The distance to our next destination was not far, but the obligatory swim stop and three-course lunch needing to be completed. This made for a slow, unhurried journey. Also Split Harbour is incredibly busy and we had to wait for our berth to become available. The swim-spot water was, of course, crystal clear and the little beach was a novel addition (though there was quite a lot of rubbish, for the first time). We floated above schools of colourful fish, dived down to sea cucumbers and starfish and swam ‘laps’ of the boat to burn calories.
The daily schedule had been moved forward just a bit as it was going to be ‘change over day’ the next day. We had the self-conscious discussions about tipping (still no idea of what was appropriate) and then suffered the awkward eye-contact thing with the crew. We watched a yacht ballet during lunch, as we approached the harbour, seeing boats twirl around each other to vacate and fill berths.
Split is a place of contrasts, that gave Alistair ‘issues’. It is a vibrant, living city, the second largest in Croatia, with a 1700+-year history. Much of its Roman history is being used today (which was the issue bit … should it be ‘museumed’ or be part of the current living city as it is?) Our visit to Split coincided with a football derby (organised punch-up between Split and Zagreb supporters before the match and, if you’re interested, Split lost) and a triathlon weekend (barriers to make getting around difficult, closed roads to create traffic chaos and shouting volunteer officials to disconcert pedestrians).
We had an informative history walking tour that gave us background and orientation to the Old City. We also had our last Croatian wine tasting, in a lovely venue on the promenade that was challenging to get to as it was on the triathlon course. More being shouted at and rerouting to get there. Weirdly, we tasted wines from Hvar rather than local wines from the Split region – go figure. The city was celebrating it patron saint’s feast day too, with folk-singer and rock-shouter concerts, lighting displays to decorate the Old City and a variety of markets to remove money from visitors.
We loved exploring the narrow streets, seeing cats, reading the walls (noticing the alterations in the stonework) and hugging columns. We explored during the day (very crowded and this is before the major tourist season begins) and at night (lovely lighting, great bars to sit in with friends and fewer people). An early morning revisit was enjoyable (again fewer people so we were able to appreciate the places), a walk in the Marjan Forest Park for views over Split and some enjoy-nature time (Split’s green lung) and a final walk through the palace area again ended our time in Croatia.
After seeing walled towns and harbour-hugging villages, Split was such a difference. The harbour is commercial, comparatively dirty and not very attractive. There is no standout architectural feature; the destination-place Diocletian Palace is hidden by history – buildings have obscured its features and time has camouflaged its appearance.
An airport shuttle made for and easy departure from this wonderful country. Even on the way to the airport, our driver was sharing his love for his home town. The cruise was a fantastic addition to our travel itinerary. Having others do the heavy lifting with regards to accommodation, menu planning and transport was such a relief, especially after eight week of self-guided travel. We loved the experience and definitely felt the pride Croatians have for their complex and beautiful country.
Add comment
Comments