The Domino Effect

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Friday we had an absolutely magnificent buffet breakfast at our hotel in Biograd Na Moru. It was plentiful and nice to have some things we have not had since leaving home in March! Later in the morning we set off to walk around this quaint beach town. Since it is still before high season it was quite devoid of tourists. On our way we stopped to watch some men using shale-like rock to create a beautiful wall. They chiseled, cut, and filed the rocks to the perfect shape and then added it to the growing design.

We continued through the small town, stopping to read about the damage done to Biograd during the war in 1995 by Serbian community members. It showed various points on a bronze plaque where devastation had occurred 20 years ago. There was no indication of it now, unlike what I saw in Bosnia 7 years ago.

Biograd has a beautiful walkway that extends along their pebbly shore, with hotels, restaurants, park land and a campground following the path. After walking for two hours we made our way back to the hotel where we gathered up our laundry to take to the self-service laundromat. Knowing that our next place did not have facilities, I really wanted to freshen up our well-worn apparel.

After inserting our tokens numerous times we finally heard the machine filling up. Curtis wandered outside doing his German while I spent the time reading. There were only two dryers and when we arrived both were full and operating. I figured that by the time I needed one, the owners of the clothing would have re-appeared. Not so. I swore that I would wait and not take out their load as I would not want someone to do that to me. But after waiting the 30 minutes of the wash cycle and another 20 and still no one arrived I decided this was ridiculous. I chose one machine and unloaded it onto the counter. Just as I put in my token in the dryer a car pulled in and out hopped a mother and her 20-something son. I apologized for taking it out and she said, "No problem". They loaded the pile into their basket and the young man was laughing nervously. I think he was a bit embarrassed that a complete stranger had manhandled his underwear!!! They left with a cheerful good-bye while I sat back down to wait. As Curtis returned from getting me a jacket at the hotel (it had begun to rain) another car pulled up and a rather large, imposing man hopped out. He began to take out his laundry. We unloaded ours as well and as we walked out Curtis remarked, "I bet you were glad it wasn't his dryer you emptied!'". I had to admit that he may not have been as gracious as the other two people!!!

Once back at our hotel I completely emptied out my backpack and re-organized, vowing to make more room. Didn't work. Then we indulged in a past time that is quite out of our realm - relaxation! We lounged all afternoon, reading, emailing, figuring out routes for Split, journal writing, and watching TV. Later we had dinner in the hotel restaurant where a green, young waiter profusely apologized for making mistakes. He was adorable and we assured him he did great!

Over the years at school I have helped my young proteges set up a variety of building materials as dominoes. They are always fascinated as they watch the blocks tumble into one another until they are all down. We know this "domino effect" also happens everyday in some way. As we rose early Saturday morning, we were soon to indulge in our own "domino effect". We had spent much of relaxing Friday afternoon google mapping a number of things for when we arrived in Split. First of all we had arranged for early an check-in time of 11:00AM. We had to have our car back by 12:00PM in Split so we knew we had given ourselves at least 45 minutes to find the rental office after dealing with the apartment. We had written out the directions to the apartment and had also received driections from Martina, our hostess, but they were slightly different than ours. I had also figured out how we were going to walk back to the apartment from the rental agency. Having all of our bases covered we ate another fabulous breakfast and went up for our bags. Our plan was to leave at 8:30, giving us 2 1/2 hours, knowing the drive to Split was only 133km.

I hate being late. I'm okay if it we are going somewhere with a firm time set but I don't like to be late for a scheduled appointment and knowing we had two in a tight time frame had me a bit worried. Didn't concern my husband in the least, who just kepting saying, "We have plenty of time."

As we took our bags down I went to put mine by the front entrance for Curtis to transport to the car while I checked out. He looked at me and said, "Why don't you just bring it out and then come back in." And the first domino fell.

I lugged my bags out and unceremoniously dropped them into the backseat. Curtis just looked at me since I had virtually left no room for his! I just grinned at him, knowing that I may be anal about time but he hates to have the bags disorganized in the car when travelling and, Lord knows, he loves an orderly grocery cart! I just smiled at him and went into check out. The effect of that first domino was soon evident as I entered through the glass doors and up to the desk where normally two people were working. Just as I made my approach I noticed the elevator doors closing with the lone receptionist inside. I waited and waited for her return. Two of the restaurant workers came up to apologize, saying she'd return soon, all the while I am watching the clock, calculating in my head the remaining time to get to Split. The dominoes kept falling with each passing minute.

After 10 minutes doors slid open and she came out. She apologized and began helping us, knowing we had been waiting. We paid, chatted, and waited for what seemed like forever for our receipt to be spat out of the printer. At 8:53 we were on our way.

As we exited Biograd we met a detour. Another domino down.

Soon we were on Highway #8, the scenic. coastal road, but remember, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, something this road is not! It was a beautiful drive with gorgeous coves filled with yachts and small towns, however the dominoes continued to fall as in each small venue we had to decrease our speed.

We arrived to Trogir at approximately 10:30. I kept fussing that there was no way we would make it. My husband, ever the optimist, just kept saying we were fine. The next domino waited ahead as we ended up on the road to Trogir instead of Split. After 5 minutes of driving, and me squirming in my seat, we opted to turn around and head back to the other road. Thank goodness because we had been on the wrong road! And the dominoes kept toppling down.

Driving down the road towards Split we a large stretch of road under construction. We were down to 40km an hour with a long line of traffic ahead of us, lead by a coach bus who soon decided that 40 was too slow and moved along swiftly. Apparently the car behind him didn't agree and we continued at a snail's pace. Down, down, down.

By 10:45 we finally came to the big 4 lane highway leading into Split. As the highway merged into two lanes our Chevrolet Spark ignited and we tore past the 4 cars that had been holding us up. Speeding by the last car another domino crashed down as we were motioned over to the side by a young police officer waving his small stop sign at us. Crap! You can only imagine the state I was in knowing that we now had to wait to get a ticket. The officer was explaining to us our crime in Croatian and Curtis asked if he spoke English. He paused and said, "You were driving 111km/hr". Curtis tried to say it was the guy in front of us who had also been pulled over. We handed over our rental car information and Curtis fished out his licence. He perused it for a couple of minutes in silence and then handed it back, "Good-bye".

Thankful, we drove on at 80km/hr while I lost my mind about being late. We got into Split and opted to follow Martina's directions to the apartment, after all they involved less streets than ours. Little did we know they didn't list ALL the streets we would need. We drove around in circles forever as we tried to find our way. Finally Curtis asked for help and we made it to the last street listed on her directions, only to come to a pedestrian busy, cars everywhere, dead-end street. And another domino comes down.

As Curtis was trying to figure out how to get the car out of this sardine tin, I told him I would get out and go find the apartment. Right. The one with no sense of direction goes off on her own, in a strange town, through a myriad of streets that twist and turn. I stuck to the small main street we entered on and kept going up the side streets and then back down. I stopped into travel agency and was told to go back up the street to the grey columns and turn left. Tried that but still nothing. I headed back to the car to find it now parked, but empty of my husband. I ventured out again and this time when I was searching an older gentleman noticed me seeking out street names on the sides of the buildings. He came over and I asked him if he spoke English and knew where Ulica Kamenita was. He spoke very little but smiled and motioned for me to come with him. It is now 11:35. I followed him through different streets. Feeling a bit panicked that I wouldn't find my way back I began noting landmarks. Go left and past the "Garaza" sign. Round the bend and go left past a child-painted mural. Past that there is a hotel at the T. Turn left and, lo and behold, Kamenita 7!!! I thanked the kind man for his help and began knocking on the door. After 10 minutes and no answer I was ready to cry. Not only was I not entirely sure I knew how to get back, I also knew my husband would be frantic and I had no way of contacting him or the lady from the rental. At 11:45 I decided to attempt to get back to the car using the landmarks to guide me. I returned to an empty car once again and just stood there as I watched the last of the dominoes fall as we had 7 minutes to get the car back.

After 5-6 minutes Curtis appeared from a side street. I called out, " I found it!". He replied, "So did I!". He said that he talked to the girl who had been upstairs cleaning while I was there. She just happened to pop her head out the window when Curtis found the place. He also said that while he was running down the street there was a large German Shepherd sitting quite near the apartment with its owner. It snapped at Curtis as he ran by but thankfully no contact was made! We unloaded the car and walked to the apartment where Maria greeted us while I apologized profusely. She was not upset at all and after recording our passports and payment taken, she left us a bottle of wine and we were on our own. It was now after noon and we were late getting to the car rental place and I was sweat to the knees.

We ran back to the car, made our way out of the narrow street and back up to the main road we came in on. Having only a vague sense of where the car rental place was from a "Bauhaus" sign I had noticed on the way in that listed the street we needed, we turned down the road, in the middle of an industrial area and somehow managed to find the place. A man was waiting outside with his clipboard. I hopped out and, once again, apologized for our late arrival, explaining that we had been quite lost. He just smiled and reassured us all was good. He checked the car out and then offered to drive us back into town. We told him we could walk (6km) but he said it was going to rain so we jumped into his van! He was wonderful and entertained us with stories of his children and places he had lived as well as listened to the places to which we have travelled. He dropped us off and we made our way back, which turns out to be quite simple.

Later we went out in the rain to find a grocery store. We stopped in at a bakery so Curtis could get a burek. Who should be in there but the German Shepherd who snapped at Curtis and his owner. The dog was quite gentle as he accepted a pat on the head. His owner said, "Now you are friends. He doesn't usually do that. It may have been that you were running." We chatted with him for a bit about our time in Split and then parted ways. We enjoyed a quiet night in our lovely apartment. It is in an old building but has been totally renovated. It is bright, clean, well-equipped and has a lovely terrace. Looking forward to trying out the "space age" shower in the morning!

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