Our trip began in a less pretty part of Zagreb. Our hotel for the night was close to train tracks and colorful graffiti.
In Croatia safety seems up to individuals- there is nothing but common sense to prevent or warn one from walking into the path of the trams that cross the main square.
Throughout Croatia we saw many people busily working to keep it clean.
"Seeking for a place of oblivion"
One of the towers of St. Stephen's cathedral.
After an evening and morning in Zagreb, we took a long bus ride to Split. Split is Croatia's second largest city and grew in and around the Roman emperor Diocletian's palace (built around 300 AD).
The bell tower of St. Domnius in the center of Split was built over a period of 300 years, beginning in the 13th century.
Split is an interesting blend of architecture from all different ages. Along with the Roman ruins are medieval houses, buildings from the Renaissance, as well as modern stores and homes.
The Silver Gate and the gate closest to our room. (It was just a block or so to the right beyond the cafe).
A gray morning at the Peristyle, the ceremonial entrance court for the palace.
The cathedral in Split is one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the world, but originally it was the mausoleum of Diocletian, who was known for his violent persecution of Christians.
One of the two sphynix brought from Egypt around 300 AD. This one is in the Peristyle. The other is missing its head and is located in front of Jupiter's temple.
Alone inside a the basement of the Diocletian palace. It is well preserved by centuries of disuse and is not yet completely excavated.
There are many small rooms as well as great halls in the basement showing what the layout of the palace once was.
Treatment of Roman ruins in Croatia struck us as interesting, it was more casual than anywhere else we had seen.
Wood, in a damp room with puddles, probably from 300 AD when the palace was built.
You can buy whatever knicknacks you'd like while standing in a Roman hall. This passage runs from the Peristyle (ahead) to the Riva. A hall to the right took us close to our room.
We were free to explore, these stairs lead to nowhere.
An art exhibition inside one of the Roman rooms.
A mosaic near our room that was actually protected by a small gate. The cathedral is right above it.
A view from the bell tower of the harbor.
Our room in Split was inside the walls of the old city. The laundry in the upper left was outside our apartment.
Streets of the old towns were covered in stone worn by time to a shiny smooth surface. Newer pedestrian streets were also paved in slippery stone to mimic the old.
