Split continued

Being in Croatia (and Italy, too) often feels like a time warp. When we’re used to New Zealand’s big organized supermarkets, the shops here are a change! On every block there is a “mini-mart”—more like NZ’s Four Square than a New World. They’re a bit of a maze and definitely have their own unique logic, but the prices? Incredible, 500g of butter for about $3 NZD (I think it’s closer to $9 back home!).

On Sundays, everything (except some restaurants) is closed, including the malls. You see families, dressed up, perhaps they’ve just been to church and they sit outside the restaurants (because all seating is outside in Europe) looking out at the water, loads of people and their dogs. Sunday is definitely Family Day here. It feels very much like NZ back in the 80s. We often joke that Croatia is happily settled in the 80s. You see it in the fashion, the retro awnings, the music, the food presentation, the groups of men just sitting, drinking coffee, and chatting for hours.

Since our local shops are so tiny and sometimes lacking, we occasionally hopped on the free shuttle from the Riva to the Mall of Split. It has a “hypermarket” and is the go-to spot for clothes and shoes. The shoe stores are great! Luckily, or unluckily, my trolley bag is already at max capacity. Also another back in the 80s thing, people smoking inside the mall lounges! Not vapes, actual cigarettes.

Sean had arguably the best burger of his life at Mall of Split and we found the best gelato yet. (Sorry Italy)

We had to venture even further out to find a hardware store. Sean’s website is what keeps our travels going, and since dining chairs aren’t always ergonomic, he needed a portable solution. He managed to find a clever, lightweight folding camping table that he can carry from place to place.

Travelling to the outer suburbs was eye-opening. The landscape is dominated by high-density apartment blocks, many of which look quite run down compared to the groomed suburbs of NZ. It made me realize how much we Kiwis prioritize our gardens and “house pride.” Here, life happens in the public squares or by the sea rather than in a private backyard. While you won’t find many manicured botanical gardens, the natural beauty of the coastline clearly makes up for it.

Being the foodies, that Sean and I are, we are missing NZ’s cafe culture, going out for the occasional meal, especially brunch. Croatian restaurant menus tend to be the same: octopus, black squid ink risotto, pizza, pasta, meat, meat, meat. Prices tend to start at 20 euros ($40NZ) so we were happy, cooking at the airbnb and getting the occasional pastry from the bakery of which there is at least one on each block. They all have exactly the same thing: pizza slices, croissants, and burek (a delicious, flaky phyllo pastry filled with cheese or meat).

They don’t really do the “decadent” treats like we do. You won’t find a chocolate caramel slice anywhere, and I miss Whittaker’s Dark Ghana!

I don’t mean to criticise, just noticing differences, but that’s the beauty of being here. We aren’t looking for a “New Zealand in the Mediterranean”—we love the 80s vibe, the deep history, the ancient buildings, and the stunning sea. It’s not better or worse; it’s just interesting, and we’re loving the experience.