August 17th
Split is the second largest city in Croatia and a is a transportation hub for the Adriatic Islands. At one time I counted 5 ferries docked loading and/or unloading passengers and cars. There are two in the picture on the right. The city’s history begins in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE. The remains of a palace built in 305 CE is a major tourist attraction. Just as it was for Rejika the city was occupied by the Italians and then the Germans during WWII.
It was a hot (high 90s) and humid day. Our plan was to walk to the castle area (less than a mile), but by the end of the pier we were already hot and Chuck was dripping sweat. So, we opted for a pedicab which was a great decision. The bike was electrically powered so the driver only pedaled occasionally. I’m sure it was much faster than a cab because we went right by all the incoming and outgoing ferry traffic.
The number of people and tours inside the walls of the castle was incredible. Combine the crowd with 90 degrees and humid and it made for an uncomfortable day.
We opted to see the church that was built as a part of the palace. It is not a large church. We saw along with about 1,000 or our “closest” friends. There were at least 3 tour groups in the church at the same time. So, the heat and the crowds made for a quick visit.
The altar. A side chapel.
We wandered away from the crowd and found some charming interior spaces.
People were living inside the castle. A statue on a wall inside the castle walls.
We visited a structure that was originally a shrine to Jupiter. It was changed to a baptismal and named after St. John. In the narrow walkway that led to it there was a charming restaurant and we decide it was time to eat. Carol had an excellent Greek salad and Chuck had a traditional Croatian fish stew. Included in the stew was what our waiter called a shrimp but looked more like crayfish to us. If I look hot, it is because I was. While it looks like we were eating under a large opening to the sky, it is just a painting on the wall behind us.
Split is a beautiful city.
