Croatia 2011 | The Olive Trees of Lun

My mother and father also joined us for a few days in Jakisnica, to experience firsthand the deep rooted love that it inspires within Rob and myself. While they were there (besides the aforementioned sunbathing, swimming, eating, and drinking) we did go to see the olive trees of Lun, something I had yet to experience on the island, and it was pretty cool (although not literally as I think my face was melting while we were hiking around in the sweltering sunlight - seemingly miles upon miles from the refreshing Adriatic sea).

Lun is towards the tip of the island of Pag, not far from Jakisnica, and it is famous for its olive trees, and conversely olive oil production. In particular, Lun is most well known for an ancient olive grove of about 1500 wild olive trees. Some of the trees are hundreds and even thousands of years old, yet preserved in a unique landscape comprised mostly of rock. In fact, the area is only 1 of 3 in the world with such a high concentration of ancient olive trees (Israel and Greece being the others). It was a sight to see most definitely, especially the gnarled and twisted roots and trunks, taken shape from fierce coastal winds off the nearby mountain Velebit.

And the olive oil from the island, ummmmm… delectable to say the least. Rob’s parents, who were born and lived on the island, still have olive trees in their name. From those olive trees, they have olive oil made. We were lucky enough to bring back 2 bottles of 2 litres each this trip. There is nothing like this olive oil, it is heavenly and divine and miraculous and all other possible words synonymous with other-worldly excellence.

I am already trying to savour every last drop and not be too hasty or overzealous with a pour of the good stuff. But it’s hard to help myself!

That same day we went to the cemetery in Lun where Rob’s relatives are buried. Though almost every name in the cemetery is that of Rob’s last name (Badurina), and possibly related in some way, we came specifically to see his Grandparents and Uncles. It was a beautiful cemetery and put things in perspective. Rob has grown up in Canada with basically just his immediate family, parents and brother. His other immediate family was either in Croatia or already deceased. And now he has no one left on his dad’s side and 1 aunt and 2 first cousins on his mom’s side. I have pretty much my whole brood here, I have my entire life, I know nothing else. All my grandparents and all my aunts and uncles and cousins. We’re not a large group, but we’re intact and whole and complete. I had all of those immediate loved ones with me for all my family memories, occasions, and milestones, including my wedding day. In the time since then, my maternal grandmother has passed, but not without my appreciation that she was there in the first place. Not everyone is lucky enough to grow up with their grandparents and family members around the corner, so intricately intertwined in the fabric of their personal memory. And that realization was not lost on me as we paid our respects in Lun.