Sleep # 29: Split, Croatia
Split was the city we had to go back to several times in order to understand its complexity. On our first journey, we entered the city in the midst of a huge bustling Green Market. We enjoyed seeing the cabbage seller. He shredded the cabbage and sold bags full from his mound and when the mound would become low, he would once again start shredding. Only in reviewing the photos did I realize he was selling the shredder. I want one….too late.
The Green Market of Split, located just outside the Silver Gate.
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Look for the mound of freshly shredded cabbage.
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Notice the scales used for measurement of goods.
I love this seller, her goods and her lovely, surely accurate scale. She stood out as a quintessential seller of the time and of this place.
We entered Split the first time by the Silver Gate and the second time by the Golden Gate.
Diocletian is the big draw in this city, which flurries and hurries until 12:00 p.m. and then it clears out as all return home to nap. We enjoyed the first burst of the town coming to life. We enjoyed the people enjoying the city.
A good place to duck out of the rain and when the rain came it was a downpour.
Now who is Diocletian? He was the Emperor and the first sovereign to abdicate his power and take on the retired life.
He chose the bay of Split to build his retirement palace in 305 AD. What once was the palace is now actually the town and that is baffling. At first, we were looking for the palace when actually we were in it. We wandered and the city seemed a bit like Venice on a smaller scale. Then, we popped out into the upper part of the town and realized we were in the middle of the real non-tourist section of Split. There are malls and shops leading to the sea, plus all of the locals greeting each other and spending time walking and talking. We picked a bench and sat watching the parade until it started to rain. Watching the people walk by in mass felt like being on Safari during a migration. We loved it. I have to say in that hour’s time, we did not see a heavy-set person. Must be genetic and diet. We did see a little slice of life as it is now in Split.
Locals walking on the The Riva, AKA ( Croatian National Revival Embankment)
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We sprinted back to the ship, drenched to the bones, ready to dry out a bit and thought if the rain stopped we would go again to Split as we really enjoyed being there. Also, we wanted to have a look at the Cathedral of St. Dominis, but when we did return, we found that it did not open until 5:00 p.m. and that is the time our ship set sail. We missed seeing inside, but here are photos from the area of the Cathedral.
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After lunch the rain cleared and we walked back to Split another way. This time we entered the back gate, called the Golden Gate.
Statue of Bishop Gregory of Nin who is honored for asserting the right to say Mass in Croat.
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Entering the Golden Gate
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Inside the Golden Gate
We liked Split very much once we understood it. The town is ancient, modern and lovely. This town is dualistic in its architecture, but it is a blending of the old and the modern conjoined. The two do not intermingle, they just meet together, side by side.
Good Bye Split, we enjoyed being in your presence.
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