All Croatian men do not look like Dr. Luka

Trip Start May 06, 2007
1
90
166
Trip End Jul 24, 2008


Loading Map
Map your own trip!
shadow

Flag of Croatia  ,
Wednesday, December 5, 2007

The bus ride to Split was absolutely beautiful, traveling along the Croatian coastline. There were rocky mountains, bright green pine trees, and a gorgeous sunset over the sea. When the bus arrived in Split, it also did not disappoint. The entire city center/old town of Split is an old palace. The interior of the palace was converted into a city under the rule of the Byzantine Emperors. This entire city center has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was a lot of fun walking down the cobblestone streets and exploring the different alleyways. Today the area is the main shopping district in Split in addition to housing quite a few people.

On my first full day in Split, there was a kiddie concert in the main square featuring a 70s/80s cover band in full-on disco costumes and a kid's choir with a couple of soloists who seemed to be practicing for Croatian Idol. Most of my time in Split was very relaxing, just walking around exploring and taking pictures. There were a couple of piers and a large hill with really good viewpoints of the city and the coastline. I walked to the top of the hill with a couple of guys from the hostel to watch the sunset, afterward drinking some thick hot chocolate from a cafe atop the hill overlooking the city.

That evening I met up with Marina from couchsurfing for dinner. She's Croatian and grew up in Split. After some yummy pasta (we tried the vegetarian restaurant first, but it was closed), we walked around the palace for a little while as she pointed out some details like specific balconies, Roman columns in the middle of clothing shops, and the new boardwalk that the locals dislike because the fake marble looks dirty and mismatched compared to the real marble in the adjacent palace. I also learned all about the paternity issues plaguing Goran Visnjic, aka Dr. Luka from ER, from an alleged mistress in his home town. Since I'm not exactly following the gossip rags on my travels (except for when Brittany Spears' exploits make it to CNN, Al Jezeera, and the BBC), this was all new news to me.

We then continued chatting in a bar in the palace, where Marina introduced me to a typical Croatian drink - white wine mixed with water and a couple of ice cubes. She said that Croatians drink wine because they are thirsty, not to get drunk, so they like to make it lighter. I actually liked the light flavor of the diluted wine plus the ice cubes kept it cold so I didn't have to worry about finishing it before it warmed up. After some interesting conversation and both of us a little tipsy from the equivalent alcohol of about one and half glasses of wine, we decided to call it a night. As she walked me back to my hostel, she pointed out one last sight that's not exactly on the tourist office maps - the park where all the prostitutes drum up business.

The next morning Russell, an Australian guy from my hostel, and I walked up the top of the tower for some more beautiful views of the city before boarding a bus to Dubrovnik.
Slideshow Print this entry Split hotels