname is a sign of acceptance I think

[@cinilaknedalm]

@@PaulBradbury ti si već njihov tamo duuuugo vremena, u to sam siguran :)

[@antel704]

Paul original is " Nije preša "

[@stjepannekic3602]

3:29 That's photo from Ivankovo in Slavonija if I'm right? Who'd know that you visited this calm village in Slavonija. Next time around, make sure to announce so we can sit on the bench or go for a drink! In Slavonija however, bench culture is not as developed as in coastal areas. Since I'm from Senj where old guys traditionally gather at seafront or on old main square, I noticed some differences. First, people in Ivankovo enjoy bench talking but only in summer, when it's warmer and only in front of houses. So basically, along the street there's one bench for about 6-7 houses so all neighbours gather on the bench (or around it) in the evening and contemplete about day, life or politics. Second, Ivankovo is filled with security cameras. For example, once you get guests, komšinice (neighnours - grandmas usually) watch through their windows trying to catch as much info about guests. Once I came here to visit my girlfriend, every komšinica was interested in me, where I'm from, why am I there etc.

[@PaulBradbury]

Well spotted - we even have an article on Ivankovo - fun little place - www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/59618-ivankovo

[@Kamadev888]

Gotta love the English dry wit, Paul.

[@PaulBradbury]

Lots more coming if you want to survive

[@dinohaber7710]

Hahaha, "Uo,Debeli englez!" Yes ,we "Boduli" are very careful with our words.

[@PaulBradbury]

More common on hvar is Ludi Englez

[@kani9284]

@@PaulBradbury that's a compliment though.

[@crashryanphoto]

Ah yes .. the bench! Does every village in Croatia have a bench where the old guard hangs out? On our little island of Ugljan, the benches aren't as big and prominent as yours in Hvar, but the old gents do manage to find a chair, rock or any portion of a broken wall to gather and talk shop. FYI: On Ugljan, there is a group that has been creating benches for each village. The benches are covered in colorful mosaic tiles and each one tries to represent the vibe of that village. I posted a video a while ago, "Making the Ceprljanda Bench", that shows one of the benches being created. It really is a nice thing to watch as these artists bring a bench to life.

[@PaulBradbury]

It is more a dalmatian thing. Cool about your benches. Can u post vid link

[@crashryanphoto]

@@PaulBradbury Sadly it's a very short video. I wish I could've gotten there earlier, but here it is : kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaaTkmN8gqmSn6c

[@PaulBradbury]

@@crashryanphoto very cool. Wil do article on tcn when i get a min. Tx!

[@crashryanphoto]

@@PaulBradbury By the way, we love TCN. Much to my parents dismay, I can't speak the Croatian language, so thank you for bringing us Croatian news in English!

[@MelJandric]

Ha ha ha, I was laughing until I learned they removed the bench. 🤬

[@PaulBradbury]

Yes, very sad story. Maybe one day...

[@Pedala754]

i think we meet in Split and Brač , and we had conversation about enchovies.Respect you are Croat and thank you for being our trully.S poštovanjem Josip.

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks. It is possible but i dont recall having a conversation about anchovies in my life.

[@AntoniaDobrota]

Congrats! It is the greatest achievement indeed. We call it the Ministry of other people's affairs on our island! #KlupaŽiviVječno

[@PaulBradbury]

The Ministry, headquartered at Kod Damira - we will have a video about Stari Grad soon #KZV

[@MrPekarce]

if all goes well im supose to go to Zadar for work, im in high hope that il meet all this wonderfull people that you talk about in all your videos, as for the food and drinks its all the same in ex YU (the best their IS)

[@PaulBradbury]

Good luck. Zadar is great and there is a growing community of returnees. You can meet some of them and hear their stories here - kzbin.info/aero/PLhIdFRAG5u6kXdEm_7qTAy6xtfBHFuywX

[@marinmamic896]

oh, we love you paul !

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha thanks

[@z000ey]

Love the bench. Really special concept, the smaller town it is the more important the bench is. It reflects the truth and reality much better than any new media. I remember a particular bench remark given the first Covid summer from a bench close to the only store in Šipanska Luka on the tiny island of Šipan (Elaphites close to Dubrovnik). At the time there were possibly 20 tourists max on the island in total (due to covid ofc, and most were "local" tourists, meaning people that own houses there) and the island is connected to Dubrovnik via 2 ship lines per day, so most likely one of the safest places on the planet NOT to get Covid. An elderly local was walking by the bench in order to get to the store while the regulations obliged everyone to wear face masks in public places, which was absolutely not enforced on the island (for obvious reasons). The bench asked the guy: "Jure, jesi olvida brnjicu?" (Jure, have you forgotten your muzzle?) 🤣

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha vrh

[@markopetrunic7598]

Wait 'till you discover croatian surveillance system. Baba's on windows watching your every move, who you talk to, what you do.

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, yes, I have been under surveillance for over 20 years now. I can't do anything in this country without it being reported back.

[@markopetrunic7598]

@@PaulBradbury so MI6 it is.

[@cornflakes1494]

I like it how in split klupa is šentada.

[@PaulBradbury]

I didnt know. Thanks!

[@NenadBach]

How much does it cost to bring the new ones? I think that in less than 24 hours there will be enough Kunas, ups Euros to get the new and everlasting benches.

[@PaulBradbury]

Not much but the location is no longer available

[@siomavolon9184]

13 years 🤣 I am feeling sorry for you Paul🙈

[@PaulBradbury]

haha, it was quick - I was thrilled.

[@nothing-vc2lu]

whats youre opinion on other balkan countrys

[@PaulBradbury]

You are saying Croatia is in the Balkans?

[@cinilaknedalm]

@@PaulBradbury Slovenia is in the Balkans, nevermind Croatia xD

[@jonelova]

My thought exactly! What does he mean by saying “OTHER Balkan countries”. Slovenia, Croatia, even B&H are not Balkan countries… Gee, what small countires have to go through! It was the lazy Germans who started calling the whole area “the Balkans” and it doesn’t matter if it makes sense, it remained. Btw the Bulgarians are equally annoyed by the abuse of the name of one of their mountains for the whole of SEE

[@antel704]

Slovenia, Croatia and BiH especially Croats HercegBosna in BiH are not balkan geografic and mentality. Croatia is middle south Europe and with our part of Adriatic sea, part of western Mediterian Country, Its not politic its facts of west mentality and way of living. Example traditional "Klapa" music ha ha is not cajke, Big Big diferent. Klapa is basic same like western Country Gospel in USA. Greece have beautiful Sirtaki like instrumental dance we on west have " Klapa's" songs like two little diferent kind of mediterian culture. If you mix that with balkan's cajke you have bad wine ' kvasina' on Croatia Dalmatia and that is brainwashing for Croats, we Croat's saying ,' iša si na kvasinu' mean you going on bad wine. From bad wine 'kvasina' you cant recognise or understand Croat's. When turist came in Croatia and dont recognised reall Croats they didnt reall had felt mainly level of joy and rest on Holliday. When we defending our culture we pushing western turist in better understanding what is our traditional way of living and history gift for them. You Short mind. If you are to smart I dont need answer from you but do you understand history Greatness tradition and culture of Great Britain like part of Great western Europian Kingdom's what defended Western and discovered World for us ? Dont need answer from you just think.

[@kani9284]

I just love English humour

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, thanks

[@gabrijelab.928]

Island wikipedia!!🤣🤣🤣

[@PaulBradbury]

Is there any better source of info?

[@percymonster1]

Excellent story, probably the same kind of guys who congregate on Sunday to play boulles, but didn’t we have the in the Uk too? I think they were called pubs 😂

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha true story

[@zdenkopodrug2175]

Great video as always Paul, capturing the essence of character and island life. If i may, i would like to contribute an additional hashtag to your noble KlupaZiviVjecno campaign: #NijeTiĆaćina I believe it would at least get the mayors attention..

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@krism4467]

No bench, no probs, bring a chair.

[@PaulBradbury]

Nooo - it is the bench or nothing

[@prosper4wardubbi915]

Well, you have one of the biggest english speaking newssites in Croatia where some of the content is lets say, typically westernized. The type of talks about politics,race, economy and women, feminism just to mention some of the articles on your site, which I have read is not "typically croatian" and croatian problems in the way it is in other western countries. Croatia has a long history of war , fight for independence and we are still mostly catholic, so there is a different way of being and understanding amongst us and each other when it comes to these topics that a foreigner can find hard to understand for instance, from my own observations. And I guess the same goes for other countries as well, but Croatia is very unique in several ways. And you and some the writers on your site write like they do because you are british or because you think some topics are good to bring up, like you know people do, bring up topics that they find important for good or bad reasons. Or because you want to influence the country in a certain way like a spy would. You can also be a normal person that enjoys Croatia and what it has to offer, and you do actually write useful articles and do some great promotion for the country as well ☺so Im not saying you are definitely are a spy. And I encourage and like to see what people from other cultures have to say about Croatia and I like that people can and do express themselves so that is completely fine. Finally, I mean USA have spies that are sent to cause political shifts in other countries which is not a secret, and they do not usually look like James Bond, and the brits might know the most about imperialism than any country in the world. That is why people can think the way they do of you 👌

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha vrh. Actually i am the only one at tcn who is not either wholly or part Croatian

[@mercegp]

Another characteristic Dalmatians have is their directness and lack of political correctness- mainly the older generation as they don’t see the point of sugar coating stuff. They just say it as it is. I should know I’ve been subject to it many times by my relatives. So the comment of “ debeli inglez “ would be a scandal in other places.

[@PaulBradbury]

I much prefer brutal and direct communication. It saves so much time.

[@7349yt]

Lord Bradbury, Lord Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Jelsa. (Yeh, I know it's a trans-Atlantic amalgam ... bašme briga!)

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@TomRelic]

Can't watch it. Your in politics? Bench?

[@PaulBradbury]

Premieres at 19:53 - about 90 mins

[@antel704]

Tom, I think little he run away in mentality in hills of balkan and mix but he is new and he is better then our msm or Htv, rtl, nova. they even dont know that Croatia is independent and Free western Country, but good living from our money. Its from merkel southeast and west balkan brainwashed represent of Croatia last thirty years, even we are EU, NATO, now really we run away with Schengen and euro.Even HercegBosnia in BiH dont belong to balkan rivers Bosna i Neretva. Bye bye balkan.

[@riobabic8960]

Simple things are usually the most important !

[@skin4700]

ughhh debeli englez🤣🤣

[@PaulBradbury]

haha

[@igorsvacic217]

Mr Paul, you have pretty unique mind. You notice a lot of things WORTH NOTICING that almost everyone else wouldnt. And Im not talking about things you would notice simply as a foreigner, things that are peculiar to you, due to culture differences etc, Im talking indeed about this bench thing, or similar stuff, it is a thing that really has a value, the local običaj, that is so deeply rooted and a VERY important part of life. Hats off

[@PaulBradbury]

Twisted maybe, but not sure about unique. But one would hope I would notice a thing or two living 13 years on an island.

[@igorsvacic217]

@@PaulBradbury its the last name I guess, I remember vaguely Ive red some twisted horror book from a guy named Bradbury. It was Ray if I remember correctly so, its in the family XD

[@sasaseparovic9777]

Instead a wisdom stone, Jelšani have a bench..I know what you talking about and have to say that its huge achievement. Klupa zivi vjecno is perfect slogan considering importance of Hajduk. Hope it works out. If Mayor should read this...alo tikvane farski..učes u povjest Jelse ka budala. Minjaj dok moš. Vrati klupu di joj je misto. Karma je jebena stvar

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha

[@zdenkopecirep2812]

Pathetic, but funny also.

[@PaulBradbury]

I'll take that