Have been looking through photos and video of Croatia – the usual disappointments and surprises when some work and some don’t!
Split is the site of an amazingly well preserved 4th century walled Roman city: inside is the Roman emperor Diocletian’s palace, and his mausoleum, which was converted into a Christian cathedral in the 7th century. When you see the size of the bulding blocks you really understand how ambitious and determined the Romans were, and why the archeology has survived. The tiny cathedral, crammed with Catholic artifacts, has the feeling of being only a temporary installation within the sturdy and beautiful Roman architecture. Sadly my photographs don’t to it justice.
There was a great contemporary art gallery in Split too – lots to see!
The tiny town of Korcula is not without its archeological gems: we spent many hours wandering through the narrow streets, discovering medieval architecture that has been subsumed into the buildings, or left to enjoy its own faded magnificence behind a boarded up doorway.
At the other end of the island we visited the cave of Vela Spila, where archeologists have criss-crossed their excavation pits with lines and markers – their finds are neatly arranged in the local museum, and testify to visits from the Greeks, Romans and many other wandering peoples thousands of years ago.
It strikes me now how very predictable my holiday behaviour is: I swim (I love snorkeling) and sunbathe, explore archeological sites and hunt down galleries. Eat, drink, think – and it’s sufficient.
Lucky me.
