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Published: November 13th 2010
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It's early afternoon and I am sitting in Ivana Paula II square at the heart of the beautiful island-town of Trogir. The sun is beating down on me as I drink an Ozujsko pivo at an outdoor cafe. I didn't think that things could get any better than yesterday but I was wrong. It's warmer (gotta be pushing 70s), sunnier, ad I've had more of a chance to see this amazing country.
I woke up this morning, showered and made myself a cup of instant. After I checked my email, I had a chance to chat with my roommate, a man in his 50s from Saskatchewan. Very friendly guy. I'm actually positive that I am almost walked by him earlier today in Trogir. I turned around before he could see me, though. I would rather explore on my own. He's on a three month sabbatical from whatever it is he does and he's exploring central Europe. I told him about my gig in Budapest and about some of my experiences in Europe. He commented about how lively the Croatian people are. And I must agree. From what I have gathered in a few short days, Croatia is an extremely inviting
place. Yesterday when buying a Heineken at a local shop, the owner asked me where I was from. I lied and told him New York. He rolled his eyes--"Ah, I once was there. Saw nothing. I was on a boat and we went there." He then asked me if I needed him to open my bottle. I think I'll go back there tonight. This morning I bought a breakfast of fruit at the central market: Spanish strawberries, an orange and two kiwis. The woman gestured "how many?" with her fingers and then asked for her English speaking colleague to offer me the price. "Bananas, strawberries, anything else?" she asked. "There are strawberries in the bag, yeah?" I ask looking for confirmation. She was embarrassed realizing that she was trying to sell me something that I had already purchased. "Sorry, thank you." It was a funny moment but I felt good about supporting a local. This was the second day in a row I had visited her booth. I think I will try the olives next.
The Canadian and I both agreed how nice it was that Split was full of locals and not just tourist hoards. We also found
it nice that the locals very much seemed to appreciate their surroundings enjoying a beer on the Riva's benches as the sun went down. I even witnessed two brothers, maybe five years old, playing tag in the courtyard of Diocletian's mausoleum hiding behind century old monuments. The city is full of life unlike any central European city I have been to. Zagreb was like this, too. Perhaps it doesn't belong to central Europe though when you think about it. The Mediterranean surely changes a culture. Maybe the weather explains the abundant smiling absent in Prague and Budapest.
I took my fruits down to the Riva where I devoured my strawberries with the reflected light of the sun shimmering off the the turquoise Adriatic into my face. I was about to catch a bus to Trogir.
The wooden seats on the bus were quite uncomfortable and as we waited to leave, the idling bus sounded as though it were in serious need of a tuneup. It certainly was. About ten minutes into the forty minute journey, the bus stalled at an intersection and wouldn't start up again. At least I now know that even Croatia is mortal. It didn't
matter. Ten minutes later we were back on our way in a more modern bus.
Trogir was beautiful and very much worth the excursion. It's a good thing that it is so close to Split or it would be lost to the world. The rectangular shaped island is reinforced by man-made granite walls. Trogir is connected to the mainland by a bridge and to an island by another bridge.
The main square where I sat to enjoy a beer has a beautiful cathedral featuring one of the finest stone doors I have seen anywhere in the world. The depraved Adam and Eve stand naked and ashamed, covering their privates each on one side of the door standing above two unbelievably intricate stone lions crushing the heads of serpents.
The island is a maze of tangled streets much like Split and offers breathtaking views of the sea looking back toward Split. After walking the streets for about an hour I ventured over the bridge connecting Trogir to the island. There was a massive hill that I'm sure would have provided a great view of the town but I decided to save my energy.
As I write, sitting
at the same boardwalk as last night, two Jadrolinija ferries are departing, most likely for the nearest island. It's not as clear as last night but the stars are still visible. It's also a bit chillier. After walking the island and snapping some great photos of Split's bay, I headed back to the bus station and caught a bus back to Split. I finished the day by going up the Cathedral's bell tower and exploring Split's beaches. At 4pm the sun was still high in the sky and much stronger than I imagined. I lay in the sun for a couple of hours and may have even gotten some sun on my face. On my way back to the city center, I stopped at an internet cafe to book my hostel for Dubrovnik. It's hard to imagine a nicer place than Split but Dubrovnik is the country's main attraction, so I am unbelievably excited. Hopefully I find the hostel ok...apparently they pick you up at the bus station. I head out at 8am. After one last stroll through Diocletian's Palace, I am prepared to call it a night.
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