In my early childhood, I grew up near the Tisa river. … My maternal grandfather was involved in viticulture and fishing; he was the best ‘alas’ (fisherman) in the village. Our vineyard bordered the Old Tisa – a part of the Tisa that was created when Maria Theresa “tamed” the Danube and Tisa by building dams. There used to be a large bend in the Tisa there; she cut it off, and the famous Biserno Ostrvo (Pearl Island) area was created. … I followed my grandfather everywhere, and he loved me very much, held my hand. There’s an interesting event. For example, I learned to fish there. Since back then there were fish wherever you went – clean water, lots of fish – he would take… we called it an ‘arnodla’. A hair clip, you know. He’d take a clip from grandma, make me a hook, tie it to a string, and cast it. He’d say: “While I work in the vineyard, you catch fish for lunch.” And I’d actually catch fish.