I woke up very early to write the diary. I looked out the window. Absolute quiet and a fabulous picture. I spent enough time to dawdle. When the others got up we gathered our things and sat in the restaurant next to the train tracks, to get breakfast. Although the program provided several kilometers for the day, we did not want to tear ourselves away from the place! Giorgos Z proposed to move parallel to the Serbo-Bosnian borders, crossing another national natural park, the «Tara». Of course any proposal that includes scenic routes and beautiful scenery is accepted without a second thought!
In the village of Kremna we turned left and substantially after a few kilometers we entered the impressive natural park. The road was in fair condition - in general -, with many turns, which ran through a wooded area consisting of tall firs! The altitude reached 1200m. The road network has 2 alternative routes. We chose one that passes by the village of Mitrovac. As expected we did several stops for photos and for enjoying the scenery! The trail ended at the dam of Lake Perucacko, after a winding downhill course. In the village Perucac, we stopped to rest and drink coffee in a nice cafe, through the trees and beside a river. It was very impressive as the river came to the river Drina, creating a waterfall! The time passed pleasantly!
At 12:30pm we left for the city of Novi Sad, who abstained approximately 300km. We had to stop somewhere. So along the road to Valjevo, drove a route with spectacular views, lots of vegetation and several turns. The quality of the road was moderate and it was possibly tedious at some points. Though the landscape compensate! The altitude reached the 1,100m. What struck me is that along the way encounter many places where there were graves in individual estates.
After Valjevo, the condition of the road improved and we felt we could move more rapidly, following the path Sabac - Ruma - Novi Sad (150 km). The landscape was with less vegetation, but pleasant. At 4.30pm the afternoon we passed the gate of the castle and the bridge over the Danube, the city of Novi Sad. From the beginning the city give you a positive impression. Heading to the center, we stop to discuss what to do, just before the bridge connecting the two opposite banks of the River Danube. We opened the driver and found the address of the tourist information office. As we had GPS, we set the direction and started to move. The city did not have traffic, perhaps due to the time, perhaps due to the season. For this reason we moved very comfortably to the main road, which continued after the bridge and it actually reached until the square where the Cathedral of the city’s historical center was.
Stratos was willing to go to ask to the agency for the hotel accommodation. Returning he told us that once he entered, the employee said: "Are you Greek?". Stratos was surprised- as he could not understand how he acknowledged him-, he answered affirmative and he requested information. He took some brochures and even the driver for the castle (distributed free), was written in Greek! Frankly this has never happen again. Without further delay we set out for the hostel Sova, which was on the second floor of an old building. Its blonde owner offered to give us an economic apartment (64€ /per apartment), as we were 4 people. Together with George, we decided to go to see it. A young man led us there, 200-300m. below.
We entered the arcade in an old two-storey residential complex that reminded of working-class homes. Those with the departments looking into an internal courtyard. We go up to the second floor of a building that did not predispose positive. We arrived in the room. By the door, in our minds was already negative answer... Yet when the door opened we thought we were elsewhere ... It was a renovated apartment style maisonette with an internal staircase. Of course we accepted to stay and returned to the to bring them there, along with their luggage.
The funny thing was that we wanted to make them fun. Thus we directed a scene of a theater, that the room was not good and that we were furious. So it happened. So while we had told them the worst, finally entering they were found in a very different space than they expected, both from our reports, and from the outside until they got there. Then we took a bath, changed and began to visit the city, bound for the castle. The Novi Sad has a very beautiful and picturesque historic center. Its feature point is a paved pedestrian area with its beautiful neoclassical buildings and the many cafes. Closely there are surrounding shops, bars and some restaurants. In this historical place, you can find 2 majestic temples.
The road ends at a beautiful park that was crowded with people, because of the heat. We passed it and we got to the bridge that crosses the Danube. Crossing it we were in the old town below the castle. From a distance we could see the impressive clock, in one of its bastions. Indeed, this clock has a peculiarity: the major indexes, instead of showing the minutes show the hours, so it is visible even from faraway what time it is!
Making a short tour to Old Town or "lower city" as they say, we went to the castle through a staircase of 250 stairs. The view was spectacular from the castle and was even more impressive by the fact that this time the sun had started to goes down ... Many people were gathered there, either to enjoy the view or the restaurants that existed. Indeed one of it occupied the site of the old warehouse and the central registry of the castle!
We took a walk along the walls, visiting various places, like the buildings in the Short and the Long Barracks, the successive fortifications, the gate of the court, etc. We reached to where we started, and it was now dark. The bridge was illuminated, like the rest of the city, giving a different and surprising result again! We stayed for awhile to enjoy these unique images, before taking the way back to the paved street of the historic center and get lost in the streets, looking for a restaurant!
After much time and hike-in a point of exhaustion-, we managed to find a traditional restaurant with a courtyard and good food. It really made me a big impression, that while there were so many shops, most were cafes, bars and pubs. We didn’t find restaurants or may be were in another area or simply was the wrong time (around 9.00pm). However, this tour gave us the opportunity to know the area better.
Returning to the apartment, I thought all I had seen. The Novi Sad was the first town that we visited. It was indeed very beautiful, picturesque, full of life, more than I expected compared to what I had heart and I had read! It was a pleasant surprise and I would recommend visiting it whoever is found in the beautiful Serbia.
