I’ve found the summer again. It’s here in Trogir old town near Split.
I’ve been walking down these ancient stone streets. Reach out both hands and you’ll touch both sides.
Clear blue skies above, cool air in all the stone, amplified voices bouncing through the hustle and bustle. The English speakers are mostly in various North American accents, declaiming their uncertain certainties, emphasising with volume not pitch. The people that live here walk in a lope or a shuffle, or they have their little wheels. Over 30 and it’s a Piaggio. Under thirty and it might well be one of those little silent electric scooters, although not in the uneven narrow streets.
It feels pretty relaxed here. Lizards and pigeons scavenge our leavings. Tourist stores try to sell dried up sea sponges in bags, competing with one another for the most egregious Eurofunk soundtrack. I haven’t seen many swifts, but if Dubrovnik is anything to go by they’ll be here somewhere or sometime.
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My phone rang and I got distracted. I’ve seen a bit of Split now, the high-rises in the centre, the shopping Malls, the inside of Ikea. Moved a few boxes into lovely old buildings with small doors. Then we got on a ferry to Vis. “Dean” is our host tonight and we are all coveting sleep as we know it will be in short supply over the next 48 hours or so. I’m on the sofa-bed in a big room so Fran can get some rest. He’s barely slept the last few nights, was working while I was necking Croatian Degarra last night and was up before me too. He’s next door though and I’m glad I had the foresight to pack my pajamas.
The sun set while we were on the ferry.
I have no idea what this place is like in the light but I’m about to find out as we will be up early. The tourist voices here are British not American…
Good lads I’m working with. Fran is snoring hard through the wall. I’ve told him I can sleep through a blizzard and it’s true – I’m a very light deep sleeper. I think it’s cos I’m mostly in REM apart from the first two hours.
Fran only stopped being a copper recently. To hear him talk it sounds like it’s mostly being a social worker with a hat on these days. Makes sense. There are no social workers left and someone has to pick up the slack. Another reason why he needs his sleep.
Bedtime here for me thoug too. I don’t want to be crap in the morning. Tomorrow will last ages…
AlBarclay 