Split, Croatia

It is difficult to put into words these first two weeks.  Split is beautiful and amazing, nestled between the mountains and the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea, with the old town tucked inside a castle and gorgeous weather encouraging play and exploration.  The old town is made up of a maze of narrow cobblestone passageways providing an opportunity to wander, explore and discover.  Restaurants and cafes are tucked in every little nook; you’ll miss them if you walk to fast; shops peddling wares to tourists dot the scenic passageways and the center square where they play live music on a nightly basis is watched over by the oldest Catholic Cathedral in the world.

Stepping away from the picturesque old town, it is very much a city, and one influenced by communism.  Most of the buildings are large, blocky and concrete.  And not just the old construction, cranes dot the horizon and the sound of jackhammers and excavators is a constant cacophony starting early each morning. Graffiti is everywhere and it is dirty and smelly as you walk past overflowing dumpsters and other things best left unmentioned.  But get up high enough, as we are in my apartment, and you can see over the buildings to the glimmering waters of the sea, with a view of the mountains along the coast and the islands across the bay.  We live and work in this part of town, a 15 minute Uber ride from old town. Our workspace lies a small road and a parking lot away from the sea, and the beach is relaxing and comfortable with lounge chairs spread out for anyone to use, and the inviting, salty waters of the Adriatic waters calling.

Being here with my Mangata family just enhances the experience.  I get to wander through old town with close friends, lay on the beach and go for a group swim with Bob, the inflatable unicorn, or step into a new restaurant for dinner only to find a group friends enjoying a bottle of wine and pulling up a chair for me to join.  There are only 48 of us here, but sometimes it feels like more as we share the same explorer’s mindset, and often gravitate toward similar places and experiences.  I took a couple hours to myself to wander around town the other day and ended up crossing paths with multiple groups of my fellow mangos.

And then there are the experiences.  RY provides a great foundation from which we can expand and explore.  I’ve been here two weekends and both have been filled to overflowing with fun and adventure.  The first weekend a couple people organized side trips – one was a boat trip to visit several islands, which I did not join, and the other to Plitvice Lakes, a national park in the mountains, which I did join.  We spent a day walking through this gorgeous national park, picturesque waterfalls around every bend, lakes with water so clear you could see 20 feet down and fall foliage canvasing the hills all around.  It was a spectacular day, and a great opportunity to trade the city and sea for fresh mountain air.  I stayed on with a few mangos to visit the town of Krk, tucked away on an island in the northern part of the country where we spent another day wandering and exploring.

Be sure to look through both galleries below – there are 2, one for Split and a second for Plitvice Lakes.  Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more of Split as I jump into Tracks Weekend, coming soon…

Split moments:

Plitvice Lakes & Krk:

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