Italian and Croatian National Evening

Third week in Osijek has just started and another weekend has already gone..I would say a really busy but rewarding weekend!
Actually Friday arrived and I had to present my country at the Italian National Evening at the club..I had been quite nervous the all week long. It's been first of all a matter of character and second cuz it was my first presentation.. and of course the first time is always the most worrying!!!
But everything has gone really fine! People liked the presentation, I showed them lots of pictures of Italy, about Rome, about mountains and seaside, also an interesting one about Etna's eruption. I think they appreciated it. And I was really happy when I launched the funny video about the differences between Italy and other European countries because they laughed a lot and I felt really happy to make them so amused!
Then I let them taste what I had cooked, namely eggs with tuna, mayonese and capers filling, pasta (they were "penne rigate"!! as I showed them plenty of kinds of pasta!) with black and green olives, tuna (in the blue bowl) and cherry-tomatoes.
And finally the "salame di cioccolato" cake. I think it's one of the best thing someone can eat in this world!!! it's a chocolate salami with biscuits and nuts inside! We usually make it for children parties but I have never found yet adults refusing a slice of it!!!
In conclusion we spent a great time together! I really should thank lots of people. First of all my colleagues, Magdalena and Madara who helped me serving the people at the Youth Center, Damjan for his patience, telling me a lot and a lot of times to be calm! and of course to the boys and the girls all for being so nice that night! So thank you everybody!!!!
I went to bed definitely worn-out that night..but really glad for myself and the support I got!

But the weekend had just started and on Saturday we kept on celebrating ours countries with the Croatian National Evening!
Another beautiful night together, getting to know interesting aspects of the country. I think it's really a brilliant idea to present our countries in this way. You can learn some interesting tips you couldn't get to know at school or by reading a book, as it's always better to be taught by natives!

Of course there was food..and Rakija!!! A very very very strong alcoholic drink, traditionally producted in Croatia but, not simply in Croatia!!! Actually it was made by Ivan's granfather! Look how proud he was! ;-)
I just had one shot of Rakija and it has been enough for me!!! my stomach was going to burn and I needed to go on eating something else..what a pity!!! ahaah!! of course it was an excuse!!! I really liked the bread, the black and white rolled cake and the croissants Marko's mum had made..
guys, I will really get fat if I keep on eating this way!!! and next Friday there will be Magdlena's night..and her friends are coming on thursday, bringing with them lots of food-stuff for us!!! help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-P

Then Sunday came..someone may guess we have been in bed the all day long..but wrong guys! We are very iperactive girls!!! Magdalena went (as usual now) to the dogs and Madara and I went to a huge open-air market for searching bicycles.. actually not by our own but kindly escorted by Ivan! poor boy..he went to bed at 4 in the morning and then woke up at 8 o'clock for us! thank you, thank you! :-D
So at 9 we were almost all outside, in the freezing wind of Sunday morning..how cold it has been for me! you really cannot imagine! I was going to die! and the funny thing was that Ivan and Madara were not feeling so much cold! so I didn't want to complain too much..:-(
We spent a couple of hours there, there were too many things, but old one too and I was really impressed by such a market! never seen something like that! there were pets, cars, clothes, tools for repairing anything..and much more!

Then on the way back I suggested to stop for a coffee or a tea..I wanted to return Ivan's favour to us!!!! and they agreed immediately..so I guess they were feeling cold too!!!!

The rest of the day was quiet. We watched some tv, ate the ham and cheese-cake I cooked on Saturday afternoon and then (as I was not satisfied with the cold I got in the morning!!) I went out for a walk along Drava! How much I like Drava! I have been out for an hour, looking around, leaving my eyes free to range around.
And I also saw the fireworks coming back! I was crossing the bridge, I was on my way back and it had already got dark when I saw a nice green fountain in the sky..
So I stopped there for a while.. The wind was getting sharper and sharper but I was really relaxed in that moment: at the highest point of the bridge, with a cigarette in my hand, sorrounded by the dark and the lights from the city, in front of the big river Drava, watching those warm red, green, yellow drawings in the blu of the night...carried by my thoughts and emotions..