This day in Croatia was significant because it was the first of two ports where our ship was anchored in the bay (not tied up to a dock) and we needed "tenders" to get from the ship to land. Below, a tender is pictured traveling slowly toward the dock to be tied up for unloading. In the past, ships that we have traveled on have used various types of tenders. Sometimes they are the actual life boats that are hauled on the ship. On other occasions the port will have a "tendering service" which might consist of 3-6 small enclosed boats that are contracted to meet the ship for transporting the passengers to and from the land. In either event, tendering in a port is much more time involved than merely walking a gangplank at a dock. Most tenders that I have seen will hold 40-160 people depending on the size of the boat. Organizing the groups of people to be tendered from the boat requires that those people who are on a ship-sponsored tour meet in an announced location for "priority" tendering. Those on private tours or no tours who just want to explore on their own are generally forced to wait until all those on the ship-sponsored tours have been transported. Our group leader for this and a number of other private tours had a very unique relationship with a person with some authority on the ship and because of that she was able to obtain early tender rides for all of us who were on this private tour.
Our first glimpse of the city of Split, Croatia. Split is located on a small peninsula of southern Croatia on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea. A busy commercial and ferry port, Split services nearby islands, the north and south Adriatic, Italy and Greece. It is a gateway for exploration of the coast and islands of the beautiful Croatian Adriatic and the second largest city of Croatia.
These are the markings on the dock used for the loading/unloading of the tenders and other smaller boats and ferries. In the background the beautiful new buildings line the coastline.
Split is one of the oldest cities in the area. While it is traditionally considered just over 1,700 years old counting from the construction of Diocletian's Palace in AD 305, archaeological research relating to the original founding of the city as the Greek colony of Aspalathos in the 6th century BC.
Below is a glimpse of what began as an imperial residence and fortified camp is today an intriguing maze of narrow cobblestone streets, where pre-Romanesque churches live alongside Gothic chapels, history-filled museums, art galleries, restaurants and bustling cafes. The substructures of the Palace are very well preserved and offer an interesting glimpse into how the Palace was organized in ancient times.
The Roman palace of Emperor Diocletian was erected in the 4th century AD. After he nearly died of an illness, Diocletian (ruled AD 284-305), great reformer of the late Roman Empire, decided to retire from politics in AD 305. The Emperor ordered work to begin on a retirement palace near his hometown of Dioclea. The palace was built as a massive structure, much like a Roman military fortress. It faces the sea on the south side, with its walls 570-700 feet long and 50-70 feet high. The palace was finished in 305, right on time to receive it owner who retired exactly according to schedule.
The Croatian flag flies proudly in the wind.
Below, close up of capers growing in a crack of the wall.
And this beautiful bunch of grapes which look about right for tasting.
Below, pictures of one of the cathedrals inside the Diocletian Palace walls.
The palace and buildings inside were built of white local limestone and marble of high quality.
This is the entrance door to the mausoleum.
And the burial crypt of an archbishop of the Croatian Church.
Followed by the walls of the crypt and the ceiling.
The modern day, colorful construction in the city is also beautiful.
And then there is the statue of Gregory of Nin, who was a medieval Croatian bishop of Nin who strongly opposed the Pope and official circles of the Church and introduced the national language in the religious services after 926.
The statue by Ivan Mestrovic is a heavily trafficked tourist site which the toe of the statue shows. Rubbing the statue's toe is said to bring good luck. At least it keeps the toe, which has been worn smooth, shinny as a result. (That's my finger rubbing the toe. Good luck? I don't know!)
The arches of the original construction by the Romans.
Sylvia and a friend stop near a sidewalk cafe inside the Palace walls. Our guide, Matt, recommended a restaurant for lunch.
With the tour ending we continued back to the dock area to wait in line for transportation to the ship. Below, the locals' boats are tied up near the coastline.
And finally, I snapped this picture of the shoreline and beautiful, blue water as we traveled back on the tender.
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