Just found out that Prince Charles and his wife decided to use most unusual picture for their Christmas card - picture was taken in March this year, as they travelled trough this part of the world and I remember there was a big fuss in Croatian media about who was invited to dinners, presentations and such (in fact, the whole excitement was apparently more about people who showed up and what they wore than about famous guests). The whole affair was very amusing, clearly showing how people behave in a such small, provincial country where appearances mean so much to locals always ready to show off their superiority - I honestly think that Prince Charles and Camilla couldn't probably care less who was invited and who was not, because these names mean nothing to them + they continued their tour later in different places anyway, but Croatian newspapers were full of descriptions of who was wearing what and even pointing that certain people regularly visit church on Sunday like its something that needs to be put on display. Gogol would write very inspired satire if he was alive and around during this royal visit. I clearly remember one article cattily remarking that some politician's wife was wearing dress that showed very good taste and eclipsed Camilla like our royal guests came for some sort of fashion competition (I didn't think that dress deserved any special mention and was in fact very dowdy in my opinion, but Croatian journalists obviously found it just perfect).
Prince Charles and his wife eventually found out that picture taken during their visit to Croatia turned out to be truly delightful little thing - they were captured surrounded with some singers and dancers dressed in colorful traditional costumes and these young people were obviously truly excited to have such prominent guests in their surroundings. Almost like Gods have somehow fell right in the middle of their laps. Actually, the thrill on their happy faces is touching and genuine, far nicer than anything that pompous local dignitaries and their stuffy wives showed during royal visit. I honestly love this picture because its full of character, though it bothered me a little bit that everything looks so unusual that this might as well be Northern Mongolia - specially when you consider and understand that Croatians are very sensitive about being taken seriously as a part of Central Europe, with dignity and history that connect us with Austro-Hungarian empire - alas, dear reader we have these traditional folk costumes that looks like something straight out of Russian folk tales, so there you are. Prince Charles and his wife loved the photo so much that they decided this will be their Christmas card this year. And now the whole world will think this is how we dress, oh well. It is a truly delightful picture, I admit. The more I look at it, the more I like it.
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