Split

It's Monday afternoon and things are winding down here in Split, Croatia. I got here off of the train yesterday morning.

Split is a large Croatian city (750,000 people) on the shores of the Adriatic Sea just across from Italy. The Dalmation Coast is known for the many offshore islands, sunny weather and beaches. The centerpiece to the city of Split is the huge palace built by the Roman emperor Diocletian (245 - 313AD) in the 3rd Century. Diocletian and Nero are the two Roman emperors so well known for their persecution of the early Christian church before the empire converted to Christianity in the 4th Century under Emperor Constantine.

Diocletian built his retire home here in his homeland of Dalmatia. In the 7th Century, peasant squats moved into the palace ruins and made a home for themselves. They have stayed ever since and today the palace ruins enclose shops, cafes and over 2,000 residents.

After two weeks of sun, the weather is starting to get a little iffy. It's clouded up today and the forecast is for showers and then RAIN on Thursday. No beaches for me...not that I really planned to spend any time on any. I move on to the walled city of Dubrovnik this afternoon and will be staying there for the next three days. The weather may dictate the itinerary. I would love to do some sea kayaking down there and spend a day in the small and 2nd newest country in the world, Montenegro.

Photo: My sleeper car bunk from a couple night ago when I went from Zagreb to Split. Sleeper cars-couchettes usually come in a triple bunk room with a sink, a six person bunk (3 and 3 with a small isle) or a pricer single private room. I prefer the former two since they come rather cheap. You get a decent night's sleep if you can live with the train's noises and stops. It's best to use earplugs. Sleepers are a great way to travel long distances from city to city without burning up precious vacation time that can be better used touring.

Hostels are great affordable accommodations for the single traveler. I can usually get a bed for about $20 ($40-60 in bigger cities like Paris and Venice). They usually come with mixed dorms of 4-10 people with a shared bathroom. Hostels continue to evolve into nicer accommodations, and if you do your homework, there are some really nice ones out there. They usually come with a commons room with a TV, kitchen, free breakfast, laundry and sometimes a bar with the more upscale ones. They are also a great way to meet other travelers.