bokić.

the end of a weekend. spring has arrived and you can see it in the streets. The weekend was spent wandering around outside and observing the strange effect spring has on croatians. It seems as if no one works. I met with some friends for our new tradition...friday afternoon lunch. We sat outside munching on pizzas and salads and every table around us was full and bustling. all of sudden people seemed to actually live in this city. we wandered off next for ice cream (I had two scopes! one lemon, one blueberry...) and coffee. I could get used to this. As we wondered about though we noticed every cafe was full, and let me say on any given street there could be as many 6 cafes. We joked about how it was a sign of weak economy, no one with jobs to be at. But hey, at least everyone looked happy.

Saturday I hung out with Mare and Marko and then tagged along to a family weekend home up on a hill in the countryside for an Aunt's birthday party. We pulled up to a giant yard full of kids kicking a ball around, an old wooden table covered in yummy dishes, like boiled potatoes and onions, and people lounging on blankets. We went for a long walk and Hrvoje and I spoke of graduate schools. Once again I got thinking about the academic life, the possibility of 6, yes 6, more years of school. This year has seemed so unreal I cant hardley think about the future in any logistical kind of way. But peering down on the houses from where I was and breathing in the summer air-it seemed like academia has only brought me good things in my life.

Saturday night there was a party at the contemporary musuem for the closing of an exhibit of young croatian artists. There was lots of schmoozing and "oh dahlings" and kisses on the cheeks. Not to mention free drinks and everyone lingered around getting loose-lips in the process. After plenty of giggles, and conversations about art and artists and gossip we headed out to the used-to-be squat that now hosts aleternative parties, workshops, and other community-fun orientated gatherings. With a couple of glasses of wine my Croatian sounded great and we danced a bit and then took quite a walk home. The best part about spring is walking is nice. even late at night the air is cool and refreshing, not a terrible ice-box to be avoided at all costs.

Sunday rolled around and I had lunch with my roommate then met a friend to actually go check out the art at the musuem before the change the show. the work covered a variety of stuff and for the most part was interesting, not everything was top notch but a few pieces stand out. Mostly I really appreciated the sense of play in all the works. A lot of works invited you to play with them, which is always funny because then it is always the game of should i touch this? what about this? what can i make this do?

After a good dose of art we strolled around novi zagreb, an entirely different feel than the city center. We sat for a coffee before deciding to walk back into town from the suburbs. along the way was a miniture carnival, for no good reason we stopped and literally turned our world upside down. I never knew carnival rides that seem a bit janky and scary cure a hang over-who would of thought?

Then more dinner plans of mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, pork and onions, salad and soy fritters. needless to say I am feeling great and now I am just preping myself for the work that is awaiting me all day tomorrow-oh to the working week!