Germany is still in lockdown but with lowering numbers the promises are starting to arrive of opening up a little bit by next week. I almost can’t believe it. There is something in me that keeps thinking something catastrophic will happen to make us go into even stricter lockdown. On the 21st there is hopes that restaurants can open their outdoor spaces. We will have to get a negative test and an appointment before going and it can only be up to two households per table BUT still, we might get to sit outside and eat. Plus this could mean that by the time our wedding comes maybe, just maybe, we could have an outside lunch after with like….dream of dreams…20 people. We are still hoping.

But on Friday we got out for 10 days. Ana needed her second dose and my birthday was on Saturday so we got ourselves to Serbia. We had to test before getting on the plane, PCR for me since I am not Serbian, and we masked up and made the flight. Ana’s parents picked us up and took us for Ana to get her second dose. Done. Then we headed out to the village where Ana’s parents live. Surrounded by trees and a view, it was amazing to not be surrounded by concrete on my birthday.

My birthday was FULL of food and love and fun. Ana’s mom made such great food and amazing cake. I loved every bite. Ana and I watched the sunset from the third floor balcony and talked to my parents. A good day. 40 is going to be sweet.

Then yesterday we loaded up the car to head to Mt. Zlatibor. Ana’s parents have given us an early wedding gift to stay in a cute place for a few days in this mountainy place. They made a whole itinerary for the way here (a three hour drive away). We started with a fav of mine from a little bakery, Borek. Yum! Flaky phyllo goodness. We stopped for coffee on a lake but didn’t stop long for we had lots of stops to make. We headed to a monastery that Vesna really wanted to show me but we were out of luck since they were closed to the public but another little monastery was just steps away and we stopped there to see and walk around. Lovely.

The views from these two places of prayer were worth the stop even if we didn’t get into the place we wanted to check out the most.

Back in the car, we drove to a few pottery villages that surround a massive cave. One, I love pottery and miss throwing on the wheel and two, I was way more impressed with this cave than most around I think. Our tour guide was eager to move us along but the 182 steps up and into the cave plus the amazing views inside and out kept us at a steady pace. I am constantly amazed at the history when I come to Serbia. The thousands of years still present here is incredible. Ruins and remains from thousands of years ago connect us to a layered and incredible story. It just makes US history so incredibly new and even most European history quite new. I am amazed constantly.

We stopped to admire pottery on the way out of these villages and I even got the potter to show me his huge kiln and process.

We headed to our final destination of Mt. Zlatibor but not without just soaking in the incredible surroundings. We settled into our place and then headed out again to track down a restaurant known for their trout, a 30 minute drive away. I oooed and awwed over the bee hives I saw along the way that are beautiful and surely just enhance this area named after the golden pines that surround us. The feast put out before us was incredible and the trout, caught right there, was just amazing. We sat outside and spent our time enjoying although we ate as soon as it landed on our table. A day of adventure requires this sustenance!

I can’t wait to see what today brings that makes lockdown a memory soon. We are masked and outside all of the time we aren’t in the car. We are keeping distance and taking precaution.

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