Star struck in Andrijevica

We left the Komovi mountains and headed down. The route was a superb descent over forests and meadows for a good 16 km. Thrilling! And satisfying.

We rolled into Andrijevica and wondered what to do next. We sat for a snack, which turned into an early dinner. Except it was very weird food. The 'pizza' was rectangular, some 8 cm tall, and was covered in cream and decorated with ketchup. Our fault for going off the local menu.

We decided that was enough and to take a room to clean off the mountain dust and fatigue. When we checked into the Hotel Komovi, we were told that there would be a concert "for a few hours" at the adjacent plaza. This turned out to be a lively folk fest, like the Freimarkt in Bremen, only more convivial.

There were stalls selling the absolute best of the local treasures: white beans, red beans, honey of all varieties, brandy and liquors, and assorted clothing. We snapped up a bottle that I later realize is more than a kg of honey.

The concert was a big deal. Two svelte women dressed in tight blue dresses sang and strummed a guitar to lilting tunes. They were celebrities. Many of the revelers were singing along. The children clambered on stage giving them hugs mid-song, and trying to get into photos with them. The women kept the songs going through this all, frequently ushering the children off stage, only to do it again in a few minutes.

We rocked out in Andrijevica. And then we slept.Read more