Split -- September 3

We got to the Mostar bus station a few minutes before our 7am departure. Bought some water and postcards and were on our way. The bus was very comfortable and was practically empty. The first few kilometers we climbed and climbed and we were feeling a bit queasy. About 1 hour later we arrived at Medugorje, a very famous site of particular interest to Catholics. We kept on moving and about 1 hour later crossed into Croatia. The border crossing was uneventful, and somewhat unsatisfying as there was no passport stamp.

Soon after entering Croatia we neared the coast, and the views from the bus of the Adriatic Sea were breathtaking. We stopped for a few minutes in beautiful Makarska (enough time to pick up some pastries) and arrived in Split around 11am.

It was very hot again, but thankfully not as hot as Mostar. We had a good 10 minute walk from the Split bus station to our accomodation, and with our packs in the beating sun it was quite tiring. We stopped at the Jadrolinija Ferry station to see if we could buy our ferry tickets to Hvar for tomorrow, but they can only be purchased the same day. So much for advanced planning.

We squeezed through the old town and easily found our accommodation. Sobe Base Rooms are a wonderful set of rooms right in the middle of the Old Town. Of course our room wasn't ready yet, so we left our bags and went to get some lunch. Split is a very interesting city (more on that below), but the most obvious difference from where we had been in Bosnia were the TONS of tourists. Although it is officially "shoulder" season, the narrow alley ways are packed with German and US tourists. Good for the Croatian economy, not so good for us.

We had lunch at a place recommened by Rick Steves (Sperun Restaurant), but overall the meal was disappointing. The service was blah and most of the menu unavailable as we were "early". No big deal -- we needed some food before we headed out to explore the town. Also of note is the fact that prices are at least 2x more here than they were in Bosnia. We are already missing Sarajevo!

After a quick trip to the room to officially check in, we were off to explore. The first stop was Jupiter's Temple which we could see from our apartment. The 5 kuna entrance fee seemed a bit excessive, but the half-barrel vaulting ceiling was unique and worth a look. The god Jupiter was important to Diocletian, which is why the temple was built. We then headed "underground" to visit Diocletian's Cellars. Before describing this, a quick history of Split is required.

The city was founded by the Roman emperor Diocletian who wanted to retire here (near where he was born) and commissioned the building of a huge palace. Over time the palace was abandoned by the Romans and the locals moved in. The result today is a bustling city that is stunningly intermingled with a heavy dose of Roman ruins. Craig has been to Rome, and he believes Split is a close second in terms of seeing some of the Roman's handiwork.

Back to the cellars. This vast underground network of chambers and passageways essentially was the "dump" for those living in the palace during Diocletian's time. Although it sounds nasty, all that poop preserved everything well, and today thanks to the hard work of archaeologists it is possible to piece together a slice of Roman life.

After the coolness of the cellars we re-emerged above ground and strolled through the remarkable Peristyle which was the center of Diocletian's Palace. The tourists thronged around us and the cheesy Diocletian-era recreation still did not tarnish the enormity of the place. The entry vesituble nearby was also awesome. Just strolling around the ruins of the palace (which is the same as the current old town) was very enjoyable.

Efren then of course wanted to climb to the top of the Cathedral of St. Dominus. The climb involved 183 steps. Not too bad, except that it was quite claustrophobic on the staircases. We were rewarded with impressive views of the city.

We wrapped things up with a walk along the Riva (the harborside promenade) to see all the Split folks out enjoying the evening. We also got to see a beautifully lit up palace as the sunset on the other side of the harbor.

Going to rest up and head out in a bit for a drink. Croatia is famous for its plum brandy! Can't drink too much, however, we need to get up early to buy that ferry ticket to Hvar!!

PS -- the title of this entry is "Splitska Banka" just because we love the name of that bank which is headquartered here in Split!