As we drive to our next border crossing there is always a little anxiety, but the reality is that there have never been an issue (long that may continue) There is a little conversation about the dog and its size, we are asked to step out of the van and the border guard peers in and we point at Poppys travel crate, he cant really see her but seems to have expedited some form of diligence.... and with that we are in!
As we head to our first park up for the night by a small lake I feel my tensions rise, we have obviously arrived in a very impoverished area and are back to the land of rubbish. I google ‘Serbia and recycling to find out that they currently only recycle between of their waste, and as we drive there are very few areas not strewn with it. The other thing are the stray dogs, I take a deep breath and know that whilst Northern Europe is easy to travel in the further east the more of an experience you gain from leaving those more travelled areas.
has been made to make this an attractive area and with some swans and a few holiday homes on the far side it makes a good rest stop. The following day we head back to Sid for a phone SIM and some bread. It has a busy centre but as you filter back you are into the poorer ends of town, much like Croatia, tractors are very old, very small and are beavering through the streets and onto fields. We attract attention wherever we go and I always wave enthusiastically so as to leave a positive impression.
Our planned itinerary although rather brief is to head north and travel east through the Fruska Gora National Park to visit some of its monasteries and then follow the Danube as it heads to Bulgaria. Fruska Gora was some 90 million years ago an island and it sits high and proud above the plains of Vojvodina this WAS home to an impressive 35 Orthodox monasteries hidden away in its valleys, with just 16 still standing today. The monasteries were built by the Brankovic family so as to continue the old state governing traditions. Of course due to various conquests, war and desolation
Our first at Kuvezdin feels like we are intruding into a secret world. There is a little shop and the attendant tries his Serbian on us, none the wiser we move on. I know from another traveller that skirts and head coverings are required and at the entrance a basket of skirts is available to use, I opt for a floral number and we proceed. There is no real tourism about these places, no charge, no information but we head into the church and the chap from the shop is now praying first to a large collection of images to the left of the alter and now to the right. We stand quietly admiring the frescos both on the ceiling and the alter wall, all the time, one of the postulants (Monk in the making) is sweeping the floor. After the shop attendant leaves I ask if he speaks English and he says a little, and he explains which of course is now obvious the left area is The Virgin Mary and the right is the main man himself...I try a joke about women
always being right?!?! to no avail, turns out he is here on reflection and considering a life of devotion.
We head to next of the three we will be visiting for the night at Krusedol to be met by our first car park stray dog, he runs enthusiastically to the van and as we park up and I step out of the van his tail is wagging. Hes not thin looks in good condition and has got this tourist thing sorted as each and every car that arrives is the same way, he even get s a tummy tickle from some visitors. That night and morning he shares some of Poppys kibble as he isnt going go to sleep hungry on our watch. Kruzedol is a far busier and larger affair, the interior sanctum is beautiful and the church again is bedecked with beautiful frescoes and here as well as the Monks Nuns are seen moving around its courtyards.
The following day we head North to The Danube and Novi Sad and Petrovardin Fortress high above the city itself.
