Greetings from Croatia

Somehow I managed to survive the 20-hour bus ride, and I made it to Croatia safe and sound. Last time I came to the Balkans I took a train, which wound its way around a few bombed villages in the Knin area. I distinctly remember waking up, groggy, and seeing this weird landscape outside: red/tan hills, scrub, and houses without walls and roofs. This time I woke up in the Knin area, but along the coast. Somehow the communists managed to capture the sheer tackiness of american ocean cities perfectly. Garish colors, ugly hotels, giant communist apartment blocks that look EXACTLY like the awful condos in Ocean City, Maryland. other weirdness so far: 1) I was listening to Soundgarden's 'Black Hole Sun' as we descended into the Danube valley and into downtown Vienna. I never thought that combination would occur. 2) Some kid walked over to me and put a hand on my belly, then was yelled at by his mom. I'm not sure why, but apparently my growing belly has magical powers of attraction. The girlfriend seems to think so. 3) After one day in the sun all my freckles have come out. They lie in rest until the first day of the year that I sunbathe, then make their triumphant entrance with a resounding *-*. Again the girlfriend was impressed. I'm off to the islands tomorrow for some camping. I'll try to post if I come within swimming distance of an internet connection.