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Published: November 13th 2010
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Split Harbor I'm about an hour into my train ride to Split. As I look to the west (at least what I assume to be as I sit facing the back of the train) I can see a rainbow. As I lay awake last night I could hear raindrops falling onto the tin roof overhead. Puddles lay in the streets of Zagreb as I made my way to Glavni Kolvodor (Central train station). I purchased my ticket for 189 kuna (~$35) and bought myself a couple sandwiches for the long trip ahead.
The train is ultra modern and seems to travel at speed of light compared to Magyar service. As we departed the station, the rising sun made its way through the partly cloudy sky casting beautiful early morning shadows on the city's main green. As we made our way across the narrow Sava River, the massive Medvednica mountain became visible, the morning shroud of fog dissipating. What an amazing site.
As we head further south, the clouds have now taken over the sky and it unfortunately looks as though it could be a rainy day ahead. At one of the stops, Nescafe is served. For Free! What a country! White
limestones pepper the hilly forests on the sides of the tracks. As I write, we pass a quarry. The stones are covered in moss and remind me very much of the photos I have seen of the Greek countryside. I surely am on my way to the Mediterranean. I pass the time by flipping through an article in the Prague Monitor, a monthly magazine that I nabbed from a coffee shop off Narodni street in Prague during Christmas break. The article chronicles the journalist;s journey through Croatia. It is this article that inspired my trip. All Adam Cardais had to mention was that Zagreb reminded him of a "Mediterranean Prague" and I was sold. Travelling alone doesn't phase me anymore. In fact, I quite enjoy it. Sure I miss the company now and then and Jon and I always have a good time but it is nice to be able to eat what you want, when you want and set your own agenda. I know for a fact that I like walking around a new town way more than is humanly normal. I get to do this when I'm by myself. I have more to think about than perhaps ever
before in my life so this is trip is allowing me plenty of time for this.
There is something indescribable about the thrill of a new place. I have only seen a few photos and read a small amount about Split. I like to surprise myself. I have an image of what the city looks like and it will be exciting to see how it compares to the real thing. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by travel, though. It's insatiable--I want to see the whole world and I know that I can't come close. It's become a hobby of mine to create lists of the top destinations that I would like to get to. For 25, I think I am doing pretty well and it is certainly not a race. It's a pity I don't write better because what a career it would be to get paid to write about my travels. Teaching abroad has been an excellent opportunity for travel and I can't complain about the week-long school breaks. Where will I visit next, after Croatia? See, it's already on my mind. They call it the travel bug but mine is a full-blown case of influenza. The only vaccine
is more travel. Prague in May for the Czech beer festival? Switzerland with Javy? Only time will tell.
...
Split is insanely beautiful. I really don't know what else to say--words can't describe it. I will do my best. It's nighttime and I'm sitting on a boardwalk that juts out into the city's harbor. I am looking out across the Adriatic Sea, water that earlier today was as blue as I've ever seen. It is a busy harbor with cruise liners running regularly to the islands and even some to Italy. Behind me and to my left is the city's seaside promenade, the Riva. It is lined with palm trees, benches and cafes. It passes right in front of Split's world heritage site, Diocletian's Palace. After my experience today I am just about willing to call this piece of living archaeology my favorite spot on Earth. I've never seen anything like it. The ancient palace has been transformed into a living, breathing part of the city.
The entire city radiates from the palace and the streets and infrastructure that once served as the Roman Emperor's summer home now functions as a marketplace/shipping center/residential area. It is truly
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Palace Gates a marvel. Too often, archaeology is inaccessible to the public. If you want to take a peek, you have to pay admission. Not here. Take the palace out of Split and there is no city. It is Diocletian's Palace that put Split on the map in ancient days and it reamins so today. The fact that Diocletian chose Split as the site for his summer retreat is a testament to the city's natural beauty. Imagine for a second that you are the Roman Emperor. You rule most of the known world and you can build your palace anywhere. Well, Diocletian chose Split. And I don't blame him!
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