Trips

Sat., 6/2/18 - Belgrade, Serbia

Today was interesting. We finally learned about some arts and crafts but they were made by Slovakians living in Serbia in the village of Kovacica, an hour ride north of Belgrade.

Our first stop (it was raining) was at the Gallery of Naive Art. Several of the people are artists without “formal education in an art school” hence the term “naive” but they turn out wonderful folk art. Many of the paintings are like children’s visions of the old times to preserve experiences for the younger generations.

Quite an interesting ad

From the bus

Grain elevators

In the Gallery of Naive Art

Local phone booth

As we were returning to our bus we realized that an event was taking place in a park behind where our bus was parked. In spite of the rain, we went off to see what was happening and discovered the International Championships in Cooking and eating Bryndza "halves." Bryndza is a traditional Slovak fermented salty sheep cheese. It is on the list of protected traditional specialties with the status of PGI (protected geographical indication) - new to me. Anyhow, cooking stations were set up for each contestant and they were busy preparing their product. We stood in the rain and watched for awhile. It was an interesting local event.

Scenes from the Bryndza Festival

After standing in the rain watching the festival, we finally went on to the home of “naive painter,” Zuzana Veresky, and she explained the scenes of her grandmother’s house, local women riding bikes, farmyard scenes, and of local tradesmen. They were folksy and fun. Her husband turns wood and she paints some of the clever boxes he makes. She did four of us a remembrance and painted the backs of our hands. I have a red poppy done in acrylic and I hope I can keep it from washing off too soon. She served us homemade rakia and poppy seed sweet bread. She was dressed in a beautiful traditional dress.

Zuzana Veresky's studio

Hand painting

Palette

Next stop was at the home and workshop of a violin maker, Jan Nemcek. He showed us what is involved in the 200 hours of making a violin. He also repairs violins and showed us one from the mid-1500s and two from the 1600s. He also makes kids' violins and even one for his one-year-old granddaughter. His talent is incredible.

Violin maker's house

Even comes with a violin address sign

Violin maker Jan Nemcek at work

A repair job

Violin for his 1 year-old granddaughter

More repairs needed

Photo of the granddaughter playing her violin

We then drove to the outskirts of Develjaca to a restaurant for lunch. It is surrounded by fishing ponds created after clay for making bricks and tiles was dug out and water filled the quarries. We watched the preparations for a fishing tournament as we ate. This meal was Hungarian food - chicken broth with noodles, wonderful dense bread, slow cooked veal in its natural juice served with more noodles, and a delicious cherry cobbler for dessert.

Fishing

Tonight we had our farewell dinner at a noisy restaurant on an old cobblestone (rounded river rocks) street. It was so loud we couldn’t hear to talk.

On the way out of town

Sun., 6/3/18 - Belgrade, Serbia through Bosnia-Herzegovina into Dubrovnik, Croatia

Our excellent Northern Greece trip ended and we set off this morning by private car to be driven from Belgrade to Dubrovnik.

Continue to Crossroads of the Adriatic OR Return to the Trips page

Return to Top

Return to Itinerary

Return to Trips page to view other trips

Return to Dreamcatcher Home Page

Quite an interesting ad	From the bus
Grain elevators
In the Gallery of Naive Art	Local phone booth
As we were returning to our bus we realized that an event was taking place in a park behind where our bus was parked. In spite of the rain, we went off to see what was happening and discovered the International Championships in Cooking and eating Bryndza "halves." Bryndza is a traditional Slovak fermented salty sheep cheese. It is on the list of protected traditional specialties with the status of PGI (protected geographical indication) - new to me. Anyhow, cooking stations were set up for each contestant and they were busy preparing their product. We stood in the rain and watched for awhile. It was an interesting local event.	Scenes from the Bryndza Festival





	After standing in the rain watching the festival, we finally went on to the home of “naive painter,” Zuzana Veresky, and she explained the scenes of her grandmother’s house, local women riding bikes, farmyard scenes, and of local tradesmen. They were folksy and fun. Her husband turns wood and she paints some of the clever boxes he makes. She did four of us a remembrance and painted the backs of our hands. I have a red poppy done in acrylic and I hope I can keep it from washing off too soon. She served us homemade rakia and poppy seed sweet bread. She was dressed in a beautiful traditional dress.
Zuzana Veresky's studio	Hand painting
	Palette


	Next stop was at the home and workshop of a violin maker, Jan Nemcek. He showed us what is involved in the 200 hours of making a violin. He also repairs violins and showed us one from the mid-1500s and two from the 1600s. He also makes kids' violins and even one for his one-year-old granddaughter. His talent is incredible.
Violin maker's house	Even comes with a violin address sign
Violin maker Jan Nemcek at work

	A repair job
	Violin for his 1 year-old granddaughter
More repairs needed
	Photo of the granddaughter playing her violin
We then drove to the outskirts of Develjaca to a restaurant for lunch. It is surrounded by fishing ponds created after clay for making bricks and tiles was dug out and water filled the quarries. We watched the preparations for a fishing tournament as we ate. This meal was Hungarian food - chicken broth with noodles, wonderful dense bread, slow cooked veal in its natural juice served with more noodles, and a delicious cherry cobbler for dessert.	Fishing
Tonight we had our farewell dinner at a noisy restaurant on an old cobblestone (rounded river rocks) street. It was so loud we couldn’t hear to talk.	On the way out of town
Sun., 6/3/18 - Belgrade, Serbia through Bosnia-Herzegovina into Dubrovnik, Croatia Our excellent Northern Greece trip ended and we set off this morning by private car to be driven from Belgrade to Dubrovnik.