More differences between Croatia/Europe and NZ
Another thing they don’t have here is drinking chocolate. You can’t get precut pumpkin or cauli. Only whole. They don’t have absorbent dishcloths like ours.
A note about plastic bottles like milk bottles, the caps are tethered. It’s mandatory that they stay attached to the bottle because it’s one of the most common litters found on European beaches. I think its a good diea but apparently most Europeans are really annoyed.
Something about doors in Europe, they look like they’re not shut, but they are. Like in NZ they sit in the door frame but in Europe they sit outside it.
Something we’ve noticed here and in most European countries is that people don’t smile the way we do in NZ in passing. I looked it up: “In Croatia and many European countries, smiling at strangers can seem:
Insincere or fake “Why are you smiling if you don’t know me?”
A bit odd or suspicious “What do they want?”
Reserved for people you actually know and have a reason to smile at
They’re not being rude or unfriendly! It’s just that:
A neutral face is the default in public.
Smiling is for genuine moments, not social convention.
They save warmth for actual interactions NZ, Australia, the US and Canada all share that “smile at passing strangers” culture. It feels normal to us, but it’s actually quite specific to our part of the world.
And if you do get into a conversation with a Croatian they are really friendly and the hosts at both our airbnbs have gone over and above for us
But yeah I’ve stopped smiling as I pass people, mostly but I still smile at their dogs!
Here’s a walk we did a couple of times, up 300+ steps to Telegrin Peak (2.8 kms away) which is 178 metres high. Wow stunning panoramic views over the city, the Adriatic Sea, and nearby islands. On the way we came upon the Church of St. Nickolas the Traveller built in 1219
On the way back down we came upon one of the oldest preserved Jewish cemeteries in Europe and the oldest in Croatia, founded in 1573 when city authorities granted the land on Marjan to the Jewish community (mostly Sephardic Jews fleeing Spain and Portugal). It served the Split Jewish community for nearly 400 years, with over 700 tombstones (many still legible, in Hebrew, Italian and other languages). Burials continued until 1945.
Also lots of cats along the way and once we were back on the Riva, we had burgers with a nice view.
Still more Split to come
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