Split & Trojir Croatia

April 23, 2012

This past weekend we went to Split and Trojir, Croatia with a small group of students and two other teachers as an optional trip.

We had to take an overnight ferry over to Split, Croatia.  We slept in bunkies, nothing compared to the luxury of cruise ships.  The room was quite small.  Forget about having a shower, there was no shower stall, only a handheld shower over the toilet!  I guess you could multi task and save plenty of time!

Our Palace on the Water!!!!

Wandering on the Boat - George is hoping!

Coming into Split

We arrived in Split early Saturday morning and dropped our bags off at the hostel.  Yes I stayed in a hostel; a new experience for me!

We went to the Saturday Green Market - full of fresh vegetables, freshly baked pastries and fresh flowers.  A little further away was a large fish market.  

One of the Vendors at the Green Market

Fresh figs dusted with icing sugar - 25 kuna per kl = approx $4.00 Cdn

Another Vendor at the Green Market

We toured around the Diocletian Palace.  The Roman Emperor Diocletian returned to his birthplace in Salona near Split.  He launced a ten year building program of his fortied retirement home.  When he finished it in 305AD the entire structure covered 31,000 sq m.  The remainder of the day the students went out to check the shops and we strolled through the narrow streets and walked along the waterfront. 

Outside of the palace and adjacent to a park is a huge statue of Gregory of Nin, a 10th century Croatian Bishop, who is famous for advocating that Croatians deserve to have their church services conducted in their native language.  Legend has it that rubbing the big toe brings one luck.

Down by the waterfront

Part of the Palace

Gregory of Nin

Rub his big toe for luck

George and I ate a wonderful local restaurant looking out at the harbor and the sea beyond.  We both had steak cooked to perfection.  George’s steak came with a blue cheese sauce and mine was a balsamic vinegar, plum and honey - delicious.  

Sunday morning we got up early and after having a delcious apple strudel with cheese for myself and a cherry strudel with with cheese and a cappucino down by the waterfront we took the bus to Trojir.  

Originally settled by the Greeks and followed by the Romans, Trojir was finally settled by the Coats in the 6^th C. Between the 10^th C and 14^th C, the Croats tried to fend off the Venetians until they finally fell to them. For the next four centuries, Trojir was occupied and inhabited by the Venetians until Napoleon dominated it. From then on it changed hands a few more times before it came back into the control of the Croats.

After a wonderful lunch with the two other teachers of Croatian cuisine, we explored the town for a few hours.  We returned to Split and boarded the overnight ferry to Italy shortly thereafter.   

Down one of the narrow alleys in Trojir

Sunday afternoon in Trojir - the local men are playing chess and bocce

At the top of the fort in Trojir

Students and teachers alike all agreed at the end of the trip that it was a relaxing weekend.

I still pinch myself for the wonderful opportunities we have been given and what I have learned through travel.  A great education in itself.

We look forward now to having Shelagh return to visit with us after finishing her second year at Acadia University before staring her summertime job.  She will accompany us on a school trip to Venice.  Following Venice, she and I plan to visit Milan for a few days.