Jocelyn Karolyi de Karoly-Patti

Getting around

Slow and Delayed Trains in Dalmatia

The narrow-gauge train between Split and Sinj traveled at speeds rarely exceeding 20 km/h, and it was common for the 2.5-to-3-hour journey to be delayed by half an hour.

At the table

Diet of ordinary families in Croatia

Ordinary families relied on basic foods like cereals and milk, with meat, such as pork or poultry, typically reserved for Sundays, feasts, or heavy labor. Daily meals often consisted of porridge, beans, potatoes, and vegetables seasoned with onion and garlic.

What people wore

Formal Shirt-Sleeves for Feasts

Peasant men considered it essential to show good manners on feast days by taking off their coats indoors and eating in their white shirt-sleeves, which were considered an important part of their holiday dress.

Music

Village Music and Traditional Instruments

In the early 20th century, village festivals and weddings often featured local musicians playing traditional bagpipes known as dude. Over time, ensembles evolved to include tamburica, violins, and even instruments like combs covered with cigarette paper.

Daily life

Compulsory schooling and high drop-out rates

Although four years of elementary education were compulsory, many girls dropped out after two years to work at home, resulting in a 47% illiteracy rate for ten-year-old girls in 1900.