A Park for How Many Years?

[Reposted from my website]

Ghosts and ghouls are not my thing so let's see  more pictures instead. The city of Split, Croatia, sits on a peninsula on the Dalmatian Coast of the Adriatic Sea. On a recent visit to celebrate our fortieth wedding anniversary, my husband and I hiked along the ridge of the Marjam hill, set aside as a park by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the fourth century.The hike began with ninety-nice steps to this look out point--and that was only the beginning.

Cruise ships and ferries ready to embark for the islands wait in Split harbor in the early morning.

Medieval hermits were fond of the caves in the cliffs on Marjam Hill, so there are several chapels. (More steps.)

Even I didn't climb to this hermitage.

The views of the islands from the hill were breathtaking.

This cross at the highest point with the islands in the distance (another 100+ steps) made me think of Jesus, the Hope of the Nations, the Hope of Croatia.

The views made us dream of taking one of those cruise ships someday.

When we reached the tip of the peninsula, having met only a handful of joggers and dog-walkers, all locals, we walked back along the shore of the bay through an area that proved to be popular with families and bicyclers.

"The best part of the city," the girl in the information office said, and by the time we returned to our hotel, footsore with aching muscles (did I mention the steps?), we could almost agree with her. No crowds, no tourists. Only the beauty of the amazing world God created on a gorgeous blue-sky day. Tomorrow I'll show you pictures of Silona, a Roman city of 70,000 people in Diocletian's day.

Fairytale Anniversary

[Reposted from my website]

My husband and I completed forty years of marriage in May. Knowing we would be in Croatia, we decided to wait and celebrate in Split on the Adriatic Sea. Well worth it! Fabulous time!

Split was originally the retirement home of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the fourth century. The facade of these buildings is the wall of his palace, facing the sea with this well-used modern promenade full of --you guessed it--coffee shops.

The view from our hotel window inside Diocletian's Palace. My first thought was noisy, but I revised that thought to community. The sounds of church bells and people in the cafe below were never far away. It reminded me of a giant family reunion. Even when you retreat to your bedroom to put your feet up as I was doing when I had these thoughts, you are never far from what is going on.

I felt like I was sleeping in the International Showcase at Epcot --people everywhere in this exotic, fairytale setting.

The best preserved part of Diocletian's Palace is the cellars beneath--now a shopping arcade. Weird to think this mall is 1700 years old.

Behind this facade was Diocletian's private quarters over the cellars you just saw.

My husband is not comfortable with heights, so I climbed the medieval bell tower added to Diocletian's mausoleum (now a church) by myself.

Today's first picture was taken from half way up this hill. Tomorrow I'll show you pictures of our hike.

With his fear of heights, my husband
made a wise choice when he decided not to come.

These steps were considerably higher and steeper than normal modern stairs. The rail is definitely needed!