Karling klub Vukovi

June 2017 was also marked by the gathering of the members of The NUSANTARA Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship for the sake of an excursion – the chosen destinations for this month were Mačva and Semberija.

The first spot scheduled for this June’s journey was the summer house of Milić of Mačva, transformed into a studio on the artist’s estate in Belotić, his place of birth. NUSANTARA heard a story about the creation and performance of the Art School of Mačva, took a look at the Radovan Tower, named after the artist’s father, and especially observed „The First Barking House Worldwide Built in 1967“, peculiarity of this artistic complex.

The road further led to The „Sovljak“ Ethno Park, peculiar environmental complex in Bogatić, in which kind hosts prepared rich snacks for the excursionists; the members of the Association tasted so-called “puff pastry from Mačva”, specially prepared for them by students of the Mačva High school, trained for professional cooks and led by their teacher Albert Panić. The credit for both the special treatment and the rich refreshments must go to Mr. Vladan Popadić, director of the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Bogatić. The members of The Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship were given some tourist brochures and promotional material, as well as all necessary information regarding the tourist highlights of this area of Serbia.

Under the eldest linden in Serbia, aged some considerable 220 years, NUSANTARA was informed about diverse activities of the Ethno Park, as well as about „the Osečina building style“, and Mr. Dragomir Ninković Mamara playfully presented the way of life and customs of the XIX century Mačva village. The stay at „Sovljak“ was at the same time a valuable opportunity to learn from Mr. Dragoljub Puzić, local historian, about the mentality of people from Mačva, history and traditions of this region, as well as the latest archaeological excavations along the river Drina.

After having crossed the state border at Badovinci, the members of The Association of Serbian-Indonesian Friendship found themselves in Bijeljina, heart of the region of Semberija and the second city of Bosnia. Besides talking about the history, both remote and recent, and current circumstances in town, Mr. Vladimir Sofrenić, guide from the Tourist Organization of Bijeljina, took his visitors around the 105-year old City Park, the main city square, marked by a replica of the monument to King Peter the I Liberator, a local art gallery, the Cultural Centre, the building of the municipality and some more remarkable edifices within the strict urban area.

In the city of Bijeljina, NUSANTARA also visited an ecclesiastic complex representing a personal endowment of Vasilije Kačavenda, one-time bishop of the Zvornik-Tuzla eparchy. The complex was devoted to St. Petka and includes a Serbian, Russian and Greek church with lodgings.

The excursion finished with a brief stay in The „Stanišići“ Ethno Village, which has experienced significant modifications since the opening of the restaurant „Konoba Stanišić“ in December 2003 till now, becoming one of the must-see tourist brands of all Semberija, with two hotels built, a monastery dedicated to St. Nickolas from Myra in Lycia, a 400-seat equipped amphitheatre, cabins, log cabins, wooden houses, a mill, a watermill, an artificial lake, covering currently some 2.5 hectares of the Semberija plain. Following its long-time collaboration with the „IndoFood“ company, NUSANTARA offered all its hosts Indonesian noodles that Sunday, confirming by that its status of the best promoter of Indonesian food produced in Serbia.

Biljana Đorđević