Neanderthals, a Bear and a Bottle of Beaujolais: International Day for Biodiversity in an Oddly Situated Konavle Cave

Our distant cousins may have been kind to their own, but any bear who dared stand between them and the promise of shelter was as sure as gravity destined to become part coat-part tasty dish-part reedless wind instrument. So into the cave they went. The Neanderthals.

Soon (perhaps not very soon but that is irrelevant), after the 'large eyes' have enjoyed the said bear stew, humans began roaming about what woud become known as Konavle.

'Not so different, noticed one of the Neanderthals peaking at the slow-moving human tribe, the other grunting out an observation to the sense of human females not being as furry.

A few stones might have been thrown in either direction before a friendly sniff and a grunt or two took place and the newly arrived guests decided the time has come to uncork that bottle of Beaujolais they had been saving for a special occasion, an occasion just like this. Neanderthal genome project by Svante Pääbo and co. points to a likely conclusion to the encounter.

Seasons came and went. Years, decades. By now they have made the Đurović Cave their home. The (mostly) humans. Much like their Spanish friends, these guys also had a penchant for fine arts, albeit music. So they uncorked another bottle, blew some air into their flutes, sang a few songs, did a little dance.

About 200 meters long and 25 meters deep cave is situated beneath the Dubrovnik Airport. Named after the former owner of the site (Đurović), it opened to the public on August 7, 2008. More details?

What is important, is that lingering primordia, jovial spirit that overtakes visitors in a bizzarely familiar and comforting way. Large selection of fine Konavle wines served in this one-of-a-kind cave situated literally beneath Dubrovnik Airport simply deepens the whole experience.

Aside from a great wine selection and, of course, the ambiance that holds one in awe, Skycellar (quite aptly named, wouldn't you say?) also hosts the Wine Museum. You can even pick up a memento, should you feel compelled to do so.

In this subterranean wine-haven, even the connoisseurs whose tastes ordinarily prevail to Beaujolais might find their desire for its light-bodiedness and high acidity yielding before the inviting variety of the region's bouquets.

Descend into Đurović (pron. Đ like G, as in gentle) Cave to be awed by natural beauty, get in touch with your primordial self (via the tannins or by really sensing the surrounding, matters not), and ascend with your spirit renewed (back on the ground or up in the air, your call)

Ever since the UN proclaimed May 22 the International Day for Biological Diversity (in order to indicate a biodiversity as a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations), it has been globaly commemorated.

This year the Đurović Cave celebrates IDB as well as the Nature Protection Day (the dates coincide in Croatia) by opening its doors to visitors free of charge from 11am - 5pm.

The theme Water and Biodiversity was chosen to coincide with the United Nations designation of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.

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Did you know . . .

• Antioxidants in red wine called polyphenols may help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart. A polyphenol called resveratrol is one substance in red wine that's gotten particular attention as the key ingredient in red wine that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots

• There is also a significant amount of flavonoids in red wines, and these antioxidants are known to be able to lower risks of cancer. Ancient Egyptian Papyri and Sumerian tablets dating back to 2200 BC detail the medicinal role of wine, making it the world's oldest documented man-made medicine.

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• Dubrovnik Airport
• Konavle Tourist Board
• Dubrovnik Tourist Board