Today was our last day with Rowan on this trip, and we saw a little more of Lošinj (“the island of vitality”) before saying goodbye. The road connecting Mali Lošinj to Veli Lošinj is scenic in its own right (minus the infrastructure improvements in process) but the walking path along the water is especially charming. This is the footpath Rowan uses to get to “the big town”, so Nick and Susannah jumped on the chance to experience it firsthand during a morning jog.

After departing our lodging in Mali Lošinj, we returned to Veli to drop off Rowan’s belongings and get a tour of their study abroad facilities. The program is housed in part of a health-focused hotel, situated on the edge of a healing forest. With a large classroom and lab space, dorm-style bedrooms, a common space with couches, and a kitchen and dining area, the students are well set up for learning and fun. Rowan showed us the wall where they will be painting a mural that depicts sea life at different depths, and we all enjoyed trying out the trampoline in the playground outside.

Rowan returns to their studies and we continue on to more European adventures, including a quick stop in Zagreb before we leave Croatia. The road to Zagreb requires another ferry crossing, this time from the island of Cres to the island of Krk (the latter is connected to the mainland by bridges). This time we didn’t need to worry whether we would make it on the ferry because we passed a helpful sign by the side of the road saying that all vehicles beyond this point would fit on a single ferry trip!

The terrain in Croatia is quite hilly, and there are a lot of tunnels on the roadways, even in places that would be cuts in the U.S. Besides standard tunnels that go through mountains, the Croatians have also created additional ones specifically for wildlife passage above. These have a distinctive look and often include tree plantings.

The journey to Zagreb took several hours (it’s never quick getting to and from an island paradise!) so we didn’t arrive at our new lodging until the evening. We had time for just one sight. Based on several positive recommendations from friends, Susannah particularly wanted to visit the Museum of Broken Relationships. Conveniently, it stays open until 9 PM even on Sundays, so we were in business. We even managed to catch a bit of the feel of Zagreb while walking to and from the museum, through parts of the Lower Town and Upper Town.

The Museum of Broken Relationships is a quirky museum, a bit like an inverse of the Modern Love column in the New York Times. It features items representing broken relationships, together with a story about their meaning, donated by ordinary people. Most of the relationships involve other people, but occasionally things or situations instead. Not all concern romantic love; some feature familial relationships and friendships. Many exhibits were sad, others poignant, some angry, a few hopeful or funny. Susannah’s favorite was about a pair of woolen socks knitted with love by the donor’s grandmother, to help them become safe, brave, and strong; the donor has given them away because they now feel ready to stand on their own two feet. Nick appreciated the sense of humor in a story about buttons (see below).

For dinner, we happened upon a promisingly named establishment: Good Food. We can attest that it lives up to its name. We were intrigued by the messaging on their takeout bags, which we think translates to “Good move! Bon Appetit! Who could be hungry after this choice? (Full and smart!)” At least, that’s the best we could gather from Google translate. Any native Croatian speakers want to help us out?