This morning we were awakened at 5 AM by the sun and a bird that sounded a lot like a car alarm. After a light breakfast at the bnb, we took a boat to Venice to see the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa del Frari. This 14th century Franciscan church boasts of several works from Renaissance masters in their original settings. The Assumption of the Virgin painting at the altar by Titian. The Pesaro Madonna also by Titian. Madonna and Child painting by Bellini. And a wooden sculpture of Saint John the Baptist by Donatello. One sculpture of Jesus was off to the side.

After a miscalculation on the boat schedule, we’d made it to Rijeka only slightly late. Ivan and the couples’ class at Krista Kralja (Christ the King Church) graciously waited for us. Ja led a discussion on the bible as encouragement and hope (Romans 15:4) with regards to the Love and Respect book, simultaneously translated into Croatian by Ivan. Followed by fellowship and a lively discussion on the Bible and science. We ended the evening with the grocery store’s Mexican roll, a crispy hybrid of egg roll and taquito