When you come to Ilovik, you are immediately struck by the amount of raw concrete around you. In addition to many an unrendered building and wall, all pavements are covered with the favorite building material of our era. As days go by, you notice that many of the concrete pavements proudly bear the year in which they were constructed. By and by, you start remembering these years. After a week on the island, you realize that most of the years are quite recent. The earliest year I have spotted is 1996, while the latest is 2007. I have also spotted 2003 once, as well as 2005 twice. In short, concrete is a new material on the island, which you would never guess by its ubiquity. In fact, the island has turned modern in the wake of Croatian independence!