It has been sunny for a couple of days in a row, but the snow that fell a day earlier is still around. Wherever it has not been removed in the meanwhile, it has stayed put because of unusually low temperatures. The streets of Zagreb are therefore a total and complete mess. Heaps of dirty snow that line the streets slow down both cars and pedestrians. Two car lanes have been turned into one, and pavements meant for three people are now wide enough for one or at most two. Icy patches are everywhere around, as well. And so I find myself navigating through the center of the city with utmost care. I adjust my path so as to avoid a fat woman with bulging bags in both hands, an old man on crutches, or a young woman pushing a baby carriage. This is not always easy, for there are few places where streets can be crossed without jumping over heaps of snow. Anyhow, the new challenge is to my liking most of the time. It takes brains to navigate through the Croatian capital. A bit of a chess game, it is an unexpected joy.