Walk this Way (Zadar - Šibenik - Krka - Radosič Village -Split)

In a break from normal transmission, dear reader, we weighed anchor at 7:30am and left a sleeping Zadar in our wake. We cruised for around four hours before we once again headed into the lee of one of the many islands for a refreshing swim.

Our next swimming spot.

The sea was not as calm as it had been and the wind ensured the water was choppy. Despite that, it was very pleasant sitting in the breeze at the back of the ship waiting for the instruction to change into our swimming gear. The water was as warm and as buoyant as it has been everywhere we have swum. There were a few larger fish, some soft yellow coral and the usual trepang and sea urchins. The welcome aboard drink today was an orange juice surprise. I'm not sure what the 'surprise' was but it was definitely alcoholic.

A built in clothes line.

Lunch was the next event to break up the day. APT don't force feed you but you'll never go hungry. Ever. Today, aside from the usual salad items and vegetables there were four separate main dishes. When too much food is never enough.

U-boat hiding place from WWII.

We arrived in Šibenik around 1:30pm and our tour to the Krka National Park commenced at 3pm. We travelled the 20 minutes to the park by coach and were dropped off at the start of the 2km loop walk. The buses are not permitted to stay in the park and have to drive back up the hillside and then return at a set time.

Krka National Park.

The walk is supposed to be in one direction only. Supposed to be. At varying points there were more people walking in the wrong direction. It made me have flashbacks to Ikea on a crowded Saturday morning, dear reader. An experience that made me consider therapy. Just follow the arrows people. Anyway, it inspired today's title, Walk this Way a cover of an Aerosmith song by Run DMC in 1986.

One of the locals.

A Smooth Snake.

There is boardwalk on the entire walk except for the section where stairs are required. The area is criss-crossed by water and although the levels were down there was still plenty of water. The still areas were populated by brown trout. Some dinner plate sized. Sadly fishing was not allowed.

Cyclamen growing wild.

Another local.

The area is also known for its hydro power generation. It would have the first in the world but was beaten into second place by Niagara Falls by a matter of days. The park covers 109 sq.kms and we saw only a tiny corner of it. It would be worth exploring, provided they allowed camping. Aside from that, it is all about the cascades which would be a more apt description. The pictures tell the story.

We were back on board by 6:30pm with dinner at the regular 7:30.

A Šibenik sunset.

I was up early the next morning to wander the old town and take some photos. I was the first to leave the ship so I had to unlock the door. Šibenik was like many of the other towns we have visited, limestone paved streets, boutique shops, restaurants, a Cathedral, churches and of course, a duck shop. The streets were almost deserted and the old buildings reminded me of Assisi, unrendered stone walls. The Cathedral is crammed into a small square and is so crowded by other buildings I couldn't get it into one photo. Interestingly it has Adam and Eve over the doorway. Adam seems concerned to cover his chest, Eve not so worried about hers. I blame the sculptor. Obviously male.

Zoom in on Eve.

Jayne was up when I returned so we had breakfast and walked the old town together before relaxing on the back deck. There is no sailing today, we are heading by coach for Radisoč, a small village in the hills. The trip was supposed to take around 45 minutes but was probably 15 minutes longer due to roadworks. The concept is to maintain some of the traditional culture of Croatia and the owners are restoring the village, building by building, with little government assistance.

A fountain in the park of the old town.

They have been working to restore the buildings and surrounding land for 25 years. They have a small museum and the guided tour explains the significance of  some of the pieces. We were welcomed with grappa or cherry brandy and a Croatian version of donuts. They were dangerously addictive. We had a demonstration of a traditional Croatian game that was similar to boccé or patonk. 

The converted museum.

We were then treated to lunch. The food and drinks had zero kms, it was all grown and made on the property. There was beef and chicken broth soup that also contained vegetables and hand made pasta. Very tasty. Then followed potatoes and carrots cooked in a giant pot over fire, with slow cooked beef and lamb. Washed down with homemade red or white wine. If that wasn't enough food, dessert was crepes filled with homemade apricot jam or chocolate (probably not made on the premises). While we finished our lunch, the men performed some traditional songs, not terribly melodic, but passionately sung and then our host played a single stringed fiddle, again a tradition they are trying to preserve and pass onto the next generation.

Marko serenading us.

Back on the coach, many of us napped our way into Split. Once back on board, we geared up for our walking tour of Diocletian's Palace. The original walls are still intact but the interior has given way to generational change and the roads have decreased in size to cater for the proliferation of boutique hotels, shops and apartments.

The walls of the Palace near the markets.

The tower in the Palace.

Preparing for the concert.

Unfortunately our visit coincided with a number of other, larger tour groups and it is was manically crowded. It was difficult to take clear photos of anything. Our entry was into an underground area that allowed you to see how the palace had been constructed. We walked the four corners of the palace area visiting each gate; gold, silver, bronze and iron. The remaining part of the square was being set up for a music performance later that evening. There was of course a church and bell tower and massive statue of Gregory of Nin. Apparently if you rub his toe it brings you good luck, I guess I'll never know.

He looks like he's about to cast a spell.

Walking tour concluded, we walked back to the ship via the markets. The latter was a disappointment and did not live up to expectations. There were numerous stalls all stocking identical items, mostly high end knock-offs.

Split is obviously a party city and a number of party boats were rocking their way back to the wharf as we reboarded the Lady Eleganza. Huge transport ferries were everywhere with all manner of vehicles and a stream of passengers coming and going. The ferries are a big feature of marine traffic all along the coast, the life blood of connection between the Croatian islands. 

We stayed in Split overnight.

Until tomorrow.