More Split, Croatia
It took a couple of days for us to realize that right outside our door… was a coffee shop with indoor and outdoor seating. It took a rainstorm for us to discover this. Leaving the house without our umbrella, we had a cloud burst! A mere one door away from our place, we ducked under a giant umbrella. The waiter came out in the rain to see if we wanted anything. Considering it was also thundering, we decided that we could wait it out with an Americano (because they are bigger) and a shot of Bailey’s. Not that it really mattered, we weren’t going to melt, but it was raining so hard and the key in the door took a little finagling. The rainstorm ended up lasting much longer than expected… so we had a second round!
Excuse the language… but I thought the sign in this restaurant was funny! After the storm ended, the words “Gluten-Free” caught my attention as we were out walking. Yes, another Aperol Spritz haha… I’m on vacation! It was exciting to have a burger and sweet potato fries. Bosso Restaurant had a great menu. Our waiter was hilarious. Great sense of humor. Weather cleared up nicely.
Republic Square was quite unexpected. Everything was old rock and we turned the corner to find this open square with several restaurants. At the end of the square is the Adriatic Sea. Quite a busy area, there was a giant empty area that allowed kids a place to run around. Being near the water, the tables had a peek view. Bulit in the nineteenth century, during the Austro-Hungarian period, this reflects the trend toward more modern architecture. It was a modern gem in the midst of ancient marble/rock buildings. Often used as an open-air venue for outdoor concerts, the acoustics are said to be perfect for summer evening music.
Beautiful by day… but by night? Lights bouncing off the rock and marble just takes my breath away. Walking around after the sun sets, brings me to a place where I can almost envision people walking around dressed like the past. Sometimes it was the Romans in power, sometimes the Venetians. Each had their own influence on everything from the attire to the architecture. The middle photo shows well preserved cellars and leads out to the Bronze Gate.
Walking back to Republic Square, we headed toward the sea. It was fun to see the fountain waters dancing in colors. It reminded me of a mini-Bellagio fountain show. Walking in the evening with warm weather is such a treat!
Such a different vibe at night… during the day, this waterfront is bustling with kids, dogs and other humans. At night, it was more couples out walking. Many people using the benches that line the boardwalk. Looking out toward the Adriatic Sea… deep in thought. What a very peaceful place to ponder life. Hard to believe that a few yards past the fountains was a bustling area of restaurants… and behind the Square, inside the walls… more frivolity.
Back inside the palace, just around the corner from “home”, we stopped for Gelato. Walking by the many Gelato shops day after day is very tempting. We finally caved in. We’ve done enough walking to balance out all the food and drink we’ve been enjoying!
We walked for miles… through a gazillion alleyways that looked just like this! Some with tables outside, others like this but all the same walkway and same walls.
Back to the Piazza… we promised we would enjoy some wine for sunset where all the cool kids go. Haha! It’s just beginning to set, the colors bounding off the marble and limestone are changing from when the sun is straight overhead. We saw a wedding photo shoot, groups of people dancing, laughing… just enjoying each other.
In this photo, it is easier to see what I was trying to describe. Cement steps line the perimeter of the Piazza. The restaurant places cushions in pairs with a little table in the middle. On previous nights, the seats were all taken. Thankfully, we found a good spot to look at the architecture and the setting sun. I ordered wine and Barry had a scotch or bourbon (not actually sure).
Throughout the day, these Roman Gladiators pose with tourists. They allow people to get into sword fights with them… they really play it up. Pretty fun but I didn’t do it. Just enjoyed watching others.
We met some new friends from South Carolina. In Croatia with a group of about 36ish people, they are on a week-long trip organized by a yoga guru. She makes all the plans and basically the whole neighborhood is on the trip. They spend the night in Split, board a yacht and sail to a few locations on their way to Dubrovnik. It looks and sounds like so much fun. We exchanged information so that maybe we will join them on the next one.
Cheers to Split, Croatia… The music was great (lots of American 70’s and 80’s music). We laughed with our new friends… watched everyone enjoy themselves. What a carefree environment…
Time to head to Dubrovnik… after a good night sleep, we are packed up and walking the seven minutes to the Flixbus. Our journey will take about hours with stops. We paid a mere $33 for two people after selecting seats. This photo is our last view of the Palace Diocletian Palace… through an arch in the wall, we could wave goodbye to the clocktower… until next time!
