Things to do in Beocin

Christmas is coming soon. These two days, we have been talking about my Christmas trips in the past three years. In the last issue, I talked about being invited to Dubai to celebrate the holiday last year (friends who are interested can read the previous article). This issue, we should talk about this year. Some friends will ask: This year? Isn’t Christmas still two days away? Haha, you should listen to me. On December 25 last year, I returned to Beijing after participating in the Desert Carnival Night, but I felt that it was not enough. People are more interested in playing off-road, don’t you think? So after spending New Year’s Day at home, I set off again a few days later! Where did I go this time? Back to the Balkan Peninsula, because I know that Christmas there has not started yet... A few days ago, I said that I was aesthetically tired of Europe. Isn’t it a slap in the face to go back again? Not necessarily! Listen to me. Friends who know a little about religion know that the Orthodox Christmas is on January 7th instead of December 25th. Before, I only caught up with it in Russia, and I really didn’t celebrate Christmas in other countries dominated by Orthodox Christianity. I just had time and my friends there were on holiday, so what are we waiting for? Let's go... January 7th was Christmas day. My friend from Belgrade drove me to Novi Sad to celebrate the holiday, because although I had been to Serbia five times before, I had never been there. Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia after Belgrade. It is located about 70 kilometers southeast of Belgrade. The Danube River runs through it and divides the city into two. It is also the capital and economic and cultural center of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. So I must come and see it this time. In fact, when you get here, you will find that although it is independent, it is no different from going from one city to another. We will talk about the attractions and scenery of this city later, let's talk about today's theme - Christmas dinner! My friend helped me book a restaurant in the old town of Novi Sad that only locals go to. There are no foreign tourists there to truly experience the original taste. In fact, the cooking method of Serbians is simple, either frying or roasting, but the feeling of tasting the original taste of the food carefully is enough to satisfy the taste buds. The custom here is that people do not eat turkey for Christmas dinner, but mostly eat fish. There are two reasons for this. First, they believe that fish is not considered meat, so they should be pure and abstinent and not eat meat on this day. Second, it is to commemorate the story of Jesus' five loaves and two fishes in the Bible. This restaurant is simple and romantic (I have returned to the bright red and green of Christmas in Europe). The first soup is fish skin soup, and the main course is grilled Danube trout, which are the most traditional Christmas menus in Novi Sad. There are very few people in the restaurant, only one table of men drinking coffee. Maybe they are gathering at home like we celebrate the Spring Festival! When chatting with the boss, I heard another reason. He said that business is not good now because the economy of Novi Sad is not good. People are poor and don't want to go out to eat. They usually eat at home to save some money... I can't help feeling a little sad when I heard such words on Christmas Day. The boss is very real. He doesn't have the vanity of us to brag in front of foreigners and don't lose face. Thank him for letting me feel the honesty of the people of Novi Sad. Thank him for not closing on this day. Wish him a happy Christmas! I will definitely come again next time!

If the Church of St. Sava is a symbol of the Serbian spirit, then the Petrovaradin Fortress is undoubtedly a testament to their military strength! This fortress, one of the largest and best-preserved ancient fortresses in Europe, sits firmly on a 40-meter-high volcanic rock on the right bank of the Danube River in Novi Sad. Its altitude and terrain are exceptional, which is why it is called the "Gibraltar of the Danube".

The main church of Novi Sad, the original church was built in 1719 and is located on the same site as today's church. In 1742, the church was destroyed and a new church was rebuilt on the same site. In 1848, the rebuilt church was severely damaged in the bombing of the Hungarian Revolution, the bell tower was destroyed, and it was later partially rebuilt. In 1891, the city council decided to demolish the old church, which had been rebuilt for the second time, and build a new church on the same site. Hungarian architect György Molnör designed the new church for free in 1892. In the same year, the old church was demolished and the construction of the new church began. The main building of the church was completed in November 1893, and the 72-meter-high bell tower with a golden cross was completed in October 1894. So, the Church of Mary that you see now was built for the third time. Basically, this cathedral can be seen from any angle of Freedom Square.

What a treat to be able to visit here and see very exotic birds, closest to the main footpath. Or, better yet, take a rickshaw. We stayed very close, at the park entrance at The Birders Inn - highly recommended - and actually took a rickshaw back from there. We got to the park just before sunrise - a good time to start - and the whole experience took about 4 hours. But be aware that food, drinks and other amenities are scarce, so be prepared. Entry fee is fairly cheap. Well worth a visit if in the area or travelling from Jaipur to Agra.

What else can you say about Budva, the beaches and the sea at the very beginning of September