Wednesday we had coffee and breakfast downstairs again. By the way, when I say we had coffee it always means Turkish coffee which is what almost everyone drinks aside from in the biggest cities where some people drink other coffees, but Turkish coffee is served everywhere and is the mainstay.
We weren’t told where we were going other than to a hike. Once again I suspected we might be gone much of the day. Our first stop was off a tiny rural obscure road about a half hour away from the house where we pulled into a gravel parking area next to a decrepit tiny train station. In addition to the small main building there were a couple other half fallen down structures on the overgrown lot. Dragan said he worked there a long time ago. 2 dogs greeted us as we got out of the car and several cats were lying about. The lone worker at the station came out and invited us in for coffee. Zorica brought in cups for us and the train guy, probably in his mid thirties, heated up coffee for us all on his little burner. Zorica, Dragan and the young man chatted while Jim and I took in the scene. There was nothing pleasant nor aesthetically pleasing about the tiny office but there were fascinating things to look at including a big wall calendar with a drawing of one of the old kings of Serbia. The main room, about 12×18 feet, was painted institutional blue-green, the lights were harsh, the big window was covered over with a board and paper, the floor was dirty, posters on the wall very old, and the technology not up to date. But the young man who worked there seemed perfectly happy. We are pretty sure this was not a stop for passengers but was for controlling and switching the tracks in that area.
After coffee (and a cigarette for Zorica) we drove through more villages and up a (small) road that wound through woods where we eventually parked in a small gravel lot. From there we walked the rest of the way up the road to a once thriving village well known for its wine. Nobody makes wine there any more and I don’t think anyone lives there but an older man and woman who used to live there greet visitors who want to explore the village that the EU donated money to preserve. The man welcomed us into his family’s old dark barn-like tasting room and gave us samples of rakija that is available to buy. Numerous houses and wine cellars have fallen down but most still stand. In its prime years this photogenic village exported 100,000 liters of wine to France and the U.S. We spent a while walking around in the drizzle, taking photos, appreciating the beauty of the old structures, then walked back to the car.
After another drive on small roads we came to a monastery which we visited, then got a few things at the souvenir shop (which Dragan said were over-prices), then Dragan pointed to a cross on a rocky point above the monastery and said we were going to hike up to it. The path rose steeply through a pleasant deciduous forest until the last short stretch that was rocky and steep. Of course I was on the lookout for snakes (and ticks) but we saw none. We sat on the perch, enjoying the view. Then Dragan said we were going to keep walking to ‘the gates’.
Still on the forested hill our first stop was to a narrow opening in a huge rock that Dragan said had a great view on the other side. He and Jim went through the passageway but Zorica and I stayed behind because the footing was tricky and the exposure on the other side a bit scary.
Then we continued on the trail through the forest down to views of a huge stone arch over the large creek below us. The trail descended to creek level and in front of us was a second huge rock archway above us. We took our time admiring the stunning natural features. It was a little unsettling when at one point I heard a rock fall from the arch overhead. For this reason I did not linger under the archway but admired it from each side. I wondered if this place had been special to earlier inhabitants of the region.
Dragan was eager for us to make a quick jaunt up the steep trail on the other side of the creek to a viewpoint at the top but the rest of us chose to wait below while he clambered up the trail. He is almost 60 but is strong and fit and fearless.
Once he safely rejoined us we took our time hiking back up and then down the hill.
Next Dragan drove us to a small village that appeared to have more stray dogs than people. That’s not quite true, but there were at least 9-10 (very sweet) dogs that hung around the parking area in the center of town, and many others ranging around. We continue to wish we could find good homes for these dear beings. We always stop and greet any dog that seems interested in engaging. In some places some of the dogs just sleep on the sidewalk or in parking lots. I assume they are sick or weak and don’t have the energy to even lift their heads. So sad.
We ate at Brane, a well-known restaurant (totally unremarkable looking from the outside) known for its special treatment of mutton and other grilled meats and traditional food. Zorica said the restaurant is featured in a popular tv show, and that the family that runs it raises all their own animals and does a lot for the community. Zorica and Dragan ordered the meal for us- a huge platter of various grilled meats topped with the requisite pile of finely chopped onions, salads, homemade cheese, and some of the best homemade bread we’ve had. Once again they treated us to the meal.
After dinner we sat in the parking lot while Zorica made coffee. We gave lots of love to the dogs. Once back in the car I noticed the beginnings of a headache, but enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the long drive home through barely populated landscapes. What a wonderful day with these kind and fun people! We had talked about playing games again when we got back home but we were all too tired.
As I was preparing to shower before bed I noticed a dark small bump on my upper inner thigh. My eyes aren’t good enough to see it clearly but I couldn’t imagine what it could be other than a tick. Jim’s eyes are worse than mine so he couldn’t clearly see it either, but he was able to remove it with tweezers. Because it was so small I’m guessing it was a tick in the nymph stage. In any case, I’ve been watching my leg ever since and I have not seen any tell-tale sign of a Lyme rash. The only other serious thing ticks around here carry is something that can cause meningitis. Hopefully this creature carried neither.
When I woke in the morning my headache was worse and my head felt woozy- not dizzy, not vertigo, but ‘off’, and my stomach felt unsettled. I had no appetite and felt generally lousy, so lousy that I spent most of the day in bed, unusual for me. The weirdest symptom was every time I closed my eyes I had a flood of dreamlike images in my head even though I was wide awake. It was very unsettling.
Kind Zorica made me soup but I had no appetite until dinner time when I started feeling much better. She also cooked turkey and potatoes for Jim. He and I shared the soup, turkey and potatoes and by bedtime I felt a lot better. Next day I was fine other than that hungover feeling I get after a migraine. I was soooo grateful that whatever I ‘had’ was short-lived!
Leave a Reply