Birthday Split!

LOCATION:

Split, Croatia

 

I can't imagine a better place to celebrate my 26th birthday (haha!) than Croatia. The first seven hours of birthday were spent on the twisty-turny bus from Plitvice Lakes to Split, so as soon as we arrived we were on a treat finding mission. We noticed that people don't seem to eat actual meals here, the only thing we saw consumed on a regular basis was ice cream and beer. Perfect! Birthday treats one and two.

 

Birthday gelato - caramel.

Birthday beer - on the steps below the cathedral.

 

The main attraction to Split - besides its sunny temperatures, bustling harbor, and overall fun bright vibe - is Diocletian's Palace. The palace isn't really a palace at all anymore, but it serves as the commercial heart of the city. The ruins are filled with shops, restaurants and bars, and it was fun to wander around getting lost and finding our way out again.

The cathedral inside the palace walls.

Palace ruins, with vendors lining the streets below.

Strange to think the palace is now just shops and apartments!

Squares inside the palace walls, filled with bright colors and outdoor cafes.

 

Our last day in Split unfortunately started with rain showers, so we took the morning to sleep late, read, relax, and do our laundry. After lunch the rain stopped and we decided to venture out. Walking down to the harbor we stumbled across a rowing race - Split vs. Oxford vs. Cambridge. Oxford won the first two heats so the race was over. It was fun to watch though, I don't think I've ever seen a crew race before!

Looks like a close race!

 

While the skies were still somewhat clear, we decide to continue our walk along the water and found the only sandy beach in Split. We also found a new sport - Croatian water soccer (or football maybe?) which was fun to watch for a while. These guys would often dive for the ball and end up belly flopping in the shallow water - ouch! Near the beach was an old rundown playground, so we tried our best to get as dizzy as possible on the merry-go-round.

 

 

"Whee!" Says Erin.

"I'm going to puke!" Says Angie.

 

My thoughts on Split were along the same line of those about Hvar. While it was fun and relaxing and beautiful, this is one of those places I would like to return in a busier tourist season. We head next to Dubrovnik, which is touted as the "pearl of the Adriatic" by some. I'm really excited to see more of Croatia! I will say this is the least western- feeling place we have been, and though getting by with English hasn't been a problem, it feels the most different from any city I have been to thus far. We have two nights in Dubrovnik with a day trip to Montenegro planned, before an overnight ferry to Bari and then a week in Italy. Hard to believe my trip is coming to an end - I can count the days on two hands now!

Bye Split - thanks for a memorable birthday!

 

 

 

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