Trogir, Split and Brač

One of the joys of travel is the prospect of waking up to a prepared breakfast. As this was a classy hotel, breakfast was sumptuous. My insides were feeling much better but I ate warily.

The plan was to sightsee around Trogir until mid-morning, then go to Split to catch the ferry to the island of Brač. Trogir's buildings are well preserved and very attractive in the sunlight.

We bought some cherries and strawberries from the market before taking the bus to Split. It took 45 minutes to get there. As Split is a medium-sized city, we had to transfer to another bus for the harbour. The first thing we did there was to ask the tourist office to find us a room for two nights hence. We wanted to be close to the bus station so that it would be easy for the niece to catch the airport shuttle and and me to catch the bus north on the day. They found us one in a private residence and gave us a voucher in return for payment. Then I found a bakery and we had some pastry with the fruits, sitting on a bench. The strawberries had started to go mouldy in the heat and many had to be thrown out. The cherries were excellent though.

The car and passenger ferry took an hour to cross the channel to the town of Supetar, on Brač, facing Split. (The niece jokingly called it Superstar.) Brač is the largest island in Dalmatia. At the ferry terminal we couldn't raise the Pansion Palute, getting only the whistle of a fax machine. We asked the tourist office for help and they managed to contact the landlady, who drove down to the harbour to pick us up. Her large friendly dog had come along too for the ride.

I had a siesta while the niece did some exploration on her own. She was hungry and so insisted that we dine no later than 7 pm down at the waterfront. While it was great of the landlady to pick us up because of our backpacks, the harbour is actually only a 20 minute stroll from the Pansion; Supetar is that cozy. We ended up at the Bistro Palute which was run by the landlady's brother. We ordered a mixed grill for two. The serving was too large even with both of us, so we surreptitiously gave bits to a friendly but goofy dog who was hanging around the tables.

A few doors away we got a couple of gelati. I was half expecting the gelateria to be Gelati Palute. Then we sat on a bench and chatted, enjoying the mild evening. A late ferry service came in as we watched. Supetar is a tranquil world far from the bustle of Split. Islands are great that way. I wondered if there were people who lived on Brač and commuted to Split for work. Nice home if you can get it.