TOS RECOMMENDS–VACATION IN ETHNO ENVIRONMENTS DWELLING PLACE FOR BODY, REST FOR THE SOUL Ethno-tourism is one of the most genuine tourist products of Serbia. The Tourist Organisation of Serbia (TOS) gives an annual award called the Tourist Flower Award for achievements in various fields of tour- ism. The title of the best one in 2013 in the category of rural tourism went to “Golijski Konaci” (Golija Quarters), a newly opened ethno-tourist complex in the village of Komadine, near Ivanjica. “Dwelling place for body, rest for the soul” is a slogan that hits the essence: comfortable accommodation and amenities of the Golija Quarters are just a nice frame for spending time in splendid nature with interest- ing people.. 54 Autumn | Jesen 2013 BelGuest t a press conference held at the Tourist pool surrounded by it... When after three hours Organisation of Serbia (TOS) at the of an easy drive we reached the gates of the Golija BIRTH PLACE OF RURAL TOURISM Abeginning of July, Ivanjica presented Quarters, the impression was powerful and we Rural tourism has been developing for its offer for the upcoming season. The tourist were surprised. The images we carried from the vir- more than four decades in the villages entrepreneurs from the Ivanjica end included tual world were veracious, but missing the essence: in the neighbourhood of Ivanjica. Apart Draško Milosavljević, the owner of the Golija the beauty of the area between the hills, feeling of from the Golija Quarters and the men- Quarters, who addressed the press in a manner space, an inner harmony, a view of forests and a tioned Avramović pension, also known fairly uncommon for such occasions, “I am a car- belfry of the village church. The real world of the is the Obradović pension in the village penter by profession. I made all that you see with Golija Quarters surpasses the virtual one. of Katići. The Obradovićs also got their my own hands. I would have never succeeded The Milosavljević family welcomed us in full “Tourist Flower” in 2005. The newly opened without the support of my family, my wife above force: Draško, his wife Jaca, sons Veljko and “Ivanjički Konaci” (Ivanjica Quarters) need all.” And then he presented the complex: two Vukašin. While sipping coffee and homemade to be mentioned. By amenities and the modern mountain houses called “Golija 1” and raspberry brandy, we slowly stepped into the beauty of surroundings, they are not “Golija 2”, an ethno restaurant “Krčma” (Inn), two world created by hard work and imagination of behind Golija Quarters. A complete offer of bungalows, an open pool, a playhouse and a park these young people. “We started building by acci- rural tourism is published on the website of for children, domestic food... at affordable prices. dent. My wife and I decided to build a weekend the Tourist Organisation of Ivanjica The Golija Quarters look very attractive. The place cottage here, at my mother’s property. It was only www.ivatourism.org. where the complex is erected is at the bottom of later that I realised that I could use this space to the Golija nature park and is well known for its build a lot more. And that’s how we accomplished healing air. Height above the sea level just ideal. this that you see now.” The Milosavljević family Plethora of possibilities for research and short trips has continued decades-long tradition of tourism – Ivanjica, Golija, Javor and Mučanj mountains, in the Ivanjica area. They visited some successful Studenica monastery, Uvac lakes... ethno-complexes throughout Serbia and got the The presentation of Draško Milosavljević really right kind of advice from professionals in the impressed me. It was both modest and suggestive Tourist Organisation of Ivanjica. This is their first so I wished to spend my vacation there. I shared season. my impressions from the press conference with my husband, we took a look at the website of A MEDITATING FROG the Quarters and decided to cancel our previously We stayed in one of the bungalows. Besides a booked trip and spend our summer vacation at the nicely furnished room and a bathroom, we had a Golija Quarters. Back then I didn’t even assume that terrace overlooking the pool and the surrounding the Quarters would get the award and me a topic hills. The lady of the house brought us bath- to write about. robes with the monogram of the Golija Quarters embroidered on it. It is a really beautiful, tiny MORE STUNNING THAN ON PHOTOGRAPHS detail, a barely noticeable brush stroke that com- The garden is split in half by a brook. It is deco- We started our journey with an already formed pletes the harmony on the big canvas. When I look rated with stones, flowers, a windmill model, and image. The website images of the Golija Quarters at the Golija Quarters as a picture, with the main an arched wooden bridge. On a sunny boulder in are impressionable: mountain houses decorated composition, I would single out another detail, a the middle of the brook, I noticed a tiny green fluo- with flowers, verdure and the blue swimming small universe that gave me great joy. rescent frog. My hosts said that it was living there A happy frog from Golija for a long time and that they started thinking of it as of a family member and a lucky omen. The frog spent the whole day in the sun. This pretty little creature appealed to me. I went to search for it the day after and barely managed to find it. It hid in the shadow and spent the day in water. Motionless and visibly content, the frog from Golija spent one day sunbathing and the other bathing. I decided to follow its example, halt the exhausting stream of thoughts and just be at this wonderful place. A GOLIJA EXPEDITION At the Tourist Organisation of Ivanjica we got a detailed guidebook for the city and the surround- ing area. I had no idea that this area had so many tourist signposts. Arilje direction, Javor and Nova Varoš direction, Studenica direction... Taking into BelGuest Autumn | Jesen 2013 55 consideration that the Quarters are located at the family house was full of guests. They are the peo- very bottom of Golija, the signboard with their ple who like mountaineering, mushroom hunting, name was, logically, our first choice. Walking up riding along forest tracks, skiing in the winter. Our the stream of the Moravica River, we ran into the host joins us and gives us a detailed mountaineer- Roman Bridge (medieval arched stone bridge) and ing map. Horse d’oeuvre is the goat cheese, their an extraordinary beautiful ethno-house called “SUR homemade product. We talk as if we have known Ljubav” (Love). Another thing that makes this place each other for years. Has this climate made those unusual is the fact that it was built by the owner of people so open, direct and warm? Our hosts are the coffee shop “Bankrot” (Bankruptcy) from Ivanjica like that, the owner of the raspberry refrigerator car as a resting place. This “restaurant” has no waiters. who we met by accident is the same and so were You enter the kitchen, open the fridge, help your- the grandfather and the grandson who showed us self with a drink, take a break on the bank of the the way when we got lost in the forests of Golija. Moravica, and you leave the money or miss to do so. Is there a place like this anywhere else? AT DRAŠKO AND JACA’S Walking turned into climbing. We headed towards I was never a fan of big hotels and resorts. Dajić Lake, the centre of the first biosphere reserve in The service is unrivalled; comfort is guaranteed, the world! I regretted I wasn’t a biologist who, in the standards well known. That concept of vacation world of a giant spruce forest, would be able to rec- has its advantages, but the factor of “unique- ognise those curious creatures because of which this ness” is missing, the people are missing... I place is under UNESCO’s protection. Along the way, don’t know how, but our hosts know when we also discovered Okruglica Lake on a hill offering the right time for everything is. They serve us an incredible panoramic view. Golija is massive, apples and pears, coffee and honey, offer us immense. The meadows surrounding the lake are with brandy and sit with as for chitchat. Little covered with high, tender grass and strange violet by little we start sharing our life stories and bells. With the blowing wind, the scenery started views and we become interested in each other. moving too. We became a part of this beauty. I realised how attached I became after naming the folder with the Golija Quarters photographs A POOL WITH A VIEW, PEOPLE WITH as “At Draško and Jaca’s”. It contains the pho- WARM HEARTS tographs of Draško and Jaca’s sons Veljko and The Avramović pension is included in the list of Vule competing in swimming with immense WINTERTIME IN IVANJICA rural tourist households of Ivanjica. Our Quarters joy, several marvellous dishes Jaca prepared, are located in the village of Komadine, and the an immaculately set dinning table, Draško’s Golija Quarters, Ivanjica Quarters, pen- Avramović pension is in the neighbouring village specialty “Roast lamb under the iron pan”, well sions Avramović, Obradović, as well as many of Kumanica. We decide to pay it a visit. The road with a flower bucket, our relaxed and smiling other rural households and complexes in the was very steep, and the beauty and the wonder of faces.