Friday, June 30, 2017

Plitvice Lakes and Zagreb

 On the bus from Split to Plitvice Lakes with Zagreb being our final destination.  We booked a tour that would transfer us to our last city, Zagreb, with a stop at Plitvice Lake

On the boat to see the waterfalls

The ferry boat that took us around


Beautiful waterfalls everywhere


This area of the national park had these walkways built up over the waterfalls to allow access.  It was so well done and didn't really impede the view.


After standing in the rain waiting for the boat for an hour without an umbrella or anything, we got decked out in hoodies and ponchos.  We were all freezing!

Super clear water






Just stunning! Tallest waterfall in Croatia


Super cool contraption they used to decant our wine

Our last night in Croatia.  We ordered a bottle or Istrian wine based on the recommendation of the sommelier.  It happened to be the exact bottle of wine we loved in the restaurant from the very first night in Croatia!

Delicious escargot

These girls were done!  They fell asleep at the table! We had a huge day and arrived to the hotel in Zagreb very late that evening.

I wish we had had longer in Zagreb!  Beautiful Art Deco hotel

We love historic hotels! So long, Croatia!  What an absolutely amazing trip!

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Split, Croatia

Once again, Mike found us the coolest apartment to rent!  This one is in an old building, facing the Diocletian Palace, but the renovations were just completed a few weeks ago.  It is awesome!


Lunch and another home run! We got to watch it being cooked at this complete hole in the wall.


I just loved this--the menu was hand written with a couple things crossed off they must have run out of.

Love these super traveler, Ray girls!

The remnants of an old Venetian castle

We went under ground to explore the foundation/cellar of Diocletian's Palace.  Just amazing!

The Romans were incredible

Stomping around the ruins that weren't discovered until after WWI


Bust of Diocletian 

An underground dome.  They built the substructure exactly like the ground surface structure

After excavation, the ground floor caved in, so this is now open air

Bell tower and Cathedral of St. Domnius


Halfway up the bell tower

At the top!  Split

Monastery of St. Anthony

Wall of Diocletian's Palace

On our walking tour of Split

The dome under which Diocletian stood during both the summer and winter solstices to make himself appear like the son of the god of sun



In the Peristil of the palace

Medieval architecture influenced by the Moors


The Grgur Ninski Statue

The statue and the Monastery 

Just beautiful!


Another day, another ice cream

At Paradox, a wine bar just outside the palace walls.  Two hot chocolates and two glasses of wine!

We are just LOVING Croatian Wine!

Beautiful!  The bell tower and cathedral at night

Our super cute little apartment at night

We rented a car our last day in Split.  I asked the girls to roll the window down while Mike and the car rental guy were inspecting the car.  They said they couldn't because there was no button.  Eliza said, "There is a crank though".  I showed them how to actually roll a window down.  They thought that was the coolest thing they had ever seen! :-)

We stopped in Salona to visit some Roman ruins


Olivia signed the guest book.  Eliza signed her name and added pictures :-)



We went all the way to the Roman Theatre and almost melted!  It was HOT with very little shade


Next stop, a small UNESCO protected city, Trogir

Eliza couldn't decide between the spaghetti carbonara (her new favorite since we arrived in Croatia) and the cheese pizza, we let her order both.  She ate almost all of it!

In front of Trogir Fortress

My cute guy :-)

Such a cute little town

We ate lunch at one of these restaurants, right on the water

Back in Split, I loved all of these things made out of olive wood.  We bought a bowl and a cutting board

We went to the (not so well done) Ethnographic Museum.  The girls loved the actual artifacts--we thought it could have been a little better

At dinner, another round of carbonara for this one!  Olivia got spaghetti bolognese for both lunch and dinner! Funny girls.

This is such a cool little square, the Peristil, we visited it again

Again, the Cathedral and the bell tower!

So long Split!  We loved it.  What a charming and alive little city!