During the week of spring break (which included two Serbian holidays – Serbian Orthodox Easter and May Day), my friend Pat and I traveled down
to Vranje, the southernmost city in Serbia. The main purpose of the trip was to attend the opening of my art show, but we would take advantage of the opportunity to explore this city located close to the Macedonian border (24 km) and Kosovo region.Departing from the bus station at just after 7 am, we took the NIS Express bus down to Vranje. It turned out the route wasn’t very “express” after all, making stops in several towns, including a 40-minute layover in Nis. At around 1 pm, Biljana, a worker at the American Corner where the art show was being held, met us at the Vranje bus station.
Art Show Preparations
After dropping off our stuff at the hotel (the only significant hotel in the city), we all walked to the American Corner. Located within the city’s library, the American Corner serves the community with English language books, videos, informational sessions, and English lessons. Since most of the paintings were already hung, only finishing touches and final preparations for that evening’s opening had to be made.
A Bite to Eat
Hungry, we selected a place near our hotel to eat, recommended to us by Biljana for its yummy grilled meats. Both Pat and I chose a Serbian hamburger composed of ground beef, ground pork, spices, with ham and kajmak (a cross between cheese and butter) in the middle. Lest we forget the bun as well, a rather flat bread called lepinja. It puts the Big Mac to shame, in size, taste, and perhaps even calories. The small place was very busy, its customers picking up burgers to go or enjoy it in the outdoor seating area. Located on a triangle overlooking a cobblestone pedestrian street with many cafés as well as a beautiful building of the Turkish Ottoman style, it was a great place to chat and watch
passersby. Christmas decorations were still strung across the street, presumably ready for the next season. Full but unable to finish our hamburger, we left to freshen up for the opening.Art Show Opening
Back at the American Corner, we laid out the chocolate chip cookies I brought (an introduction to something American) and waited for guests to arrive. Considering that this was a vacation week for most Serbs and a rally for Parliament elections was about to take place only a block away, I was pleased with the turnout. A local TV station was represented, recording the artwork, introductory welcome and my PowerPoint presentation. People munched on cookies as they looked at the artwork, some pleased to see my depiction of Serbian people and others more interested in images from Mali or Tunisia. After about an hour, the crowd thinned, the Parliamentary rally underway.
Presidential Election Rally
Invited to visit a mosaic art exhibit in a nearby gallery, we had to make our way through the large crowd gathered to hear President Boris Tadić speak, campaigning for the upcoming May elections. People of all ages were present, some waving flags, wearing campaign T-shirts, and kids clutching balloons with Tadić’s name and number 1 on it. (Each candidate/party is assigned a number to aid in remembering and for the few people who may not be able to read the ballot.) On a nearby street, representatives of some other candidates/parties waved their flags, handed out pamphlets, and drove by as a quiet distraction. Extra police were present, but the crowd was well behaved.
Architectural Tour
In the remaining daylight, we drove through the rather narrow streets of residential Vranje for an architectural tour. In between the newer buildings, small older homes out of mud brick were interspersed. Typically the multi-storey homes would accommodate multiple generations. Virtually all buildings had roofs made from terracotta tiles. A fence made from decorative iron, neatly trimmed hedges, or mud bricks bordered most homes. Right outside the walls piles of wood could be found, neatly stacked. Wood is the dominant fuel in the region, due to the abundance of forests and expense of electric heat. I noticed that there were quite a number of homes that were unfinished. It was explained that since a textile company closed and over 6,000 lost their jobs, economic times have been difficult for the residents of Vranje. Privatization of other companies, closures, or cutbacks have also hit the city. Driving up the steep hill through the gypsy quarter, we headed up the winding road towards Hotel Przar. From the heights, we could see the city of Vranje, nestled in the valley. Now cool and a bit chilly, we paused to enjoy the view of the twinkling city and then navigated back to the hotel for the evening.For more pictures, visit my web page on Vranje.
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