Split, Croatia - Foreigners Galore

Trip Start Apr 27, 2006

110

Trip End Apr 01, 2008

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Flag of Croatia Split, Croatia
Wednesday, June 7, 2006

Well, there is not that much different to say about Split than Dubrovnik. It also sits on the Adriatic and contains the remnants of a very old city, although in Split's case, the city was Roman and dates back to the 3rd Century. The centerpiece are the leftovers of Diocletian's Palace, and old Diocles was a pretty hip dude - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletian - which has some pretty well preserved subterranean chambers, temples and walls. Otherwise, it is pretty much the same story - narrow cobblestone streets, a brilliant aquamarine coastline, and cafes filled with Croatians drinking coffee morning, noon, and night (I mean it - they drink a lot of coffee here and I don't know when all these cafe dwellers work), and a lot of foreign tourists.

For Friday night (June 2), Jacob was still with me and we went to an outdoor event where local makers of liquers, brandies, cheeses and other delectables were offering their wares for tasting and purchase. It was very similar in approach, but not scale, to the wine and beer tastings held at Fort Mason. The difference was that everything I tasted was around 80 proof

Brandy and Delectables Event

. The pear, grape, and herbal brandies were wonderful (and I bought some pear), but the walnut, cherry, blueberry and honey brandies were too sweet for my tastes.

We then went to a seafood restaurant recommended in a travel guide, but they had no tables for two. However, a group of two women were in the same boat as us, and we agreed to share a table for 6, which worked out great because we had a nice conversation with them, and they then took us to what they said were the two best bars in the Old Town, both of which did rock, although the girls took off fairly early.

Saturday I was on my own, and made a bad choice, not that I could have known. All the advice I had read said that the non-Old Town nightlife was focused on a strip of bars and clubs on the beach about 20 minutes walk south of town. Again, however, it is not yet the true high season and only about three of them were open, and those were young and younger. A bunch of damn hot chicks, but the average age couldn't have been much above 20, and the music was loud and atrocious. I cut my losses.

Sunday was slow and uneventful.

Next Stop: Zagreb, Croatia.