Reset search
1st Holiday of 2025
  • Keith Eckersall
  • Jayne Eckersall

1st Holiday of 2025

A 11-day adventure by Keith & Jayne Read more
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Trip start
    June 6, 2025
    1st Holiday of 2025

    Travel Day

    June 6 in Croatia ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Our 1st holiday of 2025, yes, this is our 3rd trip abroad, but the big trip in January wasn't a relaxing holiday as there was too much to see and do! Prague last month was really a city break long weekend away, so again, not a relaxing holiday!! 😀
    So here we are in Croatia 🇭🇷 at the hotel Le Meridien Lav in Podstrana on the outskirts of Split.
    The day started well with our ride 🚕 to the airport 🛫 arriving early. At 01:45 am as you would expect the roads were extremely quiet and so by 02:50 we had checked our bags in and were heading through security and onto the departures area where the San Marco was about to open. After a leisurely "full" English breakfast with a coffee ☕️ chaser, we left about 90 minutes later. At 05:30, our gate number was announced, and by 06:50, we were taking off, leaving the rain 🌧 and Manchester behind as we jetted to the sunshine 🌞 and split. Bags 🎒 🎒 collected and transport found we arrived at the hotel 45 minutes later and yes Croatia has Friday traffic as well. 🚗 🚗 🚗
    Fortunately, our room was ready; some 4 1/2 hrs before the formal check-in time. So unpack, check out the pool, and by midday, we are enjoying our first Croatian beers 🍻 🍺 🍺
    After a bite to eat, we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon on the stony beach, treading gingerly to the waters edge for a cool down.
    Apart from what looked like a church on fire on the hillside, the day ended with a lovely sunset 🌇
    Footnote: we later found out that the church wasn't on fire but actually taking part in a religious ceremony of burning frankincense resin a well-known practice; unless you are not Croatian 🇭🇷, Where it's used for its aroma and believed to purify the air. Burning frankincense involves heating the resin, typically on charcoal or on a censer, which releases a fragrant smoke.    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025
    1

    1st Full Day

    June 7 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Woke up to a beautiful sunny and quiet Saturday morning around the hotel and on the sea front. Well, quiet until we went for breakfast looking and for a nice outside but shaded table. As there wasn't one free we (unwittingly) stole somebody elses, after I saw a table being cleaned. As Jayne and I merrily ate our breakfast, the original occupants came back to retrieve a phone hidden under a placemat and sat at another table - oprosti ! (sorry!).
    After breakfast, we took our lives in our hands walking 🚶‍♂️ 🚶‍♀️ along the side of a busy road (one side at a standstill 🚗 🚗 🚗) to the local supermarket for a couple of hotel room essentials 🍷🍷🍻.
    Back at the hotel, we changed and found a couple of sun loungers for a spot of serious relaxation.
    After a swim 🏊‍♂️ 🏊‍♀️ in the pool followed by the obligatory lie in the sun to get dry we went for a walk down the Promenade and stopped off at the beach restaurant of the Hotel San Antonio for a lovely Greek Salad 🥗 over looking the waterfront. (Photo #8).
    After walking back to our hotel 🏨 and our sun beds, we remained there for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to get changed for our dinner reservation at the restaurant Port 74.
    As the sun went down Jayne and I enjoyed a lovely fish 🐟 meal of Oven Baked Sliced Sea Bass Fillet for Jayne; accompanied by Eggplant Salad & Grilled Shrimp, whilst I had the Grilled Brill Fish Fillet with Sea Asparagus, Spinach, spring Onion, Tomatoes and Glazed Carrots in a lemon butter sauce 😋    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Relaxation Sunday

    June 8 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We woke up to what looks to be another warm and relaxing Sunday. Even the traffic going past our hotel 🏨 has taken the day off. So I was able to photograph 📸 the murals painted on the wall on the main road near our hotel. We managed to get our "own" table for breakfast this morning in the shade on the terrace. After breakfast, we had our first chance to chat with our Tui representative, but he wasn't much help by saying most tours start from Split!!! So, slightly none the wiser we made our way back to the sunbeds.
    Later in the day and after thinking the mid-day sun was cooling, we set off on a walk 🚶‍♂️ 🚶‍♀️ around the bay towards Stobreč, and it's marina we can see from our hotel. Unfortunately, after about a mile, the heat 🥵 beat us, and we retreated back to our sunbeds, but not before I managed to get my mum a postcard. The next goal is to buy a stamp!!
    As the sun started it's decent and we were dressed for the evening. we headed for the Lav Marina for a pizza 🍕 at Conlemanis. Before walking on further around our local bay in search of other restaurants to try during our stay.    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Follow That Ship 🚢 .....

    June 9 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Last night, we watched 👀 a cruise 🛳 ship 🚢 departing Split, and this morning, another cruise ship took its place.
    After another leisurely breakfast, we ordered an Uber taxi 🚕 to take us into Split for our first look around this ancient city. Although the beginnings of Split are traditionally associated with the construction of Diocletian's Palace in 305, the city was founded several centuries earlier as the Greek colony of Aspálathos, or Spálathos. It is thought the city was founded around the 3rd or 2nd century BC.
    Having been dropped off on Livanjska, we made our way downhill towards the sea front, pausing to have photos taken touching for luck the feet of the Sculpture by Ivan Meštrović, a gargantuan statue of the 10th-century Croatian bishop; Grgur Ninski, who fought for the right to use old Croatian in liturgical services instead of Latin. It is said that rubbing the toe brings good luck and guarantees that you’ll come back to Split. (although I don't think anyone would want to touch my big toe and come back to Blackpool!!. 🤣
    After having a refreshing drink watching the world go by sat by the Croatian National Water Revival Waterfront or the more commonly known RIVA, we saw the cruise ship 🚢 that had arrived a couple of hours before us.
    Refreshed, we set off on another mission; after suitcase 🎒 buying in New Zealand 🇳🇿 / Australia 🇦🇺, warm clothes 🧥🧣🧤 buying in Prague, Czech Republic 🇨🇿 . I now need to buy a new sun hat 👒 in Croatia 🇭🇷 after my new old one survived Australia 🇦🇺 to UK 🇬🇧 via Dubai 🇦🇪, but didn't survive UK to Croatia!! 😭    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025
    1

    Diocletian's Palace

    June 9 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After slipping quietly past the guards 💂‍♀️💂‍♂️ at the Golden Gate; originally built for the private use of the Roman Emperor Diocletian and his family of the Diocletian's Palace; built around the end of the third century AD. While it is referred to as a "palace" because of its intended use as the retirement residence of Diocletian, the term can be misleading as the structure is massive and more closely resembles a large fortress: about half of it was for Diocletian's personal use, and the rest housed the military garrison and today forms about half of the old town of Split.Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025
    2

    Sunset Dinner

    June 9 in Croatia ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Picture the scene, tables, and chairs set out 🍽☁️on the beach ⛱️, relaxing music 🎶 🎵 being played from speakers 🔊 hidden in the palm trees 🌴, waves 🌊 gently rolling in along the shoreline, the sun cascading a beam of orange light across the sea as it slowly sinks downwards and hides behind the hillside 🌄. All this and a waiter constantly bring you wine 🍷, beer 🍺 and lovely food 🍲 and you have our experience of dinner for 2 at a restaurant called The Amigos, on the beach ⛱️
    Then, as the dying sunshine kept on going west, the light from the moon replaced the orange cascade on the water with its own version of a silver cascade from the opposite direction. The evening was so nice we stopped off at the hotel's bar;overlooking the marina for a night cap with Jayne having a glass of wine from the maternal side of her family, here in Croatia called Griffin Rose. They also produce a Griffin Champagne 🍾 as well.    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Just Pool Lazy

    June 10 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Another sunny and calm day, a perfect day to do nothing apart from lying on a sunbed people watching 👀 and trying and thinking of something even slightly interesting to write ✍️ about 😆
    To break up the morning after yet another lazy breakfast followed by our now obligatory coffee in our quiet spot, we travelled from sunbed to cabana and back. In the afternoon, we had a break for a lovely iced 🧊 coffee ☕️.
    But, not knowing what we fancied for dinner, or where to eat it, we walked through the hotel's marina, where the ongoing conference at the hotel had commandeered the Gooshter beach club restaurant (again). So onwards again, we walked and headed for the same restaurant; the Amigos, as the previous night with tables on the beach ⛱️ and we settled for Greek salad 🥗 and a side of chips 🍟 😀 😋 and another beautiful sunset 🌇.
    Walking back through the throng of conference delegates spilt out across the walkway we stopped for a photo 📸 as the sun peeped over the hills only to be confronted by one of the mingling drinks waiters who insisted I take a beer 🍺 and Jayne a wine 🍷 😀 😉    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025
    1

    Déjà vu Day

    June 11 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Breakfast before moving on to our quiet space for a coffee ☕️. Then, onto the sunbeds once more, alternating between sunbathing and swimming 🏊‍♀️ 🏊‍♂️
    In the evening, we headed for the hotel La Vue bar for a snack of Greek salad and wedges with the odd glass of red, a local red wine called Bura.Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Déjà vu 2

    June 12 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We woke to another quiet, cloudless, and hot morning 🌄 and determined to break the possibility of déjà vu we took the local bus 🚌 into Split. - easier said than done. After speaking with the concierge (yes, our hotel 🏨 is that posh) who had told us we needed the number 60 bus, we trotted off full of confidence. Our confidence wained slightly when we tried to climb aboard a school bus!!! Not to look daft again, we waited patiently at the bus stop only to make a sudden dash when the minibus doors started to close with the words "Express Line No.60" stencilled on the window!!! With no more issues, we arrived in Split, knowing exactly where we were, and headed through the side gate at the green market and into the Peristil Square with the Diocletian’s Palace. Where we once again avoided the Roman Guards seeking refuge in the very ornate Cafe Luxor, where we enjoyed a couple of iced 🧊 coffees ☕️. Walking 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️ around the inner city, we explored streets we hadn't been down before and quickly needed another refreshment stop at a nice little wine bar; adorned with lovely paintings both inside and outside, and that turned out to be the art 🎨 work of the bar owners grandmother 👵. As the afternoon wore on and the temperature didn't get any cooler, we decided to venture home on the bus again. Arriving just in time to watch the sun setting from our balcony whilst eating a delicious 😋 takeaway pizza 🍕 from a nearby roadside restaurant.Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Deja vu again

    June 13 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Back in our usual morning coffee ☕️ quiet spot after breakfast, it's really surprising nobody else seems to come here - we aren't complaining, though. Then it was back down to poolside for another day of relaxation, alternated with cooling off dips in the pool. And so the day went quietly and relaxed until a group of beer swigging Australians 🇦🇺 arrived at the pool bar.
    In the evening, we returned to the Italian restaurant; Conlemani, by the hotel 🏨 for Pollo Rosemarino for Jayne and Filleto Di Manzo for me. After which, we walked for about a mile down the Promenade past little beaches and beach bars before returning to the hotel's LaVue bar for a night cap 🍷    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    No Split for Omis

    June 14 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    As the cruise ships 🚢 queued to dock at Split Harbour, we decided to catch a bus 🚌 in opposite direction and headed for Omis; a thousand years old town once ruled by pirates ☠️. Overlooking the sea entry into Omis is the Mirabella or Peovica a Romanesque fortress, built in the 13th century by the Kačić family. Mirabella was a reliable hideout for the Omiš pirates who used to retreat into the safety of the Cetina gorge. Legend says that in 1537, during an attack by the Turks, the defenders of Omiš confused the attackers with their shouting and shots so much that the Turks overestimated the number of defenders and fled. The climb to the top of the fortress is definitely worthwhile for the fabulous view. On coming back down, we explored a little more and stopped; for longer than we should, at a little bar full of locals with seating outside on the narrow passageway, which had a lovely cool breeze blowing through. 🍺🍺🍺
    We arrived back at the hotel 🏨 just in time to catch the sunset 🌇.    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Final Time by the Pool

    June 15 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Woke up to our last full day and another lazy breakfast before taking a coffee ☕️ down to the pool area.
    All of a sudden, there was action as the pool attendants and towel counters; who always asked for your room number when taking a towel but not when returning it. We could be charged for a suitcase full of towels when we get home 🏡. I digress, the action going on was for the laying out multiple sunbeds, it looks 👀 as though the pool area is going to get busy!! It's was thirsty work watching 👀 these guys man-handling 👬 sunbeds, parasols, and the heavy concrete blocks, so I felt in need of a beer 🍺........ well, it is Father's Day 👩‍🍼 🤣.
    Mid afternoon we decided to take refuge on our balcony with a cup of coffee ☕️ before starting the unenviable task of trying to fit everything that we had neatly packed just 10 days ago back into our suitcases 🎒 🎒. Mission 95% accomplished we headed back down to the pool for the last couple of hours before returning once again to our room with a takeaway pizza 🍕 and beer 🍺 to watch our final Croatian 🇭🇷 sunset 🌇, before setting our alarms ⏰️ for the 1st time in 10 days ready for our early ish start in the morning.    Read more

  • 1st Holiday of 2025

    Going Home 🏡

    June 16 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Awake before our alarms ⏰️ this morning, cases 100% packed, hotel 🏨 bill paid and down for breakfast at the most sought after table on the terrace; for the 1st time and on our last time!!
    With a coffee ☕️ to go, we were at the pick point at the front of the hotel in plenty of time. And checking in at the airport about an hour later after driving through the hillsides narrow roads and hairpin bends to arrive about a mile down the road to get ahead of the queue of traffic that has been there constantly during our stay.
    After a coffee ☕️ at the airport and joined by another couple from our hotel who came from Stoke, we started chatting, and the wife's work life pretty much mirrored Jayne's nursing career. We took off 🛫 some 25 minutes late, and for some passengers, it would be a flight to remember as they ran out of food for this return journey, apart from chips 🍟
    Arriving at Manchester Airport 🛬 it was the busiest we had ever seen it. Firstly the plane couldn't park at the gate in Terminal 2 so we had to wait for a bus. We then had to join the queue to get into the queue for immigration and passport control. All this, though, did mean our cases 🎒 🎒 were merrily going around on the carousel in the baggage reclaim area. After which we went to meet our taxi 🚕 driver, Jordan, for our ride back home 🏡.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 16, 2025
  • 2025© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice