There were high winds on the Adriatic on the day we were to visit the island of Hvar
Conditions were not safe for our small ship of 44 passengers
As an alternative our cruise line booked passage for us on a commercial ferry

These vessels serve commuters and tourists, hundreds at a time

Sometimes they transport famous passengers as well

Since this was the off season

The ferry was not very crowded

Our program directors who always accompanied us on excursions

A very comfortable environment

View from the deck of the ferry

We traveled by bus from the harbor along the coast

Stopping to examine a rock kiln

The landscape is quite rocky making agriculture difficult
Lavendar is a main crop

The island is known for a special type of lace
Made from the fibers of the agave plant

Benedictine nuns create this lace in their convent

A fortress dominates the landscape

As well as small fishing boats

Hvar is a popular tourist spot during the summer months.Yachts of the rich and famous crowd the harbor

In January the weather is quite mild, but the town has few visitors
So exploring and taking photos is very easy

Except for locals going about their daily routine, we had the place to ourselves

Local fishermen brought in their catch and sold some to residents right on the dock, fresh off the boat

The town of Vrboska on the northern coast of the island has only 500 inhabitants

While it was very quiet and serene in January

Signs indicate a livlier time in the summer months

This church built in the 16th century served as a place of worship and also a defensive position

We sampled the products of a winery which
has been operated by the same family
for 6 generations