July 11, 2009

We arrived in Split, Croatia at 7:00 a.m. Split is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for Diocletian’s Palace. Knowing that we were here until 5:00 p.m., we slept in a bit and eventually boarded the tender at around 9:45 for Split. We arrived a little after 10 a.m. and immediately entered Diocletian’s Palace. The palace was built by Roman Emperor Diocletian as a retirement home near the end of the third century, and much of the exterior walls still stand today. By the 7th century, people began to seek refuge within the walls and throughout the centuries many buildings were constructed within the former palace, including the main cathedral. We took a 90 minute tour of the palace and the medieval section of the city, and then hiked up the hill for a great view of the city, the harbour, and the mountains and islands beyond Split.

After enjoying some gelato (Venice ruled the city for several hundred years, so there is a strong Italian presence that is evident throughout the city), we toured the basement or cellar of the palace. The cellar was used as a garbage pit by the city for many centuries, but was excavated in the last 50 years. Work continues in some sections, but much of the cellar has been excavated and has helped researchers to reconstruct the original palace and life during the Roman Empire. Eventually Karen’s parents and the boys had had enough, so they went back to the cruise ship while Karen and I continued exploring the city for another hour before returning to the ship.

The boys and Grandpa enjoyed the pool and Karen and I had a nap and relaxed before our first formal dinner of the cruise, followed by a show. Tomorrow will be a relaxing day as we are at sea all day.