Another Croatia Bus Adventure

Ana arrives promptly at 0830 to drive us to the bus station. She tells us she enjoyed our company and can tell we enjoy life and are very simple, easy, people. We arrive at the bus station a little early for our 0920 bus. This is by design. Unfortunately, two nights ago, Carol realized that she did not have her jacket. She had put it in the food bag we carry while traveling, after we arrived from Copenhagen. On the bus from Split to Dubrovnik, it must have rolled out, and we did not notice it on the space above the seats. It was a long travel day with plane and the longer than scheduled bus ride, and we both got off the bus a little too fast. Always need to methodically check, we have everything and we missed it. I feel very bad and we were hoping that someone might have turned it in. No such luck. This was her good Arc Teryx down jacket that she hiked the PCT and many other trails and travels with, so it is hard for her to swallow.
I check at the ticket window where the bus departs and they tell me I need a seat reservation on the bus. 10 Kuna for two and the ticket has seat numbers. When we board the bus, there are no seat numbers, just normal open seating. Nice money making scheme.
Leaving Dubrovnik, we hit some heavy rain. On top of that, as we approach Bosnia, there is a big traffic jam. It continues almost to the other border with Bosnia. It takes us about an hour to go 10 miles. Later, I call our apartment owner for tonight to tell her that we will most likely be 1 and 1/2 hours late. When we are about two miles from the bus station, I text her we are close. The two miles takes 30 minutes as the buses and ferries all are in the same area and two ferries are loading and unloading. It is mayhem.

Our Studio in Split

When we get off the bus, Marija and her husband Philip find us and drive us to our apartment. When we reach the narrow street that the apartment is on, Philip backs up the curvy street for about .3 miles, expertly missing parked cars and motorcycles. I think he has done this before. Marija gives us the skinny on the town, supermarkets,bakeries, and things to do.
We get settled after another long bus ride and it begins to rain. We decide that we will eat nearby because of that. The plan is to check out a seafood restaurant with great reviews, find where our tour bus picks us up tomorrow, eat at a nearby pizzeria if the seafood place doesn’t work, and go to the market for tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch.
The seafood place is booked and we make reservations for Tuesday night. It only has about 8 tables, 3 of them outside. We find the bus pick up location and go for pizza.

Most Excellent

Pizzeria Obelix is very good and has cheap beer as well. Two excellent pizzas and beer sets us back about 17 dollars. We shop for lunch and check out a bakery for breakfast. They have something that interests me. My mom always made sfinge, an Italian type of dessert snack that is fried. It is in the shape of a ball and my mom makes it with dough and ricotta cheese. Growing up, I never knew any other Italian that made sfinge or knew what it was. This looks just like it and I ask the owner about it. She gives me one to taste. It is very similar in texture but a little different. I ask if she makes it with cheese and she says that it is made with plain yoghurt to sweeten it. I tell her how my mom makes it and she seems interested to maybe try it sometime with the ricotta. We buy six for tomorrow morning at the cost of 5 kuna (75 cents) and a couple of small pastries too. All set for tomorrow, we head to our new place for a good nights sleep. Hoping for good weather tomorrow.
Expenses
Bogus Seat Reservations Croatia Bus 10 HRK
Luggage Stowage Croatia Bus 16 HRK
Croatia Bus from Dubrovnik to Split 74 HRK
Kaleta Varos Apartment. 587 HRK
Dinner and Beer at Pizza Obelix 115 HRK
Groceries from Market for Tomorrow 48.41 HRK
Croatian Sphinge and Small pastries for Tomorrow Breakfast. 11 HRK
Walked 3 Miles