I grew up by the Drava river, and my entire childhood was marked by the river. In the summer, we spent every day on its banks – swimming, playing, and helping the adults when the bank needed reinforcing. My fondest memories are tied to that carefree feeling and constant companionship with friends. But the Drava also carried dangers – a friend of mine drowned, and I myself barely escaped with my life once. The feeling of the river carrying you was terrifying, and the elders linked it to stories about a water monster. Today, the ‘Stara Drava’ (Old Drava) no longer exists, as it was flooded by the hydroelectric power plant, and with it, the landscapes I knew as a child disappeared. Nevertheless, nostalgia always brings me back to those images and people.