Hotel Mina Jelsa

Split photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1 59738&id=613699523&l=b42d256b69


Caught bus from Plitvice Jezera to Split and got in about 7pm. Found Situs Hostel no problem (once we actually followed the instructions properly) and it's a really cool, clean, nice small hostel. Peter was really helpful in pointing out things to do and see and eat. Peter's mum was awesome too making us coffee in the ...

... and just erupted in laughter. She was looking and pointing and giggling and saying “Tourista! Tourista!” We just laughed with her for a minute, told her we were going swimming (I don’t know if she understood that or not) then we left. We definitely got weird looks as we walked around the edge of the island to find a good beach area. I think I got the worst of it though- old women were staring at my legs in disgust and old men were just ...

... chilled out and went to bed.

Of course what we didn’t know is that the next day, the island was going to experience a full on storm. We were told it might rain a little that day, but raining a little was a big understatement. From the time we woke up the next morning until after we left two days later, it was POURING down rain and VERY windy. We were house-bound for 2 days. The only time we went out was one evening when the rain ...

... Serbia, Kosovo, and Macedonia became part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, which was ruled from Constantinople. Around 615 AD, Slavic tribes migrated to Dalmatia and attacked Salona, whose inhabitants fled to Split and sought safety in the high walls of the palace. From the 12th to 19th centuries, the region was fought over by successive waves of Turks, Venetians, French, and Austrians among others. Modern Croatia was formed in 1991.

As you stroll outside the ...

... Absolutely beautiful. In Split we jumped on a ferry to the island of Hvar to make some more ground and avoid traffic on route towards Dubrovnik. Once on the island (we arrived at 11pm ) we were excited to see ample signs pointing us to a neaby campground. We arrived to find it had closed down. Lots of things are broken down or abandoned here. We camped anyway.

... fish pate amouse bousch, the pork and beef skewers with apple, and the traditional regional beef stew with prunes specialty. Originally we had planned to explore the Peljesac peninsular town of Ston, famed for its oysters, but we decided to limit our exploration to a more manageable and local area just across the straight. We took advantage of the ubiquitous ferry service to pop across to the town of Orebic. Orebic is known for having the best beaches of Croatia meaning that ...

... constantly. I then conducted a salsa dance lesson and found that Croatians really cant dance that well... We were excited about swimming. The water was coldish, about 22 degrees, but crystal blue and it was amazing to be in the sea again. We anchored off a little shoreline and jumped off the boat. Was great fun. The second island we visited was really beautiful, quaint little streets ...

... advantages of pebble beaches over sand- as in fact the small pebbles are quite comfortable and you don't leave with everything covered in sand and the pebbles seem to make the water the most amazing shades of colours. So l have decided l don't mind pebbly beaches as much as l originally thought. So we laid down on our cement beach and halfway through our sun baking afternoon Laura (the Aussie from Batemans Bay NSW who we had met and rented a boat with in Hvar) found us as she was ...

... drum. We took refuge in a smoky room with several other water spotted tourists and waited for it let up. It did after fifteen minutes and in my jacket we took a sweaty, humid jaunt down to the square. One evening Christy volunteered to hit the internet café for our dose of bad news and liter nary of deceit. I was designated with the task of watching the Spastic Blonde Monkey. Luck was on my side because she fell asleep earlier than anticipated and as soon as the eyelids ...

... Gardens were lush and patios were shaded by flowering vines. Sweet mandarins were fresh for the picking and the air smelled of wild herbs. Warm sunny days and cool starry nights. The golden glow of street lamps laced with marble stairs and streets. It was as if a piece of wedding cake had gently fallen from the sky and came to rest in the Adriatic. When we left we doubted that the grass would get much greener. I suppose that we just wanted to see the other side.