Writes: Sanja Golubovic
Foto: Dimitrije Labudovic

This, one hundred twenty three years old cafe-house welcomes and say good-bye to thousand tourists from European countries and former Yugoslav republics. Many famous persons have ate here Montenegrin meat and cheese from Njegusi and drank wine and honey drink. King Nikola was coming by here with his daughters Ksenija and Vjera. On 1903 her guest was Bernard Shoe. Man from Norway, Aksel, who brought the first skies in Montenegro, was here. Hereby passé the first post coach. In the winter, for lost and frozen travelers, this was the house of salvation. Café-house that have never returned anyone.

15 kilometers from Cetinje and 29 from Kotor, not fair away from house where Njegos was born, is located café-house "Kod Pera na Bukovicu"- "At Pero on Bukovica". Encounter with this café-house looks like sudden encounter with friends. Wherever you are coming from, she will effect on you surprisingly and refreshing. Some people call this café-house "At granny Zorka", some other "At Branko", while some called it "At Pero". Whatever they named her, it's the same, the oldest in Montenegro. Made 1881 year, when road was made here. Although the elder than her are "Lokanda" on Cetinje and "Dojmi" in Kotor, none of these lasted till today. Fourth generation in Milosevic family run this café-house and work in it. Pero Milosevic was famous trader who traveled and worked a lot, and mostly spent time in Dubrovnik and Konavle by business. He was often taking there his grandson Branko (who own the café now)

Branko told us that, later, when he grow up, he was going to Dubrovnik by himself to make business deals. Mentioning his grandfathers name, he could ask whatever he wanted, and not to be asked when he going to pay. It was enough for him to say that he is the grandson of Petar Njegus, (that's what they called Petar Milosevic over there). And Petar had friends everywhere. The interesting is his friendship Slovak Lojza with who he became blood brother. Petar was going very often in visit to Lojza in Czechoslovakia. He gets familiar with country and skied on Tatri. Lojza would come to Njegusi every year and stay for a month, to rest and work (he was engage with art photography). First bus with tourists came in this café-house in 1963. That was the bus of travel agency from Dubrovnik "Putnik" (today "Atlas"), owned by Ivo Jelavic, whose sons continued the tradition of taking guests on excursions in Montenegro. House in which this café is, for all this years haven't lost her authenticity, although she was renovated for few times, and in past was the target of burglars, Italians, Germans, etc.They even took the roof from her once. Stonewalls, 1, 10 meters deep, give deep shade on the summer, and keep it warm on the winter. Across the café is terrace with well, wooden benches and view on Stone Sea and Lovcen Mountain. Other terrace is behind the house, in deep shade of the trees. When guests find themselves here, first thing they notice is freshness of the air, what Milosevic family explains like mixing of the air streams: mountain and seaside. They say that some of the foreign scientists were examination this phenomenon and marked this place as air spa. Pero's daughter in low, Zorka, took over the job in café. Zorka is married for Pero's son Djuro, who was community worker, and by that time lows, couldn't own the café. Zorka says that her husband didn't care so much for the café, so she had to take over the business. Zorka Miloševic is seventy-seven years old woman, healthy and vital, and proud on her healthy oldness. She was born in America, and after lived in Podgorica. She got married with seventeen.
She says, when she came to Njegusi and saw where it is, she didn't know what to do. Still, the great love to her husband made her stay there. From her father in low, she learned everything about café, and she is mentioning him a lot. Whenever he noticed that she is very tired, he would take her after season to Dubrovnik to get rest. For five years she have gave birth to four children. Job in café took over her son Branko. Zorka say that Branko went for study in Belgrade and Sarajevo, but he never finished the University because he had too much money. Her daughter is married, and three of her sons have apartments in Tivat and Njegusi. She says that all is earned with café, and added: " This is a hard job. I wouldn't advise my grandchildren to do this job". Still, Branko hopes that one of his sons will take over the café. Only the family worked in café. Zorka insist on respecting of tradition and old manner of preparing the food. Food that is offered to the guests is produced in this area. On five ovens, they bake a brad which recipe is still kept in family. Meat is smoking in smoking house made in 1945, and with cheese, café is provided for forty years by two families from Njegusi. Granny Zorka, says that guests wants to try the food that they don't have in countries where they coming from. That has to be the taste for take a way, and the tradition is all that counts. Sometimes, guests drink more then they should, but then, Zorka taking control and stops bringing the alcohol. Many things have been forgotten in this café (cameras, bags,), but Milosevic family always takes care that everything is being returned to the owner. With nostalgia, Zorka is telling the stories from her sixty years experience in café. While talking with us, Zorka is smiling to our camera. She is telling us the story about 50 Polish doctors, who came with bus in café late at night. They were in Montenegro as tourists, but because of occurrences in their country, they had to stay longer in Montenegro. They were going to Belgrade, and none of them had money. Zorka received them in café, although they told her that they couldn't pay. On departure, they asked for receive. One month later, Zorka received the money from Poland, in double amount, than the check was. Café "Kod Pera na Bukovicu" is the witness of many occurrences on this road. Many times Milosevic family was bringing in house and save people who were frozen and stocked in snow.
Board on which is the name of this café, is actually the sign for friends on road. "Tourism was the best in Titos time. From 15 to 30 buses a day would come by in here. I would sleep one hour, and bake the bread and meat all the night. I would bake hundred and twenty kilos of bread. In that time agencies that were coming are "Putnik", "Kompas", "Libertas", "General-turist", "Montenegro", than agencies from Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia... Last war ruin it all.

1948. Year, when all private cafes were forbidden by low, in café "At Pero", came by the president of the Republic, Blazo Jovanovic with his friends. When they ate and drunk, they wanted to pay. Pero told them that they are welcome in his house and they don't have to pay anything. Blazo was surprised and asked him isn't that a café. Pero answered to him that it was, but they closed it. When Blazo asked who closed the café, Pero answered, "You did Blazo". There, Blazo gave work permission for café. After six months, came new low, which allowed other cafes to work.