A Trip to Split

We fledgling travelers boarded the big bus in  Dubrovnik, Croatia, while the sun still bathed the Adriatic in the warm first light of day.  We would following the Dalmatian coast of Croatia to the city of Split.  The air was cool with the hint of rain along with the the smell of diesel exhaust. We were a happy lot. Thirty two tourists in search of adventure. Our tour guide,Vlaho, bearded with ponytail, counted heads. We were all present. The behemoth people mover moved out on the highway and we were on our way. A trip to Split. Split is the largest city in Croatia.

Soon we were following the winding road along the beautiful very blue Adriatic Sea.  There were not many watercraft visible. Many islands were visible though. Croatia has over one thousand islands although only a few are inhabited. The most common thing seen in the sea were the floats observed in rows as part of oyster farming. This form of aquaculture is extremely common in Croatia. Members of our group who had consumed this delicacy of the sea said they were very good. There were literally hundreds of these floats visible arranged in neat rows.

We made two border crossings. Bosnia owns a bit of the Adriatic coastline. The Croatians have been planning to build a bridge that would eliminate these  border crossings but it hasn’t materialized yet. Crossing the border was rather uneventful. But we were asked to keep our passports at the ready. According to our guide, crossings could sometimes be a hassle. I was curious because our

previous experience crossing borders of countries that were members of the European Union were totally uneventful. Passports weren’t even checked. Actually no one even asked if you had a passport! I asked Vlaho about the change. “It is due to the current refugee crisis, security had been increased” he said.

The bus followed the winding road to a higher altitude away from the coast into a thickly wooded area.  Our guide popped a cd of local music into the cd player in the console of the bus. It was beautiful acapella renditions of Croatian folk songs.  Little did we know that we would hear this music live in Split.  After the bus had weaved through the mountains for about an hour, Vlaho announced that it was time for a rest break.

The big bus stopped at an overlook of the valley below, the big tires crunching the limestone gravel. We filed off the bus. I commented to Claudette, “I’d stretch a mile if I didn’t have to walk back”.

“You always say that,” she said.

The overlook was splendid.  Below were three lakes probably 100 acres each in size. At the far distant lake was a small village.  Limestone outcroppings dotted the hillside. Claudette discovered an abandoned house with our binoculars. Between the craggy rocks grew yellow wildflowers. The sky was cloudless and the sun warm and the air smelled of growing things.

“Vlaho’s pop-up bar is open!”  our tour guide announced. We answered the call to refreshment. Like moths to a flame we were drawn. As we gathered around in the abandoned fruit stand, Vlaho announced, “ I got this from a friend of mine last night. He says it is very good.” He is holding a wine bottle with a red liquid in it. The bottle has no label. Vlaho explains that the liquid in the bottle is homemade wine that has had sugar added and then aged for three months. He began rapidly filling small plastic cups with the interesting liquid. And we, the tourists, began rapidly emptying them. On some occasions he had brought grappa. Although, technically, only the Italians can produce grappa. The Croatians apparently are not aware of this and continue to produce this particular type of beverage at home. I believe some of it exceeds the normal sixty per cent alcohol content. According to Mr. Google grappa is sometimes used as cold medicine. It Is true firewater!

Soon all the little plastic cups were empty. All the tourists were back on the bus. I did not know whether burst into song of fall asleep. I did not sing as we continued on a trip to Split.