It had been raining here and the air was fresh when we got off the plane, but with enough of a hint of the warmth to come later in the day.
The airport was small but efficient and a bus to the centre was waiting outside. You can see the sea from the front of the airport, over an area of olive trees and greenhouses. Behind are the cloud-topped hills, populated only by trees and pylons, with the odd small square of cultivated land clinging to the steep sides.
Most of the buildings on the outskirts of town are modern, concrete blocks with red tiled roofs. Functional rather than aesthetic.
Split itself is almost entirely surrounded by water, with factories and industry on the northern shore, while the southern shore is given over to leisure and tourism being the home of the port, old town and beaches. Approaching from the North, we saw cranes, warehouses and bland, beige, angular high rises, washing hanging off the balconies. Graffiti seems as popular in Croatia as in Italy but there was little in the way of competition for Banksy.
We soon left this area behind, moving closer to the southern coast in the steady morning traffic. The streets here are tree-lined and the older, stone buildings a little more ornate.
The bus station is next to the large port, where the car ferries depart for the islands. From here, it was a short walk to my accommodation.
My accommodation for the night, a newly renovated B&B in the old town, wasn't ready so early in the day, however I was able to drop my rucksack and meet my host. I arrived just in time - before a heavy rain shower caused all pedestrians to shelter for about 20 minutes. That was when I noticed the dubious plumbing on the building I'm staying in. Perhaps it's not quite finished!
I had a few hours to kill before the room would be ready but if I'm honest, I'd had enough of tourist sites by this time. There is only so much enthusiasm I can muster for museums and other sites of interest. I prefer to take my culture in small, well selected doses. Everything in moderation.
I was ready to relax and watch the world go by, ideally on a beach. But as the weather wasn't on my side today, instead I sat out the showers in a cafe, trying to finish my last book set in Italy so that I can move on to the Croatian one.
I needn't have worried about the language - everyone I've met so far speaks excellent English and they seem genuinely pleased when I say thank you in Croatian, 'hvala'. The bus driver patted my shoulder affectionately and the haughty waitress smiled broadly at this small attempt of mine to be polite.
My cup of tea was very cheap - the equivalent of 80p, verses €3.50 in France where tea was more expensive than wine.
I moved to a different cafe during a break in the rain, this time in a prime spot overlooking the port. A glass of wine here costs the equivalent of £1.30 and a pint of beer £1.60. The price of tea has gone up here as I am paying for the location - it is £1!
My 3am start had caught up with me by the time my room was ready so I had a nap and when I awoke, the sun was out and I was starving. I set out to find some food and had a late lunch in the shadow of Deocletian's palace - the closest I am going to get to it!
After a quick wander about, I hit the gym. CrossFit Split is a mile from where I'm staying so I donned my kit and headed over there. It is a small, friendly place. The classes were quiet but the workout was good with good coaching. I felt amazing afterwards, once I'd cooled down. There is a bit of a thing within the CrossFit community for buying the t-shirt of any box (gym) you visit, so I made sure I got my souvenir.
All in all, apart from the fact I'm in Split, it has been a bit like a non-work day at home - rain, tea, a nap and a workout!
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