I love exploring new cultures, civilizations, books, but most of all: people. Working in travel industry for the past decade has given me many experiences I am truly grateful for. I hope to continue to grow with my work, to stay always in awe in front of all the remarkable places I am visiting on the way, and to keep on learning from the people I meet. I really do travel a lot, so I'm not able to host all the time - especially December to March when I'm roaming around the world somewhere - but when I'm in Zagreb I'll do my utmost to help you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet new friends, share good conversations and interesting moments and to see my beautiful city through the eyes of a traveler.

Interests

A long time dancer of Argentine tango and a practitioner of the Japanese martial art of Aikido. I love to cook and explore new wines and different cuisines - and I adore riding my motorbike through off the beaten path country roads.

• literature
• photography
• tango
• wine
• motorcycles
• history
• philosophy
• historic sites
• cinema
• nature
• trekking
• aikido
• gastronomy
• japanese culture
• tango argentino

Music, Movies, and Books

I prefer classical literature such as Dostoyevsky, Balzac, Whitman and Thoreau. Am also a big fan of intelligent thrillers by Zafon and Perez-Reverte. I guess my favourite writer is Montaigne, and my literary hero Ostap Bender. From non-fiction I usually read philosophical (mostly stoic or existentialist) and cultural history books, especially those of Philip Mansel, Theodore Zeldin and Jacques Barzun.

Movies: Hollywood from the 1930s and 40s (Capra, Wilder, Wyler..), very fond of the Italians (especially Visconti and Antonioni) and then Herzog, Tarkovski and Kurosawa, both Andersons... The list goes one - I really adore cinema.

I have a very diverse musical taste - from 2Cellos to 2Pac and from Neil Young to Radiohead.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've guided over a thousand people to 4 continents and through more then 30 countries around the world. I've danced tango in obscure milongas of Buenos Aires and frequented jazz concerts in Okinawa, hitchhiked around Europe,Turkey, Georgia and Iceland, drank Russian soldiers under the table somewhere on the Trans-Siberian, swam with sharks in the Maldives, camped on the banks of the Ganges, trekked in Himalaya and rode a motorcycle through Southeast Asia; fell under a spell in Odessa, read 1001 nights in its entirety and sailed a felucca to the borderlands of old Nubia.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have an unquenchable thirst to never stop learning, and traveling in a conscious way (and not just counting countries) has shaped my opinions and broken my prejudices more than anything else. I can teach you about Croatia and the Balkans in general, its turbulent history, its unique customs, its hedonistic attitude. I can also give you recommendations of what to see and do in many places in Europe, as well as in Japan - a country I'm almost obsessed with, and which I try to visit at least once every year.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Place to sleep and chill out, eat good, enjoy wine and exchange ideas. If I'm not too busy I'll take you on a proper walking tour of Zagreb. One thing I ask: I would like to know that you've actually read my profile before contacting me as I get a lot of generic messages lately and really if you're only looking for a place to sleep just book a hostel. People have been saying my apartment looks like a "hobbit pad" - so when writing a request please include these two words in your message. Thank you!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Viet Nam