Split, Croatia

Monday we were at sea. It was a beautiful day and we welcomed a day of rest, with a little exercise walking laps in the top deck running track.

Yes, we were wearing our team colors.  The Seahawks had just lost, and the Sounders were playing that night.  We bought expensive shipboard Internet minutes so we could keep track. Oh, and that night, the Sounders won the Supporters Shield, awarded to the team with the best record for the season.  Now we are in the play offs, and back here in Seattle, we were at the stadium last night to see the Sounders advance to the Western Conference finals! 

 It was formal night.  This is about as dressed up as it gets for me.

Our first port of call was split, Croatia.

Here the Roman Emperor Diocletian build a retirement palace beginning in 293 AD. He lived in the palace until his death in 313.  During that time he began to brutally persecute Christians, especially several church leaders from this area. 

Because of it's defensible fortifications, the palace enclave remained a refuge against various tribes after the fall of the empire, and it became an important commercial port. 

We entered the city through an open air market, and then in through a gate in the old walled palace.

We visited St. Domnius Cathedral, originally Doicletian's Mausoleum. Poetic justice abounds as the church is now the final resting place of the bishop the Emperor had killed.

 We climbed the bell tower for great views of the city and managed some wicked stone steps before reaching the metal scaffolding. 

We prowled inside the walls, through alleys and shops, past old Roman walls.

 And down into the cellars that over the ages became filled with rubbish and have served as rich archaeological digging as they have been cleared out and restored.  Digging continues.

 We explored outside the walls and found the fish market.

 The Venetians were here at one point, and built this. 

 Cats became a common theme.  Feral cats were everywhere on our cruise stops.

 We lunched on local cheese, ham, bread and beer at a cafe near the harbor.  We luckily chose to sit under cover because the sky looked threatening, and yes, the rains came while we were enjoying our lunch.  That would be the end of the good weather for a while.

We sailed away in the late afternoon.  On to the next port.