Split
Wednesday 31st July
A disoriented disembarkation as we followed directions to
the travel agency to pick up the apartment keys. We got there eventually as we
struggled through the thousands of traders and their stalls, past the Diocletian
palace and cathedral for a reviving cup of coffee in the white stoned square of
the Hotel Bellevue. Agatha Christie, Anatole
France, George Bernard Shaw and other famous writers stayed to get inspired - as
we were, also, by the ancient Roman white stone roads and buildings against the
perfect blue Adriatic ocean and sky.
The Apartment is perfectly located in the heart of the
UNESCO protected heritage area alongside the palace and cathedral. The upstairs
apartment is spacious and we have enjoyed a bit of Croatian TV (bed and
sleeping ads are very big) in the lounge room. The kitchen with table for 4 down
the hall from the good sized bathroom, next to the clean newly painted bedroom
opening out onto a terrace which is joined by the backyards of three
neighbouring houses.
We unpacked and took the advice of the agent to walk back
into hell and buy bus tickets for Dubrovnik as seats are limited and demand is
high and to buy some breakfast type provisions. The city seems to totally packed with 20-30 somethings and every spare space is filled with
market tents and stalls selling everything except breakfast provisions.
The Walk around town included:– Diocletian’s Palace, bus
tickets, markets, Fine Arts Gallery and absorbed the impact of art movements on
Croatian art which is quite dark and oriented towards nature and death. We
stumbled upon Gregory of Nin - a giant
statue of the man who promoted the Croation language and the translation of the
bible into Croation(we followed the custom of making a wish whilst rubbing his
toe) and we eventually found a super kozum (supermarket).
Every available space in Diocletian’s Palace is used for a
cathedral, shops, market stalls, apartments, cafes and some open areas, all
jumbled in together. There is no reverence for the ancient and it seems that if a space can be used for something –
cathedral, cafes, shops, houses etc, just go for it!
We also experienced a totally unfathomable side of the local
shopkeepers’ attitude towards customer service best described as a profound disdain
delivered with a sneer, the mouth sounds out “SORRY! NO!”, a vacant stare above
out-turned hands.
After all of the wanderings through the hordes of people, Mary
had a Siesta, and Dick went for a further exploration of Split. And what a
discovery he made!
Dick followed his instincts whilst looking for 2 restaurants
recommended for their homestyle cooking, i.e., konobas – or family run taverns
and started up a long staircase, past old houses which were all being done up.
Going past a pair of roof tilers probably with what I thought was the best view
in Split until I reached an ancient lookout, which had a small pub and a lovely
large gazebo that could seat 100 people all enjoying a pint of Split’s finest,
whilst totally absorbed in the view over the town and the bay stretching way
back to the Dalmations (white rocky mountains with black pock marks). Dick
explored further up and met the meteorological scientist who worked and lived
on the summit and who asked for a cigarette – to which Dick replied sorry but
it is now 189 days since I had a smoke. He said well done keep up the good
work. Dick went back down and collected Mary. On the return walk we discovered
an old sanctuary chapel first erected in 1219 and which still has an old 14th
century sculpture of St Jerome. Then we had another pint and Mary sipped a
G&T. We headed down to a lovely dinner at the Marjan Konoba of a fish
platter: sea bream, sea bass, bonita, hake, shrimps, mussels with a bottle of
their local dry white wine
After dinner we joined in the packed Summer Festival on the Riva.
Twirling fire stick dervishes to the back beat of bongo & congo drums. But nothing
prepared us for the highlight of the evening when the local folksong groups got
up and bashed out a few tunes. Firstly the over 60’s male choir and guitars got
us rolling to be followed by the 10 women strong a’capella contingent – all quite beautiful and stirring –
a lovely way to end a BIG day and drift off to sleep.
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