It is a joy to talk about Croatia, Yugoslavia, Tito, Stalin, communism, corruption, and the like with someone who knows a great deal about the sundry subjects but is not from the accursed Balkans. It is a joy to talk freely. Without a single worry about how a Croat or Serb or Bosnian or Albanian would take whatever you wish to say, not to mention so many harrowing fears about ending up in court for your stray thoughts. And there are so few people knowledgeable about these parts one can talk to without a single thought about all the sensitivities that plague the region. So few foreigners, to be a bit more precise. Right in the heart of the Croatian capital, of all places. Such is my luck, though. By way of consolation, my luck is likely to hold for a while longer, as well. Now that Croatia appears to be close to the accession to the European Union, the interest in the region is likely to grow. If not also fester. As is the freedom I can feel with every breath, especially when talking with foreigners. The exalted freedom of thought, as it were.