Sunday, October 23, 2011

Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and back in 9 days

Wow! Aneta said this morning, "We were gone 9 days and it went so fast." She is right. It seems like we just got there and we had to turn around and come back.

Croatia was spectacular. I can't begin to describe the stunning beauty that surrounded us on every front. The color of the water along the coast line is such a brilliant blue with rich shades of turquoise and aqua near the shore. The towering Karst formations of the mountains speak in hues of gray, shimmering white, red, ochre, black and green. The vegetation testifies to a colorful summer season as it segues into a mild fall, with cascading drapes of purple Bougainvillea, turning brown, trailing down apartment walls and red Geraniums struggling to keep their blooms as their leaves wither and drop, leaving them looking a bit naked. The leaves on a few trees are beginning to change color to soft shades of yellow and gold before they drift down to coat the welcoming forest floor in the Krka National Park.

In this country, still badly scarred by over 5 years of war in the 1990's, we found the peace and tranquility we were hoping for on this vacation. At first the many buildings and houses without roofs, and with crumbling interiors, just blended into the landscape still dotted with Roman Ruins until we realized that these ruins were the result of a protracted war in this, the former Yugoslavia.

Fot:  "Zlatna Ribica" , Aneta
After traveling all night from Knurow, Poland we reached Brodarica, a tiny hamlet located at the edge of the Adriatic Sea. Aneta parked the car and jumped out to check apartments for rent in the area. She felt it would be wise to stay in a small village rather than attempt to find reasonable loading in Split, still another good hours drive down the coast. She checked a couple right on the beach and found them lacking in one way or another for the handsome price of 10 Euros per person including the baby. We walked across the highway and found a decent apartment for 10 Euros per person - nothing for the baby. Our apartment had a decent kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a lovely curved veranda with a spectacular view of the sea. We paid for three nights and went to find dinner. Keep in mind that we had been driving for 20 hours by this time. Aneta and I took turns driving and I did get 2.5 hours of sleep between 7 AM and 9:30 AM when we stopped for fuel, propped up in the passenger seat with a baby's stuffed toy behind my neck to keep my head upright. Aneta didn't sleep at all during the entire trip. Aneta's mother, Alicja, slept in the backseat with the two-year-old, Ania next to her in a car seat. No one slept much or well to be sure.

We asked for a restaurant recommendation and headed off to Zlatna Ribica (Golden Fish), which we later learned is considered one of the top 20 restaurants in Croatia. It was moderately priced considering it's particular fame and wall of awards. I had Scampi Risotto with a mixed green salad. Aneta had spaghetti and her mother had roast chicken breast. The baby had what she always has, a serving of french fries. Aneta had tea and Alicja and I had a glass of wine. The bill came to 275 Ku, which translates roughly into $46. We ate by the open window looking out at the harbor and beautiful sea beyond. The weather was about 75 degrees with a balmy breeze. There was one other couple with a small child in the restaurant; other than that we were alone in our revery.
We ate up, paid up and headed straight back to the apartment. I literally shucked my clothes and crawled into bed at 5 pm without even stopping long enough to brush my teeth or wash my face. I slept for 15 hours straight! While I was sleeping, Aneta, Alicja and Ania (hereafter to be known as the 3 'A's')went grocery shopping so we would have something for breakfast.

Fot: View from our veranda, Aneta
We were up by 8 and after showering in a really substandard shower stall, big enough for a person not exceeding 25 lbs in weight or 2' in height, we enjoyed a light breakfast on the veranda while the sun shone on us and the sea sparkled like a blue blanket covered with glitter. We enjoyed two cups of coffee before heading off for Split and a day exploring the unbelievable remains of Diocletian's Palace.

Fot: Split, Aneta
Split is a remarkably beautiful city located at the edge of the sea with lovely hills rising gently away from the shore, dotted with beautiful old buildings, many dating from Roman times.
We find parking fairly near the Palace and walk a few blocks to the entrance. Entering from the Golden Gate we find ourselves in the main narrow street that runs through the palace from East to West. The narrow cobbled street is lined with a mix of souvenir shops and upscale boutiques. We window shop our way along the street, stepping into courtyards to take photos as we go. This is one of the biggest, largely intact ruins from Roman times, existing anywhere in the world today. The palace retains almost all of the original walls that encircled the original palace. For a small fee visitors are able to visit Diocletian's rooms in the palace and/or visit the subterranean areas of the original palace, which now house a museum with archeological artifacts found in the area. We did neither as the part of the palace that is available at no cost would take several days to explore and we had a two-year-old riding in a backpack which somewhat limited our options.

Fot: Split, Aneta

Making our way to the Silver Gate we found a sidewalk cafe where we could order a meal and a coffee. I think we ate a meal, but I have absolutely no idea what it consisted of at this point. I do remember that I had a coke and asked for ice and the waiter brought me an entire tumbler full of ice! There was an amazing artist set up near the gate with beautiful pencil and watercolor drawings of Split, the palace and various sites around the area. Each of us made a purchase as his work is really outstanding, original and signed. The cost for a watercolor of significant size was approximately $20. We also found some really wonderful wood carvings and children's toys that were very special. The jewelry was magnificent everywhere we looked but we successfully resisted becoming the proud owners of any. Alicja found a pair of lovely pottery urns for vinegar and oil. There were several shops with beautiful Bas Relief depictions of the regional architecture and interior scenes from the palace. Eventually we made our way out the Small Gate to the seaside and walked along the promenade until we found a decent ice cream shop. We parked our weary backsides on a nice bench facing the harbor and ate our ice-cream in relative silence. After over four hours wandering the maze of cobbled streets and courtyards inside the palace ruins we made our way out, across the nearby park, and back to the car. It was a long time for me to be on my feet, on pavement and I paid dearly for it the following day.

We wound our way back north along the coastline to our little apartment in Brodarica. We stopped for pizza just before we arrived back at the apartment and enjoyed a really good meal. The Italian influence here is very evident and the food is terrific. As soon as we got back and climbed the 3 flights of stairs to our abode I fell into bed for another nights long sleep. I think the 3 'A's' went grocery shopping again while I slept the sleep of the dead for the next 12 hours.

To be continued!

Linda

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