Now we are in the remote, far northeast of Croatia, the “wing of the dragon!” It is at the confluence of the Draa and Danube rivers, on the border of Hungary. It is represented it in gold on this map.

Karanac

If we had to pick a highlight of this trip, this would be it! Karanac is a charming rural village (pop 1,000!) We experienced a “Day in the Life” overnight stay at an amazing Farmstead owned by Denis and Goca Sklepic, an amazingly warm and fun couple. We were welcomed by homemade doughnuts and rakija, the local brandy. This community is home to Serbs, Croatians, and Hungarians….all living peacefully together.

Forget internet connectivity…this farmstead is very quaint and simple but with immaculate country-style guest rooms! A “Day in the Life” means that we have to keep busy like the owners! Our first project was to learn to make the cheese that we would have for breakfast the next morning! Then the next morning it was making breakfast and preparing the vegetables for the bean stew for lunch.

Another activity was to make pottery….after lessons from a potter! Most of the ceramic wear on the property seemed to have been made in this little studio.

We spent the evening meal with a very lovely multi-generational family. It was the family of a neighbor, Liljana, a Serb family living in Croatia. We enjoyed the types of dishes they would normally enjoy in their day-to-day lives. All, of course, with homemade wine and rakia!
○ —Papara, made of bread pieces soaked in milk & butter, then lightly fried and topped with cheese and spices
○ –Oven roasted potatoes with Krvavica, a pork blood sausage
○ —Ajvar, a roasted red pepper sauce
○ –Fresh cheese spiced with paprika and green salad
○ —Baklava, their traditional dessert.

We enjoyed a walk around the village for a glimpse into daily life here where other craftsmen live and work…the blacksmith, woodcarver, tailor, etc. After lunch we had to say goodbye…..but we will never forget the fun and generosity of this family!

Vukovar Massacre

Our last look at Croatia, before passing into Serbia, was in the far northeast of the wing of the dragon. When Croatia declared its independence in 1991, a struggle for this area ensued between the Serbs and Croats. Its fertile agricultural lands and robust wine industry make it an important part of Croatia’s “breadbasket.” The terrain here is very flat compared to the rest of Croatia. (They joke that the highest mountain here is a cabbage!)

This was also, however, another very sad story. We drove through the city of 𝙑𝙪𝙠𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙧. This town was the scene of the Vukovar Massacre in 1991, when Serbian paramilitary forces (despite a deal to allow Croat soldiers & civilians to evacuate the city), took 261 men from the hospital to beat, shoot and bury in mass graves. Eventually, some of the Serbs were convicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

Today, the city is a symbol of Croatian Independence and resistance. We did not see the memorial that has been built there but observed the unrestored Water Tower, the symbol of Suffering.