This summer has been REALLY hot and dry, but right during our first date in mid-July the weather turned bad and we had to move our gathering to the backup date in August. Sadly, some members who had already registered had their own summer plans for that time, so in the end 19 of us gathered.
On Dule and Marija's beautifully kept property in Rumanja vas, we formed a proper camp in a circle with our tents, caravans and campervans, where we could be — hidden from view — in our birthday suits. Our hosts had taken care of a "sanitary unit," so everything was comfortable and all according to the rules. Since Matjaž and I were here for the first time, we arrived a day early and were treated to lunch and a guided tour of the property, the surroundings and the adjoining bank of the Krka river, where Dule had personally landscaped everything according to his own ideas… it's hard to believe how many ideas his hard-working hands have brought to life here!
Friday: a warm welcome and Soteska
On Friday afternoon, once almost everyone had arrived, Marija invited us to a welcome snack. It turned out to be a proper feast!
Fed and refreshed, we hurried off (some by car, others by bike) to Soteska, where a local guide was waiting for us and told us about the history of the devil's tower and the mansion, then took us to the branch of the technical museum from Bistra, housed on the mansion's grounds.
In the evening, back at the "camp," we nibbled on all the treats from the afternoon (cold cuts, sweets, drinks) and chatted late into the night.
Saturday: the Krka riverbank and Romitovka
On Saturday, after breakfast, loaded with food, drinks and towels, we headed down to the Krka riverbank. The path down, nicely laid out but steep, leads to a beautifully maintained riverbank. This is a place where NOTHING is missing. A small dugout is set into the ground for storing cold drinks, there are benches made from driftwood, we find a barely visible cargo cable line, a small wooden raft and a rack with SUP boards — even a kayak…. visitors are pleasantly surprised by the nicely made signs describing the past life on this little corner of paradise. At the point marked as STROJNICA (Machine House), it's explained that between the First and Second World Wars a steam-powered sawmill operated on the plot above. A water pump used to stand right at this spot.
The other landmark of this stretch of the Krka is ROMITOVKA. A mighty rock rises from the riverbank, containing two caves. According to ancestral stories, a hermit named Romit once lived in them (a stone axe was found there in 1931, which is where the name Romitovka comes from).
Bograč stew, swimming and farewells
We spent a truly beautiful Saturday swimming (the Krka was 23 degrees), cooking bograč stew (thank you, Tone), lounging in the partial shade… we ate lunch — the best bograč I've ever had, we practically licked our bowls clean — right by the river. Despite her sore knee, Marija even brought us coffee, pure enjoyment all day long….
For Matjaž and me it was hard to leave for Ljubljana that evening (the gathering only wrapped up the next day), since over the following days we took on the role of grandma and grandpa taking the grandkids on holiday — which is lovely too, isn't it?
In closing, I'd like to thank Marija and Dule once again for the organisation and hospitality, Tone for the bograč, and everyone for the great company — and I hope for what's now a traditional get-together again next year.