Gastography

Our next main destination on this vacation was Split – a large coastal town known for its Roman ruins, beautiful waterfront, and proximity to a bunch of smaller islands. Split did not disappoint. The town itself is sprawling – encompassing not only the waterfront, but a large inland area as well – complete with multiple suburbs.

We stayed outside the city center, in an area that I’m sure was gut renovated post-war (there was an old gun turret at the end of our block that for some reason I completely forgot to take a picture of).

The place we stayed was good – on a nice quiet stretch of waterfront walkway (quiet enough that we didn’t hear the revelers when Croatia won the semi-finals of the World Cup).

Our main destination in Split was Diocletian’s Palace – right at the City Center waterfront. For my history nerds, this palace was built around the beginning of the 4th century BC as a Roman emperor retirement home. For my Game of Thrones nerds, the basement was used as the underground passages in Mereen.

The palace itself is interesting – not much remains of it but some outer walls and continuing excavation into its basement – which was laid out to mirror the upper floors. Some interesting rooms to explore down there, and good signage on history (thankfully history signage instead of television signage).

Diocletian’s Palace basement

Diocletian’s Palace basement

Diocletian’s Palace basement

Nowadays, the upper street is a twisting warren of alleyways packed to the brim with shops, restaurants, religious houses, guest houses and apartments – good luck finding an address quickly.

Shops and restaurants in a square

❤

Found the mosque – kinda

Can’t help but imagine what it would be like to live here throughout the ages

Alleyways ❤

Doors!

This is someone’s washing – right there above the basement of the palace

Old graffiti

After climbing out of the basement

Layers

Same street, different eye

DH was as interested in the washing as I was

Another – arguably more interesting – view of that dome

Same tower too

Note: this is the first place we ran into where you have to pay to use the public restrooms – at a cost of 5 kuna.

After spending half the day wandering the alleyways of the palace, we hadn’t gotten our full Roman ruin fix, so we jetted out 5km or so to the suburbs and the ruins of Salona. This was a couple-hour jaunt in the direct sun, with of course not enough sunblock or water or hats or anything that would make the trip more comfortable. That would be silly – and waaaay too responsible. So we explored. And me in flip flops. Also had a mini version of one of our infamous death hikes through an olive grove looking for a more direct route back through the neighborhood we passed through (how weird would that be?!).

This was a sprawling site and we didn’t cover it all – zero shade

Old bridge

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

It’s as hot and sunny as it looks

Ruins of the Roman city of Salona

After our trek, we burger & beered and passed out early to prep for a day of island hopping.

Part 1 – Zagreb

Part 2 – Plitvice

Today’s adventure took us from Zagreb to Split, with a few-hour detour in Plitvice Lakes for some light hiking and waterfall viewing.

The drive was really cool and I’m glad we rented a car instead of trying to take public transportation (which would have also been easy) or going with an organized tour bus (which sounds like hell).

The Croatian countryside is nuts – you’ve got everything from rolling hills and corn fields that reminds me of Ohio, to craggy mountains that look almost like the moon if not for the crazy little scrub trees (maybe cedar?) clinging on for dear life, to the clearest bluest water you’ve ever seen, to lush vineyards and olive orchards(?). The scenery truly runs the gamut.

If you ever have the chance to come to this part of the world, rent a car and take the old highways. You’ll see more in the next travel day post, but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn it’s pretty. All of it.

Today’s travel was mostly on the luxurious new highway – but it’s not always clear when you’re on that (the old highway is freaking nice as well), and it’s pretty too – just with more overtly convenient to an American potty options.

Corn fields like Central Ohio

Fields and distant mountains like NC

Roads + townships

scrubby grass

Does this not look like Cupcake Mountain?

Could be West Virginia

Could totally be West Virginia

Looking weird – but kind of like Nevada

Whoo hoo, water!

Weird but pretty

Holy poop

Plitvice 

This is one of those must-see spots in Croatia, and there’s hot debate as to which National Park is better – Plitivce or Krka. Krka you can swim in, but I’d heard the waterfall viewing was even better in Plitvice – and we were driving right past it (turns out we drove past both).

So, Plitvice it was.

We sailed past Entrance 1 and my pre-planned route, and ended up at Entrance 2. Which turned out really cool because we got to take a short boat ride + a longer tram/bus thing ride at the end that looped us almost right back to the parking lot.

Pro tip: when you enter the park, there will more than likely be a hella long line of people waiting to get in. Don’t be one of those people – either hop out of that line and find the money changing/ticket counter, or – better yet – pay at the trailheads further on down. Much shorter line. Like an hour shorter.

Screw this mess

Our trailhead for path E – a 2-3 hour easy loop involving a boat + tram/bus thing

On to the pretty:

Baby falls

Bob Ross, eat your heart out

So. Many. Falls.

They were everywhere

Obligatory selfie

Look how clear this water is!!

Our ride back to the trailhead.

Pretty. Just: pretty.

From our little boat trip

You could see each tiny fish and every leaf that has fallen in the water

Just some falls – hanging out

This was of course a popular Insta selfie spot

More of this water. Love.

❤

A second perspective: the landscape photographer in his element, but tortured by people and a lack of tripod.

Next time, we’re renting kayaks

And that was Plitvice. We could have spent hours more there happily (especially in a lower season that wasn’t so crowded), but this trip gave us a feel for what we would like to come back to see – definitely low season, and a longer hike. This was a great starting point trek and there were spots when the crowds thinned a bit, so we could take more time in (moderate) silence to shoot what we wanted to shoot without getting jostled on the wooden walkways or crowded around if it was a particularly Insta-friendly vista.

Split took another hour or two to get to, and then we were rewarded with this seafront:

Croatia Part 1 – Zagreb

Stay tuned for our exploration of Split + then some!