Where has the time gone? One year ago in May we left Virginia and moved to Serbia, and so many wonderful memories and experiences have manifested. The food, the drink the travel, and of course, old and new friends. We never in our wildest dreams expected to meet and become friends with so many wonderful people; some local and others from afar; all of them warm and caring.
Speaking of memories, my mother and Bernard visited us for 11 days and had an excellent trip. We plied them with Burek, Kajmak, Ćevapi, Rakia and lovely Serbian bread and wines until they couldn’t eat/drink anymore, took them to Belgrade and Slovenia, and of course, they found Novi Sad absolutely charming! The trip was a huge success, and they came away with fond memories and a better understanding and appreciation of the region. Next visitor is our friend Brenda who will arrive in mid October.
On the personal front, we have been really enjoying the new gym downstairs and the HBO Max series “The Regime.” NSFitness offers an impressive selection of options, and is an excellent place to meet people and keep ourselves fit. Staff are super nice and the clientele are friendly, and we have made some new friends to our delight.
We really urge everyone to watch the HBO Max series “The Regime.” It is loosely based on the central Europe/Balkans, and the similarities to Serbia (and its history with America) are fascinating, the visuals are stunning, the details rich, and the acting superbly delicious. It is only six episodes long, so give it a try.
We are also heading to Corfu in Greece, in a few days to visit our college friend Chris Perdikaris and his new girlfriend. It will be a great time hanging on the beautiful beach, eating fresh Greek food, and likely drinking a little too much Ouzo. However, the last time Chris and I drank Ouzo, I remember the hangover lasting for two days, so maybe not so much this time; ah promises are meant to be broken.
Friends!
To celebrate our time in Serbia, we thought it only fitting to highlight the people who have made our time here so special and whom never fail to offer advice and assistance. Picture are in no particular order, and every single person is near and dear to us. Thank you very much our friends for making Serbia and Novi Sad our home and such a special place. We look forward to continued memories!
Restaurant of the Week – Riblja čarda Andrić
Continuing our Serbia adventure, we visited Sombor this week, which is only an hour drive from Novi Sad and is home of Nikola Jokić; yes, his picture is prominently featured in the town centre. Sombor is smaller than Novi Sad, and has a quaint town centre with lots of shops and cafes to try. The other highlight was dining at Riblja čarda Andrić, a recommendation from Goran, and he was so right, this restaurant is a gem.
Driving to the restaurant is an adventure, as it is located 15 minutes outside of town and without Google Maps there is no way you would ever find it. The restaurant sits on the banks of a small river and has a charming European vibe. Entering the restaurant, you are greeted by the smell of wood smoke where cauldrons of fish stew are suspended over open flame. Seating is riverside and the wait staff are so helpful. We opted for a local salad covered in cheese. Eunjae ordered the perch, and I tried the smoked trout; both fish were perfectly prepared and so juicy and delicious. The fish stew smelled and looked great, but it was too much for two people, and because it was a hot day we really felt this was a dish best served during cooler months. Next time we will try it, I promise!
Final Thoughts
A Year! How did this happen so quickly? So many great learning experiences and more to come. Our travels will continue, and we plan on visiting Bač Fortress in the coming days. Will keep you updated on our Corfu trip and post lots of pictures of the beach. Talk soon and take care!