The next of my series of photo essays come from my time in Split. I enjoyed my time in this beautiful city and I hope my photos reflect this.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep on smiling.
Steve
Photo Essay – Split
Posted with BlogsyThe Highlights of 2013
In terms of travel 2013 was an excellent year for me. I felt that I had become a proper traveller. This gave me a sense of achievement which was added to the growth of the blog.
2013 saw me undertake two trips in Europe. In March I visited Vienna and Budapest. Despite the weather being cold I had an amazing time. While both cities had come up to my expectations, I was particually taken by Budapest. The city had a faded charm to it and I was left wanting more.
However, the main highlight of 2013 was the trip to the Balkans in September. I was lucky that work allowed me to take three weeks off work. It was also my first multi-country trip too. I enjoyed the constant travelling and experiencing different hostels. The people I met along the way was also a bonus. For the first time I felt like a traveller. This trip changed me and the smile has still to leave my face.
I am looking forward to 2014. In my head I have more trips planned which I will announce soon in a future post. If it is half as good as 2013 I will be a happy man.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
Split – A Reflection
I have to say that I loved my time in Split. There is so much to see and do there. It is not just the history or architecture, it is also about the people as well.
Split was the first stop on my trip so I was looking forward to going there. It has been over 25 years since I had visited the old Yugoslavia so I was interested to see how it compared today.
I was lucky that my hostel was a ten minute walk from the old town. Split dates back to Roman times with Diocletian's Palace being the main highlight. This is something that is played especially at midday with the parade of the Roman Guards through the Peristyle.
One of the best ways to explore Split and the surrounding areas is to hire a bicycle for the afternoon. It was so relaxing going at your own pace. It is a excellent way of getting to the beach.
When you have had enough of the history one of the other pleasures I found was to walk along the marina. Split is used as the starting point for sailing around the islands that surround Croatia. I also noticed that along the path the plagues dedicated to all the Olympic Medalists from Croatia.
I only eaten at one restaurant in Split and that was the Fife (pronounced fi-fe). It had been recommended by the hostel owner Josko and also by Trip Advisor. It is popular because the food is excellent and is of good value too. The nightlife in Split is also excellent with plenty of small bars that open to late. You cannot fail to have a good time in Split.
To sum up, Split is a great place to visit for a weekend or a starting point to tour the rest of Croatia. I am already looking forward to returning back there soon.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep on smiling.
Steve
Balkans Day 5, 12 September – Maybe I Should Say No More
Today I felt like a real traveller as I was leaving for Dubrovnik. I had enjoyed my time in Split and the hostel. I felt sad not being able to say goodbye to Josko. Having arrived at the coach station I was greeted by a scene of organised chaos. So many people looking to leave by coach. Got on my coach though was shocked to having to pay to put my luggage in the hold.
The journey itself started with no problems. However, by the afternoon the weather had turned. I could see the lightning hovering above the coach and soon after the heavens opened. I had not seen rain like this in a long while. It was that bad the local police closed the main road and the coach was diverted through a single track village. This delayed the coach. I arrived into Dubrovnik nearly two hours late. The journey though did have some highlights, namely the stunning views when the weather was good.
When I arrived into the hostel I think Neno the owner was a little annoyed with me arriving so late. However, he did not show it. The hostel itself was underground which meant it felt cool and it was only about 200 metres from the old town.
I went into the old town for a bite to eat. Back at the hostel I was enjoying the company of the the other travellers. We were listening to music and playing games. It was like the United Nations with America, Belgium, UK, Germany and Uruguay being represented. I was enjoying myself. This is why against my better judgement I was persuaded to go clubbing. It was an experience that ultimately left me cold. The night had started out alright. We were drinking in the Irish bars. I noticed that the menu in one bar was offering Chicken Nuggets. In a town full of restaurants they appeared not to be trying.
The night started to turn with the introduction of vodka. One of the party had smuggled in a bottle and proceeded to empty into our glasses. Fortunately someone brought some 7up to dilute the taste. We made our way to the nightclub. There one of the party (not me) seemed to lose control of themself. The atmosphere inside the club did not feel right. I was glad to leave.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
Balkans Day 4, 11 September – Wet, Wet, Wet.
An early start to the trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The highlight of this trip for me will be going under a waterfall. I am not sure about jumping into a pool. All of this I believe is strictly illegal. However, Josko knows a way of doing this without getting caught.
The weather looked beautiful as we pulled away from the hostel. The scenery looked stunning. I was looking forward to this despite worrying about the cost. To reach the park it will take about three hours so I took the opportunity to get forty winks.
As I woke up the van was about to enter a tunnel. Once we came out the other side the weather had changed. It looked colder and it was now raining. We were climbing into the mountains. Wearing a t-shirt and shorts does not seem a good idea anymore. Once we arrived it was obvious that the group were looking like a bunch of unprepared tourists. I was fortunate to purchase a waterproof poncho from Poundland before I left the UK. While it felt cold once we started to move it soon started to warm up.
The park itself is beautiful. With all the waterfalls and mountains it simply took my breath away. There were plenty of photo opportunities. Even if we looked a little foolish with our posing. The park itself was popular with visitors despite the weather. So progress along the paths was slow. There was a crossing of the lake by boat which gave us the chance to rest our legs.
When we reached the other side Josko took us to one side. Our fun was about to start here. First stop was the waterfall. There were no park rangers around which Josko saw as a good sign. We then reached the waterfall. The instruction was to remove your shoes and run into the waterfall where Josko would take a photo and we would run straight out. It was too cold to remove the shirt. It was a experience to tick off the bucket list. Sadly, no photo ever turned up.
Next up was the jump into the lake. I declined due to not being a good enough swimmer. Last thing I wanted was to drown especially as we were technically breaking the law.
After everybody had dried off we took a bus that took us to the caves. Every time I have travelled I always pack a torch but never felt the need to use it. That is until now. The cave experience was good. We carried on walking where we had one last chance for a photo opportunity that took my breath away.
We left the park in mid-afternoon. After a hearty weel deserved lunch we made our way to the town of Knin. The main sight is the castle which was held by the Serbs during the war. Josko's mood changed when we got there. He was not as jolly. It was the reminder I needed that while the war had finished nearly twenty years ago, the scars will take a long time to heal.
We arrived back at the hostel at around 7pm. The weather had turned, you could feel the thunder and lightning in the air. A group of us wanted some beer and snacks to enjoy back at the hostel. As we were on our way to the store the heavens opened. It rained hard and I was soon looking like a drowned rat. The things I will do for a beer. Overall, it was an excellent final day in Split. Tomorrow I leave for Dubrovnik.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
Photo of the Week – Alley in Split
This week's photo is another one taken on my visit to Split.
One of the greatest pleasures I have in travel just wandering around a new town. Sometimes it leads me nowhere, other times I end up in small alleyways like this. As you can see there is nothing particular happening in the photo. However, I just felt the need to take the photo.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
Balkans Day 3, 10 September – Need to Slow Down
There was a late start to the day. The past couple of days have been hectic. The hostel served breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs and zucchini fritters. It was tasty and well worth the wait. My plan was to explore the town and make my way towards the market.
The sun was still out so it was right to enjoy the day. Split is a small city so it was easy to explore. There were plenty of opportunities to take photos.
Off course it was the perfect opportunity to enjoy the first gelato of the trip. Today I had Jaffa flavour. That's chocolate and orange to you and me.
By the mid-afternoon I was starting to flag. Time to get back to the hostel for a quick nap. After waking up I decided I was going to stay in for the night. Josko was cooking a meal for us so it felt right to take things easy. Josko also mentioned that he was planning to take a group of us to the national park. I had heard so much about this from both Josko and Charles. Without too much thought I said yes. I knew I was going to look forward to this. Roll on tomorrow.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
Balkans Day 2, 9 September – My Feet Are Not Touching The Ground
The coach pulled into Victoria Coach Station at around 1am. It was only an hour and ten minutes late. Still meant that I had missed my connecting coach to Gatwick Airport. There was another coach due to leave at 1:30. The driver said there was plenty of room but I had to get my ticket changed first. This was done easy enough and soon I was on my way to the airport. As much as I tried to get some sleep I was feeling too excited to settle down.
Arriving into the airport gave me the first chance to relax. Maybe arriving an hour later was a blessing in disguise as I spent less time waiting around in Gatwick. After drinking a cup of coffee to help keep me awake I checked in my rucksack. Typically it was classed as oversized. Time to wait for a member of staff to come and take it off me. After getting through check-in I was fighting to keep myself awake while I waited to board the flight. It was 4:00 and the duty free shops were opening. What a time to start work.
The flight to Split went smoothly. I must admit to not being one of the world's greatest flyers. Flew by Easyjet and it was not too bad considering it was my first experience with them. After collecting my rucksack Josko from the Split Guesthouse was there to take me to the hostel. Talking to him gave me the impression that he seemed a decent person bad I was going to enjoy my stay at the hostel.
Upon arriving Josko went out of his way to introduce me to everybody in the hostel. After a quick shower and change of clothes I was ready to hit the town. Charles from Canada suggested that I could tag along with him, Pavel, Manfred and Jeanette. Manfred was going home later that day so we wandered into the old town.
It was busy as it was lunchtime so we decided to climb the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. A tight climb but once at the top you are rewarded with excellent views of the city and harbour. Walking along the waterfront with Manfred we were stopped by reporters from RTL. They asked Manfred for his thoughts on Split. I was waiting for my turn but alas they ignored me. Another bid for stardom thwarted.
Walking back towards the hostel it was suggested that we should hire bicycles for the afternoon. Somehow I agreed it was a good idea. So I paid 40kn for four hours. I had forgotten that I had not ridden a bike in over ten years. Yes, it is true you never forget how to ride one. Good job we were going downhill and the roads were quiet. Soon we were at the beach. A large beer was called for. Maybe this was not the greatest idea as I had not eaten since 1am. I was surprised that I could keep control of the bike.
Manfred suffered a problem when the chain on his bike snapped. Manfred, Charles and Pavel were looking for a cliff to jump off. There were plenty of them, the problem was how to climb back up. Manfred took his bike back while the rest of us went to find somewhere to eat. Josko had recommended the Fife as a popular and cheap place to eat. I ordered a local variation of Bangers and Mash. It tastes excellent and it had been well earnt.
The afternoon had been great fun but it was soon time to return the bikes. One tip when hiring a bicycle, make sure you know your route back. We ended up having carry the bikes up a load of stairs.
Back at the hostel Josko treated everybody with a bottle of Absolute Vodka to share amongst us. Joined by a Australian and Welsh couple we were enjoying the vodka along with some beer. At 11pm it was decided we would venture into the old town to find some bars. It was a enjoyable night. The bars themselves were only a small room but the atmosphere was perfect. Even though I started to flag a little towards the end, it had been a great first day of my trip. Hopefully, the shape of things to come.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Steve
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