Day 17 - Sunday April 29 - Split Croatia

We docked in Split, Croatia at noon today having left Venice at about 8 pm last night.  This morning was a quiet morning.  We played a few hands of cribbage and then went to the Port Talk to hear about tomorrow's excursions in Dubrovnik.  This is a daily event but not usually in the morning.

After the port talk, Wayne and I were invited to attend a thank you reception for those who sailed from Barcelona all the way to Istanbul.  There are a total of 95 of us sailing the entire distance.   All other passengers embark or disembark in Barcelona, Rome (Citivecchia), Venice or Athens.   So, while the ship holds 930 passengers, there's a turnover of about 500 at each embarkation city.

It was a nice reception with some wine and a few appetizers.  No sales pitch :)   Just a thank you and acknowledgement for our traveling the entire distance (29 days).

I was able to see the ship dock from the veranda of our stateroom and look out over the harbor at the city of Split.

At 1 pm we took the included tour, Split Walking Tour.  The guide met us on the pier and we walked into the old city.  Split, named for the flower, Split (picture below) is one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic.  It was built around the 3rd century palace erected for the roman emperor Diolcletian as a retirement palace.  

We toured the old city, much of it still intact.  The cobblestone streets are worn smooth.  I wouldn't want to walk on them in the rain.  We walked through pre-romanesque churches and Gothic chapels and down into the cellars of the palace.  

the old city, northeastern wall as we approached from the ship

              A map of rhe ancient 3rd century city           the symbol of a UNESCO world heritage site

As usual, it was up and down steps but very interesting.   Our guide obviously loved his city, Split, and knew much about the roman and gothic architecture.

Our guide told us that the artisans building the palace left theirark behind and told us to lool for the menorah in the ceiling.

                               The wooden truss that was found still mainly intact from the 3rd century

                                                                                  Good old Roman emperor Diocletian

A sphinx still in rhe same place from the 3rd century

Our guide told us that thus was meant to be Christ's hands holding something (I forget).

The smooth stones of the palace worn smooth since the 3rd century

We toured the Temple of Venus toward the end of the walking tour and I was able to see a lot of the doric columns and the etching around the roman doors.  

Thus bronze plate in the ground commemorates the burning of all the items of value from the 3rd oldest synagogue during WW II in 1942

   

The 3rd oldest synagogue. Not open today. I would have loved to have gone in

Game of thrones fans....do you recognize this?

Game of Thrones, filming took place on this street in front of this.

The most western gate of the old city

Our guide called him Dumbledore (Harry Potter). He's really Gregory of Nin. He became a symbol of national aspirations.

The bell tower near the old city

Western wall of the old city where the tour ended

The city was very crowded today.   It appears this is a 4 day weekend; this being their labor day.  And, football (a/k/a soccer) being so big here, there is a major game in town today.   Their soccer stadium holds 40,000 people and from the looks of all the people coming in off the ferries with cars, or without; many with suitcases, obviously here for the game and an overnight stay.

We stopped for a beer after leaving the old city.  I had a Stella Artois (my beer).  I got a picture of the label.  I'm not sure what language?   Croatian?  Italian?  

Gladiator fun and soccer mania (scarf is for the Split team).

I know it's Stella. But what language?

It fascinates me to think that I walked the same streets that others walked in the 3rd century.  Split is the type of city that you need more than 4 hours to explore.

We had another seafood dinner tonight.   I may grow gills after this cruise.   Being in the Mediterranean, the fish is plentiful.  Tonight was choppino (mussels, clams, white fish in a delicious broth).  They also had whole seabass from which they would cut a small individual filet.  The sign said, "fresh seabass from Venice".  It was amazing.

We're going to the 9:15 pm show tonight.   There's a new entertainer, it's a card / magic show.   I'm a sucker for these kinds of shows.   I hope it's good.