Day before the wedding

Again we have a warm day. People everywhere again and lots and lots happening.  We have a quick breakfast and then off we go.

Petra, Emil and I go off to pick up Emil's suit for the wedding. He is so excited. He tries on his suit and he looks so cute, so grown up and handsome. Emil is impressed and thinks he looks hot. Then off to more shops to finalize more wedding stuff, then back home by midday.

Off to Liljana's again for lunch, yes that's right another lunch. We emphasise the lunch because it isn't a simple sandwich type of lunch but a 3 course meal.  We spend a couple of hours there and then back home to do more wedding stuff.

It's now time to start packing the cookie and lolly bags that get thrown out to all the onlookers that stand out on the road to see off the happy couple on their wedding day. We need to make 250 bags. There are 5 of us preparing them and we have a good production line going.  We get them made in 1 1/2 hours. 

It's late afternoon all is ready and now we can relax until tomorrow, and from what l hear we are going to need it, as it's going to be a very, very long day.  Also, the temperature is predicted to be 36 degrees.

It's now close to midnight and the ceremonies/customs have started. The groom and his best friend (Nikola) must come to collect the grooms shirt for the wedding, plus he must deliver the bride her shoes. However this is not a simple process. The groom and his best friend must beg/pleed and answer some questions before he is given his shirt. It is a real laugh and great custom to experience.

This turns out to a be a bit of a drinking session and another late night. The groom leaves around 1.30am and is very aware that he has long day ahead.  We heard the next day that he didn't get to bed until about 3:30am after they stopped for a drink at his local kafic.

Sv. Martin Toplice

Today again we get up to another warm muggy morning. Once again the house is full of people, to help with all preparation for the wedding.

Today l heads into Cakovec town, for a little bit of shoppping. The town center is empty and not much activity. I purchases a few items and return home a little disappointed.

It is heating up outside and most of the wedding stuff is done so we decide to head off to Toplice Sv. Martin -  a big indoor, outdoor swimming pool up the road from Lopatinec.

Marjan, Valentino, Andrija, Emil and l go for the afternoon to help cool ourselves down.

When we get there we are quiet surprised as it is beautiful and a lot bigger than we expected.  There are 4 big outdoor swimming pools, 4 big massive slides that all roll into one big massive pool. We don't know where to start, but Emil being Emil makes the decision for us all, straight in the water he goes. So one after another we all piles in after him. First in one pool then in the next and before we know it we are at the slides and Emil is already at the top. Off he goes, slide after slide and there is no stopping him. He is having so much fun.

We are enjoying the day and then from nowhere we hear thunder and everything is grey outside. So we pack up our stuff and head inside. Only to find that inside is also big and beautiful. One massive big pool, one kids pool and 3 lap pools.

We stay for a few hours and then head back home.

The Wedding preparations have started...

Today we woke to the start of a warm day.  Up we get and there is so much happening. As the wedding is only 3 days away.  There are people everywhere. 

Today the men are putting a wooden floor down, in front of a massive garage, which will be covered with a massive tent. Preparations are starting to come along. 

I go off with Petra to help her with wedding stuff and pick up her wedding dress. Marjan and Emil stay back to help out the men.

Liljana has invited us over for lunch today. Andrija and Emil have another fun filled afternoon running around outside through the vegie patch and their backyard, while Mar and l relax inside, drinking and eating, yet again. Another great meal, however we feel like we are about explode.
After returning home from Liljana's the men have almost finished setting up outside. We can't get over how many tables and chairs are set up. They advise us that there is enough seeting for 140 people. All looks good.

Later that night Marjan, Valentino and Ivana (Valentino's girlfriend) go off the Zagreb to watch Dinamo play PFC Ludogorets from Bulgaria for a Champions League qualifier. I'm not sure who is more excited, Marjan or Valentino. From what l hear it was a good night, Dinamo won 3-2.

Emil is going to be - Page Boy

Today we woke to a very muggy day.
Stef's brothers arrived with tables and benches for the large tent that will be erected to accommodate the guests for all the weekend festivities. 
Spomenka, has lots of running around to do today, so has asked me if l could prepare lunch for today. I decides to cook lasagna and another pasta dish for today's lunch menu. So l'm busy all morning for getting everything ready.

It's 1.30pm, The table is set for 12 people, and lunch is served. After lunch Petra (the bride to be) pulls Emil and me aside and ask's Emil if l would like to be Page Boy, in her wedding. 
Not sure at this stage, Emil declines. 

After lunch, we relax and have a quiet afternoon. 

Late afternoon we go to visit a second cousin of Marjan's - Bruno, for a quick visit. Bruno's dad is also there and is able to give Marjan more info for his family tree research.  After talking to Bruno's dad we work out that Bruno's dad is djeda's first cousin.

 

After this quick visit we go for a drive to Strigova to see Petra at her apartment. After checking out where she will live with Smiljan she takes us out for an ice-cream.  Whilst out enjoying an ice-cream at the local cafic, Emil advices Petra that he accepts her invitation and that he would love to be Page Boy at her wedding and part of her bridal party. Petra is delighted and everyone is happy.

Emil and Andrija

Today was another quite day. We started the day off on a slow note, with breakfast around 10.00am and then just relaxing at home. Today's weather however was getting better with lots of sun shining, looks like it might start to get warmer.
By this stage Emil has already formed a great friendship with Andrija, who is 7 years old and the son of dad's first cousin Liljana.
Both boys have already bonded so well with each-other that they are spending all their time together. It is however funny to watch them, as Andrija only talks Croatian and Emil talks English, they don't really understand each other, however it doesn't seam to really matter.

Late afternoon we went to visit Marjan's uncle - Stric Stef. Once again we are welcomed into their home with drinks and again more conversation. Emil then got a tour of the farmyard. Emil got to walk through the corn crops, see the bull, pigs, chickens, and to sit on a very, very old tractor..

While we were visiting dad's uncle, dad's cousin Tihomir, his wife and kids also dropped in to say hello. We talked a while at his uncles place and then went over to Tihomir's house, again for more drinks, more conversation and for Emil to have a play with the kids in their backyard. The kids played on the swings and slide and as it was a warmer day, the kids played with water guns and had water fights.

After we left Tihomir's place we dropped into Liljana's place to drop off Andrija as he had visited with us today. In we go again for more drinking and eating. Another late night, but also another great day/night.

Cakovec

After a very late morning for some, it worked out to be a slow and quite day.  The day also was not too great as it was still raining and a little on the cool side. Today was a indoors kind of day.
Late afternoon we went to visit dad's cousin Ivo.  We had a few drinks, some laughs and lots and lots of conversation.

During our visit with Ivo, Emil was fortunate enough to go into his garden and pick, tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberry. But the best part of the picking was that he also got to eat the strawberries that he picked.

 

Also a very big Happy Birthday to my Kuma Pipi. Sorry we missed you birthday, but we did have a drink, maybe even 2 for you. Hope you had a great day.

 Love you heaps Emil, mum and dad. XxOo

We are on our way... Here we come!!!

Etihad Airways, What an experience, and l don't mean the good kind. We had 3 flights before we reached our destination, Croatia. 

Our first flight - Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, left at 10.10pm. Flight duration, 14 hours. 

Our second flight - Abu Dhabi to Frankfurt. Flight duration, 6 1/2 hours long. 

Our final flight - Frankfurt to Zagreb, duration 1 1/2 hours long. 

We finally arrived at Zagreb - Croatia at 5.15pm Saturday 21st July. Total travel time was 27 hours. We were exhausted but glad to finally be in Croatia and start our holiday. 

Watch our Croatia here we come!!!!!

Zagreb / Cakovec 

We finally arrived in Croatia, and were glad to be grounded. It was a very long flight. 
Off the flight, through customs, picked up our lougage, then our car, and then we were on our way. 
We were expecting it to be hot, but much to our dismay we were welcomed in to the country to a cold 18 degrees. What a disappointment.

In the car we get and head off to Cakovec to meet the family. 1 hour 15 minutes in the car driving in the rain heading to home or what we know as home.

We arrive at around 7.30pm (local time) to a warm welcome of family waiting in the drive-way standing in the rain, to welcome us with open arms and lots and lots of hugs and kisses.

In we go, only to be greeted to a table set for a feast.  We take a seat and the night just begins. Eating, drinking, all followed by conversation after conversation, questions after questions about our flight, family back home and on and on it goes.

We stayed up talking until around midnight, however Emil fell asleep at around 10.00pm. Emil and I (mum) go to sleep, while Marjan, Stef and Spomenka (dad's cousin) get dressed to go out and check up on the youngsters at the Buck's party and Hen's night.

From what was to be a quick hello, turned out to be a party and a very, very late night.  They returned home after 9:30am on Sunday morning.  No questions asked as their faces and sore heads did all the talking!!!!! But from what l heard they all had a great night and one that l regret l had to miss.