Split: A City that Blends the Old with the New

Living inside the walls of Diocletian's Palace allowed for many strolls admiring the old mixed with the new.  We loved finding hidden gems carved on walls or small gardens tucked off the beaten trail.  Below are some pictures of such places.

Have questions?  Follow the lamp post directions. ;)

The remains of the Iron Gate Palace (built in the 15th century) could be seen in a tucked away courtyard.  Behind a trash gate, were two heads from statues that once adorned the Iron Gate of Diocletian's Palace that were built into this courtyard.   

This column is also part of the remains of the 15th century palace.  
This is a prime example of how the ruins are incorporated in to daily life. 

The Silver Gate of Diocletian's Palace leading to the open air market.

 Every city we have lived we have loved the markets.  It truly is the heart of the city.  Bobby always thrived more in this environment than I did.  He did great bargaining and finding the best deal, even with the challenge of a different language.   Near the end of our trip, we walked the goods area of the market many days trying to find gifts to bring home to our family.  If we ever planted ourselves in a city with a market I am certain Bobby would become a vendor and sell something. ;)

Recapping the End of the Trip: City of Lights - Split, Croatia

Around the first of December, the city of Split started decorating the city with lights in preparation for the Christmas season.  Every where we walked, whether it be the larger walkways or the small narrow passages, was adorned with lights over head.  It was quite beautiful.  Looking back at these pictures, seeing each type of light reminds me of the individual street in which it hung.  

The walk from our apartment to the Riva.

One evening we happened upon a live concert in front of the Town Hall in the People's Square (Narodni Trg).  We saw the lights set up, with a table, and various wine glasses dispersed.  We did our best to translate the sign with information and decided to wait to see what it would be like.  We were glad we stuck around as they played Jimi Hendrix, Depeche Mode, and other rock/blues songs.  What was fun is that they sang in English but talked in Croatian in between each song.  For about an hour we  were highly entertained while the kids ran around the square while dancing to the music.

Heading down to walk through the Christmas town on the Riva became a favorite evening activity for the Walkers.  By the end of our stay we were recognized by many vendors and were often greeted warmly as we walked by.  One of our favorite places to eat dinner was called Vegeton.  It reminded us of a restaurant that could have easily survived in Athens, GA with it's combo of vegetarian food, indie music, and hipster clothed waitstaff.  We loved eating the veggie burger covered with grilled cabbage, the bean stew, and the pumpkin soup.  On our last night in Split, the owner offered us dinner for the family for free which was incredibly generous.  Amelie made a Christmas card for the staff at Vegeton that said "Merry Christmas" in both English and Croatian.  The owner hung her card front and center of their booth which made Amelie happy.

Amelie's card hanging up at Vegeton.

Don't we look like we fit in?  As long as we didn't speak I'm not sure you would know we weren't a local.

Liam loved pointing out the "ABC's" on the drain covers as we would walk on the Riva.
I am glad my kids do not have to learn to spell in Croatian…look at that word! ;)

Has it only been 6 weeks since we were there?!  I can't believe we were able to live in this beautiful city for a couple months!  Making summer travel plans?  Go to Croatia!!  Trust me, you will not be sorry you took my advice.

We are back!

We arrived back to the States on December 22nd and experienced the whirlwind of Christmas and then my sister's wedding.  It has only been in the past week that we have been able to really get settled and let the reality sink in that we are back.  There are so many posts that I had wanted to write prior to leaving Croatia that I never had time to write.  I haven't decided if I should go back and try to write them anyways.  Does it lose something if it is not written in context?

When I try to think about what I have learned from our experience I find it very difficult to summarize.  It ends up being a rambling of different thoughts and points taken from different parts and aspects of our experience.  Maybe I will still try to make myself put something down.

A question that I often get is, how is it being back?  It's great!  We love the beach.  It was nice being able to come back to a familiar place.  As we were unpacking and organizing in the rental condo, we would find various things that we had left behind that we had forgotten about:  Terrapin glasses, heating pad, black storage baskets, and other random pieces.  We were able to bring a lot less stuff down with us then we did the first time we came.  This was partly because Liam is not a baby any more and doesn't need a crib, but it is also because we really just don't own much of anything.  The reality hit us that when we do decide to get our own place again we might have to sit and sleep on the floor for a while before we can afford to furnish the place!  Who wants to be in our shoes now?  Haha!

The grocery store has been overwhelming to both Bobby and I.  After being here a week our refrigerator is still bare.  We go in and get a couple of things and leave.  I have not made any lists or meal plans for the week like I used to do before our trip.  Bobby remarked tonight that "we need to get back in American-mode and get more than a days worth of food."  The amount of choice for everything really is incredible.

We did buy a car.  We are loving it.  It did take me a day or so getting used to driving again.  Bobby and I are both a lot more relaxed at the wheel.  I used to be a lead foot, but now Bobby has to remind me to actually go the speed limit.  The slowness of public transit has really helped us not be in a hurry when going places.  The snowbirds are riding my tail instead of the other way around! ;)

As we were loading up a couple of groceries the other day, I asked Amelie if she liked having a car or if she liked walking home after our grocery runs.  She said the car is much better.  :)  I, on the other hand, actually miss all the walking.  I need to get a bike.  I think that would help me.

Amelie has been pointing out the American flags seen flying around town.  I think it is really cool that she notices different countries flags, but especially American flags.  This is going to sound really corny, but I think she is proud to be an American.  She told me that she is glad to be back because now we don't have to ask people if they speak English when we first start talking to them.  I love how her mind works!

Amelie and Liam started preschool this week and have absolutely loved it.  Both their teachers are wonderful.  Amelie has talked non-stop about her friends.  I'm excited for this opportunity for them to continue to learn and have a chance to be more social.

The nice thing is that not much has changed in the year that we have been away.  Our snowbird friends are back and we are having fun fishing near them and catching up.  The librarians are all familiar and do the same Storytime routine each Thursday.  The condo has had a couple of upgrade improvements, but for the most part remained unchanged.  The ghost shrimp are still the best bait to use and yield the best results as far as number of fish caught.  The sand is still as white and clean as I remember it being.

We are thankful to be back!  We would love to have some quality hang out time with our family and friends…who is coming down to visit us?!  :)

Peace followed by turmoil

When researching things to do in Split, we would inevitably happen upon information and pictures about Plitvice Lakes National Park.  Rick Steves (one of our favorite and trusted traveler writers) writes that it is one of Europe’s most exotic hikes. He also described the national park as "a European Niagara Falls, diced and sprinkled over a heavily forested Grand Canyon."  If you google Plitvice, you will see pictures that blow your mind.  How could we be so close to something this incredible and not make the effort to go and see for ourselves?!

Since the park is located in the interior of Croatia, we had to figure out a way to get there.  Our options were to either take a 4 hour bus ride or a 2.5 hour car ride.  To make the trip as comfortable for our family, we decided to go the rent-a-car route.  In order to make the most of the given day light, we decided to leave Split around 6 p.m., spend the night at a bed and breakfast near the park, and then wake up early to begin our adventure within the park.  This ended up being a great plan that worked really well for us.  

Bobby enjoyed driving in a country that he couldn't read the road signs in a car in which he couldn't figure out how to reverse.  Liam was beyond excited to be able to ride in a car.   Amelie and Liam played on my iPhone and napped during the trip.   Finding the house in which we rented a room was very difficult in the mountains in the dark.  Bobby pulled into one driveway and realized it was not correct.  We had to get out of the car and push it back to the road since we didn't know how to reverse...oh, silly Americans!!  Once we got to our destination, the host showed Bobby how to reverse and we were good to go from that point forward...see what I did there?...forward... ;)

We planned ahead and brought with us the needed food for our stay.  I mentioned that we stayed in a bed and breakfast, but they didn't provide breakfast so I guess it was just a Bed.   We brought with us chocolate croissants and bananas.  Amelie and Liam were in heaven having chocolate for breakfast.  

Because Plitvice is north of Split and at a higher elevation, it was cold!  Temperatures were below freezing in the morning hours, but rose as the day progressed.  We wore multiple layers of clothes, as well as all of our winter gear (hats, scarves, gloves).  However, it was worth going the distance and braving the cold to spend the day at this park.  We would have definitely enjoyed visiting in the summer with warmer temperatures, but we are thankful to have been able experience this marvel at all.

The national park is comprised of 16 lakes that spill over into each other creating cascading waterfalls.  The lakes are surrounded by thick forests which are inhabited by bears, wolves, and many other rare animal and plant species.  We were on the look out for wildlife, but never saw anything other than fish and birds.  We enjoyed walking on the trails, many of which go over the lakes and the falls.  Here are just a few of the almost 400 pictures we took during our visit:

When we entered the park we were greeted by a stunning view of this large waterfall.
This park is not designed with small children in mind.  A stroller (even our trusty BOB) would not have made it through the park.  There were very few rails, but there were numerous canyon drop-offs and raging water enter points. We had to hold Liam's hand fiercely almost the entire day.

Because of the composition of the rocks, there are lots of minerals in the water making it super clear and vibrant green-blue in color.  We could see clearly deep into the water.

The paths over the lakes were a lot of fun, but were also challenging.  The boardwalk was not composed of flat planks, but rather of highly contoured and gap-filled sticks.  I might not have noticed so much had there not been icy patches and I was not trying to keep a 2-year old from falling in the water.

Does this look as precarious as it felt at the time?
At one point Bobby leaned over and told Amelie that the way I was walking will be how I walk when I am 90 years old.  Again, it was beautiful and there were only a couple of parts that were really icy.

It was a lot of fun seeing the fish!

Do you see the icicles?

After hiking for a couple of hours, we pulled out nuts, fruit, and crackers for our picnic lunch while we waited for an electric boat to take us across one of the larger lakes.   The sunshine was amazing and helped warm us up too.

The boats are super quiet.

Liam  enjoying his ride on the boat.

We walked along the trails near the upper lakes.  We tried to walk to the upper lakes but on our way, a bus happened by.  The bus passed us, went 30 feet, and then reversed and picked us up.  There was an American couple in their 70's on the bus.  She had a bum hip so the park set up the bus to take her around so she could view the waterfalls.  We found out that the upper lakes trails were closed due to the icy conditions.  So, we actually lucked out in that we could see the lakes without having to walk for an hour to get there.

Bobby, Amelie, and Liam would find sticks (pirate boats) to throw in at the top of the falls and then watch it make its way down to the bottom.

The lake was so still that the reflection is a perfect mirror.

We had an amazingly peaceful day enjoying being outside exploring through the park together.  When the sun started to set around 4 p.m. we were arriving to our car.  Perfect timing!  The kids rested in the warmth while we drove back to Split.

Once we got back to Split, Bobby dropped us off near our apartment while he went to return the rental car.  He was expected to be gone for between 10-15 minutes and then we were going to grab dinner on the Riva.  This is the point that the story starts to go downhill.  After around an hour with two hungry children and no sign of Bobby, we decided to gear up to go looking for him.  Keep in mind we are tired, had been hiking all day, and were hungry.  I headed to the rental car office where Bobby was supposed to drop the key.  I could see the key drop as it was enclosed in glass.  There were no keys present.  We then walked to the abandoned hotel where Bobby was supposed to park the car.  Again, there was no sign of him.  At this point, I am beginning to panic.  Where could he be?!  We walked back to the apartment to see if he was there, but he was not.  I knew that a rental car agent was picking up the keys between 8 and 8:30 p.m.  I had about 20 kunas ($4) so I bought a sausage on the Riva for the kids to share.  We waited outside the rental car office.  Remember things are not located right next door to each other.  I am having to walk around town pushing 2 kids in a stroller.  My thoughts were that if something had happened, then the agent would be able to help me alert police or figure out what went wrong.  After waiting for a half hour, I realized that no one was coming.  I walked back to the apartment to find there was still no sign of Bobby.  I walked back to the rental car office.  I asked a man in his 70's+ if he spoke English and then if he had a cell phone that I could borrow.  I noticed there was an emergency number for the rental agency listed on the front door.  After a little dialogue with the gentlemen he allowed me to use his phone.  Speaking with the rental agency personnel proved not helpful at all.  His only suggestion was to come back in the morning. Um, I want an answer now! At this point 3 hours had passed since Bobby had dropped us off.  I hung up the phone and started crying.  The older man lectured me on not having phones to keep in touch with each other.  He then asked me if I needed to get a drink to calm my nerves down.  He told me I needed to be stronger if I was going to live in Croatia.  He asked me what I was expecting to find.  I told him I didn't know, but I had to look in case my husband had been mugged and was lying on the side of the road.  I should receive a parenting award for saying this in front of my children.  I thanked him for his help and started walking again.  I walked up a steep hill to the street behind the abandoned hotel.  I couldn't hardly remember what the car looked like.  I said this to Amelie and she told me to look for the car seats in the back seat...genius!  I'm glad someone was thinking logically!  We did not find the car.  I walked back to the apartment hoping to find Bobby, but came home to an empty place.  I couldn't help but sob.  I called my mom on Skype to try to frantically fill her in and get some guidance.  Six minutes into our conversation, Bobby walked through the door.  I have never been so happy to see someone in my entire existence.  I'm sure my mom was extremely relieved too.  Amelie and Liam were also glad to have their dad back.  It was very traumatic for us all.  Now, I am sure that my lack of sleep, hiking all day, and lack of food all played apart of my emotions. 

We learned that when returning the car, Bobby realized he needed to fill up the gas.  When turning into the gas station someone rear-ended him.  He had to wait over an hour for the traffic police to arrive on the scene and assess the situation.  He was able to use someone's phone and sent me an email telling me that he was okay.  However, checking email was the last thing on my mind.  It was quite the experience for him as well.  The lady who hit him did not speak English, her husband and friends who showed up did not speak English, and the police who worked the accident spoke almost no English.  However, the lady admitted all fault and they even fed Bobby some homemade sausage and bread while waiting for the notoriously slow traffic cops.  The rental car was not badly damaged nor was Bobby hurt.  If only I had checked my email before going on my crazy 2.5 hour hunt, all would have stayed sane.

We cannot help but be shaped by our experiences.  Our experiences are part of the lens with through which we view life.  I will forever remember the feeling of desperation, anxiety, sense of loss, and fear that accompanied me while I tried to search for Bobby.   Truly every breath, every moment is precious and should be treasured.  

Nothing New Under the Sun

On Saturday we needed to grab a couple of groceries because on Sundays all groceries are closed.  We have gotten into the habit of buying the food we need to eat on the day we need to eat it.  With our cabinets bare and favorable weather, we decided to walk to the larger grocery store farther from our apartment.  On our way, we popped into the Archaeological Museum.  Because this was not planned (and we needed our stroller space for groceries), all pictures taken were with our old iPhones (quality is not great).

The Archaeological Museum in Split was founded in 1820 making it the oldest museum in Croatia.
It has a large stock of archaeological objects from prehistoric times, from the period of the Greek colonization of the Adriatic and from the Roman, Early Christian and early Medieval ages.   We enjoyed the two seperate areas of the museum; the exhibition hall and courtyard.

Amelie loves writing our names.  She was very excited to be able to sign all of our names in the guest book.

There is a large coinage collection.  Bobby is pointing out coins used in the 3rd century.

Amelie used my phone to take pictures throughout most of our visit.

Amelie really liked all of the jewelry.

In Ecclesiastes it says there is nothing new under the sun.  If you wanted proof of that statement, here is some for you.  You can see in the picture below that #65 is a device for expressing milk from nursing women from the 3rd century!  

Looking at the hieroglyphics on a Sphinx. 

Contemplating why there are all of these 1st Century wine jugs with coral attached.

If you would like a deeper understanding as to how museum time really is with the Walkers, you can check out the video below.  In it you will see that the kids ask lots of questions and like to point out items to us.  You might also be able to hear Bobby explaining to Amelie what a sarcophagus is.  He does a great job explaining to the kids what they are seeing with background information too.  Most importantly you will see that both kids do not stop moving and like to run, run, run.  Warning:  If you are not related to us you will probably find this extremely boring!

After having an enjoyable time learning, we continued walking to the grocery store where we also ate lunch before shopping.  Throughout Europe the grocery stores have not provide plastic bags for free.  You have to pay for each bag you use.  As you can imagine, people use the bags very sparingly and most re-use.  We use one or two bags over and over again along with the storage room of the stroller. 

We started the day taking a look back in history to be reminded that technology and tools have changed drastically over time.  But in the end, it seems most of a day's work is still about putting food in your belly, no matter what century you are born.