Adriatic Adventures Part 3: Sibenik to Trogir

The best way to see how the locals live is to rent an old town apartment. That is, if you can find your way there. Invariably the door is hidden somewhere deep in the maze of cobbled passageways that form the heart of the typical Croatian old town. In this particular instance, that town is Sibenik, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site that enjoys an enviable geography perched on a hill above the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. For someone like Rock, who bombed out of Advanced Quantum Physics with a shocking A-, wandering the old town is as close as he's going to get to a time machine. With each twist and turn, the cacophony of the modern world slowly slips away behind the ancient stone walls.

What was that rubbish about leaving the modern world behind? We'll charitably call it poetic license on the part of the author. It turns out our old world apartment is actually a living, breathing Ikea showroom, but in a good way: think hyper-efficient use of space, funky furnishings, and of course, very un-old wifi. The only thing missing is the meatballs and funny dots over certain letters.

Even broadband internet can't keep Team J00ster indoors, when there's a town as cool as Sibenik to explore.

The immaculately maintained old town is a mixture of sparkling Mediteranean whitewash and medieval architecture.

Here's something else that is immaculately maintained, if the three ziplock bags of liquids that have to come out at every security checkpoint are any guide.

That's one way to overcome the scorching pavement on a late summer's day on the Adriatic.

Climbing the steep stairs of the old town is tough work in this heat; luckily there are ample opportunities for photo breaks.

Out here the farm-to-table movement has less of a hipster ring to it. It's called food.

 

Architecture Appreciation Week. Week being the operative word given the frequency at which this blog updates.

Forget architecture folks...

The primary means of transportation in the old town is the ubiquitous Fiat scooter. Unfortunately Mei flunks out at the first item on the license test: put the kickstand up.

The monks have the best view in town, not to mention the best herb garden.

No self-respecting old town can call itself as such without a mighty fortress looming over the town to stake out its claim. Don't get distracted soldier, there's an army of tour buses on the horizon.

 

Unlike some of the southern Croatian cities that have been transformed, for better and worse, by the budget airline revolution, Sibenik is still well off the beaten path for the average Pommie weekender. Hence the opportunity to enjoy the ancient streets without the risk of being trampled under a red army of a different kind; refugees from the rainy isles whose skin is already howling in protest at the sight of, shock, horror, a ray of sun.

Outdoor dining is the only way to eat on the Adriatic. Much like fish is the only thing to eat. Most restaurants are nothing more than a kitchen that opens out onto hidden squares or courtyards packed with tables and cheery diners enjoying the cooling evening breeze.

Is it the mythical two-headed Adriatic Hydra? Or has Rock finally discovered those mythical ISO settings on his camera?

In addition to a fortress, every old town worth its salt needs a Riva, which is a convenient Croatian shorthand word which can be translated as: a ridiculously scenic waterfront promenade where super hot babes wearing very little strut their stuff between the super yachts on one side, and the pumping open air bars on the other. Needless to say, after 10 days in Croatia, that was still the only local word Rock had learned.

A lap dance for a pizza? Seems like a winning trade to me.

 Finding your way back through the warren of shadowy passageways is no mean feat, especially if one is coming straight from the Riva.

 

Another day, another old town. Oh, did I mention it's a UNESCO?

However, even among the cultural treasures of the Croatian coast, the tiny town of Trogir stands out. Set entirely on a small island that takes no more than 20 minutes to circumnavigate, the natural focus is the Riva that runs right the way around. No matter the time of day, it's a 360 degree party.

Notice a tropical flavor slipping in? Mei takes that as a sign that it's Pina Colada time.

Riva, riva, everywhere.

How many churches can you pack on one little island? Well, just like Manhattan, the answer is to build up.

Fortunately this finely-sculpted fellow is a little less forthright than his buddy David in Florence.

There's no better view in town than the highest clocktower on the island.

Of course, getting to that view is another story. The only comfort for those who inch their way up the hanging stairs is that if they've held up for a thousand years, surely they'll hang on for 15 minutes more.

The Croatians are a proud people, and their flag is one of the best. Even more importantly for a football mad country, it translates nicely into the distinctive checkerboard jerseys of the national team.

Way out there in the distance is tomorrow's destination, the famous city of Split, which lies only half an hour down the coast.

Someone really understood fractal geometery when they built this island, they seem to have fit an infinite number of twisting alleyways into a supposedly finite space. Or maybe Rock just keeps leading everyone in circles.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing, since it takes them past the island's best gelateria an inordinate number of times.

Nightfall is when the city comes to life, as the beautiful people spill off their super yachts and the un-beautiful people spill out of their cheap hotel rooms.

Dude, the streets are empty because all the cool people are down on the Riva.

Speaking of cool people, our impromptu drinking buddy fits the bill perfectly. From what we could gather from his limited, or inebriated, English he was Slovakian. The nationality of the female companions on each arm was less clear, but suffice it to say they wouldn't have any problem getting a passport in whatever country they decided to flaunt their assets in.