by Ivana, age 9, asks Ðed Mraz are you different from the Russian Ded Moroz?, about the Sava River, and Croatia’s Adriatic coastline
Dear Ðed Mraz,
My name is Ivana and I am 9 years old. I live in Zagreb, Croatia, where my baka lights a candle in the window every night of Advent, one more each week until all four are burning.
First, are you different from the Russian Ded Moroz?
Second, a geography question: what river runs through Zagreb?
Third, a school question about my country: why does Croatia have such a long, curved coastline along the Adriatic Sea?
I left you licitar, a decorated heart-shaped cookie, and a cup of tea.
Love, Ivana, age 9, Zagreb, Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
From the Desk of Ðed Mraz
Dear Ivana, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Are you different from the Russian Ded Moroz?
We share old family roots, much like cousins do, but I am my own person here in the Balkans, with my own traditions and my own particular route.
What river runs through Zagreb?
The Sava River flows along the edge of Zagreb, the same river that later joins the Danube down in Belgrade, and its quiet banks look especially peaceful dusted with snow as the sleigh comes in.
Why does Croatia have such a long, curved coastline along the Adriatic Sea?
Croatia’s coastline follows the eastern edge of the Adriatic Sea, shaped by more than a thousand islands and a long history of the land meeting the sea in dramatic, winding ways. That coastline has made Croatia an important crossroads for trade and travel for thousands of years.
Sretan Bozic, Ivana.
Ho ho ho, Ðed Mraz
