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Topola, Serbia

Okay… Wikipedia is going to be very helpful here.

While in Belgrade we went out to a place called Oplenac. We climbed a steep hill to see the amazing St George’s Church known also as Oplenac Church and Oplenac Mausoleum, it is the Mausoleum of the Serbian and Yugoslav Royal House of Karadordevic located on top of the Hill Oplenac in the city of Tolopa, Serbia. The Foundation in Oplenac is named after King Peter 1 of Yugoslavia. Our guide Milos filled us in on the history of the place. I got lost in the details! but I also got lost in the magnificance of the place. The inside was just amazing! I’m sure the photos won’t do it justice…. but I have to share the place with you somehow!

Does the strain of the climb show on our faces?
Does the strain of the climb show on our faces?
Ahhh we made it!
Ahhh we made it!
Our first view of St Georges Church. It certainly doesn't look that spectacular from the outside!
Our first view of St Georges Church. It certainly doesn’t look that spectacular from the outside!
The mosaic at the entrance
The mosaic at the entrance
We are all inside... and can't believe our eyes!
We are all inside… and can’t believe our eyes!
Mosiacs everywhere you look!
Mosiacs everywhere you look!
Even on the ceiling domes!
Even on the ceiling domes!
Just look at how amazing these ceiling are!
Just look at how amazing these ceiling are!
A closer view of just one big mosiac!
A closer view of just one big mosiac!
And look at the light fittings! hehe
And look at the light fittings! hehe
Even the floors are amazing! Works of Art!
Even the floors are amazing! Works of Art!
In the lower floor were the tombs and the mosaics are just as spectacular!
In the lower floor were the tombs and the mosaics are just as spectacular!
Looking one way!
Looking one way!
And now the other :-)
And now the other 🙂
Great Huh!
Great Huh!
A close up of one of the mosaics downstairs
A close up of one of the mosaics downstairs
Just superb!
Just superb!
I'm still amazed by this place!
I’m still amazed by this place!
A couple of tombs!
A couple of tombs!
The windows and decorations above the tombs
The windows and decorations above the tombs

Now after seeing this amazing place we went to visit the home of King Peter. Milos told us heaps of the history but I was lost in thought. I couldn’t get my mind of the fabulous church we had just visited! I guess I am way more stimulated by the visual rather than by listening to someone talk!

We finished off the lovely day with a superb meal together.

Celebrating the day together with a delightful evening meal.
Celebrating the day together with a delightful evening meal.
Very happy Judy and Len :-)
Very happy Judy and Len 🙂
I love this photo of Teresa and me :-)
I love this photo of Teresa and me 🙂

So now you can see why Topola, Serbia deserved it’s own blog post! Isn’t it just amazing! I hope you are inspired to go see it for yourself one day 🙂

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Belgrade, Serbia

After a fabulous Hotel breakfast it was on the bus to travel to Belgrade. One of our longer bus trips of the tour. Nearly all day travelling!

Our first bus photo :-)
Our first bus photo 🙂
Hey smile for the camera Judy and Len :-)
Hey smile for the camera Judy and Len 🙂

Our first stop was at Palic, Serbia. We all wandered down a long walkway towards the lake . Our tour director gave us a little information on the area and then it was free time and lunch. We dined at a lovely cafe in which the host thought we would like to finish with free drinks all round. Very kind but as the bus had strict leaving times, we were very rushed to finish.

Walking along the path together
Walking along the path together
Local building at Palico... very nice!
Local building at Palic… very nice!
The entrance to the Park and lake.
The entrance to the Park and lake.
The park and the lovely manicured gardens :-)
The park and the lovely manicured gardens 🙂
Lakeside.
Lakeside.

Soon we were back on the bus travelling past many unfinished houses and many more very run down homesteads. We got the feeling that we were now in a very poor country. Much different from our tour of Italy last year. We began to wonder about the statement our tour director said when he introduced himself at Budapest. He said that the tour of the Balkans was the tour most people did after they had done all the rest of the Insight Vacations tours. He said it would be very different… but still a great tour. This is definitely very different. We almost felt it was like a third world country.

As we arrived in Belgrade (the capital of Serbia and also the largest city) we began to see the evidence of war from the Kosovo conflict. Many buildings that suffered from bombings still sitting exactly like they had just been hit. Apparently they are historic sites and cannot be pulled down and rebuilt very easily. So they remain as eyesores for all, and a constant reminder of the unrest of the past.

Honestly this is just one of very many ruined buildings just sitting untouched!
Honestly this is just one of very many ruined buildings just sitting untouched! They were damaged by the Nato bombing of 1999.

We travelled on to view the fortress of Kalemegdan with our local guide filling us in on the history of Serbia.

The Fortress entrance
The Fortress entrance
War vehicles!
War vehicles!
Exit to the surrounding area and lookouts
Exit to the surrounding area and lookouts
Listening to our local guide Milos
Listening to our local guide Milos
The fabulous view.
The fabulous view.
You could see for miles!
You could see for miles!
Our tour friends using the opportunity for photos
Our tour friends using the opportunity for photos
A statue with the view beyond.
A statue with the view beyond.
A nice photo of Judy, Len and Teresa :-)
A nice photo of Judy, Len and Teresa 🙂

We walked through the park and ended up at the outskirts of Belgrade township. Our tour guide explained the horrendous issues with money that Serbia has had over the years. Even now for NZ $1, you would get Serbia Dinar $78. Or for Euro $1, you would get Serbia Dinar $119. Serbian money had no value. In fact the values of the notes became higher and higher! We were shown some of the old currency, and then our tour director David gave us a 500 Billion bank note each. These can be brought for $3 Euro purely as a souvenir as they are no longer part of the local currency…. but they were!

A 500 Billion Dollar Bank note from the past!
A 500 Billion Dollar Bank note from the past!

The next couple of hours was free time for us to discover Belgrade on foot. Such a lovely town (apart from the damaged buildings!)

A drinking fountain where the streets meet at the shopping mall
A drinking fountain where the streets meet at the shopping mall
A snap of Robin and me in Belgrade
A snap of Robin and me in Belgrade

We also visited the white marble Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, which will require at least 15 more years to complete. Even the mosiacs in the church were painted canvas strung up until the real mosiacs are finished. Only one is actually complete, but not really on show yet.

Me standing outside the Marble Church
Me standing outside the Marble Church
It is a beautiful building!
It is a beautiful building!
The inside is still being completed.
The inside is still being completed.
Look closely and you can see where the canvas is tied on :-)
Look closely and you can see where the canvas is tied on 🙂
The one finished Mosiac behind a fence
The one finished Mosiac behind a fence

While in Belgrade we went on an extra excursion to Topola. I’m going to do a separate blog post about this place. It deserves it’s own set of photos. Hopefully you have enjoyed looking at our little trip to Belgrade. Serbia is certainly an interesting country!