It is not that this correspondent does not speak, or read, Serbian; that is barely the problem. One can achieve a fair degree of understanding by writing, drawing -but most of all patience.
However, information provided at the Nis Autobusca Stanica (Bus Station) is confusing, when not contradictory.
This correspondent was assured that Podgorica buses would depart early in the morning at 6.30. After showing up in the terminal at 6.00, by 6.45 there were no signs of any Podgorica bus.
The female attendants at the station were nice, courteous people, and they suggested that I traveled to Novi Pazar, where I had greater chances of catching a Podgorica bus.
The Novi Pazar bus left Nis at 8.00 in the morning. By noon I was arriving in little, though busy Novi Pazar, a town in Southern Serbia bordering the troublesome province of Kosovo.
At the Novi Pazar Bus Station, confusion reigned again. First, I was assured that buses to Podgorica would depart at 2.45 in the afternoon. Yet a second source indicated that the bus had already left town at 9.00 a.m; worse still, a third source said there weren't any buses to Podgorica at all!
So, whom to believe? At some point, your correspondent exasperated to the point of taking whatever bus showed up, to whatever destination. But second thoughts proved more mesurate. The town of Novi Pazar is conviniently situated at the crossroads of two important Serbian monasteries (Studenica and Sopocani) both of which are worth visitng.
Studenica monastery (pronounced 'Studenitsa') is a rough 11.5 kilometers uphill a road from the town of Usce. Skies were cloud, anticipating rain.
Upon arriving in Studenica, a rare calm sorrounds the visitor. There is a gentle brisk disturbing leaves all over the trees, and small complexes of country houses can be ssen in the mountains afar. Once discovering this peace, it is hard to believe that mortars, rockets and guns ever blazed in neighbouring Bosnia, or Kosovo; or even that wars were ever fought in the name of monasteries like this and the Church it represents, the Serbian Orthodox.
Established in tjhe twelfth century, Studenica 'survived the Turks, the Nazis and the Communists', said Vladimir Vasojevic, from Cacak, who is studying in the monastery.
Mr. Vasojevic said that the United Nations Education, Scienfic and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) is helping reconstruct the frescos and architecture of the monastery.
Studenica is decorated with medieval frescoes in excellent state of conservation. More importantly, it guards the remains of two key figures in the Serbian Orthodox Church: Saint Simeon and Saint Anastasia.
A light rain fell down as I left Studenica behind. The town of Raska, and Studenica itself, is situated in the 'Inner' Serbia, the core of the nation whether speaking geographically or culturally. I found the people more reserved, if not wary of foreign visitors, though generally they tend to be very friendly after 'breaking the ice'. Even soldiers were helpful to me and pointed the shortest ways to the monastery.
On the Podgorica question, a taxi driver had the right answer: buses depart from Novi Pazar everyday at 11.00 p.m.
