Splitska

It's a cooler evening tonight, only 80 degrees F. We just had a nice pesto pasta and are relaxing as the day winds down. It's 21h30 and the kids are about to go to bed; I don't think we'll stay up much later than they, as we're both a little worn out.

Yesterday we hiked east to Lovrečina; today we decided to go the opposite direction and check out Splitska, an interesting double cove with a quiet pebbled beach at one arm of the cove and a harbour at the other. Today's trip actually was a much shorter distance than yesterday's, as the crow flies, but it took longer, as we had to first go through Postira and then follow a very winding path... Duncan was protesting tearfully by the time we were even halfway to Postira. It reminded me very strongly of his behaviour on the portage trail, during our last visit to Algonquin park a few years ago. He was telling us very clearly that he wanted to stay home in Postira and hang out with his new friends.

Once we finally got there he was fine, and interestingly, he made no protest on the way back, but walked along quite happily while listening to music on his iPod. Perhaps we'll try the ipod at the beginning next time, and save a lot of threatening, cajoling and negotiating.

Splitska is the site of a Roman quarry where beautiful creamy white stone was cut for Dioclesian's palace on the mainland at Split. The boys and I snorkelled over to one side of the bay, where weathered cliffs of this soft white stone rose above the water, and jumped several times from a pier there into the water. It was really quite a beautiful spot.

Today or perhaps tomorrow is the feast of the Virgin Mary here in Postira; that explains the fact that Duncan's friends have left for church, and the relative quietness of our part of the village, apart from the frequent ringing of the bell carillion in the church tower, playing some quite sophisticated melodies. It also explains the images of the Madonna and child that we've spotted in town.

I had a good talk today with Ivo at the tourist office, and he explained that there is a boat tour that takes us to the old pirate town of Omis that leaves Postira tomorrow morning at 9h30, and we have the option of continuing up the river to Cetina to lunch at the old mill there. It's pretty much a full day trip, but we've had a busy couple of days with lots of walking, and I'm thinking it might be nice tomorrow to just spend a quiet day at Molo Lozna beach, and do the boat tour another day.