Where We Be
We set foot in Croatia for the first time and
began with a pleasant walk along the Riva. The
Riva is the city's famous promenade beside the
sea, fresh from a recent renovation. The Riva
was packed with people eating at the cafes
since there were three -- count 'em, three --
cruise ships in port.
Split's biggest claim to fame is Diocletian's
Palace. The palace is unique in the world: a
grand Roman monument where people still
actively live their lives. Shops, hotels, and
cafes are built inside the historic walls of this
1,700-year-old palace. The walled enclave was
built as a retirement retreat by the Croatian-
born Diocletian, the last pagan emperor of
Rome. The palace covered 10 whole acres and
took 20,000 slaves ten years to build. It’s a
huge palace but a small historic town, so it only
took us about an hour to wander through its
warren of streets.
Inside Diocletian's Palace, we stood under an oculus (a circular hole in the ceiling) looking up at the sky while a Croatian choral group harmonized
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The Riva makes for a pleasant place to stroll -- or dine alfresco at one of its dozens of cafes
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View from the tender dock showing Split's palm-lined Riva
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Robin jumps for joy at being in a new country
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These walls are 1,700 years old
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The Peristil is the town square near the palace's center. Once Diocletian's reception room, it's now a reception room for tourists!
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It's not every day you get to pose with Jesus!
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Original walls of Diocletian's Palace
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By late afternoon the crowds had thinned and we were able to get a feel for the town. We liked its back streets.
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This is what Diocletian's Palace once looked like
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Split is a beautiful port of call. This was the view from our cruise ship.
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Huge statue of Croatian bishop Gregorius of Nin
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Now residents live within the palace's crumbling walls
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The still-intact basement of Diocletian's Palace now contains shops and cafes
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Oculus = cool architectural feature
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Unusual art installation of the Last Supper located right in the Peristil
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