Split Beach

The beach by the hotel we stayed at is called Znjan. I have no idea how to pronounce it. It's a pretty beach with lots of white rocks and views of the islands a few kilometers away. It's also a very popular beach with the locals. most of the pictures my companion took don't have people in them because he really prefers not to take pictures of people without permission. He had to work to crop people out or not get them in the shot. Anyway... it's not because the beach isn't used that it looks empty in my pictures. During the day, people go out to sunbathe and enjoy the cooler breeze at the shore. These people leave between four and six in the afternoon in a process we called "the shift change". For about an hour, the beach is empty-ish, then the families come out to go to the little coffee bars (with playgrounds) and walk up and down the walkway lining the beach.

A lot of things go on there - walking dogs, rollerblade lessons for preteens, elderly strolls. It's like half the population comes out before dinner to enjoy the evening. Around sunset, they all start going home and then the fun begins.

Living in the Balkans means there's no privacy at home. Extended families live together in what we'd call single family dwellings here. So the Kosovars go to hotels to get it. The people of Split head to the beach. Cars cruise up and down it looking for the one thing in demand - empty benches. Benches are about twenty meters apart and provide that little bit of privacy you just can't get at home. Elderly men in groups drinking and talking. Teenagers making out. Older couples getting away from the in laws and kids at home. All come down to the beach after dusk for some time alone and together. We witnessed this every night, and we went down too - but not for privacy. My companion took a lot of photos of the beach at night and I acted as his assistant.

Split was the highlight of the road trip for both of us. If you get the chance to go there, grab it with both hands.

Barely Any Progress

I've been in a whirlwind the past week preparing to leave and getting everything like museum visiting squared away. Ergo, not really any progress on stitching. I did manage to add a little more yellow to the flame. Things will calm down for me at the weekend.

Mysterious Progress

I started in on part six? last week and got one and a part of a second square done. I'll be finishing this part off today before I leave really early in the morning for Vienna. That way I can start on part seven when I get home, a few days late. I still like the colors. The pictures don't do them justice.

A Bit on Split

The central building in this picture was our hotel. Actually, not all of it was our hotel - only the middle two floors. The rest was private housing. Hotel More was a great place to stay. The picture was taken from the beach, so you can see how close it is! That cross in front of it, the tall metal pole? It's historically significant. It marks the place where Pope John Paul II celebrated mass a decade ago. The cross was part of the elevated altar and everyone was on the beach. The hotel wasn't built at the time. This place takes care of you - they're always concerned that things are right, ask you what kind of food you want for breakfast, loan you silverware for dinner, and give you a table chairs, -and- chaise longues on the veranda. Can you tell I want to go back?

This picture is from the restauraunt about a mile from the hotel that we had dinner at - twice. Like most places in the Balkans, it has a patio to eat outside. The day was good, so we did. I just like how my companion caught the colors of the sunset in this view. I'll make a post with some dinner pictures on it if my companion ever gets to processing my phone pictures...

And this is a picture of the beach at night, right across from our hotel. Pretty, isn't it? I'll have more pictures and a story to tell in a post soon. The beaches are used both day and night - there's always someone there. And they're gorgeous.

Going Green

Both of the middle plaques are now ready for their specialty stitches, and most of what is left cross stitch-wise on the plaques is the celadon green background color. Slow progress, but progress all the same.

One Reason I've Not Been Stitching Much

Here she is - my new puppy, Mattie. Mattie's a Sharr mix, and only seven or eight weeks old. I got her because someone at the embassy found her beside the road at a customs stop outside Peje. Isn't she cute? She's a sweetheart, too. She's very biddable and obedient and loves people. I leave here on Wednesday; she's flying home on her own on Sunday, since I have two overnight stays.

Anyway, that's one reason why I've not been caught up on my stitching. She requires a lot of time to play and also attention to keep her out of things.

Blued Out

Another blue done, and this one completely for the corner. I'm feeling kind of bad about my stitching at the moment. I haven't finished a single project on this whole trip and I leave for home on Wednesday morning. On the other hand, I've gotten a LOT done otherwise. Maybe I'll get more stitching done when I get home.