Split Day One: Down on the Riva

Yes. This really is Croatia.

Is this heaven? No. It's Croatia.

So we are here in Split, on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. The Adriatic is blue. The palm trees are green. And my skin is getting red because the sun is still hot into September.

After an exhausting few days, where we never really got the chance to recover from jet lag in Munich, today was a "wake up when you wake up" sort of day. I had agreed to meet the Sister and B-I-L for breakfast at 10:30 a.m. I was awakened that morning by loud knocking on my door at 10:40. What a good night's sleep.

Through the narrow streets to the Riva we go

The Azur Palace hotel is only a few blocks inland from the Adriatic.

If you look closely (or enlarge the picture), you can see the Sister snapping a photo of the Statue

After eating breakfast, we decided to walk down to the waterfront to check out our options for the day. Along the Adriatic in the Old Town section of Split is a waterfront promenade called "the Riva."

On the Riva

This is the part of town where the cruise ships and Croatia's massive Jadrolinija ferry-boats land.

Small boats in front, big boats in the back

Small boats in front, big boats in the back (again)

Small anchor in the front, big boats in the back

It's wide open.

West end of the Riva

Not much parking available

This is the part of town where you can sign up for all the fun things us tourists can't get enough of. Excursions to the islands. Sea kayaking. Water taxi. Sister and B-I-L opted for a two-hour Segway tour.

Segway tour stand

They were the only ones of their tour and they had an absolutely great time. I opted to go the museums on the Marjan Peninsula, about a 20 minute walk away.

View of the Riva walking westward toward the Marjan.
The Bell Tower within Diocletian's Palace is the tall building in the center of the photograph.

 Both of us had more fun than a boat tour where we'd be packed onto the boat like sardines. Like this:

Boat cruise

And while we wait for me to write up my museum excursion, I leave you with a picture of the Split lighthouse and a Croatian flag in the foreground.

Lighthouse in Split harbor