Blogs from South, Serbia, Europe - page 2

27th May ’09 (continued): Rembember we've just hit a bridge in Serbia? Well, not one to do things in halves, “Wrecker” Jon has punctured two of my tyres, and startled a passenger - me. It is one of those moments where the inevitable looms, like a truck coming towards you. I say like, as though it's a crafty simile, but in fact a truck HAS actually just come towards us. Agh! My right eye pops open to assess the situation: nobody is hurt; our fragile frames remain intact. But there is now a distinct paucity of functioning wheels on my truck, and our quest to reach Athens is rapidly falling into abeyance. What we need is a cup of tea. We are travelling with four other trucks - we have to process border paperwork together, remember ... read more

Kopaonik (Serbian: Копаоник) is one of the biggest mountain ranges of Serbia. It is located in the central part of Serbia. Its highest peak is 2,017 metres above sea level, Pančić's Peak. Kopaonik's national park was established in 1981. The national park's area is 118.1 km², and is spread over the central part of the Kopaonik plateau. Sports and recreation are key factors to the tourism of Kopaonik. Kopaonik is mainly a destination for skiing and snowboarding. There are various other activities as well, such as tennis. Other features which attract tourists are a luxurious hotel, and entertainment. Kopaonik has many cafes, bars and night clubs. It has 24 ski-lifts and gondoles,with 70 km of ski slopes for all categories.It is the largest mountain in Serbia, more than 100 km long. Its highest peak is Suvo ... read more

Crossing from Bulgaria to then-Yugoslavia brought a pleasant surprise. "Americans?" asked the Yugoslavian border guard as he came on the bus. He proceeded to give a hearty welcome to Yugoslavia to our group of Americans and remarked that President Ford had visited Belgrade only two days before. In 1975, the territories of Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia were still united as Yugoslavia and Josip Broz Tito was its Communist leader. From Gradinje, the winding highway followed the Nišava River and rocky Sićevo Gorge to Nis. Then the highway turned north, through farmland, to Belgrade.... read more