Apr
7
2010

Order Tara's Bicycle Touring Cookbook Today!

Homesick

by Tyler

It being a sleepy, rainy morning, we almost succumbed to the desire to stay put for one more day. Thinking better of it, we slowly pushed ourselves to motion, dutifully packing our things in a half-awake and hungry daze. It took some time, but once our bikes were prepared, we plopped ourselves down in the Hotel Professional's lobby to have an enormous breakfast.

For a pittance of four euro, we devoured bacon and eggs, fried mushrooms, a gigantic hunk of burger stuffed with ham and cheese, french fries, a huge sesame seed studded flat bread and two tasty cappuccinos each. When we were through, we set forth into the dreary day, stopping for groceries at a rare Serbian supermarket on the way out of town.

As is usually the case, we were glad to be on the road once we'd been there for an hour or so. It was an exceedingly pleasant ride, and the dark atmosphere was somewhat reflective of our own somber moods.

Serbian Village Serbian Village

As we rode, we both wished we could be at home with family. Partly to share in the celebration of new life, and partly to ease the pain of our aging relatives. Tara especially wished she could somehow alleviate the stresses in her brother's life, but felt helpless to do anything from so far away.

Serbian Village Crumbling Serbian Ruins

It was bittersweet being in rural Serbia this afternoon. The ride was easy, the air filled with wood smoke and the streets lined with all manner of crumbling village homes.

Old Serbian Woman's Cottage

When we came across this particular cottage, we both stopped independent of one another, wanting to capture it for all time with our camera. When I snapped the photo, an old Serbian woman came out and waved! Tara held the bikes while I went over to her to say hello, trying also to explain to her what we're up to. Neither of us understood one another, but I gave her a postcard and went back to the bikes with a friendly goodbye.

Old Serbian Woman

As we got ready to go, she appeared from her home and teetered over at a good clip with a giant, toothless smile. She wanted to give us some of her hand dyed easter eggs! She was a absolutely beaming, and seemed to be as tickled as we were by our meeting.

Tyler & Old Serbian Woman

As we packed the eggs away safely, thanking the woman for her generosity, Tara declared, "That's it! I am complete with Serbia! I don't care if we don't see anything else here because WE GOT TO MEET AN OLD SERBIAN LADY!!!". This reminded me of the time I felt similarly about France when a woman declared "ooh la la!" about our trip.

Tickled Tyler & Old Woman Tyler & Easter Eggs Serbian Easter Eggs

A little further on, we encountered a tiny "bogey" (we call dogs bogeys now, as in "BOGEY, 12 o'clock"). This one was friendly and we petted him for awhile and tried to instruct him to look both ways before he crosses the road. He didn't listen, instead bounding away over the street like a silly fool. I really hope he doesn't end up dead like the many tiny dogs we've seen on the roadside.

Tara & Puppy Serbian House & Cars

Ready to call it a night after a few hours and 60 kilometers, we pulled off the road into a nice apple grove near some train tracks. I made a fire while Tara made dinner: a veggie salad with chunks of Serbian hardboiled eggs, and some sauteed potatoes with garlic.

Apple Grove Free Camp Blossoms Tyler the Fire Master

We spent our evening talking by the fire, marveling at our good fortune while at the same time feeling melancholy about our inability to easily return home, if only for a day.

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2 comments

I've got such a big grin on my face right now from reading your chance meeting with the old Serbian lady and the look of pure glee on Tyler's face as he's clutching those eggs. Love! Absolutely one of the best parts of our journey is meeting so many kind, friendly people.
Posted by Katherine on May 3rd, 2010 at 5:23 AM
"We spent our evening talking by the fire, marveling at our good fortune while at the same time feeling melancholy about our inability to easily return home, if only for a day."
Ha ha, I've often dreamed of the day when one could bring a teleporter to zap back home for a day, when touring.
But that's cheating. ;)
Posted by jethro on October 18th, 2012 at 8:23 PM