Sunday we spent the day at Silver Lake. Silver Lake was formed in 1971 when a branch of the Danube was dammed to “protect the Ram marsh from subterranean waters.” It is 14 kilometers long and 300 meters wide. Over the years, people have built vacation homes along the reservoir. A private development company is making a resort with a swimming pool, tennis courts, residences, etc. I like it because it is so close to Belgrade. It is only about an hour drive from the city. It is called Silver Lake because of the sparkles of the water at sunset. It is just south east of Belgrade, and Romania is just across the river.
We had a great day! We were catching frogs along the banks and kids can spend hours going in and out of the water. The area is not in the big guidebooks (Lonely Planet, Bradt). I found some brochures at the tourist desk at the airport describing tourist spots along the Danube and Silver Lake was featured in the section about the nearby town of Veliko Gradiste. (“big construction site” in Serbian)
Silver Lake is like a cleaner, country version of Ada Ciganlija with much less people.
While visiting the Golubac Castle, we stayed at the Silver Lake Hotel. The “Lake” is actually an extension of the Danube, or an “oxbow” in technical terms. Silver Lake is cut off from the Danube by a dam and the place is a popular holiday destination for Serbs. The hotel has seen better days and was probably built in the 1980’s during the communist era of Serbia. The staff was extremely friendly and despite the uncomfortable beds and foul-smelling tap water in the hotel, we really enjoyed our stay. The most important thing was the kids had a blast and that was the whole point of going.
We swam both Friday night and Saturday afternoon in the lake. We had a scare on Saturday morning. Nadia was applying sunscreen to Oliver and I was trying to catch a frog for Owen. Ocean happened to go into the water and slipped and went under the surface. Owen yelled immediately, warning me, and a I quickly pulled her out. It was a good lesson for us on taking three children to a body of water. An accident can happen so quickly and we need to be extra vigilant. Ocean was a bit scared, but quickly lived up to her name and went back into the water. It was extremely hot and the cool water of the Danube made it a pleasant day. I am always amazed at the fascination kids have with the water’s edge. They could have played there the entire day.
A resort is being developed there. It is like a gated community, with I assume most of the vacation cottages being built by Belgraders wanting a vacation home. There are several restaurants as well as a marina, tennis club, stores, etc. I read of plans to build newer hotels, which would be nice. There were many ads offering rooms and apartments for rent also.
The Boys Enjoying A Mid Summer Night's Swim
The place reminded me of the lakes in Michigan as well as a bit of Ada Ciganlija, but without the crowds. I would go back, but perhaps renting a private apartment instead of going to the hotel. Some of the other highlights were catching frogs, a fantastic lunch at the Amici Restaurant, and the quiet escape from the city. Nadia went for a run and we discovered a bike trail that goes along the river and definitely worth coming back with bicycles on a weekend. The waiters at the restaurant loved our children and appreciated my learning of Serbian. I am actually starting to be able to communicate in Serbian!
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