Visiting Relatives in Djakovo and Drenje

Off to Dakovo and Drenje on Tuesday morning and Antonia had already sent us a message on Monday to say that we were expected for lunch at Teta Justas place in Drenje, a village about 12 kms out of Djakavo, the main town with its spectacular Cathedral.

We had trouble contacting them to let them know when we would arrive and we got there at about 1pm and Teta Justa was just so glad to see us. We also got to finally meet Antonia the daughter of Mladen, Ves’s cousin from Zagreb. She speaks very good English and she was so helpful and great company for the rest of the week. She is studying law at University in Zagreb.

Teta Justa is Ves mum’s sister. She had three children Mladen the eldest who lives in Zagreb, married to Jadranka and daughters Antonia and Iva.

Anita, who lives with her in Drenje, and Ivana married to Martija (husband) and they have 3 beautiful children, Maria (11) Lucia (8), and Ivan (5) who live in Dakovo.

Teta Justa had prepared a welcome lunch for us with soup and schnitzel and cold meats and cheese that she had cured and salads from her garden. She has a large house and sheds and a large garden at the back, a mini farm she looks after herself with the help of Anita as well. She grows blackberries, blueberrys, and has walnut trees, chestnut trees, apple and every vegetable you could name. I forgot to mention home made wine as well and chooks. Anita popped in on her lunch break. She works at the local farm supplies in Drenje. It was great to see her and she was so happy to see us too.

Teta Justa and Anita.

Martija and the children arrived at about 2pm and joined us for lunch. They do not speak any English although the kids know a few words. They were a bit shy at first but were taken with Jess and Dylan straight away.

Jess, Antonija, Maria, Lucia, Martija and Ivan

Later we checked into our hotel in Dakovo and Martija came by at about 6pm and we followed him over to his house in Dakovo town. We met up with Ivana who had been working and we had wine, coffee and chatted and then she brought out a platter of meats and cheeses and cakes and they ordered pizza for the kids. Tired but definitely not hungry we drove back to the hotel and Martija was meeting us at 10am to give a tour of Dakovo, before lunch at 2pm with Ves’s other cousin Bozidar the son of Ves Mum’s late sister Ankica.

Martija and the kids met us at the Hotel promptly at 10am and we followed them into town. We visited the Cathedral and then had coffee and then walked around the town. We visited the stallion horses that Dakovo is famous for and had a guided tour of the stud farm. Then we drove out to another farm on the outskirts of town where the mares and young foals are kept. This was a more informal tour and the kids were able to pat the horses, it was very nice.

Lunch at Bozidars and Kayas place was another feast of soup and schnitzels and potatoes and salad and lots of beer and wine. We also met daugthers Tanya, married to Robert with and 18 month old boy Carlo and Anna and her boyfriend Marco.

Teta Justa, Kaya abd Vesna.





Bozidar and Vesna





Bozidar just loved Dylan.

Bozidar arrived a little late as he had been at work. He was the life of the party and could speak quite good English. Later Ljubica, sister of Bozidar, arrived with Jelimir (husband) and daughters Vesna (27) and Josipa (24). It was a bit emotional reunion for Ves, and was a bit overwhelming and there were tears of joy at meeting all of he relatives again after 27 years. The girls were charming and Josipa looked after me and later gave me some medication to help my cold.  

Jess, Vesna and Josipa

                                        Kaya, Lubiza and Vesna

After lunch Josipa came with us in the car to the cemetary and we got some flowers and visited the graves of Ves uncle and aunty, Bosco and Ankica, and also their late daughter Marica, (sister of Bozidar and Lubica) who we had met as well 27 years ago. It was very emotional and there were more tears, but it was nice to be there.

After that we went to Ljubica and Jelimir house in town, for coffee. Then we went back to Teta Justas place in Drenje to spend more time with Anita.

We had planned to meet at Teta Justas at 11am to say our final goodbyes and to pick up Antonia as we were giving her a lift home to Zagreb. A bit of a squeeze in the Astra Wagon but not a problem. 

Ves and Dylan were not too good. Bad tummies that we put down to the water in Dakovo. Jelemir had said it was only good for frogs. We were running late as usual and didn’t finally get to Justas until about 12 noon. Teta Justa was waiting out the front, and it reminded us of Ves’s Mum who often waits at the front of the house if we are running late to go to her place.