We finally left Zagreb after an unexpected (but so wicked) second night. The snow was a riot to get away from, the highways were a bit on the dodgy side for a bit, but slowly and surely the cold melted away and it was a balmy 2 degrees as we headed south ;)
This was my view on Valentine's day:
I tell you though, friends, it was not always smooth sailing on the way south. We were nearly in Split, when the goulash we had at Marche (the side-of-the-road eating venue we frequented) totally disagreed with me. It was anarchy. 
This was the last picture taken of me before I became incapacitated and had to be cared for by my friends. It was a wicked, wicked day. On the bright side, when we arrived in Split, our hostel was not answering its door, so we checked into the Art Hotel (gotta love a Best Western) and luxuriated around in crisp, white sheets and huge bathroom. When a bath was drawn for me by Aleisha, I realized it was the perfect end to a not-so-perfect day.
We awoke in the great room, mowed down some liverwurst-filled breakfast, packed some lunch up for the road, and headed into this glorious little town to greet Valentine's Day. It's not everyday you get to see such splendor...
It was here that we stopped to enjoy the view. It was here that I realized with clarity, once again, that life is good. Really good.
Aleisha showed us some mad Jumping Picture Moves...
...and I epically failed at my attempt to replicate her.
I did, however, improve my technique (don't you just love those pink glints of light in the top right of this picture? I'm in love)...
See? Some of us just have it. 
It (what is "it" anyway?) is all about sharing time with lovely people in the kind of place that takes your breath away. It's about relishing in the splendor that is Europe. THIS is my real life. Happy Valentine's Day ;)
On a whim, I decided to go on vacation with three really awesome people. Though the original plan was to go to Egypt, apparently there are some riots or something there (you know how fastidiously I follow world news). Instead, we headed to Croatia. Yup. We left one of the biggest carbon footprints ever behind us when we boarded three planes (to Hamburg, Munich [Munich?], then Zagreb) to travel the two-and-a-half hour journey. Sorry, world. Loved this German man though...
After waiting outside for far too long, picking up the car, navigating-turned-blindly driving through the streets of the city, we eventually parked the car on the snow-ensconced street, and checked into the Hobo Bear Hostel which was just the cutest little (cheapest!) place you ever did see...
...and promptly hit the sack (after a homemade dinner). Early on Sunday morning, we rode the funicular up to the top of the city. 
Snowfall occluded the views of Zagreb, but we met a lovely tour guide who pointed us in some interesting directions.
Since the weather was so awful outside, we headed in here ;)
...and drank one or four of these...
...before braving the snow again and seeing the city.
Before too long, we had braved our way down the steep slope back to the city centre and were warming up at this quaint, authentic ;) Croatian restaurant. 
...eating piles of goulash and drinking a little too much the perfect amount of wine.
