Day 42: Metro, Bus, Plane, Bus, Boat, Bus, and WALK
- Marlena Skrabak
- Jul 24, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 21, 2019
Picking up where I left off, as we boarded the plane, a couple in front of us were having some major travel problems...meaning that one of them did not have a valid passport (?), a concept that entirely bewildered me. How he got past passport control is beyond me but all I know is that the girl started crying and I was thankful for my up-to-date travel documents. Neither Anna nor I had to leave each other behind to make it to Croatia. I call that a success.
Sitting on opposite ends of the plane, we both had aisle seats for this 2-hour plane ride. I knocked out cold and did not wake up again until the actual tires of the plane hit the asphalt in Split. I almost forgot my book too I was so out of it, and a very nice lady pointed it out to me. Suffice it to say, I was grateful. Getting through passport control was a nightmare as we waited in a line that was going absolutely nowhere. On the other side, we hit the ATM to get some kuna, the currency necessary for this little trip.
After arriving in Split, I was forever indebted to my mom and dad (although truly this has already been established) who were all the way across the world helping me figure out how to get into the city from the airport. With the perfect route to take thanks to their detailed text, we squeezed ourselves onto a bus, looking sweetly at the driver and making it clear that it was just us and our backpacks. We were small enough, they had to take us! We didn't even have luggage. Anna sat down in a seat surrounded by seven young men that were trying just a little too hard. I was snickering in my seat.
Pulling into the main city of Split, I was taken aback by the transference of panelaky-type architecture seen on the way into the city (remnants of communism) compared to the eclectic set of rocks and buildings smooshed together in the center. We thought it was quite cool as it embodied a world that felt even older than the one in Paris. Walking through the "old town," we were struck by the reference to Game of Thrones in certain shops. Then we found out that some of that infamous TV show was filmed here and the pieces clicked into place. I see the appeal of this town for filming purposes.
Walking through the Farmers' Market, I wish I lived here so I could justify buying vegetables to cut up and cook in the evening.
Curious about food in a grocery store, we got stuck in Spar and felt compelled to buy an Oreo Milka chocolate bar. Oh, poor us!
Realizing that we were exhausted from no sleep, we felt it was time to take a seat and eat a little for some energy. It was morning after all, might as well get some breakfast. We entered into Banana Split café (and I wonder if the "split" was purposeful or not). I had a 2-egg vegetable omelette that tasted REAL. By real I mean, the eggs were something else. Drizzling a little bit of olive oil on top, my mouth is watering just thinking about it now.
After the food and coffee, we traverse all the little streets, taking in this ancient-feeling town to eventually plop down on some grass under the shade of a lone sad tree. We were tired, to say the least. Split was not our final destination though so we ferry‘d it up, sitting on the top level as the heat baked our bodies. After the cars finished filling up the compartment below us and the ferry could finally leave the port, we napped. Or more accurately, "knocked out." I swear my face became so tan in just those two hours. No need to go to Vis anymore...
While the ferry ride was quite amazing, the black billowing smoke that shot out from the top of the ferry was not quite so amazing, and I felt sad for our poor planet.
We arrived in Vis only to hop on another bus, winding through the island to Komiža, a town on the other side.
We met up with Anna’s friend on this island. The world is small, get over it. Actually, Harvard has a study abroad program and this town is a part of the experience.
After a little trekking, we found our new host mom for the next few days, i.e. the lady with the Airbnb. She made us beautiful plum strudel with fresh lemonade. Essentially, we were bowing at her feet. Then she gave us a random run down about death and mourning as we chatted by the peaceful sea, reminding me strongly and entirely of some of my Czech/Slovak relatives. Unsettling in a good way is how I would describe that emotion.
Then we made our way to Pirate Beach (yes, it is called that) and took a swim with a setting sun and a warm sky. To add, we also explored the Pirate Church, named for the fact that it had to do with Pirates a very long time ago. The three of us made our way to dinner at Pizzeria Charly also known as "corner pizza" for easy identification among the students here. "Pizza?" you ask. Well, it is quite close to Italy...
I had a gorgeous Italian pizza on this Croatian island...a napoletana. To top it off, I consumed some weird pistachio ice cream that tasted like anything but that.
Heading to the outdoor cinema, we had the strange opportunity to see the new Lion King where we were yelled at by a man who did math very wrong and let us in for 30 kuna less than the asking price. While watching the strange lifelike creatures fill the screen, I froze my butt off. I still had my suit on and was quite damp from earlier. The Lion King was just disconcerting. That is my final take. Donald Glover though made me happy so at least there is that. And Beyoncé. Cannot forget the queen.
Because we didn’t sleep the night before we decided to call this a night. I was satisfied. That is putting it lightly.
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