My boyfriend thinks of Split in precisely the same way that my sister's toddler thinks of candy - with profound passion and appetite. I was not quite certain that Split was where I wanted to mark my 28th birthday, but I must admit that I am equally fond of the city albeit for different reasons from Henry's. In one sentence I would describe Split as one of the loveliest destination for a big girl to mark a special moment with someone special in her life. That is why Henry and I had to board the Cathay Pacific Flight to Croatia.
An overpowering sense of excitement swept through my nerves as the rubber of the plane's tires hit the runway of Split Airport. Despite the fact that this was my second time in this great city, my instinct to explore was proving uncontrollable. I had toured Split with a bevy of friends during last summer, but our short stay was limited to snorkeling in the blue lagoon. Earlier on, we had planned to spend some time at the Putalj Winery to enjoy some vintage wine and roast chicken to ease off the jet lag.
On Landing
We had a lot of things to do and very little time to accomplish them. Our 15 minutes ride with a Split airport taxi to the city center was quite rejuvenating and allowed us to feast our eyes on the architectural marvels of that grew bolder and grander as we inched closer to the city. We asked the taxi driver to take us to Putalj Winery, but he suggested that we try out the delights of the Luxor restaurant. In truth, the restaurant had an exceptional splendor and probably the best services in the entire city.
Suffice to say that we selected Luxor as the ideal venue for my birthday party, which was due the next day. I wanted it to be a low key event, which made the restaurant the best choice because of its gay ambiance and the exhilarating sense of space. The birthday was a hurried affair because we did not want it to be the hallmarks of our short stay in Split. We sampled a few other restaurants including Bota Sare and Antika, which were equally impressive with regard to their facade, interior aesthetic, wonderful cuisine and overall quality of service.
Our Tour of the Islands
The highlight of our Split tour was the exploration of the majesty of Brac, Hvar and Vis islands, which are profoundly spectacular in every detail. First we toured Brac island in our rented boat from a charter in Croatia and enjoyed the beauty of its white pebble beach and the traditional architecture of Seaside Pucisca. We made some clumsy attempts at windsurfing, which we found both thrilling and complex. Next we moved to Hvar island where we cooled off the day at Jedra Beach Resort and proceeded to dine at Amfora Grand Beach Resort.
After exploring the attractions of Hvar, we sailed merrily on the Adriatic Sea on our way Vis island, which if famous for its locally grown wines and delicious seafood. I recall with nostalgia every bit of the relaxing lifestyle of the island, which made us wish to prolong our stay in the country for an eternity. Time came for us to go back to the city center because a big girl must do some shopping in foreign lands for memory's sake. On our flight back home, I swore that that would not be my last visit of Split. Henry nodded.
