Thursday 15.8, (Day 15) Sibenik- Deringaj

Let me tell something about Ivan. He used to live in Zagreb with his family. Eventually, apparently he got frustrated to the atmosphere of a city and alienation from nature. They decided to move to Sibenik's countryside, where he bought a piece of land and built a new home. They planted fruit trees, different vegetables, herbs, founded a chicken farm. Some of the bio waste, such as fruit peels, go to chickens. Chicken's feces act as fertilizer to the ground, so there's no need for artificial fertilizers. They have partly succeeded in closing the loop with waste. True waste management!! They also make wine by using grapes they have. Food they use is almost always produced nearby. Ivan said one particular sentence I remember: " Natural, green, but not extreme!". 

However, thing which harms me, when living in a countryside, is the necessary need for a car. And eating animals, which is, however, from organic and local livestock. Ivan is very interested in politics an bravely puts critique on politicians and arguments with them, which I support. For that reason, we had interesting conversations. He had also been in the Yugoslavian war. 

Ivan came to wake me up. Straight when I joined to others, I got a cup of coffee. They were going to buy some bread from a bakery. I joined with them with the cup and we drove to the bakery. Personnel were Albanian and professionals at doing such delicious breads. I stared at the products with my mouth open, with the coffee cup in my hand. Then buying some stuff for a big dinner with their relatives, which was going to take place in a national park. Our plan was that I continue hitching after we have had the dinner.

When we got back, we ate scrambled eggs (from the chickens of course!). Ivan had to say few times that I have to focus on eating, not talking. After breakfast Ivan showed the chickens. For the first time in my life, I picked up eggs straight from the chickens and could hold them in my hands. I felt so sincere. Then eating ficus straight from a tree.

Then, we packed all our stuff to cars and headed first for a traditional visit to a monastery island in the middle of a lake, near a national park. There was a mass going on. After the mass, we wished peace for each others and for the first time, I ate Holy Bread, albeit I'm not a Christian. We strolled around that beautiful place. Monks take care of the wonderful gardens they had over there. We returned back from the island and met more relatives, which were familiar and comfortable. Then we drove to an old, small, original village. 

Sitting in an old village

In the cellar, meat hanging with white mold on it

We went to a cellar. there were meat pieces hanging from the ceiling, with white mold culture on them. They were going to be delicious, in which the mold decays the meat and gives a certain taste. 

We continued to a former battleground, in which Ivan had been to, fighting for Croatia 20 years ago. It's odd to imagine the landscape in that way. There weren't any visual links to the war. However, there are still mines left in the ground. 

Then, we went to Krka national park. The whole family, consisting of relatives and friends, approximately 20 people, gathered together to eat. And what did we eat?? We ate a whole lamb. For the first time, I ate brains :P.

Wondering the right route to Deringaj

Company from youth to elders

Everybody's watching when vegetarian feasts on lamb meat

 I kind of forgot I had to continue hitching. Instead, I went swimming with others to a lake, a very special one, one reason why the place was a national park. There were waterfalls, little ones, so you could go under and get yourself a water massage. There was also an old hydro station, apparently the oldest one in Europe. Water flowed to a depression, so it formed a natural Jacuzzi. Of course I went there and well.. It was unbelievable! There was also a delta, which formed a diverse habitat for different species.

Then a coffee and after we drove away, to a little town which had a party because of the religious holiday. The town had a nickname: "Oklahoma City". The sun was already setting. I got worried that how can I continue hitching, if I'm going to be alone in the dark night of Croatian countryside. What happened?? Something unbelievable. They decided to drive me straight to the festival, distance being around 70km. The gratitude I felt had no limits. How can these things happen. They even gave me 3 liters of home made wine and a piece of lamb for provision! Younger ones came with me so I had to say goodbye to the ones who had taken so good care of me. We were all pretty tired. Finally, we got to the festival and it was the time for goodbye. For a while I felt as being a part of the family. I will never forget them. I can't ever show them the gratitude I felt. It was the end of one adventure and beginning of other one. I found my friends (from Finland) from the camping area and got very happy. I could even sleep in their tent. It was strange to speak Finnish with them. Soon I felt asleep. 

Travelled distance for the day: 121 km