DOWN TO SPLIT, CROATIA

4th - 5th May 2019

The peninsular of Split from Marjan hill

Next from Ljubljana to Split via a stop in Zagreb (capital of Croatia) in another comfortable 'compartment' train. I shared the compartment with a Slovenian scientist, a lepidopterist, who worked for some international natural science organisation. He specialised in moths in the permafrost area of north-east Siberia and spent a lot of time up there near a town called Alyatki above the Arctic circle, close to the Bering Straits. I learnt a lot about that part of the world, and moths, during the two hour journey to Zagreb; not least that the temperature in that part of the world drops to minus 60ºc for most of the dark winter. Bloody hell! I hope he was paid well and well wrapped up, and they must be very hardy moths up there. Actually he was a very nice chap and spoke good English. We arrived in Zagreb at mid-day after customs checks on the border at Dobova. I had over 3 hours to kill so took a wander around Zagreb before the train to Split was due to depart at 15.20. First had to buy some Croatia 'Kuna'. Interestingly, Croatia is in the EU and has it's own currency whereas Montenegro is not in the EU but uses Euros.

Left: Zagreb central station. I'm told it was once a palace.

I had a light lunch in a pleasant café in which this trio (right) were playing and singing some jolly songs.

Knowing I would be late arriving in Split I took the opportunity to book some accommodation 'on-line' and got an 'apartment' at a very reasonable price. I suspect a lot is still available because the main tourist season hasn't kicked off yet, thankfully.

All caffs and bars seem to have good free internet in this part of the world. I expect the UK will catch up one day.

Left: King Tomislav Square and gardens opposite the railway station with statue of, presumably, His Royal Highness (ruled 925-928).










The train from Zagreb to Split was due to leave at 15.20 and I boarded in good time. It was a small 4 carriage (clean) regional job with no buffet service but reasonably comfortable seats. The distance to Split is 420km and it was to stop at many little stations en-route supposedly arriving Split at 21.30. In fact we sat motionless, for no explicable reason (possibly like in UK because 'the driver hadn't turned up'), until it eventually moved off at 16.00. Right: Not my train. It was one on the adjacent platform and in keeping with the Balkan predilection for graffiti.                                                                                                                                                     

It was a very scenic (while it was daylight) journey through what I think are the Dinaric Alps. We eventually pulled in to Split at 22.20. I had called the apartment manageress to say I would be late which, apparently, being familiar with the vagaries of the Croatian railway system, she is quite used to. It was raining and late and although not far to go I took a taxi (I rarely do that!). Just as well as I discovered that the town, although smallish, is a maze of streets and easy to get lost. Anyway I was greeted warmly and shown to a remarkably luxurious apartment with all mod cons; much more than I needed. It is called 'Old Mill' and was (then) very good value for not so much money. I recommend it if you are looking for somewhere to stay in Split.

Split is on a westward pointing peninsula on the Adriatic coast and is the main city in the Dalmatian region. It has a large harbour and lots of islands just off-shore which stretch all the way south to Dubrovnik. It is popular with yachtsmen and those enormous cruise ships and, of course, many other tourists. It is centred on the ancient Roman 'Diocletian's Palace' which is in effect a 200m x 200m walled compound and takes up half of the 'old city'. Emperor Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletian (known to his friends as Dennis) had it build as a holiday/retirement home at the beginning of the 4th century. It is around this that the town has expanded, considerably.

The Palace is divided into 4 quarters of a square,  with a grid pattern of narrow streets and a gate at the centre of each of the four sides. The North Gate has this statue outside it of Gregorius of Nin; some medieval Croatian bishop and nothing to do with the Romans except I think he had a bust up with the Pope at some point.  He has what looks like a lightning conductor on his helmet and a very shiny left toe-cap as tourists rub it for good luck on their way down the steps. I've lost count of the number of bronze statues I've seen with shiny bits rubbed for luck.....one or two in slightly improper parts of their anatomy. 

Split is obviously on the 'Jap Check-List' of places to visit. There were a lot of them, in groups, madly taking photos, mostly of themselves. I have nothing against our friends from the Land of the Rising Sun; in fact they are usually charming and the ladies give a little bow of the head if they pass  close in front of you. 

However they do have one irritating habit. If a group of 12 (say) are standing in front of something you want to take a quick snap of, each one of them has to take a photo of all the others before they move on. It takes ages. 

Left: There are lots of narrow little streets both inside the Palace and ouside the West gate in the old city. 

                            
Right:........and these little streets frequently had pedestrian jams. This was of in the 'dungeons' at the South Gate which are now full of souvenir/tat shops. This is not yet the 'high' tourist season. Goodness knows what the crowds will be like then. I sometimes feel that these attractive tourist sites can become victims of their own success. Too many tourists and it becomes unpleasant for all, especially the locals (or those not involved in selling things to tourists). I expect prices double, especially for accommodation, from the end of May until the end of September. 

Left: Centre part of the Palace, the Peristil, with the Cathedral (Roman Mausoleum) on the left.

Right: Roman Legionnaires/Centurions/Soldiers posing for a photo op. In the main season they perform a Roman 'Changing of the Guard' in the Peristil at mid-day (except Sundays and Bank Holidays perhaps).

Left: Narodni Square outside the West Gate with a multitude of outside restaurants, cafés and bars. There were also lots more in the surrounding little streets.

Talking of the streets, they were constructed of cream coloured limestone (I think) flagstones which, due to the passage of many feet over the years, had become shiny, like marble. They look lovely but after a bit of rain, which was the case when I was there, are lethally slippery.

Right: ...and a long line of retaurants alomg the harbour front. They were doing good business. Main touristing hours seem to be between 10.00am, after the cruise ships have disgorged their human cargo (or 'self-moving freight' as it's sometimes referred to) and about 4.30pm when they  set sail again, onwards to swamp another city.

Left:: Poor photo of some of the cruise ships in the harbour.

Right: A smart normal (slippery when wet) street in the town which has some expensive designer shops on it. 

Left: At the far end is this extraordinary fountain; a finger pointing out of the wall and squirting water into the cup. It switches off for a few minutes and starts up again to give pedestrians a bit of a fright.

Right: To get a bit of exercise, and a photo, I climbed Marjan Hill, overlooking the city from the west. It was 300 steps up to a viewing platform and bar/restaurant. The steps/path went further up and I, hoping for a better view, set off and ended up eventually at a meteorological station and radio mast on top of the hill, but surrounded by trees, and sweating. Back down to the viewing platform for a photo and drink.

Left: Even touristy Split is not free from the curse of Balkan graffiti. There was quite a lot of it, but nothing like Ljubljana.

That is about it from Split. On south next by boat; this twin-hulled vessel the 'Eclipse', to Dubrovnik at the southern end of the country.