After leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina, we crossed the border, heading to Karanac in the Slavonia region, one of the historical regions of Croatia. Slavonia, Croatia proper, Dalmatia and Istria are the four historical regions. This region is known for its fertile land, so agriculture is strong in Karanac. The tour was organized by Overseas Adventure Travel, and one of the features that I like about them, is that they offer some unique experiences that one might not experience with other organizers. Our visit to Karanac was an overnight in a farmstead that only accommodates guests from this organizer. The intent is to offer us the experience of a day in the life of the natives.

Before arriving in Karanac we stopped in Dakovo, a town in the the Slavonia region. Of course another beautiful clean town, not bustling with crowd and had a very peaceful relaxing feel to it. We visited St. Peter Cathedral and what a beauty inside.

After the visit to the church we took a stroll down the Main Street and we ran into this.

After our brief visit, our next stop was Karanac at the homestead, where we would spend the night. We were greeted by the family, and we engaged in a brief introduction and discussion of the scheduled activities for that evening and the next day. We were escorted to our rooms, nicely decorated by the wife. Each room has all the necessary amenities to make the stay comfortable. Looking around, a work area caught our eyes , we then engaged in a discussion wit Daca and she gave a little insight on the materials and technique used in decorating. We also spent some time speaking with the children and found out the daughter bakes well and she was delighted to share some pictures with us.

The community members work together as family, with some having parents and true family members living close by. Homes have their own produce and farm animals on their property. They are eager to show off their skills and work they do to maintain themselves.

The first activity was a neighbor who came to the homestead to demonstrate how she makes cheese. It was an interactive demonstration as members were active participants in making the cheese. Fresh cow’s milk was used, and one is able to add additional flavor such as chive if desired. Rennet, a coagulation agent was added to the milk, the completed mixture was poured into two cylindrical containers and left overnight. The next morning, cheese was included at breakfast.

We had the option is participating in preparing breakfast and some of us did. Breakfast included fruits, various preserves, prosciutto, etc. while breakfast was being prepared we were able to have early coffee and watched while Dennis was already busy preparing vegetables and for his daily routine.

We had another home visit in the neighborhood and got a tour of that family’s property where chickens were being reared, vegetables, a greenhouse, and grape arbor. We later sat down for dinner that included local wine, fruit juices, and homemade desert.

We took a stroll around the neighborhood to get a better appreciation. As we walked up the street I noticed the beautiful gardens in the homes. As we came by a school, children were just leaving riding their bikes but stopped to speak with us.

Our other planned activity was an experience in pottery. A professional Potter gave an indepth demonstration and explanation about his craft. Later on we were all able to create our own pieces.

At the end of this overnight in this rural agricultural region I certainly had a deeper appreciation of how successfull these families have become after the war in the nineties. I was also impressed by their resilience and how they use their skills to maintain a family and a comfortable lifestyle. I also gained some ideas in preparing meals that are similar and different to what I am accustomed to. Overall a great experience and unto other adventures. We were able to purchase some of the products made by the family and some finished pottery pieces from the Potter.

Istria is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic region and known for ts wineries, forests, and orchard. Istria is well known for truffles and is considered the truffle capital. We headed to Motovun where we took to the forest led by our guide and his dogs in the hopes of finding a truffle or two or more. I was not familiar with that truffle; in fact I had not heard of it before. This is a fungus that grows underground and cannot be found with the naked eye. It is not a mushroom but of the fungi kingdom as the mushroom is. Trained dogs are parts of the hunting team because they are more sensitive to the pungent smell of the truffle. We did not go deep into the woods before the dog found a truffle.

We continued by bus along the winding hillside passing heavily vegetative areas to the hilltop of Motovun. To get to the top, our large coach took us to a point then we transferred to a shuttle for a short ride that dropped us at the foot of the climb to the walled city. The view from walking the city walls was awesome looking out at the vineyards and villages across the fields below.

We headed to the town of Hum where we visited a museum, had lunch visited a store where we could taste truffles, chocolate, wines, cheese and different flavors of brandy. I am known for trying something at least once. I did not like the taste of truffles even when combined with something else. Hence at lunch truffles were included with pasta for part of our lunch, I passed.

I found the museum quite appealing. For visitors who needed to send post cards they were able to purchase and send them from the museum.

Well, I have now seen different sides of Croatia, the busy city of Dubrovnik and some of the countryside and the hill towns. Each one giving me a different perspective on the life before and after major events such as they have experienced and how resilient the people are. Being a born country girl, I really enjoyed driving through the hillside, the fresh air, and the thick vegetation. Having the opportunity to interact with the people and experience their culture was awesome. A note that if you are planning a trip like this, be mindful that it involves a lot of walking up hills and downhill often on cobblestone streets pacing is important. Restrooms are generally available in restaurants for free, and at other stops, there is might be a fee.