Tchiakovsky Hostel

Even though I have only stayed at two other hostels (Edinburgh Central, and one in Prague), Tchiakovsky Hostel is ranked definitely at the top of the growing list. Filip, the owner, goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure his guests are taken care of. I definitely felt at home waking up to a fresh cup of tea to start my day. The little things he does are what makes the stay at Tchiakovsky so relaxing and enjoyable.



Tchaikovsky Hostel is situation in a prime location within Split. It is a short walk from the Riva, Split's main boardwalk that runs along the Adriatic Sea and a wall of the Diocletian Palace. To get to places such as the Diocletian Palace and the Riva, you walk thru Marmantova, Split's main shopping street; though there are several small markets and shops within the Diocletian Palace to enjoy as well.

There are several cafes and outdoor restaurants simply a street over to get drinks and food. The Marjan, and one of Split's malls (Joker) are both short walks from the hostel. The main coach station is a 15 minute walk, which connects Split to the rest of Croatia. Tchiakovsky's website has a list of ferry sites and coach sites that outline the timetables available each day.



Filip has a very high knowledge of Split, as well as all of Croatia, and that is a huge plus when you are unsure of what to do. He is able to give you several suggestions as well as finding modes of transportation to get about. Not only will he suggest trips or activities, but he will give the companies a call to find out costs, times, and will sort out the reservations. He is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable being at Tchiakovsky Hostel right from the get go.



For such a simple hostel, the atmosphere is quite abstract. The paintings on the walls and the photos that are hung up add a great, easy, and laid back feel to the hostel. The idea to have set the hostel on a more residential street keeps the noise level down, which in turn leads to a great night's sleep so one can be fresh and rested for sightseeing!



The hostel offers free high speed wifi, TV with a large selection of channels, as well as all the coffee and tea you can drink. Towels are provided which saves packing-space in your luggage. The linens are fresh upon arrival and are perfect and not overbearing for Croatia's climate.

Each guest also has a safe and secure luggage locker in their room with clothes hangers inside. I felt my luggage was safe at all times in the locker-- one less thing to worry about.



Close by:

• Konzum Supermarket
• Hajduk Ice Cream
• Joker Mall
• Mount Marjan
• Split's Riva
• Several bakeries and frozen yogurt shops
  

If traveling to Split, Tchiakovsky Hostel is an accommodation worth staying at.
Price: £10-£12 per night. 7KN (80p) VAT/travelers tax added on upon arrival per night.
(7KN travelers tax in effect at all hotels/hostels in Croatia)

Being a local, return to Britain

Thursday was debatable.
I really had no firm plans made and I was knackered from all the walking I'd done.
That said, there were two options I had had in mind.
1) Catch a coach to Šibenik and see the Krka National Park.
or...
2) "Act" like a local and just enjoy Split.

I went for option two. It also saved money-- a plus.
And hidden in option two was to find a Croatian national team kit.
There were several fan made kits at the market stalls, but I wanted the real deal.
To solve my dilemma, I thought, "When in doubt, find a mall!"
I located the nearest mall, which was called Joker (pronounced yo-ker) and I headed out.
Along the route, I passed an MG Sport that had the latest 2012 Croatian kit in the window.
My luck!



I ended up purchasing a jersey & scarf. (To add to my growing collection of scarves!)
And to celebrate, an ice cream cone from Hajduk!



And I finally got a photo of Veneranda!





To conclude, Croatia is one of the most fascinating places I've ever been to.
It has similarities to the Czech Republic in terms of structure, but also vast differences.
So it is definitely bittersweet to return to Manchester as Split had become a part of me.
I've said it once via Twitter and I will continue to say it again, and again, and again:

Croatia is a beautiful country, filled with beautiful people.

That is definitely in all sense of the word beautiful: language, interactions, personal look, ect.
I really had no expectations about Croatia because it would be a completely new experience.
That, compared to countries like France, Germany, Spain...
Where you have a general idea of what you are going to see.
--Simply because we see Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Lyon, Munich, ect in the news all the time.
And that is not saying I will not be visiting Paris, ect, I just have an idea of what to expect!
Since I see it in photos and in videos, I feel like I've visited these places mentally.

Croatia is exotic. Croatia is different. Croatia is absolutely stunning.
Croatia is definitely worth your time!

Trogir, Croatia

Wednesday's weather was a continuation from Tuesday's.
It was about 22C at noon. Perfect shorts and t-shirt weather.
I had decided the night before I was going to visit Trogir.



Trogir is a small town 27km (17 mi) west of Split.
The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The area of Trogir was first settled in the 3rd Century BC.



I arrived in Trogir via coach (21kn; £3; $4) around 2PM.
I hadn't planned to spend much time in Trogir as the off-season keeps the city quiet.
But I felt it important enough not to miss.







I returned back to Split after a few hours as Trogir is easy to see in a short amount of time.
I had yet to try anything from the famous Hajduk ice cream shop, so that was top of my list.
(Of course, named after Split's beloved football team, HNK Hajduk.)
I got plain chocolate out of the many choices they had.



I turned in early, but not after visiting the newest favorite pizza shop of mine, Veneranda.
Veneranda is located right along the main Riva and is quick service.
The staff are friendly and want to get their pizza into your hands, no strings attached.
They offer a variety of different toppings from basic pepperoni to vegetables.
Again, like everything you will find in Split, very reasonably priced.

What makes the location of Split great, is how easily accessible the rest of the country is.
Destinations are just coach journeys away & are reasonably priced.
During the tourist season, coaches run frequently to surrounding cities.
Notable visiting places include Šibenik, Trogir, Zadar, Omiš, Dubrovnik, Mostar (B&H).

Split, Sightseeing

I awoke in Split on my first day but was in no hurry to get ready.
Once I got the energy to get out of the cozy bottom bunk, I had tea waiting for me.
Fantastic, Filip, the owner of hostel, knows how to make his residents happy!
After chatting with him for a bit on what to do, I got ready for the day.

I emerged onto Ulica Petra Cajkovskog and into the 20C weather around 11am.
The night before, I had seen shirts, jackets, graffiti, ect, promoting HNK Hajduk Split.
And being the sporting guy myself, I headed right to Stadion Poljud, the home of Hajduk.
The grounds are located in the northern part of Split peninsula.



From what I hear, Hajudk supporters, known as Torcida, are some of the rowdiest in Europe.
Filip described the celebration as "it looked like they had set the city on fire."
Don't believe me? This is the city of Split celebrating HNK Hajduk's 100 year anniversary:
(The prelude lasts until 1:20, then the celebration begins.)



After visiting Stadion Poljud, I passed by the Split Archeology Museum.
Though, I did not go inside the museum there are several artifacts on display.



Once I had perused the outer part of the museum, I was then off to mount Marjan,
Marjan is forest located at the tip of the peninsula of Split.
And my, it was a trek around that peninsula and my feet were feeling it.
Though, along the way there were great photo opportunities of Split and its surroundings.





Travel Tip:
I didn't take the chance to do so, but there are bikes for rental at the entrance to the Marjan.
I definitely suggest this as there is a lot of ground to cover.
Bikes are rented out at 15 KN/hr (£2; $3).







When I had had enough walking, I returned back to the hostel to recover.
Feeding time arrived pretty quickly and I asked Filip for his restaurant suggestions.
His recommendation to all guests was Buffet Fife, a "home-cooked meal" type restaurant.



Again, I wanted to know what to order, something "Croatian," dare I say?
Filip was quick to suggest pašticada-- a stewed beef dish served with njoki.
The meal was delicious! The beef is so tender because of the in-depth marination process.



If you are ever in the area, I highly suggest Buffet Fife.
The atmosphere is very casual and the waiters & waitresses are as nice as could be.
Unlike most restaurants where you're in and out, Fife does not rush you to the bill.
Even if you are done, they will not bring you the bill until you request it.
Also there aren't really "set tables", so other guests may be sitting with you, its great!

Buffet Fife is also reasonably priced. My meal was 62 KN (£7; $11).
And the portions are very considerate as I was unable to finish all of the njoki.

Arrival in Split, Croatia

I was up bright & early on Monday morning to head off to Croatia.
... and by bright & early, I mean, I didn't go to sleep Sunday night. xD
I successfully arrived at the airport on time, and ready to go.
Once I was all checked in, I was flown off to my first destination in Brussels.
I only had to wait a half hour in Brussels before my flight to Zagreb boarded.
I was very excited as it has been a dream as of late to get myself to Croatia.
I spent all second semester last year learning about the war in War & Conflicts.
Yes, war is a hard subject, but at the same time it led me to the beauty Croatia offered.
Also, I have friends back home who are from Croatia & they speak highly of their homeland.

A little fact: the flight to Zagreb would be my first flight on a prop plane!
And out the window, the Alps lurked below:



My flight landed in Zagreb around 1.30PM, a tad later than it was supposed.
As I stepped off the plane, I took my 1st breath of Croatian air.
Hmmm, victory!



I had little trouble getting thru customs; that compared to the questions I'm normally asked.
Entering Croatia, I was asked none! Passport stamped and that was it.
My last connection was from Zagreb to Split.
Although I was confused as why my flight read "ROME" on the departures board.
Always difficult to be confused in a country where you don't speak the language.

So... what did I do?!

I asked the pretty Croatian girl sitting next to me if my ticket was incorrect.
When there were announcements made (in Croatian), she kept me informed.
How lovely of her... Turns out, the flight WAS headed to Rome via Split!

When I arrived at Split Airport, I navigated myself to the bus transfer to Split city center.

Sorted. 40 minutes later I was standing by the harbor in Split.
10 minutes later, I would be lost in Split's many unidentified streets.
I asked two lovely lassies where I was, but they hadn't an idea; alas, I was still lost.
I retraced my steps and found what I now know as the Riva, the main street along the harbor.
Once I had my barrings straight, I soon arrived at Tchiakovsky Hostel.
Filip, the owner of the hostel got me situated in my room and I unpacked.

With a map in hand, it was time to see some of the city with hours of daylight I had left.

Southampton FC vs. Doncaster Rovers FC

It was back down to the South Coast early Saturday morning.
The Saints were playing Doncaster Rovers in a 3PM kickoff.
Basically, the match was a prerequisate for Saints-Pompey on April 7th.
But the bigger story was it was Billy Sharp's first match against his former club.
(Sharp made the move to St. Mary's during the January 2012 transfer window.)
Billy was the lone scorer in the Saints-Donny match at the Keepmoat back in December.



Southampton Starting XI: Kelvin Davis, Danny Butterfield, Jose Fonte, Daniel Fox, Steve De Ridder, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork, Adam Lallana, Billy Sharp, Rickie Lambert

Saints subs: Richard Chaplow, Dan Harding, Lee Barnard, Dean Hammond, Aaron Martin

Doncaster Starting XI: Carl Ikeme, Pascal Chimbonda, Habib Beye, Adam Lockwood, Herita Ilunga, James Coppinger, Simon Gillet, Giles Barnes, John Oster, El-Hadji Diouf, Ferderic Piquionne

Donny subs: Kyle Bennett, Fabien Robert, Mamadou Bagayoko, Chris Brown, George Friend

The atmosphere around St. Mary's was electric.
The match was concluded as a sell out (in preparation for Pompey) at 30,209.





In the first half, the Saints had several chances to get quality looks on goal, but their first touch was letting them down. They really needed to settle into the match as it seemed everyone was sharing Billy Sharp's jitters. Fortunately, while the forwards collected themselves, the back line kept Doncaster at bay.



De Ridder, who had made an impact in the Hull match, was in the starting line up and worked the right flank and LB to pieces. Sharp and Lambert were fed several times via De Ridder and Lallana, but were unable to turn the opportunities into chances.
The first half ended in a 0-0 stalemate.



When the second half got underway, the Saints looked the better attacking side. The squad pressured Donny's back line right from the kickoff of the 2nd. 15 minutes into the second 45, Southampton nudged in front from a corner powered in by Billy Sharp. After the ball went in, all emotions Billy had were released and his concentration seemed to dial in.



15 minutes after his first, Sharp added to his confidence and collected a second on a brilliant move 1 on 1 against the keeper. The two Sharp goals would be the difference as Donny's attacks never amounted to anything significant.





With the win, Southampton remains 5 points clear of Reading who kept pace with a 3-1 win at home against Blackpool. Blackpool is barely holding onto a playoff spot, 1 point ahead of Birmingham City. Third placed West Ham were only able to draw level at Burnley and remain 9 points back of league leading Southampton and 4 points behind Reading.

Southampton FC 2 (Billy Sharp '58, '74) : Doncaster Rovers 0

Southampton are away at Blackpool on Saturday March 31st before they return back to St. Mary's to faceoff against South Coast rivals, Portsmouth FC on April 7.

Leaving Zlin, Night in Prague

As the saying goes, all great things must come to an end.
And the Metros trip to the Czech Republic was coming to a close.
We stopped up at the PSG Arena to collect our hockey gear before stopping off for lunch.
It was at the Rectory we said thank you and goodbye to Michal.
Then we headed off down to the station to head back to Prague for the night.



The train ride back to Prague was less invigorating than the one to Zlin.
We were all knackered and slept the entirety of the duration.

We arrived at Hostel One near the Old Town in Prague around dinner time.
Wanting to taste the "culture" we ate at a suggested restaurant that turned out to be fantastic.
Definitely the best pub food I've had in a while.



After dinner we all headed into the Old Town looking for a good night out.





Unfortunately, Ashton was sucked in by some American girl telling him about this great bar.
The only thing great about that bar (aside from leaving it), was they have college ball on.
Though, I'm not too keen on the Big East ball since State was playing at the time.





Paddy, Martin, Steedman, and myself left the rest behind and went on our own adventure.
Which ended up at McDonalds-- if I'm honest.

And as far as winning or losing went, at the end of the day, it was all about the experience.
Granted-- you always want to have a winning mindset, but I digress.
Not very often do you get an opportunity to play a great team like UTB in a distant country.
We have all made new friends to keep in contact with-- the point of international friendlies.
We all have to thank UTB for being such great hosts!
I know I had a fantastic time and was really pleased how smooth everything went.

Until next time.
Three cheers for UTB.