The Best Street Food In Split, Or, The Cheapest Dinner We Had In Croatia

For dinner, we went to one of our more highly anticipated meals of the trip, a small takeaway restaurant named Kantun Paulina (Paulina's Corner).

First Maddy and I stopped at the next door bar for a drink, and Carol came along just a minute or two later.  

We carefully watched the line at Kantun Paulina -- sometimes it was long, and sometimes it short.  By the time we finished our drink, the line was once again short.

Maddy and I both ordered the cevapcici, a Balkan grilled meat on lepinja flatbread.  Carol had the chicken sandwich.  We ordered them with everything.  Because they needed some time to reload the chicken, I hung inside the shop, which became crowded once again.  They literally offer three different types of sandwiches.  

The cevapcici (also called a cevapi) is a sandwich of minced meat of lamb and beef.  With the tomatoes and onions added, it was a fantastic, and filling, meal.  Carrying our glasses of beer, and the plate of food, we walked a few blocks to Trg Gaje Bulata and sat on a stone wall, happily munching on our delicious food.

A meal doesn't have to be expensive to be delicious.  It was like our own episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  And, as it should be, the food was the star.

The only downside was that the food was so tasty we forgot to take photos of the cevapcici or of us devouring it.  

We contentedly returned the glasses and plate (I can't imagine an American restaurant would allow customers to just walk away with glassware/plates and expect them to be returned.

Because the night was young and so is Maddy, we strolled along the marina and around to the gelateria around the corner from our apartment for dessert.  It was a fabulous coda to the day.  Nights like that night are special and will always be a happy memory.  

What's Better Than 99 Luftballons? A UNESCO World Heritage Site With 99 Waterfalls

Plitvice Lakes has 99 waterfall.  And 16 lakes.  And it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  And, as you know. . .UNESCO means you must go!

Of the four places in Croatia we went, Dubrovnik, Split, and Plitvice are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  Only Ston is not the list, and it is on the Tentative list, which means it is under consideration to be added to the list.

Plitvice Lake became Croatia first national park in 1949 (when Croatia was part of Yugoslavia). 

The drawback to going to Plitvice Lakes is that it is a long way from anywhere, including about three hours from Split.  

Through Viator I bought spots on a group tour leaving from Split.  Carol decided not to go because her ATV injuries were still giving her issues.  And, as we hiked up and down the through the national park, it was a good thing she stayed in Split.  

(Carol did enjoy checking out some of the sights in Split, including the Mestrovic Gallery, which features a lot of the creative work by Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic, as well as Kastelet Chapel, which is nearby the sculpture gallery and features woodcut by the sculptor.  I had hoped to make it there, but the heavy rains two days earlier washed out those plans.) 

Maddy and I joined nearly a full bus group.  We loaded on the bus promptly at 7:00 am, and by 7:05 am we headed out.  It was a relatively quiet, but long ride.  

It was a relief to finally get there.  

We took a very short boat ride from one side of Kozjak Lake to the other, and started out on a forced march past a number of lakes.  

I was irritated about the fast pace with no time to stop and enjoy the lakes, although I later understood it, as we essentially covered the entire park in the time we were there.  We may not have seen all 99 waterfalls, but we saw the best ones, including:

• Veliki Prstavac;
• Mali Prstavac; and,
• Veliki Slap

(Editor: What are you doing?  No one can pronounce the names of those waterfalls, least of all you!  Heck, you couldn't spell them unless you were looking at a map that lists just those three waterfalls.

Writer: As quoted on the base of his statue, the founder of Faber College once said, "Knowledge is good.")

Anyhow, when we finally stopped on our starting sprint, I let the guide know of my irritation at being rushed through some of the pretty parts.  While one person was not happy with my outburst (not naming names, but that person just might be related to me by virtue of being one of my daughters), I did have four different people on the tour come up to me later and thank me for expressing the way they also felt.

I did apologize to the guide later.  She said she understood, but on the return trip, when she came around to everyone on the bus to get them to fill out their reviews online, she invented an excuse to skip me and come back to me.  She never did come back to me (and Maddy feigned sleep, as the review process seemed like a hassle).

Anyhow, despite the rocky start to the tour, it got much better.  I understood by the end that there was a lot to see, and the parts she hurried us through were the least stunning parts of the tour.  Perhaps I should have not been cheap and should have hired a private driver/guide.

The hike through the park was a good test for my knee replacement, coming just 14 weeks after the surgery.  I certainly was not in shape for the hill climbs, but I managed them, and could not have handled Plitvice Lakes without the surgery.

I didn't worry about staying with the group (especially with the need to take photos, and with the height of some of the hill climbs).  So once that happened, I was much more chill about the tour, as I saw everything I needed/wanted to see.

We first covered the Upper Lakes, and then, after a short break, bussed to the starting point for the Lower Lakes.  

Because of my knee, I didn't go down into the canyon, but stayed on the upper trail.  It was a bit of a wake-up call to be both the oldest person (by a decent amount) and the only one who couldn't go down into the canyon.  

Going into the canyon would not have been the problem, it would have been climbing back out.  And the worst part is, I knew it.  I didn't try, didn't even seriously consider it.  Getting old sucks.

Plitvice Lakes does not suck, however, so it was still worth going to.  Truly a fitting UNESCO World Heritage site.

Although it is just 150 miles from Split and the Adriatic Sea The Korana River runs approximately a meandering 1300 miles before dumping into the Black Sea.

The lakes (well, mostly the falls) are one of Europe's most spectacular natural wonders.  A lush valley of lakes and falls, with natural travertine dams, turquoise blue water, and the long shot hope of seeing a rare European Brown Bear (spoiler alert: we didn't spot one, even though it's the park's logo.)

As much time as it took to get there (and back), it's amazing we were able to give thorough coverage to its stunning scenery in just a few hours.

Unexpected historical note: The first shots of the Croatia War of Independence were fired in the national park, on Easter Sunday, as a Croat and a Serb died in a gunfight.  The park had very few tourists during the nearly five years of war, which allowed the ecosystem to bounce back from the impact of so many visitors.

If you are going to Croatia, build in a day to get to Plitvice Lakes.  It's not easy, but it's definitely worth it.

Plitvice Lake Photos

Plitvice is a photographer's dream.  I'm not that good a photographer, but I enjoyed shooting as many of the 99 waterfalls and sixteen lakes as I could.  Hope you enjoy these photos of a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mountain peaks viewed from our stop

at highway gas station/convenience store.

There really aren't captions

needed.  But if you need

one, this is one of the

99 waterfalls in the park.

It seems like there are waterfalls every

direction you turn as you hike the park.

Not a waterfall!  Instead a dead tree

covered in moss and sunshine.

In many spots the water is turquoise blue.

I passed on many photos because

the brilliant colors were partially

hidden by trees.  I finally decided to

stop being picky about getting

the perfect view and just show the

amazing color of the water.

The longest falls in the park.

This was my final view of the

park.  Wow, what a finale.

Don't Sleep On A Tuk-tuk Tour Of Split

We've taken Tuk-tuks in lieu of taxis both times we've been in Havana, but other than that using them to get around, we've never done a Tuk-tuk tour. Until we took a tremendous, thorough Tuk-tuk tour Tuesday in Split.

(Editor: Nice way to sneak in a humblebrag about being to Havana twice. 

Writer: The trips were fabulous.  The government, not so much.  But Havana is so lively that if you can go, you should.

Editor: And, about that alliteration in the second sentence, do you have to do it at least once every trip?

Writer: That?  I think you dost protest too much.)

With the rain the previous day (Monday), and more rain in the forecast, Carol had me book at Tuk-tuk tour of Split for 2pm on Tuesday.  Well, the day proved to be sunny, as the sky rained itself out on Monday.

But, we went ahead with the Tuk-tuk tour because, well, why not.  

We met our driver at the beautiful small square just in front of Trg Repulike.  (Have I mentioned Trg Repulike has no. . .)

(Editor: To quote Bob Newhart, STOP IT!

Writer: Well, I'm glad you linked to the funniest Bob Newhart skit ever, and there's a LOT of competition for that honor.)

Our first stop was right near our apartment, at the seaside park of Sustipan.  It's a lovely park on the seaside by the entrance to one of the Split harbors.  It is an important space for Splitters, as it was a cemetery, monastery, and a small church until the commies destroyed the graveyard. 

The church still stands, but the centerpiece of the the park is the walking path along the edge of the spit of Split land that looks out both on the Adriatic Sea and City Harbor.  For a relatively small park, it packs a large punch in terms of beautiful views.

The Adriatic.  Four of those are

sailboats, and one is a motorboat.

(Editor: No kidding!)

A remaining part of a stone

wall of the monastery.

A view from the park.

Looking from the park back

towards the Split harbor.

This Norwegian cruise ship

was parked at the Split

harbor nearly the whole

time we were in the city.

From there we Tuk-tuk'd past Tito's Villa (Villa Dalmacija) on a pretty road that winds along the coast northwest of Split.  What used to belong to the Party is now used for parties, as it can be rented for $5,000.

We came to a crowded beach and, once traffic cleared, zipped on by so we could get a view of the spit of Split that's a beach.  I believe it is called Kasjuni beach, and is the highest rated beach in the Split area.

Like a lot of beaches in Croatia,

Kasjuni Beach offers turquoise

clear water.

More of the beach.

Us in the Tuk-tuk.

Overlooking the Adriatic.

From the beach our driver/guide took us up to a very popular overlook of Split, which afforded great views of the city.  There were many people up there.  Some had hiked up (Maddy hiked up it two days later) and other had driven or Tuk-tuk'd up. 

View from the overlook.

The Tower of St. 

Domnius Cathedral.

Overlook selfies.

The driver headed us back to town, where he gave us a quick tour of Diocletian's Palace.  The Palace was still packed with people, so we didn't see anything we hadn't seen, but his information was quite interesting.

You've seen this before, but

the full sun shining on the 

Tower is worth showing.

There is no such thing as too many

photos of Roman columns and arches

On the Riva, heading

back to the apartment.

On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at a neighborhood bar.  And by bar, I mean bar.  Not bar and restaurant.  They had no food, not even pretzels or peanuts.  They only take cash.  

And yet, the setting is quite enticing.  It's covered, but with no sides, so we had a wonderful view of the harbor and Adriatic beyond.  It was a nice cap for our dry day of wandering around Split.

For dinner, we headed close by the apartment to the trendy, hip Bokamorra pizza restaurant.  It's run by the people in charge of the acclaimed Bokeria.  The pizza are creative, tasty, and reasonably priced.  We didn't get there early, but we got there early enough we didn't need reservations.

Carol and I were no doubt the oldest in the pizzeria by a dozen years or more.  Maddy was pleased by the vibe, as the interior was quite contemporary.  I think she was shocked her parents enjoyed it.  We watched as they turned people away, and toasted our good day.  Highly recommend Bokamorra for one dinner one night in Split.  So far we were three for three on restaurants.

Doing The Peristyle In Style (Part I)

After the cellars, we headed up the stairs to the Peristyle, which is the centerpiece of the Palace.  It's a small square that fits lots of people in it -- and they do fit in.

There are red granite pillars and a mostly intact black sphinx from Egypt.  Diocletian spent a bunch of time in Egypt, and he ended up walking like an Egyptian!  It is believed by certain Egyptologists that Diocletian was the inspiration for the Bangles song!

(Editor: Do you just make stuff up from time to time?

Writer: Yes.  But my readers are discerning enough to know when I'm yanking their collective chains.  That's because my readers are the smartest blog readers!

Editor: Suck up!)

We went up into the Entry Vestibule, which is directly above the stairs we took from the cellars to the Peristyle.  This impressive entry led into Diocletian's living quarters, which were designed to elicit house envy in visiting important people.

As you may know, emperors were believed to be gods, and Diocletian called himself "Jovius," the son of Jupiter, the most powerful of all gods.  

There is a big hole in the ceiling of the entry way.  Capped by dome which collapsed long ago, the ceiling featured frescoes and mosiacs.

Grifters abound in the Palace, as some dress convincingly as Roman soldiers and pose for photos (in return for money) with primarily teenage girls and old women.  Inside the vestibule there was a singer belting out traditional Croatian music, taking advantage of the stuffing acoustics, accepting donations and selling CDs.

There's no place like dome.

Back in the day, Diocletian

would stand here and his

subjects would lie on the

ground in worship, praising

him and kissing his robe.

My ladies don't bow down

to anyone!  (Especially

not me!)

Packed Peristyle.

Mostly intact Sphinx brought

back from Egypt.

The lines for the tickets to the paid parts of the palace were incredibly long.  It wasn't an overly hot day, but it was hot enough that standing in the line in the sun for an hour or so wasn't very appealing, so we headed off to lunch at Bepa restaurant on Narodni Trg.  

It was our second restaurant we ate at where we were told "only tourists go there."  But the food was fine and we enjoyed pleasant outdoor seats (under cover) to be able to people watch.  So it wasn't a wasted time.

The square was packed at lunch time.

Diocletian's Palace: Not Just Garbage

We went from the Green Market next door to Diocletian's Palace, this time in sunny weather.  We went past one of the large corners and back in through the Brass Gate.  

Diocletian had grown up in the nearby town of Salona, and his decision to put his retirement palace where he did caused the city of Split to grow up around it.  He ruled as emperor for nearly twenty-one years, from AD 284 to 305.  That's a long time to be a Roman emperor.

Famous for three things, Diocletian divided the Roman empire among four emperors in hope of have it be administered more efficiently, torturing and executing, and having his palace built.  

It turns out dividing the empire weakened it and helped lead to the empire's decline and fall.  By a certain point, the empire could not strike back.  

(Editor: You managed to sneak references to both Edward Gibbon and George Lucas into the same paragraph.  That's both surprising and impressive.

Writer: Thanks, I think!)

Also, his hatred of Christians didn't work well, as Diocletian's successor, Constantine, both legalized and then made Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, thus effectively ending the widespread torture of Christians.

The palace only took a bit over ten years to build, between 295 and 305 AD.  Of course, more than 2,000 slaves are believed to have died during construction, so have a disposable/replaceable workforce made it possible to build such a massive complex in such a quick time.  

It's a pretty simple calculation: It's good to be the Emperor.  It's bad to be a slave. 

Diocletian lived there from 305 until his death in 316 AD.

Big chunks of the palace still exist, interwoven throughout the heart of Split.  Some of the sections of the palace have been repurposed in both medieval and modern times.

Oh, and did I mention that Diocletian's Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site?  Say it aloud with me -- "UNESCO means you must go!"  

(Editor: Your pathetic attempts to get that saying adopted as the officially marketing slogan of UNESCO is both tireless and tiresome.

Writer: But it rhymes!  And it sums up the special nature of UNESCO sites!  And day now I will be feted by UNESCO with a lifetime pass for my genius saying.  Btw, UNESCO is pronounced "U-NES-CO, not spelled out when verbalizing it.)

All joking aside, UNESCO sites are wonders of the world.

We spent some time wandering through the cellars, also known as the Podrumi (don't worry, that won't be on the test.  Just trying to expand your knowledge.).

These massive vaulted chambers were essentially the basement, that housed troops, but also filled at times with water.  After the fall of the empire, as regular people lived in the palace, the cellars were used as a dump.  There is still a section of garbage that the archaeologists have not gotten to yet.  The garbage provides clues and lessons about every day life.

The garbage got there by gravity.  Starting in the mid-600s, villagers took refuge in the abandoned palace from Slavs on the warpath, holes were carved in the floor above so they could dump their garbage and sewage.  I shit you not.

(Editor: This is a family publication.  That language is uncalled for, even if it fits.

Writer: Don't give me that crap!)

As a reminder, none of the three of us watched the Game of Thrones.  Neither Carol, Maddy, nor I have invested a minute's time in the popular series.  Apparently, the cellars are where Daenerys Targaryen locked up her dragons.  And have no fear, until I read this, I had never heard of her name before.  In fact, unless the writer of what I read didn't call Daenerys a "her" I would have not been able to guess the gender.

(Editor: You wrote the second sentence of the paragraph just because you like the "neither/nor" construct.

Writer: Guilty.)

Along with petrified beams, there is an unexcavated portion, a stone olive oil press, original Roman sewer pipes, and more.

The best remaining

corner of the palace.

The vaulted main hall. . .absolutely

massive.  No dragons, however.

An olive press from back

in the day. . .WAY back

in the day.

Rich Corinthian column.

It Was A Split Decision

(Editor: You had to use "Split decision," didn't you?  Sigh.

Writer: Oh come on!  If you thought I wouldn't use it at some point, you really don't know me, do you?)

After the fish market, we headed to the Green Market, weaving through the back streets of Split, past the famous Nakic House, through picturesque Narodni Trg, which includes the old City Hall, through the Iron Gate, and into Diocletian's Palace.  

From there we replicated the opening scene from the greatest movie of 1980, "Airplane," fighting our way through the crowds at the Peristyle, out through the Silver gate, and into the Green Market.

Maddy stopped to get coffee, so Carol and I stopped into a church (briefly).  We all met up and wandered around the outdoor Green Market, which is much livelier than the Fish Market in terms of number of stalls and the number of people.  The flip side is, you don't get as many great photos.

The Green Market is where the main road from the countryside used to enter Split, whilst the Fish Market is close to the Matejuska fishermen's port.  The Green Market is a mix of stands; vegetables, fruits, meat, clothes, and souvenirs.  

The fruit stands are the highlights, but there are also flower stands, dried fruits and nuts, local cheeses, cured hams, honey, butchers, and more.

Arched windows in Narodnj Trg.

You'd have to be blind not to know

these are Venetian windows.

Another city, another

Roman column.  Never

gets old, even though

they are old.

Look at those Roman

ruins, he said archly.

No such thing as too

many Roman arches.

Okay, it's not fish photos, but

I gotta admit, this fruit stand

is still fantastic!

Anybody hungry? I am!

That's it for this post.

(Editor: What the heck does any of this have to do with a "Split Decision."

Writer: Oh, nothing.  But I had to use the headline, and there was nothing else obvious for this post.  To be green, I may recycle the headline later for other blog posts re Split.

Editor: I should Split your head open!

Writer: Violence never solved anything.  Well, violence did get rid of Hitler.

Editor: When someone brings up Hitler they are losing an argument.

Writer: We weren't arguing.  Just disagreeing.)

The Best Markets Are Fish Markets, Even When They Aren't Amazing

The day after the rain was nothing but sunshine, and the temperatures never got bad.  So we set out to explore Split without fear of being poured on.

Our first stop was at the fish market.  The best market photos are at a fish market, or the fish market section of a market (European or Asian markets).  Need proof?  Here you go:

This isn't the fish market.  Just a

beautiful arched building on Trg

 Republike Square, which gives me

one more excuse to point out

again that "Trg" contains exactly

zero vowels.

Shrimp and squid.

I don't know fish very well, but I know

this is one of the uglier ones.

The technical term for

this many fish is "a lot."

I know some people have moral

objections to eating octopus, and

I understand their concerns.

I don't share those concerns.

More of the ugly fish from above.

Speaking of ugly fish.

Cool swordfish head.

The swordfish's eye.  Sorry

if you are grossed out by this

picture.  We'll agree to disagree.

I think it is cool.