Part I
One of the best things about coming back to places and adventures of the past in your mind is that the order of events no longer matters. It becomes a swirling mass of images and sensations, as tangible and intangible as the thought of a cool drink of water on a hot summer day.
The mental painting I’ve conserved of Serbia is hot and dusty, green and mountainous, open, simple, and generous beyond measure.
The mental painting I’ve conserved of Serbia is hot and dusty, green and mountainous, open, simple, and generous beyond measure.
Uvac Canyon and Sjenica
whatWhen we entered Serbia, we were already heading in the direction of Uvac Canyon, listed as one of the seven wonders of Serbia. I had seen pictures and read a bit about it, mostly how to get there. Uvac Canyon is most known for its picturesque, snake-like bends called the Meanders. I had read that the only way to get to the best viewpoint of the bends was by boat, but I knew there had to be another way. We finally found the road to the canyon and began to see a glimpse of it in the distance…
But the euphoria was short-lived. When we reached the bottom of the canyon we were met with a giant dam and a tiny visitor’s center from which you could take a boat tour. And there was no one in sight.
We stalled for time, hoping someone would show up who might be able to point us in the right direction, and as we waited we read the billboards posted about the majestic Griffon Vulture. The Griffon Vulture is a rare species of eagle vulture that was on the brink of extinction just 20 years ago. It was for the purpose of preservation, breeding and reproduction of these giant birds that the Uvac Special Nature Reserve was put under protection. They have a wingspan of 2.3–2.8 m (7.5–9.2 ft) and typically weigh 6.2 to 11.3 kg (14 to 25 lb). They live in groups, the female lays one egg per year, both parents incubate the egg for eight weeks, and the new born chicken stays in the nest for some four months before the first flight.
We did manage to ask a fisherman for directions but he was of little help. It was getting late so we decided to just follow the canyon edge to find place to pitch our tent and start again the next day.
We followed dirt roads through some gorgeous scenery for over 20km (13 miles), asking for directions whenever and however we could, every car that passed, every farmer or shepherd close enough to shout to, drawing the “s” curves of the Meanders in the air, saying “Oovach” and pointing to the canyon. Twenty kilometers might not seem like much but dirt roads are a whole other ball game with a loaded bike, especially when they twist and zigzag up, down and around on fairly hilly terrain.
Following a hand-painted sign reading “Meandri”, we wound up at a small farm/B&B with very aggressive guard dogs. We could see a man tending to his bees. Feeling we had taken the wrong turn, we called out to him. It seemed he more or less understood that we were looking for the Meanders and he gestured for us to go back the way we came. We were exhausted and wishing beyond hope that the Meanders were just around the bend but the dogs were barking incessantly and the man’s gesture seemed pretty clear, so we admitted defeat and headed back down the road. We hadn’t gone but 500m when we stopped. Why did the sign say “Meandri” if they weren’t nearby? Maybe we couldn’t get there from here by bike but it was possible to go by foot. And we were too low on water anyway to continue or search. So we went back. If the man was surprised or annoyed by our reappearance, he didn’t show it. We pointed to our nearly empty water bottles and asked, “Voda?” This time the man called out to his wife who appeared after some time from the interior of the house. Her presence calmed the dogs and she showed us the way to the outside faucet, around which the bees hummed lazily. It was a beautiful property. They had pigs, too, and cows we later learned.
We asked the woman about the Meandri, easier to talk at a close distance. This time we made a walking motion with our fingers and her face lit up with understanding. She motioned for us to follow her and pointed out the trail that would lead us to the Meandri. Success! They agreed to let us leave our bikes there and gave us some apples to eat on the way. Her face told us that they weren’t so good for eating but compared to the bitter apples we’d been finding recently, they were delicious.
As we were changing into our hiking boots and collecting our cameras and water bottles for the hike, their only son arrived from his job as a P.E. teacher in the local town, Sjenica. And he spoke English.
He explained in detail how to get to the viewpoint, a 5-6km walk in each direction, and kindly agreed to let us pitch our tent that night on their property. We headed off, practically skipping.
As we were changing into our hiking boots and collecting our cameras and water bottles for the hike, their only son arrived from his job as a P.E. teacher in the local town, Sjenica. And he spoke English.
He explained in detail how to get to the viewpoint, a 5-6km walk in each direction, and kindly agreed to let us pitch our tent that night on their property. We headed off, practically skipping.
It was far, and hot, but it was totally worth it. If nothing else, it was worth it just to see the line of tourists that wound its way up from their tour boat at the bottom of canyon to the viewpoint where we had already installed ourselves.
We did it! We found a way. (Though I'm sure the boat tour is awesome, too. And I heard the profits go straight to the Nature Reserve).
We did it! We found a way. (Though I'm sure the boat tour is awesome, too. And I heard the profits go straight to the Nature Reserve).
Back at the farm, they invited us to coffee we paid 5€ between the two of us for a delicious lunch of fresh cheese, potatoes and ayvar. It was still early and there was a basketball game coming on soon, a passion Jose and our host shared. He was going into town later, he told us, and he didn’t mind taking us to the store for whatever we needed. Jose decided to stay at the farm so that he could watch the game in its entirety. So I grabbed my wallet and hopped in the car.
We had slow, measured conversation on the drive into town, tinted with shyness, exhaustion and ignorance of each other’s cultures. The first store he took me to didn’t have anything I was looking for, no cereal, no beer, no vegetables. Don’t worry about the beer, he told me, I’ve got plenty at home. So I bought some bread. And veggies from a fruit stand. And chocolate spread for breakfast.
He brought me to a bar for a drink. It didn’t look like a bar from the outside and there weren’t any customers when we arrived. He knew the owners and they sat with us and chatted, the basketball game on the tv in the background. I listened as he introduced me and explained in the Serbian language that we had traveled there by bike from Spain. He translated a couple of their questions, which I answered before they moved on to more pressing matters. I tried not to drink my beer too fast or look too uncomfortable or look like I was trying to understand their conversation (which I was). When we stood up to leave, I could feel in my knees the two (or was it three?) beers that I had drank on a fairly empty stomach.
Not to worry! There was more! Next stop was his friend’s house, his best friend since childhood. The friend and his father were super friendly and the friend also spoke some English. We watched the rest of the basketball game while snacking on more fresh cheese and salami. I didn’t want any more beer but I felt it would have been rude to refuse a shot of rakija. I sipped it as slowly as I could because as soon as your glass looks even a little bit empty, they fill it up again to the brim.
I can’t remember who won the basketball game (Jose could tell you), but the ride home was certainly memorable. Before we left the friend’s house, my host swung the car around back so they could load something into it, firewood I think he said. It was dark and the roads were windy but I think he probably could have done the drive with his eyes closed. It seemed like he went much faster on the way back but all the while we were chatting calmly. The rakija kept me nice and relaxed. I watched the road unfold in front of us without flinching even a little. My host had definitely drunk more than I had but it didn’t seem to affect his reflexes one bit. When I got out of the car, I realized that they had attached a small trailer full of firewood to the back of the car. I hadn’t even noticed the difference.
He brought me to a bar for a drink. It didn’t look like a bar from the outside and there weren’t any customers when we arrived. He knew the owners and they sat with us and chatted, the basketball game on the tv in the background. I listened as he introduced me and explained in the Serbian language that we had traveled there by bike from Spain. He translated a couple of their questions, which I answered before they moved on to more pressing matters. I tried not to drink my beer too fast or look too uncomfortable or look like I was trying to understand their conversation (which I was). When we stood up to leave, I could feel in my knees the two (or was it three?) beers that I had drank on a fairly empty stomach.
Not to worry! There was more! Next stop was his friend’s house, his best friend since childhood. The friend and his father were super friendly and the friend also spoke some English. We watched the rest of the basketball game while snacking on more fresh cheese and salami. I didn’t want any more beer but I felt it would have been rude to refuse a shot of rakija. I sipped it as slowly as I could because as soon as your glass looks even a little bit empty, they fill it up again to the brim.
I can’t remember who won the basketball game (Jose could tell you), but the ride home was certainly memorable. Before we left the friend’s house, my host swung the car around back so they could load something into it, firewood I think he said. It was dark and the roads were windy but I think he probably could have done the drive with his eyes closed. It seemed like he went much faster on the way back but all the while we were chatting calmly. The rakija kept me nice and relaxed. I watched the road unfold in front of us without flinching even a little. My host had definitely drunk more than I had but it didn’t seem to affect his reflexes one bit. When I got out of the car, I realized that they had attached a small trailer full of firewood to the back of the car. I hadn’t even noticed the difference.
The next day, we took the same route by bicycle into town. I thought I had understood that it was the first day of school that day but it sure didn’t look like it, there were lots of children and young people hanging out around the playground in the main square. We hung out at a café for a bit, working on our blog, and then headed to a natural foods store I had eyed the day before. We needed muesli! The store owner was super friendly and interested in our story and as we were packing up the things we’d bought, she poked her head out and asked us if we wouldn't like to have a pepsi with her and her son. We did, of course, and so ensued a fast and furious friendship.
She invited us to stay at her grandmother’s house and so we found ourselves following their car back down the road we had come in on. We stopped on the way to buy some cold beer to share with Slavica, our new host. Slavica was a very calm, very elegant old woman whose years were hidden behind her sparkling eyes. I wasn't surprised when Natalia told us that Slavica spent most of her life in Belgrade, moving amongst artists, vanguardians and well-to-dos. We had a room and a shower to ourselves in the house just next to hers, a 200 year old house where her late husband had been born. Natalia, the lady from the natural food store, and her partner, Misha, took us to a mineral water swimming hole just down the lane. The water was bubbly like soda water and apparently is always the same temperature, about 17ºC (63ºF).
After swimming, we went to visit a friend of theirs, Wolsko, who lives by himself and paints iconic paintings. He was quite happy to be single and quite modest about his beautiful paintings. He practically forced us to take as many bags of apples as we could carry.
Natalia and her husband dropped us back at Slavica’s and went shopping while we took showers. By the time they arrived with their daughter to make a fish dinner, we had already become good friends with Slavica. The way she told stories made me feel like I was understanding every word. It was only when she finished that I realized I had not, like when you wake up from a dream and it fades too quickly for you to grasp it.
Natalia and her family even came back the next morning and brought us breakfast before we hit the road. I think I’ve never been so well taken care of by “strangers” in my life. It was the least we could do to stop by the store on our way out of town for one last thank you and goodbye.
Natalia and her husband dropped us back at Slavica’s and went shopping while we took showers. By the time they arrived with their daughter to make a fish dinner, we had already become good friends with Slavica. The way she told stories made me feel like I was understanding every word. It was only when she finished that I realized I had not, like when you wake up from a dream and it fades too quickly for you to grasp it.
Natalia and her family even came back the next morning and brought us breakfast before we hit the road. I think I’ve never been so well taken care of by “strangers” in my life. It was the least we could do to stop by the store on our way out of town for one last thank you and goodbye.
About 5km outside of Sjenica, I had a breakdown. It’s hard to admit, for fear of coming off as ungrateful, but it can be difficult to be treated with so much kindness. I am constantly thinking about what is the proper way to act, what might offend or be seen as impolite, how I can contribute to tasks without taking away from the kindness being offered. Natalia is an amazing woman who demands so much of herself – taking care of her partner, her children, her parents and grandparents, running her store, looking after us…. It feels like if she stopped for one moment to think about her own needs she might keel over. I felt she was trying to set an example, in the most genuine and honorable way, doing what few people do: putting into action her beliefs about how a person should act, how a woman should act, how a Serb should act. I felt dizzied by her strength and determination, by her ability to make things happen. Though I didn't want to acknowledge it, I began to feel small and lacking, not woman enough, not dutiful enough...
We stopped and set up camp right there where I’d broken down. Sometimes it’s not bike parts but human parts that break. We decided we’d had a busy couple of days worthy of a good rest. It could be a good moment to give our bikes a little bit of TLC. And that’s when we realized. We’d left our bar of soap in the shower at Slavica’s house. It was almost new. And biodegradable. Made with olive oil from Spain. And I was the last one who had taken a shower. So I took off all but one of my panniers and rode the 8km back to Slavica’s, making sure not to cross in front of the natural foods store…I couldn’t take another goodbye!
We stopped and set up camp right there where I’d broken down. Sometimes it’s not bike parts but human parts that break. We decided we’d had a busy couple of days worthy of a good rest. It could be a good moment to give our bikes a little bit of TLC. And that’s when we realized. We’d left our bar of soap in the shower at Slavica’s house. It was almost new. And biodegradable. Made with olive oil from Spain. And I was the last one who had taken a shower. So I took off all but one of my panniers and rode the 8km back to Slavica’s, making sure not to cross in front of the natural foods store…I couldn’t take another goodbye!
Thanks for reading this far! Here are some links of interest:
º Watch and listen to Griffon Vultures
º Visit the Uvac Special Nature Reserve
º Stay at the beautiful B&B that treated us so kindly
º Learn more about rakija
Continue on to Part II !!
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Subscribe to our blog and get an update in your inbox each time we publish something new! We promise not to inundate you... we're too busy living it up to send massive amounts of emails!
Note: The blog posts in Spanish are written by Jose, and those in English, by Colleen. Those of you who understand both languages have the opportunity to understand both perspectives! Those of you who do not will have to rely on Google Translate if you wish to have an approximation...or start learning Spanish today!
Note: The blog posts in Spanish are written by Jose, and those in English, by Colleen. Those of you who understand both languages have the opportunity to understand both perspectives! Those of you who do not will have to rely on Google Translate if you wish to have an approximation...or start learning Spanish today!