from Split part two

After a very rainy day in Trogir/Split where we had a nice meal (at Nostromus, a multi layered restaurant, we ate on level 3) and the movie in a theater built during the silent era, 1908. It's within the walls of Diocletian's Palace. We took an early ferry from Split to Vis where Sanje and Vlado met us. Sanje is an Austrian diplomat (Croatian diplomat to Austria) and they greeted us with champaigne! The house is gorgeous. Only 3 years old and built exactly as Sanje wanted. The old dark oak wood is from 150 year old house. It's absolutely spectacular!!! They had to bring all the materials over by ferry from Split. After they finished they found out Croatia is allowing no further building on the coast of Vis, so I'm sure it's quite an investment on their part, property will undoubtedly skyrocket!!!! Only 150 euro a night to borrow their summer home. It's definately a highlight (the highlight) of the trip.

The birds are chirping happily, the waves lap the rocky cost below us and the rain seems to be lettin up. The island was used by the Yugoslav army until 1989, so no foreigners were allowed, now it's a paradise. Lots of vineyards on the interior and 2 little towns on either side Vis town and Komiza (under Hum mountain, and Tito's caves). The island holds about 4,000 people. November 1st is all saints day so everything is closed. TV at the house has channels for every country of the world (1500 channels) but only 4 in English...all UK type news. Lots of Arab porn channels funny enough (not that our hosts subscribed to them...but just noticed as we scrolled through). Bruce Springsteen's "57 channels and nothing on" takes on a whole new meaning!

November 2nd, gorgeous sunrise and Vis is going to treat us very well indeed! A praying mantis joins us on the deck, intrigued by us crazy Americans. He changes colors as he crosses the deck avoiding the birds. He wiggles before he walks...odd. And he moves his head around to watch us when we move.

Tonight we dined at a place Sanje recommended & called ahead for us. A 500 year old home where they've decided to make a small restaurant. We met our Milna Bay neighbors. Janosh (sp?) and his wife Vida. They (along with our hosts Demir and Gordana Svilicic and their daughter Katarina) sing and played traditional Croatian, Serbian, Russian, Hungarian (Janosh is Hungarian) and Gypsy music. It's impossible to capture this...Patti took pictures, I wish I'd had my camera!!!!

Day 3 Vis: An absolutely stunning day. Not a cloud in the sky and mid 60's again. A Rigotta is sailing ships thru. We stopped in Vis town to ask where the Greek cemetery is and end up with guided afternoon tour of Vis town by a man named Nikola. He's sailed around the world and speaks English, Italian, German and of course Croatian. He introduced us to 3 lovely Croatians who sang a song to us of the history of Vis (an 83 year old man and a man & woman in thir 70's I think). I did get that on tape! We found out from Nikola that the Torcida 1950 graffiti we saw all over Split is in relation to what fans of a soccor team call themselves (no politics, sports!). We run into Janosh & Vida on our way home after stopping for a huge flock of sheep and donkeys in the road. Some of the strangest sounding "baa's" though. Can't wait to share that video with friends. :)

We did find out this is the worst winter in years. 10 degrees below normal. But on Vis it's sunny and in the 60's. Can't ask for more! There's an ancient Greek port of Issa (Vis town) and we visited the BC Greek Cemetery and ruins of the walls. Mostly destroyed by tennis courts. Argh. But they've preserved the markers/headstones at the archeological museum. An archeologist who was catalogueing things let us hold a piece of pork spine...dated to BC. The museum also has a bronze head of Artemis (or Aphrodite) very well preserved.

I'm currently sharing the deck with an adventurous little bird singing his heart out to me. Vis has been the absolute highlight of the trip. Again I sit here listening to the sea lapping off the rocky shore like a lullaby, literally caught sunrise on tape this morning. The sea is so soothing. The sunlight now dancing on the water, sparkling like diamonds and the birds that pop up on the deck to check you out for invading their paradise seem to have no fear. Also the scent of lavendar from the island comes with the breeze.

What day is today? I'm losing track, Nov 4th...Split. We arrive on the Ferry to give he keys back to Sanje and Vlado, we closed up their house for them and they greet us with wine and take us to our sobe (rooms) within Diocletian's Palace. I look out my window at a sphinx the Roman Emperor brought from Eqypt. We share a wall I think with what used to be the temple of Jupitor. Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (243-312) Diocletian. The name of an ordinary Greek soldier Diocles was renamed into Latin. He was born in the surrounding area of the main city of the roman province Dalmatia (Salona). He was proclaimed an Emperor on the 20th of November 284. In 303 he forbids confessions of Christians and demolishes churches, confisgating Christian property and begins executing them. He abdicates on the 1st of May 305 and retires into his Palace where he dies on the 3rd of December 312. And now a city bustles around the ruins (some very well preserved). We'll explore more tomorrow. I won't be able to blog again until I'm back in my own bed (Wednesday).

Everyone smokes here! We joke that even the pets seem to smoke. There's no real "no smoking" sections. Wow. Also lost of stray animals, more cats than dogs, but many of them as well. Yesterday a starving cat shared my lunch and today a starving Irish Setter. Breaks my heart. Wish I could take them all home.

Tonight I hear English voices on tv and have free internet (we're inside the palace after all) ha.

I'll see you all soon!