The options were many but the choice was easy. Why would I go to a gallery with a name that I could not pronounce when I could go to to the Museum of Broken Relationships? I was intrigued - it sounded like something that would be worth trying.
Conceptualised in Croatia, the Museum grew from a travelling exhibition revolving around the concept of failed relationships and their ruins. People all over the world have donated personal items, along with a short story explaining the symbolism of the item and the broken relationship, to be exhibited as therapeutic relief. It has since toured internationally and it was absolutely fascinating.
It is just one of the many wonderful things that greet visitors to Zagreb. With a colourful open-air food market, gardens, cobblestones, trams, buzzing outdoor dining scene, lots of free live music, quirky museums and churches (of course), this clean, charismatic city has been an unexpectedly pleasant introduction to a country that I have wanted to visit for over fifteen years.
On 1st July this year, Croatia became the 28th country to be admitted into the E.U. (European Union), two decades after its brutal war of independence. In one particular square in the old town, the buildings surrounding it were flying the joint flags of Croatia and the E.U.
And then I saw them - the group of reporters gathered outside one set of doors. It was worth trying....... so I did. I almost got away with pretending I was a reporter. With camera (zoom lens of course) around my neck, notebook in hand, I stood next to a well-dressed lady who was holding a recording device. It looked like it could be interesting ....... so I decided to roll with it to see what would happen.
I waited patiently outside the building (still no idea what it was) for someone important (no idea who they were) to arrive and make an important statement (no idea what it was about). And then the important person came out of the building. Like many fun plans, it was flawed. It might have worked better if I could understand Croatian. So I quickly snuck away, photographed the group from afar and smirked to myself for ages afterwards about little it takes to amuse myself.
Even if things don’t always go to plan, sometimes they are worth trying anyway - just because you can.
