Split Croatia -- June 26 - 29 2003
Hi hello everyone! I am here in Croatia -- and thought I'd show you
some of the sights...
I was a little scared when I saw the name of the airline I was about to
trust my life to -- I was trying to recall from recent news if there was
every a Croatian plane involved with some of the same shanighans Aeorflat
had been in the past... namely drunk pilots betting the stewardess
that a boy could fly a jetliner.
Alas, as you are reading this, obviously there on the 12 step plan or just
decent fliers... although take off and landing were a bit rough.
Here are a few views as we approached Split, Croatia.
This was my first view of the Adriatic Sea, its was bluer and clearer than
I expected. Croatia is just north of Greece and East of Italy.
The landscape looked dry, rocky and Mediterranean, only is Adriatic.
Here is a better look at the town of Split... interesting, no?
This is the port of Split, Croatia. The Bosnian/Serb war ended over
ten years ago, and I haven't seen any evidence of it in this City. Most
of the fighting took place in other cities, although I heard from a local
that if I were to travel inland I could find some bombed out buildings, abandoned
cars and mine fields. No thanks!
Instead, I decided to head west to be beach! ;-) ... The 'beach' itself
was more like a quarry..... stones, stones and more pebbles. The seas
is very warm, calm, no breakers ... I put on my scientist cap to deduce that
this is why there is no sand here... not enough turbulence and erosion....
(mail Ph.D. to kyle@freesoft.org.)
I actually got to the beach on this beauty queen. The ferry loaded
people and cars, a couple of dump trucks and I even saw a garbage truck pull
aboard... when they take the trash out here, they take it a long way. It
was about a 45 minute ferry from Split on the mainland, to Brak .. the closest
island right off the coast of Croatia.
As you can see Croatians are quite sporty... I was examining a few of em
today, and many of them have the same hairstyles and clothes on that were
popular in Baltimore Maryland circa 1988.
The views are nice, even from the bathrooms here. I actually like
this picture, I think I am going to paint it, after I learn how to paint
I put this in my model portfolio... no calls yet, but I am hopeful ... and
yes, I took *all* these pictures myself... haha actually you can get
a good look at the mountainous terrain on the island... maybe all islands
have mountains.... anyway more pics....
This is a view from the beaches of Bol, on the southernmost point
of Brak Island. It features a 2.5km beach of raw pebbles ;-)...
I spied this sight unexpectently. I guess I forgot that Europeans
go topless to the beach, but I learned that the farther East you go the less
people wear to the beach, and as a rule it should go the other way. I
know a few pervs (Jim & Zac) are going to blow this photo up to find out
what you can see. One piece of advice. Don't!
In the background you can see the 2.5 km beach I was talking about. I took
this photo before the crowds arrived. Later in the day is pack full
of brautwurst eating, vodka slurping Eastern europeans. The look and
attitude of people here, is right out of what we all saw in the 1980's make-fun
of Russians propaganda. People here are not mean, but not friendly.
Most people I've seen have permanent neutral grimace on their
faces. And Croatian, why I don't speak a word except "Ruke Gore"
(ruh-ka gore-ae') which means "PUT YOUR HANDS UP" .. thanks to my brother
Paul for that little phrase he told me last night when I had a few... I got
a lot of use out of it... any even a few laughs... the police thought it was
funny and let me go... (ahem.. ) (kidding) ... thanks for the other words
too Paul .. heh heh... The language itself it quite unsoothing to listen to.
The VirtualTourist.com call this place Mad Europe.... I wasn't sure
if they meant english "mad" like crazy or good old Yankee mad, like angry.
After a few hours of listening to them talk I think they have the perfect
language for screaming, and they do so quite frequently. At least 10
times yesterday I thought what my ears told me to be the beginning of a fight
or confrontation only to look to see to men greeting each other with kisses.
yueak.. actually I gave some guy at the ferry 5 euros to "get home"
... smelling of booze and being 2' taller than me, I thought it was a good
idea. Actually these croatians are all pretty tall, I feel like tiny
tim.. but any ways, after I gave him some money and the rest of my sandwich..
he say "DANK YEW. DANKS" and grabbed me.. I though I was gonna get rolled,
but he hugged me and gave me a big wet kiss right on the check. I hugged
him back... then got the Hell out of there.
This is the Croatian designed Paddleboat. Its your standard fourseater
but they've mounted a slipper slide to the top so you can plop right into
the sea from on the boat... good idea...
Ok, heres one for y'all to use for today's windows wallpaper... Its really
beautiful... but it has an edge to it. What I've seen so far is a mixture
of beautiful, mediterranean-like scenery, mixed with eastern european
hard life... and a pink of New Jersey
Tomorrow I am going on a dive trip through a tunnel 17m deep and 500m long
should be interesting.. Hope you are all well.
xoxo Love Bye See ya (select appropriate closing)
KY
LE